What's wrong with Angry?

Progress Youth Theatre are well into rehearsals for their next production What's wrong with Angry? I sat in on part of one of them. This is a hard hitting play about a gay school boy in the early 1990s, a time when it was still illegal for 16 year old homosexuals to have sex. What struck me about the play was the believability of the teenage interactions. The desperation to be part of the group; to find someone, anyone, for that all important final slow dance; the boys who think you'll be happy to  go with them because 'you're not exactly an oil painting'.

An action scene from 'What's wrong with Angry'

The cast were managing in this rehearsal without one of the main characters. They had to make do with either someone standing in for him and reading his lines or talking to the space where he should be while the director read in the lines. In fact the director himself was standing in for Ali Carroll who couldn't make this rehearsal. They did however have their stage-manager, Fiona McNeil, who was watching the action and working out what props and furniture need to be bought on and off, and more importantly, who is going to do it.
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Coming up -

What’s Wrong With Angry? By Patrick Wilde, 2nd - 7th July 2012, Progress Theatre

Henry IV Part One by William Shakespeare, 12th - 21st July 2012, Caversham Court Gardens

Mine backstage

I was backstage for the first night of Mine on Monday night. There was a general buzz of nervous energy and activity. People busy getting dressed, putting on make-up and, very considerately, going into the corridor to put on hairspray.

I asked about first night nerves and the main response seemed to be variations of  "I hate this bit I wish I could just go" and  "I hate standing in the wings". Deep breathing was suggested as a way of calming nerves and preparing to go on stage. I also asked if anyone had any superstitions that they always had to follow. No-one had any in particular but Evelyn said she likes to develop and stick to a routine so whatever she does on the first night she has to continue for the rest of the run.

Another first night tradition is cards and even flowers and presents from family and friends. As the only man in a cast of ten Peter gallantly brought a basket of fruit and a card "to the women of Mine from the man"

Most casts like to do a warm-up on stage before the audience comes in. Mine's warm-up included each member saying one of their lines which was then repeated by all the cast, a game of 'zip zap boing' and a final sports team style cheer.

All the preparations paid off and the first night was successful, all nerves forgotten as soon as they stepped on stage. 

If you are interested in what goes on at Progress Theatre then sign up to this blog. Enter your email in the box under ‘about us’ and click on subscribe. New postings are made weekly so you won’t be swamped with emails.

Coming up -

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

What’s Wrong With Angry? By Patrick Wilde, 2nd - 7th July 2012, Progress Theatre

Henry IV Part One by William Shakespeare, 12th  - 21st July 2012, Caversham Court Gardens

Catching up with a 'Mine' rehearsal

Rehearsals for Mine are at the point where the set is built but not complete. The actors can start to get a feel for going in and out of the right exits using the different levels and steps but not everything is ready. Sometimes they have to make do with substitutes, for example a row of foyer chairs instead of a window seat and a hole in the wall where there will eventually be a dolls' house to crawl into.



Tallulah and Sam on the half finished set

The play is about adoption and there needs to be a baby. It is harder than you think to handle a doll in a way that allows the audience to suspend their disbelief and accept that it is a real baby. Part of the problem is that the weight is not right and there was some discussion about filling the doll with sand or tying a weight around it to make it a more realistic weight. All new parents will have struggled with holding a baby with one hand and doing something else like answering the phone with the other -  even more difficult when you are trying to act as well!

Director Chris teaching the cast how to hold a baby and answer the phone.

If you are interested in what goes on at Progress Theatre then sign up to this blog. Enter your email in the box under ‘about us’ and click on subscribe. New postings are made weekly so you won’t be swamped with emails.

Coming up -

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

What’s Wrong With Angry? By Patrick Wilde, 2nd - 7th July 2012, Progress Theatre

Henry IV Part One by William Shakespeare, 12th  - 21st July 2012, Caversham Court Gardens