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.

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 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.

Costuming Lady Windermere's Fan

Elenor Porrill is in Reading doing a year's placement as part of her course at Bath University and is making the most of her time here to get involved in Progress Theatre. She is performing in and organising the costumes for Lady Windermere's Fan and has also been cast as Katherine in this summer's outdoor production of Love's Labour's Lost...And Won

Although the play was written in the 1890s this production is set slightly later than this so that elements of Art Deco can be introduced in the set. The costumes range from Victorian for the older characters to almost a flapper style for the younger characters.

Elenor (centre) in a scene from Lady Windermere's Fan
photo Richard Brown

The costumes all came from Progress's own wardrobe store and our huge collection of dinner jackets was invaluable for clothing the men who need day and evening suits. Elenor even found a box of vintage hair pieces for the women. The all important fans have come from producer Becky, who conveniently has quite a collection of them. The only items Elenor had to buy were accessories and she had fun hunting in charity shops to find appropriate pieces.

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. 

Lady Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde, Thursday 24th April – Saturday 3rd May 2014

Jazz at Progress Louis Moholo-Moholo/Alexander Hawkins Quartet Friday 9th May 2014

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.

Lady Windermere's Fan do some recycling

The list of important jobs

 

As a small volunteer run theatre we like to find ways to save money -  without compromising on quality of course. In this spirit the platform from Trainspotting is being reused as part of the set for Lady Windermere's Fan. For Trainspotting the platform was split down its length and hinged so that it could be opened out for some scenes. The set building team for Lady Windermere's Fan have divided the platform so that they have two thin raised areas.

The platform will be in completely different settings for its second life. Instead of being part of a disused station, drug dealers flat and various bars it will be appearing in elegant drawing rooms and a ball. It will also witness less swearing and general abuse although no doubt still plenty of bad behaviour, just delivered with a polite smile.

As well as recycling pieces from previous sets the building team are making some elements from scratch. I saw the skeleton of what will become a chandelier complete with hanging crystals.

 The set is basically 'black box' with the interest coming from some beautiful pieces of furniture. Including this occasional table being treated to a good polish.

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. 

Lady Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde, Thursday 24th April – Saturday 3rd May 2014

Jazz at Progress Louis Moholo-Moholo/Alexander Hawkins Quartet 

Friday 9th May 2014

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.

Portable Theatre

Progress Youth Theatre's next production is not at our own theatre but in the main hall at Bulmershe school on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd April. It is exciting performing in different venues and it gives us the opportunity to reach out to new audiences.

It does mean though that all the props and set has to be transported to Woodley. Director Ali Carrol was making good use of her car on Sunday afternoon.

Murmuring Judges is a fast moving play with seven actors playing 32 characters. That means 32 costumes also have to be transported to the school.

To keep down the costs of hiring a venue the technical set up and rehearsal will happen on the same day as the final dress rehearsal.

The hall at Bulmershe school is used as their main dining room so between performances everything will have to be stored in a small curtained area.

Ali told me that she is never doing another off-site production but I'm sure as the applause is running round the hall after a successful show she will change her mind.



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 God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, Sunday 30th March 2014 2.30pm or Thursday 3rd April 2014 at 7pm, Progress Theatre

Progress Youth Theatre, Murmuring Judges by David Hare Tuesday 1st April – Wednesday 2nd April 2014, at Bulmershe School, Chequers Way, Woodley, RG5 3EL

Lady Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde, Thursday 24th April – Saturday 3rd May 2014

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

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