Not About Heroes get the chairs

This is a tale of two chairs (well three to be precise...) The first is for stage manager Heather Noble. There are only two cast members in Not About Heroes and not much for the stage manager to do once the performance starts. Heather agreed to stage manage the show on the condition that she could have an armchair and her special light back stage so that she could do her crochet and quilting.

This beautiful pair of chairs caused director Steph Dewar a great deal of grief.

They needed to represent a gentleman's club and not be too big in case they masked action going on at the back of the stage. (The ladder in the background is part of the war-time trench scenes.) She thought she had found a perfect pair on a website and ordered them, not being too concerned when they rang her to say those ones had gone but offering her an alternative. 

She was concerned when she noticed the money she'd paid for them had been refunded. Apparently while she'd been talking to one member of staff their manager had sold the chairs. Luckily she saw the pair pictured above advertised on Gumtree in Shepherds Bush. In London for work Steph was able to make a quick detour and pick them up. Nothing is ever plain sailing.

Not About Heroes  runs all week from Monday 26th May. The perfect break from exam revision, especially for those studying the First World War poets.

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Auditions for Darwin and Fitzroy by Juliet Ackroyd, Saturday 7^th June, 6pm at Progress Theatre

Not About Heroes by Stephen MacDonald, Monday 26th May – Saturday 31st May 2014

God of Carnage by Yazmina Reza, adapted by Christoper Hampton Monday 23rd June – Saturday 28th June 2014

Reading Open Air Love's Labour's Lost... And Won by William Shakespeare Wednesday 16th July – Saturday 26th July 2014 at Caversham Court Gardens

Full details about out theatre and all our activities can be found on our website.

'Not About Heroes' Help Mark the First World War 100th Anniversary

A few weeks ago the Friends of the University ran an event to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War and its impact on Reading and the University. Not About Heroes director, Steph Dewar works at the university and suggested that they include some extracts of the play.



Gareth Saunders playing Siegfried Sassoon at the University Heritage day (photo S. Dewar) 

Not About Heroes dramatises the true story of the relationship between the poets Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon. Owen studied botany at Reading University while working as the Vicar's assistant in nearby Dunsden  so performing extracts at the heritage event was particularly relevant.



Owen Goode who plays Wilfred Owen displaying his 'medal' during a break in rehearsals (photo S. Dewar)
 

Steph and the actors enjoyed their day at the university and discovered more background about Wilfred Owen and his time in Reading. Although he studied botany he was also urged by the head of the English department to take some English classes. Clearly someone who was able to spot talent.

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. 

 

Auditions for Darwin & Fitzroy by Juliet Ackroyd Wednesday 14th May 7.30pm or Sunday 18th May 2014  4.30pm at Progress Theatre

 

Not About Heroes by Stephen MacDonald, Monday 26th May – Saturday 31st May 2014

God of Carnage by Yazmina Reza, adapted by Christoper Hampton Monday 23rd June – Saturday 28th June 2014

Reading Open Air Love's Labour's Lost... And Won by William Shakespeare Wednesday 16th July – Saturday 26th July 2014 at Caversham Court Gardens

Full details about out theatre and all our activities can be found on our website.