Stage Adaptation
Cast and Crew | Materials | Reviews | Images | Effects |Stagework | Playbox | DiscussionThoughts from the Floor, part 2
Stewart McGill, Co-Director
...Technical Director and Lighting Designer Ian is on run through today of Play One. Always nervous when visitors in, even members of the creative team...show is going to run for 2 œ hours, at least, nearly 3 with interval so despite the fluidity of staging still quite long. Lyra's story zips along...need to develop the church detail more but time running out. Michael's Pantalaimon is a wonder.Kate Unwin in also for design updates, working on show floor but not full installation for another two weeks. Going to be a haul for actors to grasp logistics of structure in so short a time.
Sophie and James get the relationship of Mrs Carter and Brother Jasper this weekend. Should help us on next weeks run of Play Two.
Battle in play one is a little messy, the style needs tightening use slo-mo, all slow motion! Bear combat looking very good; it's a great project to work on. Very Shakespearian in its way - characters journeys, developments and the ever-present question of power and religion. Having just finished Shakespeare history plays with Playbox this is a great tangent as many similar questions being asked.
Company respect the 'closed set' nature of project and keep silent when under pressure asked about look of the show etc. Vastly different to National, a contemporary telling...... keep thinking of Gorillaz Demon Days...helps to have a soundtrack in the head. Talk to marketing - going well, still some tickets left,,,,,,this show needs big audience presence - we make the show together reinventing the novels each time.
Stewart McGill
Co-Director
Playbox Theatre Company
01926 419555
Thoughts from the Floor, part 1
Stewart McGill, Co-Director
Sunday 5th March finished the creation process of blocking two gigantic plays with over 60 actors on stage. Time ticks away as the massive installation begins to take shape in the theatre. Working on this show we have adopted a 'closed-set' approach emulating our friends in the movie world, trying to keep our ideas under wraps. It will be a total theatre experience with audiences close up and surrounding the action placing them at the heart of Lyra and Will's quest.
Lots of discussion today about causes of religious wars, suicide bombers, crusades etc what inspires people to fight for causes that are deeply spiritual? The troops for Asriel need to believe in holy war but they are human, men and women that face death. It's a delicate balance to try and achieve.
Dust and more dust as Lyra and Will encounter their awareness of each other. These two young people are giving so much; in Olivia and Calum we have found the perfect partnership. Where the National scored highly on the epic and grandeur of the work, Playbox aim to tell a human story, enabling audiences to feel 'in' the novels. We have a love of total theatre and hope the show will be an experience.
Hard for Sophie as Mrs Coulter to seduce Brother Jasper...not yet convincing. It's been a swift rehearsal period and clearly some of the relationships need a lot more work.
Emily and Mary co-directors are in other rehearsal rooms and as I cross the building I hear the consistorial court in assembly as Lyra leads the ghosts out of the Land of The Dead. A surreal experience but the whole building is alive with Pullman's words and fast moving story.
Beginning to think of a sound score, romantic, kind of cinematic approach. If possible audience should feel 'in' the books rather than watching them. The beauty of the theatre is its intimacy where everyone can feel involved.
Next week first full run of Part One - seems a while since we rehearsed it. How does it begin, ah yes, Lyra's Oxford.
Stewart McGill
Co-Director
Playbox Theatre Company
01926 419555