Caught in the Net

Remember our guest blogger earlier this year? One of our directors, Dominic Waldron, has been working with our local amateur dramatic society PADS on the same play he starred in (and blogged about) in Hamburg. This is sure to be an entertaining evening out!

If you think your life is complicated, imagine the life of two-timing taxi driver John Smith who keeps two separate families!

When his teenage children (a girl from one family and a boy from the other) meet in an Internet chat room and are anxious to meet in person, John's already hectic life shifts into high gear as he tries to keep his double life a secret.

Ray Cooney's fast-paced farce was nominated for the 2002 Olivier (Britain's Tony Award) and the 2001 Evening Standard Awards for Best New Comedy, and Carpenter Square Theatre is staging its Oklahoma premiere.

Friday 9th, Saturday 10th October

Doors open at 7:30pm
Show Starts 8:00pm

Licensed Bar applied for.

Tickets
Adults £6
Concessions £5

Tickets available from
Sue Richardson 01793 772581
Purton Spar Shop
Lindsay Hall 01793 771890
On the door.

Guest Blogger - On the home run

So, my last week. Only a few more days and only a hand full of shows until my return. I have been Gavin and been Caught In The Net for the English Theatre of Hamburg for 3 1/2 months and 72 performances. It's almost time to pack my bag, down my last Gluwhein and sink that final Brotwurst because this actor is coming home unemployed. Umm...I mean resting.

Even though it's been an absolute epic experience it really has been an emotional roller coaster. The people I've met, the places I've been, the views I've witnessed and not forgetting the 3:30am conversations about the war with the various dodgy pub bar-flies have really given me a massive insight on many topics. Three and half months is a long time in many ways; being away from what's familiar, your mates and family over Christmas and your birthday all takes it's toll, ( not saying it wasn't great but just very different ). Also living with the same people you travel and work with, I can't help but feel a little cabin fever creeps in from time to time, even if it's just on a subconscious level.

Caught In The Net has been the most successful show the English Theatre of Hamburg has done for ten years. We've sold out every single show almost since the second week of the run, and the comments and personal emails we've received have all been very flattering and kind. It's been a honour and a pleasure to be part of something that has been received so well. While I've been here I've been asked a couple of questions. I'll try my best to answer them...

Question 1. What has been the best & Worst thing about this experience?

Well, The best things are just too many to list. I've loved living in Hamburg for 3 1/2 months. I love the city life, I love the fact that German public transport works! I love it that the bars close when you decide to leave them, I love being in a play and performing eight times a week, I love some of the strangest but most brilliant people I've ever met ( Germany really do produce the absolute, top class, Grade - A 'strange people' ) and obviously, being in such a well written play is always a pleasure. The worst things consist of a very short list, and to be honest maybe it's just my perfectionist baggage kicking in, but I really feel the play itself could be better than we're doing it. I feel various aspects of the production need more work, and have found it, at times very frustrating that other people didn't feel the same.

Question 2. What have you taken away from the experience?

Well, LOADS of stuff. Mainly my insight into the German attitude to the Second World wWar! It's almost moving to hear some peoples take on what happened just a few years ago. But I know that has nothing to do with Theatre so I'll try and relate the question. I have taken a lot of experience away from this. I've never done a production run any where near as long as this before and I've gained a lot of experience on the routine you get in to. Your body clock moves forward about five hours, you're awake late, rising late, etc. I've also worked with people that have MASSIVELY different training experience and work VERY DIFFERENTLY to me in how they rehearse and approach text and so that's all been very interesting and insightful.

Question 3. Would you had done anything differently?

Umm...No.

Question 4. Does it make you want to try a different directing style yourself?

The English Theatre of Hamburg has been running since 1976, the two artistic directors Mr. Dean and Mr. Rumpf take it turns to direct the four shows a year. They both direct in a very similar way and, to my knowledge, have not changed their techniques or approach to production. The theatre does very well, very often sells out and their way of working clearly works for them. However, I can't say I personally would ever direct in this way. Different people work in different ways and different approaches, and that's fine. But I guess I'm a very open person when it comes to drama, and theatre work and I think communication and honesty is the most, if not the only factor you should work on. (Drama; The communication of your emotional response to the text via performance (David Calder)). This way of working it's a very "top heavy" management system and in some ways very restrictive. I feel that due to various rules and regulations that are put in place and because it's frowned upon to discuss the play, scenes or timings with other actors we didn't make the most of the material that we were given and I found that quite upsetting. So there we have it. If anyone has any questions please feel free to email me or comment and I will do my best to answer them! The English Theatre of Hamburg and Ray Cooney's Caught In The Net have been very kind to me. It was a great job, a massively successful run and a really fun character to play. I would recommend anyone to come out here if they get the chance and if you ever find yourself in Hamburg why not drop in and see the current show!

Peace out.
Dominic

Guest Blogger: Far From Quiet on the Western Front

Dear All, Well...where to even start? I think I'll begin by wishing all of you a massive HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! If your New Year's Eve bash was anywhere near as amazing as mine then we all had a brilliant one. Well, we are now truly deep into the run. We perform seven times a week with Sundays and Mondays off. Matinees on Tuesdays and Fridays. Most of our matt shows are various schools on English trips but it really has been a mixed bag of people.

Our first matt show was to a full house of German soldiers, if I'm being honest I don't think they were very interested in what I had to say but they loved the visual jokes and clapped so hard at the end we ended up doing four curtain calls. So, we've done matt shows like that to matt shows that have been slightly less great to do. Those of you who don't know, I open the play. I'm the first person on set and I have the first line. Walking into the space all ready to go, I breath in about to belt my first line out and a lad in the forth row shouted "GAY!" at me. Not going to lie to you, it did throw me a bit. It also didn't help that his friends sat around him were laughing so hard I had to wait for the laughter to quieten down before the rest of the audience would be able to hear me. His friends were more entertained by that than they ever would be in me for the next two hours and I knew from that point that this show was going to quickly turn into a hard, long slog.

We've also had a matt show of slightly older English students who took an immediate shine to Charlotte ( young romantic playing opposite me ) a few lads in the front row decided to wave at her when ever she came onto the stage. But once again, when the play got going they seemed to enjoy it, laughed hard and once again did more and more curtain calls. Over all the play is a massive success. We're selling out every night. Except the odd one where we may have four or five tickets left. We've had brilliant reviews and people are coming back to see it again and again.

As much as I am loving it out here ( I like to think I'm living the dream ), we did have a show Christmas day. Which I was dreading. We had the four days before Christmas off though. My Elders came out to visit me in December. Had a really nice few days kicking into the Hamburg Christmas markets, Gluewein stalls and Brotwursts stands. Then during our four days off once the Elders had gone home we planned our Christmas dinner. We invited all seven members of the cast over to our flat in Barmbek to have a full Christmas dinner and games on Christmas eve. It was amazing. Everyone turned up with cheese and champagne and we all had a merry old time.

New Years Eve; Epic. We had a show, but we're out the theatre by ten so it's not too bad. We had arranged to go to the theatre bar over the road after the show. It's our local really. It's ran by Fabian and his husband Hanns. Fabian also does a top quality drag act which he did in his bar on New Years Eve to entertain us all. I have no words for what I saw. It's tradition in Germany on new years eve to have a Belinor ( a doughnut ). So at 23:45 all the landlords provide champagne and Belinors to all the customers, then everyone goes into the street at midnight and well...they just go mental. Fireworks are illegal here, except the four days before new years eve. So when I say everyone buys some..I MEAN EVERYONE! It's like the Gaza strip. Kids, adults, everyone in between are just firing these MASSIVE fireworks all over the city. In the street, the pavement, off of rooftops, door steps, out of windows, car windows, MOVING car windows, out of milk bottles, champagne bottles, beer cans, ATTACHED to beer cans, It was nothing short of amazing. I've never experienced anything like it and because people obviously stock up on these things you can see and hear these things going off all over the city for miles around for about an hour! The beer jacket kept me warm and everyone just watches, kisses, hugs, etc, but keeping an eye open for a misguided attack. I did see one or two rockets going sideways instead of up ways - if you catch my drift. So, after the Beirut experience it's back into the pubs. By the time the other people were just getting a drink in, it was 00:55, and five minutes later it was UK NEW YEAR! So all of us in unison screamed "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" we started our own celebrations. It was great, all the German people in the pub came over to us, more hugs, more kisses, wished us and our country a happy new year, the whole thing was a brilliant, brilliant experience. So, Hanns and Fabian kicked us out at 03:00 ish, and still up for it I knew a place that would be open ( not pretty, not nice...but open ). I have been exposed to a few bars here that...well...once again, unless you've been here you have no words for. The closest thing I can describe it as being like is if the people in League of Gentleman had a pub... But, underground. With not many lights on. So into Kult we went. I knew as soon as we walked in one or two cast members had changed their mind so they left ( not a bad decision ), leaving just James and I. Once I'd ordered drinks and made our way to the bar a few scary looking locals ( who I've chatted with a few times before ) made their way over and the night started all over again. by 09:00 James and I had decided that we had better call it a night. We did have a show the next day and I don't think I could take anymore. So, we said our goodbye's to the good people of Kult and after even more New Years Eve kisses from the ladies ( we were told it was a New Years Eve tradition in Germany and we didn't want to offend anyone ) we went home. The walk back to my flat was surreal. 09:00 New years day and the streets were FILLED with fireworks, people walking home still singing and one or two going into another bar! Hard core.

So, that was my Christmas and New Years Eve in Hamburg. I did leave out one or two details, but I'm sure you get the jist of what kind of time I'm having here. AN AMAZING ONE!!! But, now Christmas is over. Christmas markets are over ( and yes Felix, I miss those potato puff things with apple sauce as well. Have you ever had a better next morning food?? ) New years is over and we're back into the run. But...It is Charlotte's birthday in a few weeks so we're planning our next Hamburg Epic night out!

I wish you all the very best for 2009 and until my next ranting update, Peace out.

Your Treading the Boards Buddy.

Dominic

Caught in the Net - Program

Always conscious of our need to be kept up to date with things, Dominic has kindly posted through the program for Caught in the Net.

We get a mention! Good one Dominic! Now, here's a few pictures to whet your appetite, but I'm sure 'Gavin' will be able to oblige with a poster or.... an autographed glossy photo? ;o)

Guest Blogger: Schmoozing!

Wow - Our premiere - amazing. Was initially touched by all the Emails, cards, texts and phone calls I received wishing me luck and all the best for our official opening night and run of the show and from the vibe I got when I got into the theatre I think all the other cast members had their fair share of best wishes as well!

Our premiere of Caught in the Net sold out, and had a large section of invited audience such as Friends of the theatre, local council, Arts people, Sponsors and that kind of thing.

So...on with the show. We did a good run, but found the audience a little bit of a tough cookie to begin with, but once the play got into it's full farce swing they soon warmed up and were clapping, laughing and cheering with the best of them! As we entered the stage for the walk down the whole cast were greeted with bunches of flowers and people congratulating us on such a great performance. Which kind of threw our walk down routine but I think we were forgiven! Was really touched that so many people thought so highly of our play. After they eventually stopped clapping we went to change and on to the theatre bar for schmoozing! We were greeted as soon as we entered with all sorts of people wanting to speak to us. I've never experienced anything like that before. One lady even asked me to sign her programme!

Throughout the evening we had all sorts of feedback, thankfully all positive with some very kind comments such as "One of the best things I've seen at the English Theatre of Hamburg." And Baring in mind the Theatre has been running for over 30 years I find that very flattering. Another being "Funniest show I've ever seen." - Well, what can I say?...we try our best. After a few, then a few more G&T's and a piece of Sushi or two the crowds started to fade and left the cast of Caught in the Net to basque in our own magnificence of a job well done. - I could get used to this.

So...Rehearsals are done. Previews have finished and the Premiere was a sell-out success. Only thing left now is the run of the show. 9 weeks of Caught In The Net and nine weeks of Gavin Smith. Bring it on....

PS - Good luck to the cast and crew for School for Scandal and The Venetian Twins!

Guest Blogger - Premiere's and German Pies

"Wow - What a week! It's been preview week this week. We opened the show to our first audience who was a group of invited teachers and partners. They loved it. I know it's a good play and a very well written comedy but I had no idea that it would be received as well as it is. We've sold out every night this week and there are talks of them putting more shows into the run due to tickets being sold so quickly in advance!

 

The one thing that I cannot get over is that German audiences are CRAZY! I've never experienced anything like it. They shout, they scream, call things out, clap loud and hard mid sentence, and generally have a really good time. The only thing I can describe it as being like is a adult panto audience. Also, we're currently doing 11 curtain calls! And they clap hard and cheer right until the house lights come up!
 

Our director isn't a man of many words but I think he's proud of us and his show. He comes backstage every night and congratulates us, and gives us any feedback he has overheard in the foyer or the English Theatre Bar, yesterday he came back with a massive smile and just said a group of people kept saying how funny and brilliant it was - can't argue with that I guess!

 

It's our official premiere tonight, and I believe the press are in as well. After the show we have a bit of a swaray, It's an open bar and we have to "mingle" with the friends and sponsors of the theatre. I've also been told to dress "tizzy." Not sure what that means but I'm hoping my cowboy boots, top hat and sequin shirt will cover it. ( thought I should cover all bases )

 

As it's our Premiere tonight so I ventured into the local hair dressers this morning. my, my. What an experience. Armed with my little phrase book ( care of the Bradon Forest Theatre staff ) and my head shot downloaded onto my phone I kindly explained to the man I would like a trim, just a little taken off and I wanted to look like this (Showing him my photo). I knew he wasn't listening to me, or looking at my photo as I think his wife was waiting for him, but he sat me down infront of the mirror and wandered off. So I waited for one of the nice, young German ladies to come over, and started preparing for a second bash at my "At the Hair Dresses" section in my book. Suddenly, A BIG German man came over, didn't even make eye contact, grabbed a cut-throat razor from the shelf and headed straight towards me. As I closed my eyes I knew my time had come and soon I would in next doors basement being made into some kind of dodgy German pie.

 

But...alas! He didn't kill me, he just wanted to trim my sideburns. I did try to explain that I wanted it messy on top but he could see I was English, didn't speak a second language and had a professional photo of myself on a BlackBerry. All the things that would imply I was a muppet. So the fact I wanted a number 2 around the back and sides and choppy on top was the very least of his concerns.

 

So, 10 euros lighter I left looking like I was about to join the SS, but thank full I was still alive!

 

I hope this Premiere is worth it! Free bar eh? Don perignon all round!

 

I shall let you know..."

(emailed from Dominic Waldron)

Guest Blogger: Hamburg Tech Runs

Ok...so...Our three weeks of rehearsal are up. I've found this last week of tech runs and dress rehearsals really different to what I'm used to. With all the other stage productions I have been involved with as the first performance gets nearer and nearer I've always found myself at the theatre more and more, but with this I'm here less and less.

For the past week our call time at the theatre has been 18:30. We put our costumes on, the Crew fix the set and props, we run it once, then we all go home. I feel like I should be doing more, but the director is saying he is happy so I can't argue with that!

Last dress rehearsal tonight, and to be honest I'm a little nervous. I guess tonight I get to find out if this process does work or not, everyone else is just exited about it and looking forward to performing to audiences so I'm sure it must do! Another thing I've never had before is a day off before the opening night. Not sure what I'm going to do with mine. Go to the park down the road with the script I think. Make sure I know my scenes almost backwards!

I have a very busy week next week. Sunday is a Preview Night. This is for a small, invited audience of English Teachers for Colleges and Universities. They watch the play and decide if it's suitable for them to bring their English class to. Monday is for last minute rehearsals and costume fittings, etc, ( if needed ). Then from Monday to Wednesday we have the other preview nights. For Guests and friends of the theatre, press, etc. Then Thursday night we have our Premiere! After Thursday we then go into eight shows a week and the run begins!

(Emailed from Dominic)

'Caught In The Net'

Ok, I met Charlotte ( Vicki Smith in the play ) at Heathrow departure lounge, we recognized each other from the recall and as it was our first time with the English Theatre of Hamburg we decided to stick together! We then met up with all the other cast members just before we boarded the plane ( Actors are usually easy to spot in a crowd, especially when James shouted at us from across the room "Are you for The English Theatre of Hamburg?" We knew we were going to be with a friendly, out going bunch!)

We had a short, and pleasant flight and was met at Hamburg Arrivals by almost everyone! It was a really nice touch to be met at the airport by the two Artistic Directors of the theatre, the stage manager, the theatre office staff, even the costume mistress was there! Everyone in the cast had been here before so their was immediate hugs and kisses all round. Charlotte and I felt very much out of the loop as we stood at the back like lemons and witnessed the very open European greetings all around. I couldn't stop thinking of the Heinken advert ( the one where he has to hug his boss and is looking for his motivation? ) Anyway, we were soon spotted and before we knew it we were all being hugged and kissed and was immediately welcomed into the company.

We were then taken to our flats and accommodation. I'm staying in a very warm, very spacious flat in Barmbek. It's a 10 minute walk from Barmbek tube station and from my flat to the theatre is about a 25 minute journey. For the last two weeks I have been living with Matt and Andrew who are the two leads in the current show Treats. We've had a great time living together but unfortunately, today they left for England after a very successful and praised run. I now have two more flat mates, who are from the cast of my show and things seem to be going well.

I'm playing the character of Gavin in a play by Ray Cooney called Caught In The Net. It's a comedy and I think a great play. It's about a guy called John who is married with a son, but on the other side of London he is married to someone else with a daughter. One day the son and daughter meet in a internet chatroom and decide to meet up. The play consists of John and his friend Stanly desperately trying to keep his children apart.

First rehearsal consisted of a simple read through, then Jeff giving us all a talk about Hamburg. We were given 100s of leaflets and handouts all about the transport system, events, museums, etc. Then we were all sent home to get some shopping and settle in.

Living in Hamburg is great, but to be fair I've not seen much of it yet. But some little differences are interesting. For example, you're only allowed to cross the road at the traffic lights when the man is green. If you get caught doing it any other way its a 100 euro on the spot fine. Also, the transport system is done by trust. No barriers, you just hop on and hop off as you please and people assume you've bought the correst ticket. Every now and again they do spot checks and if you have an incorrect ticket its a 150 Euro on the spot fine.

Rehearsals are going well, but I've never worked in this style of direction before. So I'm finding the whole thing a great learning curve and experience. Unfortunately a week into rehearsals the Grandfather character was sent home due to illness. A little concerning with only two weeks left until opening night but Philip flew in the next day and thankfully is an excellent actor.

So, we're now two weeks into rehearsals, we rehearse six days a week with Sundays off. We've got the show down I think, so spending this week running it in with opening night on Friday. It's going to be strange leaving the rehearsal room tomorrow and heading to the stage to tread the boards. But I will let you know how it goes....

(Posted from email by Dominic)

Chasing Gavin

Well, Dominic has now been in Hamburg for almost two weeks, so I think it's time to chase him down for the first Eight Days a Week entry. Gavin, we have some questions for you...

• What's the play about?
• What's the theatre like?
• How are the other cast members?
• Where are you living?
• How's Hamburg? Are you speaking much German? How does it differ from the UK?
• What are the highlights so far?

I think that will keep us satisfied for now! Everyone sends their love Dominic!

Guest Blogger - Dominic Waldron

Dominic Waldron, our trusted theatre technician, has left us for a few months for a Germanic adventure. His valued directorial skills, and assistance with the GCSE students will be greatly missed as he treads the boards of the English Theatre of Hamburg, playing the part of Gavin in ‘Caught in the Net’. If you fancy a weekend away in the stylish European city, then make sure you stop by and catch him ‘in the act’. I’m sure it’s a show worth seeing!

Gavin, I mean Dominic, has kindly agreed to blog about his experiences at the English Theatre. Hopefully we’ll be hearing about what it’s like to live in another country, as well as his rehearsal and performance experiences! He will be performing 8 shows a week and it will be pretty intensive. So, if you want to be an actor and are interested in the learning experience... stay tuned for Eight Days A Week! (Just click on his photo on the left for all his entries.)

Reservoir Romeo

There's been a lot more Guitar Hero today, so it's just going to be a short post to say I hope Dominic's cast for Capulets & Montagues have done their homework. We showed them a work-in-progress example of the poster for their show and they didn't get that it was a rip off of Reservoir Dogs. One of them commented that I should have removed the bins in the background! I don't know... I'm not expecting any of them to have seen it, it is rated 18, but it's a classic movie image... like the poster from Scarface or Star Wars! Well, their homework was to google it. Here's the original:               

and below is the work in progress. I've got some work to do on it as I've just been playing with the layout for the poster. I also suspect that we'll re-shoot as Dominic likes the use of the mask (he's using them in the performance) but I didn't get the right shot with both of them wearing them, as you can see this one is from a higher angle and I don't like it as much.

As a bit of an inside joke we had one of the cast members (not one of the principals) standing over Dominic, as he'd been constantly hounding the director for his copy of the script.

Curtains and cut aways

I've spent the day working from home sat at my sewing machine. Over the past few weeks I've had a lot of curtains to make for the theatre and today saw the last of them (for now at least!). Seeing as our theatre has to double up as a teaching space, we have a great auditorium system that allows us to set it all up really easily every time we have a show. We are also able to arrange it in many different combinations so David's fixed some new rails at the back end of the theatre to emphasise the seating and performance space. It should look pretty good, and seeing as our next show is on Tuesday (Shameless plug: Lost Luggage Theatre Co. presents Brittle Secrets, 7.30pm, Tuesday 20th November) I'll take a picture of it looking new and spangly. I know curtains aren't that interesting, but this site is all about running a theatre!

I've also had a quick go at editing together the footage from the rose and it's looking OK. It needs a lot of work though, as if I just run in the images I have at .3 seconds each, it's about 5 seconds long! I found this cool stop motion animation site which could help, if not this time then at least next time! I'll post some more details as they happen. 

Lastly, for this evening's entry (it's Friday and my sewing fingers are tired) Dominic has been on a casting in London today. I hope he did well! I've asked him to write a few words on the experience so we'll have a guest entry from him some time next week. I'll also be interviewing him for Backstage too!  See you tomorrow for some mundane weekend fun!

Guest Review - Dominic Waldron watches Pinter and a Pair of Chekhov's Shorts

This review is brought to you by Dominic Waldron. A professional actor and director at Bradon Forest Theatre. After directing a very successful version of Harold Pinter's The Birthday Party last February, we treated him to tickets for last nights performance for his birthday!

Last night I attended Pinter and a Pair of Chekhov’s Shorts at the Swindon Arts Centre.

Compass Theatre Company opened the first half of the evening with The Evil of Tobacco. A humorous, yet sad play about a gentleman who decides to discuss his life and personal history with his audience, instead of the health concerns related to tobacco.

The Proposal, the second play of the evening was a breath of fast paced, farcical air. Ivan Lomov, a nervous wreck asking permission to marry his neighbour’s daughter, goes to pieces when he inadvertently sparks an argument amongst himself, his neighbour and his daughter about land ownership. This version by Neil Sissons was fast, humorous and slick, but I feel a little further fine tuning needed to be done and the direction wasn’t quite finished.

After a short interval we piled back into the auditorium for the climax of the evening, The Dumb Waiter by Harold Pinter. Being a Pinter fan, I have seen many versions of this play and all the various companies have had one thing in common; a complete lack of understanding for what it is they are doing. I’m sorry to say that Michael Onslow and David Smith where no exception. I’ve always firmly believed that the actor should perform a Harold Pinter character as honest and as naturalistic as possible, thus allowing the play to entertain the audience. This dark piece of text implies so much yet you see and hear nothing. Pinter's unique style of writing forces the audience to conclude their own story, character relationships and purpose, yet all this was lost. Michael and David forced shallow ideas, caricatures and themes into the eye of the audience and desperately looked for meaning in their one act play. They were fish out of water in this Pinter ocean and they clung to any sense of “entertainment” they could, whether deploying elongated pauses with no artistic merit, or shouting and physically beating each other. Neither of which worked. Once again, a brave theatre company have grabbed the horns of the Harold Pinter Bull and been tossed aside as on-lookers cringe.

All in all, Compass Theatre Company provided a nice night out. At £12 a ticket it was defiantly worth seeing. The three plays chosen were a good combination, with a wide range of styles, characters and themes. I just wish direction was stronger and had a bigger sense of purpose.

Thanks Dominic! I guess it's always hard to review anything without feeling a little bad about honest (if less than positive,) opinions. Of course we welcome anyone to watch our work at Bradon Forest, and will gratefully receive any feedback!