Things that have happened to me this week – and Cheryl Cole’s dog

Mitzi Jones (from Vancouver) who played Sunny in our last show (Catcher) greets Rachel Spicer (also from Vancouver) who is Juliet in our current show…Romeo and Juliet – #kissbythebook

We took the show to Yeovil after finishing our run in York. It took me over 6 and a half hours on the train. Yeovil is a long way away.

We are now on tour and stuff happens now – like half the cast deciding to stay in a caravan. They are the Montagues.

The Capulets are in a mansion overlooking rolling hills with balconies and ensuite facilities…It is apparently Poker night in the caravan tonight…

I also took my son to London to start at LSE. I got a £120 parking fine whilst unloading a fridge behind Tate Modern. The fruit in his fridge has gone mouldy now he said. Well, that has cost me…

It rained a lot. It rained all day in Yeovil too. This morning a woman in a cafe made me a sandwich – she had prepared 30 chicken nuggets on the counter previously that morning, they were free. I declined. She told us that she came to work on a mobility scooter.

I sat on the train today next to Cheryl Cole’s dog. He was with her mam and her brother. The dog drank evian water and ate a chicken panini. This is true as are all the facts on this blogpost

The show went down well. We have had to alter the fights again. Mercutio has no spare ribs left…we need to keep the ones he has.

The audience asked us questions before the show. They had heard it was in modern dress…whatever that means. For me it is easier to identify with characters who aren’t wearing baggy tights and strange doublets. Who knew?

I was shown how to drink a cup of tea using a twix and a timeout as a straw. Strange Newcastle ritual apparently.

This blogpost was written whilst listening to UFO by Newton Faulkner – but I haven’t posted that on here, but I have posted Kiss by the book by Sandy Nuttgens with Molly McQueen

Kiss_By_The_Book_Final.mp3

The aforementioned dog is here eyeing the panini next to what appears to be a dead man ( he wasn’t) just a snory business man…

That is all…

 

 

Onstage in Yeovil #tech #kissbythebook @pilot_theatre

Production Manager Mark Beasley in the focus session as he relights the show which opens tonight.
The Romeo and Juliet actors are here from 2pm today and we will tech the show prior to opening at 7.30
 More later and will keep you posted

Oliver Wilson (Romeo) waiting to go on stage – live! #kissbythebook

> >

> > > > Live from backstage at the last performance in York
>

Hitting the road – #ontour #kissbythebook

Gone are the days when we had to load up and drive our van to the next gig Here we have the trucking firm to take the large set to the next venue…

Am here at the last gig in York and seeing the company off on tour and will see them next week in Yeovil…

BBC News – It’s no time to be squeamish #artsfunding

via bbc.co.uk

Arts bodies cannot be “squeamish” about where their money comes from in the current financial climate, the former head of Arts Council England has said.

Sir Christopher Frayling was speaking at a debate – Public Art, Private Money – at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London.

The debate focused on proposed government cuts, and where the arts should look for money in future.

The government is expected to announce cuts in its spending review next month.

Speaking about the relationship between art and business, Sir Christopher said: “Ever since serious art was invented some sort of subsidy has been required to protect it from the market.

“It’s always been a mixed economy in this country and long may it continue. The issue is the tail must never wag the dog.”

And he warned: “Now is not moment to be squeamish – it really isn’t. If things are going to be as tough on 20 October as some of us think it’s going to be, now is not the moment to get particularly squeamish.”

Tax breaks

Speaking about corporate sonsporship, Alex Beard, deputy director at Tate, acknowledged there had been “a huge amount of controversy” over BP’s backing of its galleries.

Earlier this year, there were protests outside the Tate summer party as activists called for the organisation to sever ties with BP over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Beard said BP had been a Tate sponsor for 20 years but had “never once made an artistic suggestion or comment”.

Colin Tweedy, chief executive of Arts and Business, said: “Since man crawled out of his cave he’s been looking for someone to support his art. Business supports the arts because it’s good for the business.”

John Woodward, chief of the recently-axed UK Film Council, said: “If I started being choosy about where money came from to make films, you’d never get any films made.

“If we’re trying to make art or help artists make art then, in the end, the ends justify the means.”

A special BBC News season examining the approaching cuts to public sector spending

Woodward, who announced his resignation last week, said he wanted to see the government take steps to encourage philanthropists to help plug the funding gap.

“I think there is a widely-held and deeply-ingrained view right the way across society that it is the role of the state broadly to support culture and art,” Woodward said.

“What I can’t see on the horizon – in terms of public policy – are the strategies that might be brought into place to leverage philanthropy properly – and that probably takes you into the area of tax incentives.

“If the gap is going to be as big as people are suggesting, it behoves policy makers and government to think about what a proper tax break for the arts looks like.”

Marcus Romer, artistic director of the York-based Pilot Theatre company, said: “It’s all very well to talk about philanthropic giving, but the moment you move out of metropolitan centres it does become increasingly more difficult.”
Reckless by Mark Wallinger Mark Wallinger’s Reckless is an adaptation of a Turner masterpiece

He suggested that a 30% cut in arts funding would make the company “unsustainable” within 18 months.

“It’s a false premise to suggest that outside of London it’s all sunshine and roses,” he said.

Earlier this week Turner Prize-winning artist Mark Wallinger revealed a new work aimed at highlighting a campaign against the proposed cuts.

Wallinger’s piece – entitled Reckless – shows Turner’s 1839 masterpiece The Fighting Temeraire with a large hole in the middle, exposing the phrase “25% cut”.

Chancellor George Osborne is due to announce the findings of the spending review on 20 October.

Lessons in life – part 37

When speaking on a panel and you are constantly being referred to as a man in a suit – stand up and let them see your jeans and leather Chucks.

A lacklustre review can be allowed to spoil your breakfast, but it must never be allowed to ruin your lunch.

Remember that however many times a piece is rehearsed there will always by at least one time during a run when an actor has to visit A and E.

You do not need to ask for permission to have an idea and to make things happen. Ever.

Remember when you put your head above the parapet people will sling stuff at you. But the view is better and clearer from up there.

If you never say no to invitations, what is the value of your ‘yes’ worth ?

An artist is not a different type of person, but every person is a different type of artist.

With all training I use my medical background of – observe one, assist on one, then do one. If it is how we train surgeons it is more than applicable for directors…

That is all

Mx

Flowers in the theatre #kissbythebook

Romeo and Juliet at York Theatre Royal…

Star crossed lovers take their life…

review: romeo and juliet at york theatre royal | Live & Love York | Creative Lifestyle Magazine

review: romeo and juliet at york theatre royal

Posted on September 21, 2010 by livelove

Currently showing at York Theatre Royal until the 25^th of September.

It is always refreshing to see an adaptation of Shakespeare???s classic that does something new. That is exactly what the Pilot Theatre???s latest offering does.

The first thing that strikes you is Chloe Lamford???s beautiful set design. A flower-laden stage against a black frame with clever use of lighting all play backdrop to this exciting new version.

This very modern interpretation sees a rather mopey, typically teenage Juliet (portrayed by newcomer Rachel Spicer) making her impulsive slightly petulant demands on a sharp, hormonally charged Romeo (Oliver Wilson).

This is a brave adaptation, offering a twist on well-known characters to the Baz Luhrmann generation.

The interpretation has stuck very cleverly to the original text. Rather than refer to past interpretations they have acted purely under ???sola scriptura??? and demonstrated how surprisingly modern the text is. With clever body language and deliverance the cast have given the text a raw and open interpretation.

I would recommend anybody to go and check this out. It???s the ever-fresh Pilot Theatre???s first stab at Shakespeare, and in my opinion they have done the classic play justice.

See it here first before it embarks on a four-month tour of the UK.

7

Share

8

 

0

share

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

via loveyork.org

Save the Arts #artsfunding

via savethearts-uk.blogspot.com

click the link to sign the petition

http://tinyurl.com/artspetition

Pilot Theatre’s Photostream for R&J

via flickr.com