Read Through of The Merry Wives of Windsor

A 'read through' of a play is just that - a group of people get together to read the play aloud  from beginning to end, but without acting it out. The first rehearsal after a play is cast is usually a read through, giving a chance for the new cast to meet each other and start to get a feel for the production.

A read through might also be used if a writer wants to test how a new play sounds. It can also be used before auditions, particularly with a less well known play, to raise awareness and interest among actors who might come to audition.

The motivation for the recent read through of The Merry Wives of Windsor was a combination of these last two points. Director Tony Wernham has worked on the play; cutting some bits and adding a prologue and inter-scene pieces (Tony is calling them interlogues ) to make the production more accessible for a modern audience. He was also hoping to interest people in coming to the auditions in early March.

The people attending were a mixture of those considering auditioning, backstage crew, curious spectators and those looking for something to do on a Sunday night. The parts where randomly allocated after each scene so that everyone had a chance to read different characters.  

The Merry Wives of Windsor is the perfect play to perform in Caversham Court Gardens. There are mentions of various places in Berkshire including the only reference to Reading in a Shakespeare play. The Thames also gets a look in and, without giving anything away, will feature in the production.


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 roughly weekly so you won’t be swamped with emails. 


Auditions for The Weir by Conor McPherson, Sunday 15th February 2.30 or Tuesday 17th February 7.30 Progress Theatre

Gaslight by Patrick Hamilton, 7.45 Monday 23rd February – Saturday 28th February 2015 at Progress Theatre

Auditions for The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare, 2.30 Sunday 8th March 2015 or 7.30 Wednesday 11th March, Progress Theatre

Animal Farm by Peter Hall, adapted from the novel by George Orwell, 7.45 Monday 23rd March - Saturday 28th March 2015 

Talking Heads by Alan Bennett, 7.45 Monday 20th April - Saturday 25th April 2015

Killer Joe by Tracey Letts, 7.45 Monday 18th May - Saturday 23rd May 2015 

Love's Labour's Lost ...And Won, First Night Nerves

This year's open air Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost... And Won opened last Wednesday at Caversham Court Gardens. I was helping on the box-office that night so got a good view of the first night nerves - I'm talking about the production crew, I'm sure the actors were all fine.

Getting ready for the audience (photo Richard Brown)

For the first time this year we are able to take payment by card on the night. It is a mobile phone based app rather than the usual card machine so box office manager Heather was slightly anxious about using it for the first time. She was very relieved that the first customers were friends of hers and willing to act as card using guinea pigs.

There is a 'Bard's Bar' available for audience to buy drinks before the show or during the interval and bar managers Helen and Tony were busy trying to attach bunting advertising the availability of Pimms.

There are seven front of house stewards needed every night, in addition to the box office and bar volunteers. The steward slots are filled by a mixture of Progress members and Friends of Caversham Court Gardens. The job of training them all every night falls to front of house manager Stuart. He has to ensure that they are aware of all the safety procedures and are happy with selling programmes, hiring chairs and guiding the audience in the dark.

I don't know if site manager Laura had first night nerves as she was too busy rushing about ensuring everything was running smoothly for me to ask. I did hear the handheld radio's go off several times with the inevitable question "is Laura there?"

Love's Labour's Lost... And Won runs until next Saturday 26th July and has been getting good revues like this one from Get Reading here. You can enjoy the evening safe in the knowledge that you can buy your ticket by card, get a Pimms and hire a chair - everything is under control.

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. 

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

Auditions for Noises Off by Michael Frayn Sunday 27th July 2.30pm or Monday 28th July 7.30pm 

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

Shakespeare in the carpark

There are two Progress productions starting in mid-July. Next week I will find out what is happening with Progress Youth Theatre's The Rose's of Eyam but this week I caught up with the open air Love's Labour's Lost ... And Won.

I had been told they were rehearsing at the theatre but when I arrived the cast and crew were all in the car park. There was more to this than the fact it was a nice sunny day. As the performance will be in the open air it is important the actors get as much experience as possible performing outside. It is much harder to be heard without walls to bounce the sound off and they need to get a feel for this. They have been holding rehearsals outside since mid-May and so far have only been driven inside once by heavy rain.

Director Dan Clarke consulting with assistant director Alex McCubbin

From Saturday they will be rehearsing in the beautiful Caversham Court Gardens so keep an eye out if you are down by the Thames. As well as rehearsing the play the cast will be practising setting up and taking down all the backstage tents that are needed during the performance. Being an actor isn't all glamour!

I don't normally take photos of people's backs but this was a good opportunity to show off the Love's Labour's Lost ...And Won polo shirt.

Producing shirts for each Shakespeare production has become a tradition at Progress. Those involved keep them as a memento and it is a good promotional tool. You usually see a range going back several years at set building sessions. I've still got my favourite pink one from a Midsummer Nights Dream in 2007


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. 

Progress Youth Theatre The Roses of Eyam by Don Taylor Monday 14th July - Saturday 19th July.

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

Auditions for Noises Off by Michael Frayn Sunday 27th July 2.30pm or Monday 28th July 7.30pm 

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

A Shakespeare double bill

The Progress Youth Theatre are presenting a double bill of Shakespeare plays - Romeo and Juliet and Love's Labours Lost. Both have been abridged so don't worry you won't be at the theatre past midnight!

I was distracted from starting to write this blog by wondering about apostrophes, should it be 'Love's Labours Lost' or 'Love's Labour's Lost'? If you care about such things I did find an interesting thread discussing it here.

Romeo and Juliet is being performed in a contemporary setting with the two gangs portrayed as Muslims and Christians. Some of Shakespeare's language has been kept but some has been updated to fit the setting.

 

Fidelity, who plays the Princess, modelling her horse's head
 

Love's Labour's Lost has been set in Victorian times so will have a very different feel. The props used are stylised and use paper and letters as a motif (letters are important in the plot). When they offered to show me the horse's head I imagined something dripping with blood, Godfather style. It turned out to be a very sweet hobby horse decorated with letters.

There is some doubling up required with some actors playing more than one part. This necessity has been turned into an opportunity to showcase the skill and versatility of our young actors. Look out for some amazing transformations between sophisticated courtiers and country bumpkins.

If we have whet your appetite for Shakespeare then don't forget our annual outdoor production in Caversham Court this year is Macbeth and starts on 18th July. The weather is looking good so get your tickets soon.


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.

Progress Youth Theatre presents Romeo and Juliet and Love's Labours Lost Monday 8th to Saturday 14th July, Progress Theatre

This year's outdoor Shakespeare Macbeth Thursday 18th to Saturday 27th July 2013 at 7.45pm, Caversham Court Gardens

Henry IV - the show goes on

You may have noticed that we haven't been having great weather this summer but in the best British tradition the show will go on - whatever the weather.

The first night of Henry IV part One in the Caversham Court Gardens was particularly wet but the hardy souls who had pre-booked all turned up dressed for the rain. We decided to give them some shelter by moving the box-office gazebo down to the stage area.

The cast all donned transparent ponchos to protect their costumes and performed a 'wet weather' version of the show with some of the more risky sword fights cut. Unfortunately the weather got even worse and they weren't able to carry on after the interval.

There have been some much better evenings and some performances the sun has even put in an appearance. Everyone who has seen the show has been enthusiastic - even when the weather was bad. The weather forecast is looking good for tomorrow evening (Wednesday 18th July) and we have decided to run a special promotion. Anyone who pre-books for Wednesday night will get £5 off their ticket price. You can still come on the door but the discount won't apply.

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 -

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

Auditions for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead by Tom Stoppard Sunday 29th July 2012, 1pm and Tuesday 31st July 7.30pm, both at Progress Theatre

Calendar Girls by Tim Firth, 13th - 22nd September 2012, Progress Theatre

Details of all our productions and auditions can be found on our website.

Henry IV Dress rehearsal

Henry IV Part One, this year's out-door Shakespeare production, starts this Thursday 12th July and runs until Saturday 21st at Caversham Court Gardens. Monday night was a dress rehearsal and press night so I had a bit of a sneak preview of what it will all look like. The stage remains in position during the whole run but everything else like the tents needed for actors and props has to be put up and taken down each night.

Caversham Gardens are a beautiful setting for productions; the stage sits next to the river and among the mature trees. The trees are put to more than decorative use as they are used to hold the lights that enable the audience to get a good view of the dramatic battle scenes in the second half as darkness starts to fall.

As well as the actors and stage crew there is an army of willing workers who take on the less glamorous but vital roles like selling tickets, running the bar and selling programmes. Dress rehearsals are an opportunity for them to run through their procedures and make sure they have everything in place.

Production team checking what they need in the box office

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 -

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

Auditions for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead by Tom Stoppard Sunday 29th July 2012, 1pm and Tuesday 31st July 7.30pm, both at Progress Theatre

Calendar Girls by Tim Firth, 13th - 22nd September 2012, Progress Theatre

Details of all our productions and auditions can be found on our website.

Trying on Henry IV costumes

What’s Wrong With Angry? By Patrick Wilde starts today and runs until Saturday 7th July. See last week's blog for details.



Shi being laced into her lady in waiting costume

The theatre is very busy getting ready for our annual Shakespeare production in the beautiful Caversham Court Gardens. This year we are presenting Henry IV, Part One in full period costume. Most of the costumes have been hired from a company called History in the Making who have a treasure trove of a warehouse near Portsmouth full of weapons, army vehicles, obsure props and of course a whole range of costumes.

Matt Tully showing off his Henry IV costume

The costumes arrived at the theatre on Saturday and were sorted out by the wardrobe team headed by Liz Paulo and Louise Butland. They were all ready for the actors to try on Sunday afternoon when a team of volunteers were ready with needle and thread to make any alterations.












We even have chain mail for the battle scenes. These can't really be altered easily and trying them on a couple of the chain mail tunics proved to be too short and would leave the wearers vulnerable in a battle. Liz and Louise will have to try and get some longer ones from the costume company of see if the National Theatre, who are supplying some additional costumes, have any available. We can't have leave our brave knights exposed on stage!

Matt Dury trying on his chain mail

 

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 -

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

Calendar Girls by Tim Firth, 13th - 22nd September 2012, Progress Theatre