Getting in the Mind Set

I got a bit of a shock when I walked into the back door of the theatre and was confronted by a full size skeleton. Sigmund, as he has been named, appears on stage in Mindgame in the corner of the doctor's office. He came from a props company and the production team were saved the two hour round trip when the local artist using him was more than happy to drop him off.  He had been taken apart for transportation and it was lucky that when producer Steph Weller was putting him back together there was a doctor in the house. Dr. Alison Hill was in the theatre rehearsing for Mine: “Er Steph I think you’ve got those legs the wrong way round…”

The set building is progressing well and I was given a working tour but sworn to secrecy about the unexpected elements. Aidan, the designer, says "it's great to work on a set which is so disconcertingly realistic". As a regular Progress set designer, he enjoys the challenge of providing environments that he hopes will be seen as an extra character in the show. "The diversity of plays we do here allows for real creative freedom, as actors and production team. That's why we keep coming back for more!" I was most impressed by the way the space has been deepened by extending the set walls in to the off stage areas. This heightens the impression that characters leaving the stage are going into another part of the hospital.

The author of Mindgame, Anthony Horowitz, is perhaps best known as a children's writer, penning the Alex Rider series. However he also writes for adults, most recently Sherlock Holmes: House of Silk.  If you or the children in your family are fans then make your way to Waterstones in Reading, Broad St during May and show your Mindgame ticket to get 10% off any Horowitz book. This applies any time between 1st-31st May, so buy your ticket in advance to start saving now, otherwise don't forget to keep your ticket once you've seen the show!

Just for fun a video of Sigmund singing.

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Coming up -

Mindgame by Anthony Horowitz 10th-12th May and 17th-19th May 2012, Progress Theatre

Auditions for Calendar Girls, by Tim Firth, Sunday 13th (2:30pm) and Wednesday 16th May (7:30pm). There is also a pre-audition evening Thursday 3rd May 7.45pm, a chance to hear the directors vision and ask any questions you may have.

Mine by Polly Teale 11th - 16th June 2012, Progress Theatre

Henry IV Part One by William Shakespeare, 12 Jul - 21 Jul 2012, Caversham Court Gardens