A few weeks ago Kevin Spacey wrote in The Stage bemoaning the lack of young people attending theatre and that theatre “has become an exclusive club”. This comes after Spacey has just secured a sponsorship deal which allows his theatre – London’s Old Vic – to offer £12 tickets to people under 25 years. He carries on to suggest that if there is no one to replace the current generation of theatre goers then the theatre industry won’t survive.
Now, I for one think there are more nuances to this argument. I’ll be the first to agree that the majority of theatre audiences across the country are over 45 years old – but this doesn’t mean theatre is a dying art form - or worse doesn’t attract young people. When I started working in theatre many years ago the question always being asked was “How do we get young people to attend?” with a sense that theatre won’t survive without them. Fast forward and the question is still there.
There are several reasons for this, one being that theatre is low on some young people’s list of things to do in their spare time. Some might want to be on stage rather than watch it, others just want to socialise or take part in more active pursuits. Once they get a bit older they may become parents and time and money become an issue – as well as trying to find a babysitter. When the kids have flown the nest, that’s when people start to relax again and think about what they want to do with their new found spare time.
The truth is that a majority of people mature into becoming regular theatregoers but that doesn’t mean young people don’t watch theatre. The Coliseum is offers a lot for young people and we actively encourage them to get involved in the theatre whether that’s on stage, backstage or coming to watch a play. A Night Less Ordinary (the Arts Council free ticket initiative) was a great success here and it genuinely had a direct impact in young people seeing theatre in Oldham.
The work that we do with young people not only increases their confidence and skills for life but also engages their interest in theatre, some might go on to be the next Benedict Cumberbach, some might attend theatre more regularly but some might have an interest in theatre ignited that they’ll revisit later in life.
Theatre is universal – far from an “exclusive club”; the themes and emotions that run through each play can resonate with all ages. There is a myth that young people find theatre intimidating but nothing is further from the truth. Once young people are through the door they engage with the play and experience just like everyone else.
Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director
Thursday, 27 September 2012
Thursday, 6 September 2012
Back to school...
It’s back to school time for young people across the borough. As with every new term, both Oldham College and University Campus Oldham host an introductory week to welcome students and let them know what opportunities there are in the local area.
Look out for the Coliseum stand at UCO’s Fresher’s Fayre on Tuesday 18 September. They’ll be a range of organisations with information on how you can enhance your university experience with extracurricular activities.
If you are enrolling at Oldham College next week, members of the Coliseum team will also be on hand to let you know about all the different ways you can get involved at the theatre which will not only be fun but will look great on your CV.
The Coliseum has large selection of opportunities for young people who are interested in drama and the theatre. This includes TheatreLAB for young thespians and DigiLAB for people more interested in the technical side of theatre. There is also a group for 5 – 12 year olds – Drama Daze – that is perfect to develop kids’ skills and confidence. Not forgetting Full Circle, our ever popular over 50s group.
Not only are there a wide range of drama classes for all ages and abilities, there is also the chance to volunteer and be part of the Coliseum team. So if you are looking for new and exciting ways to spend your time this academic year, make sure you contact our education and outreach department at education@coliseum.org.uk for more information on everything we have to offer.
Usually here at the Coliseum we would also be starting our ‘new term’ with the first production of the autumn/winter season. However, the building is still undergoing the final stages of the renovation work so we’re holding tight until the end of October when we can open our doors to the public.
Of course, I’m keeping myself busy directing the tour of Jane Eyre which opened this week. The cast had a fantastic run at Shaw Playhouse, Oldham Central Library and tonight they’re playing in Chadderton. If you want to catch this community tour of Charlotte Brontë’s classic love story then we’ll be at Slaithwaite Civic Hall tomorrow evening and Marsden Mechanics for our last performance tomorrow. Call 0161 624 2829 to book your tickets.
Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director
Look out for the Coliseum stand at UCO’s Fresher’s Fayre on Tuesday 18 September. They’ll be a range of organisations with information on how you can enhance your university experience with extracurricular activities.
If you are enrolling at Oldham College next week, members of the Coliseum team will also be on hand to let you know about all the different ways you can get involved at the theatre which will not only be fun but will look great on your CV.
The Coliseum has large selection of opportunities for young people who are interested in drama and the theatre. This includes TheatreLAB for young thespians and DigiLAB for people more interested in the technical side of theatre. There is also a group for 5 – 12 year olds – Drama Daze – that is perfect to develop kids’ skills and confidence. Not forgetting Full Circle, our ever popular over 50s group.
Not only are there a wide range of drama classes for all ages and abilities, there is also the chance to volunteer and be part of the Coliseum team. So if you are looking for new and exciting ways to spend your time this academic year, make sure you contact our education and outreach department at education@coliseum.org.uk for more information on everything we have to offer.
Usually here at the Coliseum we would also be starting our ‘new term’ with the first production of the autumn/winter season. However, the building is still undergoing the final stages of the renovation work so we’re holding tight until the end of October when we can open our doors to the public.
Of course, I’m keeping myself busy directing the tour of Jane Eyre which opened this week. The cast had a fantastic run at Shaw Playhouse, Oldham Central Library and tonight they’re playing in Chadderton. If you want to catch this community tour of Charlotte Brontë’s classic love story then we’ll be at Slaithwaite Civic Hall tomorrow evening and Marsden Mechanics for our last performance tomorrow. Call 0161 624 2829 to book your tickets.
Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director
Thursday, 30 August 2012
We're back with Brontë
I’m currently in the third week of rehearsals for the ALRA (Academy of Live and Recorded Arts) tour of Jane Eyre. The small scale tour sets off next week to Shaw Playhouse before travelling back to Oldham, Chadderton, over to Slaithwaite and finishing in Marsden.
The production will be performed by 12 postgraduate students from ALRA and the cast will take part in all areas of the production as this will form part of their coursework. ALRA is one of 22 drama schools across the country that are in The Conference of Drama Schools (CDS). The students in the cast of Jane Eyre are on a 15 month postgraduate course that they have chosen to study having completed another degree (whether that be in drama, English or even economics). Anyone who is serious about a career in acting will study at a CDS approved school, even after completing a three year degree elsewhere.
This particular production is a community tour which is reminiscent of ‘mumming plays’ which have been around since the birth of theatre. These basic plays involved troops of actors roaming around the country and performing on a village green with everything they need in the back of their cart.
This type of theatre utilises the creativity of the cast rather than relying on sound, lighting and stage effects. All the actors will remain on stage for the whole performance and play several characters. They’ll also provide all of the sound effects such as the wind on the moor or a ticking clock and move a stool or prop to suggest a change of setting.
A community tour is quite a challenge for the company as the cast have to be very adaptable. Each venue we are performing at will have different sightlines and the entrances and exits to the stage will change. The actors will have a hand in all aspect of the production including the get-in and get-out where all the equipment is off loading from the van and set up on stage (and then taken down again).
It’s a great challenge for the students and I’m sure they will gain a lot from the experience. The rehearsals have been going really well and they have all shown a great level of discipline and are eager to learn about the industry.
Make sure you catch the show at one of the venues on the tour between 4 – 8 September; Shaw Playhouse, Oldham Central Library, Over 60s Club, Chadderton, Slaithwaite Civic Hall and Marsden Mechanics. Tickets available from the Coliseum box office on 0161 624 2829 or here.
Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director
The production will be performed by 12 postgraduate students from ALRA and the cast will take part in all areas of the production as this will form part of their coursework. ALRA is one of 22 drama schools across the country that are in The Conference of Drama Schools (CDS). The students in the cast of Jane Eyre are on a 15 month postgraduate course that they have chosen to study having completed another degree (whether that be in drama, English or even economics). Anyone who is serious about a career in acting will study at a CDS approved school, even after completing a three year degree elsewhere.
This particular production is a community tour which is reminiscent of ‘mumming plays’ which have been around since the birth of theatre. These basic plays involved troops of actors roaming around the country and performing on a village green with everything they need in the back of their cart.
This type of theatre utilises the creativity of the cast rather than relying on sound, lighting and stage effects. All the actors will remain on stage for the whole performance and play several characters. They’ll also provide all of the sound effects such as the wind on the moor or a ticking clock and move a stool or prop to suggest a change of setting.
A community tour is quite a challenge for the company as the cast have to be very adaptable. Each venue we are performing at will have different sightlines and the entrances and exits to the stage will change. The actors will have a hand in all aspect of the production including the get-in and get-out where all the equipment is off loading from the van and set up on stage (and then taken down again).
It’s a great challenge for the students and I’m sure they will gain a lot from the experience. The rehearsals have been going really well and they have all shown a great level of discipline and are eager to learn about the industry.
Make sure you catch the show at one of the venues on the tour between 4 – 8 September; Shaw Playhouse, Oldham Central Library, Over 60s Club, Chadderton, Slaithwaite Civic Hall and Marsden Mechanics. Tickets available from the Coliseum box office on 0161 624 2829 or here.
Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director
Thursday, 19 July 2012
Reds and blues
We’re in to the second and final week of our production in Alexandra Park – Star-Cross’d and I would just like to take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone involved in the project. From the start I knew this was a very ambitious idea but I’ve been taken aback by the commitment and professionalism not only of the principal cast and crew but of the whole company – especially those who have given up their time to be part of Star-Cross’d.
Talking about Star-Cross’d, this week I wanted to write about the design and costumes of the play and how they work as part of the narrative. Designing a production is not a simple task and we use the best theatre designers in the North West to work on our productions. Alison Heffernan has designed Star-Cross’d and her most recent Coliseum production was The Road to Nab End which was another large scale piece. For Star-Cross’d Alison has taken a lot of inspiration from Bollywood to create a carnival atmosphere – you’ll see this straight away when you arrive at the main entrance to the park. She has also seamlessly incorporated the park's permanent features into the design; for example the Lion’s Den (which is beautiful anyway) looks stunning dressed up at the Capulets’ banquet hall.
All the costumes are very subtle – the complete opposite to pantomime. A lot of plays that we produce – apart from pantomime – are set in the recognisable world. This means that the characters all wear clothes that fit in to both the time period and location of the play. Star-Cross’d is set in 2012 so the clothes that the characters wear are up to date but they also reflect the character. Alison has made sure that the Capulets all wear something from the red pallete; maroon, orange, ochre, cherry etc. And the Montagues all wear something from a blue pallete. The idea behind this is so that if you plucked one of the characters out of the play and placed them in the park on their own they wouldn’t look out of place and blend in with everyone else. It’s only when the characters from the different families all come together that it will be more obvious which family they belong to. Something quite different from the idea of gang motifs/costumes like the warring gangs of the Sharks and the Jets from West Side Story.
The costumes are also mix of Asian and western cultures. The Montagues – including Robbie (Romeo) – all wear what any Oldham teenager would wear. In contrast the Capulets wear dazzling traditional Asian dress which adds to the contrast between the two feuding families.
The overall effect is a fantastic visual experience and looks wonderful. The show closes this weekend so do make sure you come and see the totally unique production before it’s too late.
Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director
Talking about Star-Cross’d, this week I wanted to write about the design and costumes of the play and how they work as part of the narrative. Designing a production is not a simple task and we use the best theatre designers in the North West to work on our productions. Alison Heffernan has designed Star-Cross’d and her most recent Coliseum production was The Road to Nab End which was another large scale piece. For Star-Cross’d Alison has taken a lot of inspiration from Bollywood to create a carnival atmosphere – you’ll see this straight away when you arrive at the main entrance to the park. She has also seamlessly incorporated the park's permanent features into the design; for example the Lion’s Den (which is beautiful anyway) looks stunning dressed up at the Capulets’ banquet hall.
All the costumes are very subtle – the complete opposite to pantomime. A lot of plays that we produce – apart from pantomime – are set in the recognisable world. This means that the characters all wear clothes that fit in to both the time period and location of the play. Star-Cross’d is set in 2012 so the clothes that the characters wear are up to date but they also reflect the character. Alison has made sure that the Capulets all wear something from the red pallete; maroon, orange, ochre, cherry etc. And the Montagues all wear something from a blue pallete. The idea behind this is so that if you plucked one of the characters out of the play and placed them in the park on their own they wouldn’t look out of place and blend in with everyone else. It’s only when the characters from the different families all come together that it will be more obvious which family they belong to. Something quite different from the idea of gang motifs/costumes like the warring gangs of the Sharks and the Jets from West Side Story.
The costumes are also mix of Asian and western cultures. The Montagues – including Robbie (Romeo) – all wear what any Oldham teenager would wear. In contrast the Capulets wear dazzling traditional Asian dress which adds to the contrast between the two feuding families.
The overall effect is a fantastic visual experience and looks wonderful. The show closes this weekend so do make sure you come and see the totally unique production before it’s too late.
Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director
Friday, 29 June 2012
We're nearly back home...
Last week we announced our brand new Homecoming Season which you may have read about on these pages last week. We open our newly refurbished building to the public on Friday 26 October with a two night gala celebration of the Coliseum, looking forward to an exciting future ahead of us. This grand re-opening show will be performed by a company of Coliseum favourites presenting key scenes and songs on stage from the theatre’s history as well as previewing some of the productions. On Saturday 27 October we will also be hosting another of our highly successful free Open Days to invite everyone back into the building and give you a chance to snoop around and see what’s changed. They’ll be activities, talks and backstage tours throughout the day so make sure you don’t miss out.
The first Coliseum production of the season will be Dickens’s David Copperfield adapted by Alastair Cording. This fast-paced, exciting adaptation is just as gripping as the original novel. For those of you who don’t know, Dickens’s stories were originally serialised in magazines which is why the end of each chapter ends on a tense cliff hanger – to make sure people would buy the next edition. This makes an excellent transfer to stage.
Following that we have Sugar Daddies by Alan Ayckbourn – a very popular playwright with the Coliseum audience. It’s one of his later plays with a bit of a darker tone but still full of all the famous Ayckbourn humour. Director/designer team Robin Herford and Michael Holt will return after their fantastic portrayal of Taking Steps at the Grange Arts Centre.
Blonde Bombshell’s of 1943 is the last Coliseum produced play of the season and something that I think really complements the other shows. It’s a feel good musical play - complete with a swing band - that will sit nicely next to the classic David Copperfield and humorous Sugar Daddies.
So those are just the Coliseum productions and I’m already running out of words. I’m really looking forward to welcoming back tours from both London Classic Theatre and LipService. We also have a small scale tour of Jane Eyre with students from the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts which I’ll talk more about next week and a huge variety of one night events from stand up comedy to a night of brass bands.
I have to say I am really looking forward to returning to the building and getting it up and running again. While our time out of the building has been great fun and full of new opportunities, I can’t wait to bring the company back together to welcome our audience back through the doors of theatre.
See you out and about.
Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director
The first Coliseum production of the season will be Dickens’s David Copperfield adapted by Alastair Cording. This fast-paced, exciting adaptation is just as gripping as the original novel. For those of you who don’t know, Dickens’s stories were originally serialised in magazines which is why the end of each chapter ends on a tense cliff hanger – to make sure people would buy the next edition. This makes an excellent transfer to stage.
Following that we have Sugar Daddies by Alan Ayckbourn – a very popular playwright with the Coliseum audience. It’s one of his later plays with a bit of a darker tone but still full of all the famous Ayckbourn humour. Director/designer team Robin Herford and Michael Holt will return after their fantastic portrayal of Taking Steps at the Grange Arts Centre.
Blonde Bombshell’s of 1943 is the last Coliseum produced play of the season and something that I think really complements the other shows. It’s a feel good musical play - complete with a swing band - that will sit nicely next to the classic David Copperfield and humorous Sugar Daddies.
So those are just the Coliseum productions and I’m already running out of words. I’m really looking forward to welcoming back tours from both London Classic Theatre and LipService. We also have a small scale tour of Jane Eyre with students from the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts which I’ll talk more about next week and a huge variety of one night events from stand up comedy to a night of brass bands.
I have to say I am really looking forward to returning to the building and getting it up and running again. While our time out of the building has been great fun and full of new opportunities, I can’t wait to bring the company back together to welcome our audience back through the doors of theatre.
See you out and about.
Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director
Thursday, 21 June 2012
Get a head start in a career in the arts...
I often get asked about job opportunities at the Coliseum and how people can improve their chances of getting a job in the theatre industry. The simple answer is that it’s not easy as it’s such a sought after industry to work in. However, there are an awful lot of opportunities out there that will boost your experience of theatre, or better understand the different roles that work in theatre such as the stage manager, press officer or director etc.
Here at the Coliseum we provide Pathways - a careers service which helps young people find pathways into a job in the arts. The service offers mentoring from professionals already working in the theatre and is overseen by our Creative Development Officer. Talking to and gaining advice from industry professionals is one of the best ways to find out more about an industry that you want to work in– whatever industry that may be. So far the group have had sessions with actor Andonis Anthony who you may recognise as our King Rat from Dick Whittington, director Joyce Branagh who is a regular at the Coliseum, her most recent productions here include The Sunshine Boys, Satin and Steel. They have also had a session from a casting director who works on Coronation Street and theatre designer Foxton who’s design skills can be seen in our current production Dumb Show at the Grange.
In July we are organising a pathways careers conference at the Grange Arts Centre called YouLEAD. This event will provide advice and support for people aged 14 – 25 years looking for work in the creative arts. The event will help young people in the borough learn how to engage, work and create a pathway in to theatre and related industries and also look further into what opportunities Oldham has to offer them.
From 5pm – 6pm there will be a networking event where attendees can talk to key people working in the arts in Greater Manchester, make contacts, pick up advice and maybe even a few freebies. Then there will be a series of talks from Oldham organisations including Theatre Workshop, the College, the Sixth Form College and the Youth Council.
This is a fantastic chance for anyone wanting to get a head start in their career. YouLEAD is on Wednesday 18 July at the Grange Arts Centre with networking from 5:00pm – 6:00pm and the event begins at 6:00pm. If you are interested or know someone who is and would like some more information or would just like to book your ticket then contact Paul Adams on pauladams@coliseum.org.uk. The event is completely free and certainly worth a look.
See you out and about
Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director
Here at the Coliseum we provide Pathways - a careers service which helps young people find pathways into a job in the arts. The service offers mentoring from professionals already working in the theatre and is overseen by our Creative Development Officer. Talking to and gaining advice from industry professionals is one of the best ways to find out more about an industry that you want to work in– whatever industry that may be. So far the group have had sessions with actor Andonis Anthony who you may recognise as our King Rat from Dick Whittington, director Joyce Branagh who is a regular at the Coliseum, her most recent productions here include The Sunshine Boys, Satin and Steel. They have also had a session from a casting director who works on Coronation Street and theatre designer Foxton who’s design skills can be seen in our current production Dumb Show at the Grange.
In July we are organising a pathways careers conference at the Grange Arts Centre called YouLEAD. This event will provide advice and support for people aged 14 – 25 years looking for work in the creative arts. The event will help young people in the borough learn how to engage, work and create a pathway in to theatre and related industries and also look further into what opportunities Oldham has to offer them.
From 5pm – 6pm there will be a networking event where attendees can talk to key people working in the arts in Greater Manchester, make contacts, pick up advice and maybe even a few freebies. Then there will be a series of talks from Oldham organisations including Theatre Workshop, the College, the Sixth Form College and the Youth Council.
This is a fantastic chance for anyone wanting to get a head start in their career. YouLEAD is on Wednesday 18 July at the Grange Arts Centre with networking from 5:00pm – 6:00pm and the event begins at 6:00pm. If you are interested or know someone who is and would like some more information or would just like to book your ticket then contact Paul Adams on pauladams@coliseum.org.uk. The event is completely free and certainly worth a look.
See you out and about
Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director
Thursday, 14 June 2012
Lighting up the park...
As you may already be aware, we are producing an exciting open air production in Alexandra Park this July. It will be a reworking of Romeo and Juliet with the star crossed lovers coming from Oldham instead of fair Verona (we’ve appropriately named the play Star Cross’d).
The process of lighting an outdoor production is completely different to that of a usual production on the main stage. When the play opens at 7:30pm it will still be light and the sun will go down during the evening. The production team need to know exactly when the light will start to change and when they need to start to add extra light. To make sure that they get this right a few weeks ago the production team took a tour of the park under the same conditions the park would be in the other side of the summer solstice. Arriving at the park at half seven the team moved from scene to scene in real time – staying at each location for the same time the scene would take to play out. By doing this they knew which scenes needed what type of lighting (if any) and how much.
One of the unique aspects of outdoor theatre is watching the action unfold as the sun goes down. It can be a really magical experience. The extra lighting that will be used as part of the production will be very subtle and we’ve come up with some really exciting ideas – especially for the production finale at the lake. Make sure you don’t miss this magical event which opens on 12 July.
Back to this week, on Tuesday Dumb Show opened at the Grange Arts Centre which will be our last production at the Grange where we have performed several plays during our time out of the building. The staff at the Grange have been absolutely wonderful and have made our time there really enjoyable. It’s been fantastic to be able to put on plays in the round with the audience on all four sides of the stage. It’s given us a chance to programme plays that really lend themselves to this type of staging. Dumb Show has had some great reactions from audiences who caught it this week.
This week has also seen the final preparations of our homecoming season which will be announced at our season launch. To find out what we’ve got planned for our return to the building come along Monday 18 June at the Grange.
See you out and about.
Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director
The process of lighting an outdoor production is completely different to that of a usual production on the main stage. When the play opens at 7:30pm it will still be light and the sun will go down during the evening. The production team need to know exactly when the light will start to change and when they need to start to add extra light. To make sure that they get this right a few weeks ago the production team took a tour of the park under the same conditions the park would be in the other side of the summer solstice. Arriving at the park at half seven the team moved from scene to scene in real time – staying at each location for the same time the scene would take to play out. By doing this they knew which scenes needed what type of lighting (if any) and how much.
One of the unique aspects of outdoor theatre is watching the action unfold as the sun goes down. It can be a really magical experience. The extra lighting that will be used as part of the production will be very subtle and we’ve come up with some really exciting ideas – especially for the production finale at the lake. Make sure you don’t miss this magical event which opens on 12 July.
Back to this week, on Tuesday Dumb Show opened at the Grange Arts Centre which will be our last production at the Grange where we have performed several plays during our time out of the building. The staff at the Grange have been absolutely wonderful and have made our time there really enjoyable. It’s been fantastic to be able to put on plays in the round with the audience on all four sides of the stage. It’s given us a chance to programme plays that really lend themselves to this type of staging. Dumb Show has had some great reactions from audiences who caught it this week.
This week has also seen the final preparations of our homecoming season which will be announced at our season launch. To find out what we’ve got planned for our return to the building come along Monday 18 June at the Grange.
See you out and about.
Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director
Thursday, 31 May 2012
Preparing for a play: Ski lessons, falconry and Elvis impersonators…
Last week a reporter from Oldham Chronicle came to interview the cast of Dumb Show for a feature in the paper. However, we all ended up interviewing her. For those of you that don’t know, Dumb Show is about the relationship between tabloids and celebrities. With that in mind the cast and I had a fair few questions to throw at the reporter about press ethics, how journalists get hold of a story and where that fine line is before breaking the law.
So far I have been researching entrapment law, legality issues and the Press Complaints Commission but being able to talk to Helen from the Chronicle is even more valuable as we got an understanding of what motivates journalists and where they draw the line.
Researching for each production has changed over the years, when I first started work at the Coliseum I spent a lot of my time down at the reference library reading up about the background of playwrights and productions. Now I mainly research on the internet but there’s still a lot of other ways to get more keyed into the atmosphere and feel of a play.
For example, for The Road to Nab End, Philip (writer), Alison (designer) and I took a Nab End tour of Blackburn (where the play was set) by historian Simon Entwistle, taking in many of the places described in the book from which the play is adapted.
For Kes a falconer spent a day with the actor playing Billy and a kestrel teaching him how to handle the bird. Although we didn’t have a real bird on stage this really helped understand how the bird would move and react.
The cast of On The Piste took regular skiing lessons over at Rossendale ski slope ready for when they skied down the fully functioning ski slope on the main stage; Nick who played the Elvis impersonator in Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis actually met a professional Elvis impersonator; the cast of Brassed Off all visited the local bands in their band hall where they practiced and last summer’s production A Fine Bright Day Today was set in a fictional northern coastal town so the writer and I went to Fleetwood to get a feel for that type of location and community.
All of these things – which are unique to each production – help get a real sense of the various different aspects the play (such as the characters, their occupations and where they live) The web is a great resource but you simply can’t beat the knowledge and experience from meeting a professional and visiting real locations. All of this is essential to help bring the world of the play to life.
See you out and about.
Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director
So far I have been researching entrapment law, legality issues and the Press Complaints Commission but being able to talk to Helen from the Chronicle is even more valuable as we got an understanding of what motivates journalists and where they draw the line.
For example, for The Road to Nab End, Philip (writer), Alison (designer) and I took a Nab End tour of Blackburn (where the play was set) by historian Simon Entwistle, taking in many of the places described in the book from which the play is adapted.
For Kes a falconer spent a day with the actor playing Billy and a kestrel teaching him how to handle the bird. Although we didn’t have a real bird on stage this really helped understand how the bird would move and react.
The cast of On The Piste took regular skiing lessons over at Rossendale ski slope ready for when they skied down the fully functioning ski slope on the main stage; Nick who played the Elvis impersonator in Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis actually met a professional Elvis impersonator; the cast of Brassed Off all visited the local bands in their band hall where they practiced and last summer’s production A Fine Bright Day Today was set in a fictional northern coastal town so the writer and I went to Fleetwood to get a feel for that type of location and community.
All of these things – which are unique to each production – help get a real sense of the various different aspects the play (such as the characters, their occupations and where they live) The web is a great resource but you simply can’t beat the knowledge and experience from meeting a professional and visiting real locations. All of this is essential to help bring the world of the play to life.
See you out and about.
Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director
Thursday, 24 May 2012
“There was much shock from the audience at the final kills on the stage.”
I rarely watch every single performance of each production that I direct. I’ll usually watch the first few shows and see it a couple more times throughout the run to make sure it’s still looking good. After each performance of each production the stage manager will produce a show report documenting anything that shouldn’t have happened during the show. This could be a missed lighting cue or an actor stumbling over their lines, you never know what’s going to happen and that’s one of the joys of live theatre.
Most of the time the audience will not notice that anything has gone wrong but it’s important to keep a record of what happens to see if there is anything that needs addressing (for example if there’s a cue that keeps getting missed is there a reason behind that? How can we prevent it happening again?). These reports are a way that I can keep track of what’s going on during the run of the production.
The reports are always formal in tone and refer to the actors as Mr Smith, Miss Jones etc. They will reference lighting and sound cues by number and reference the point in the play by the page in the script. These reports are then looked at ahead of the next night’s performance.
Sometimes, however, the report can be a lot funnier than intended. The audience has just as much of a role to play in live theatre as the actors on stage, take a look at a few examples:
“As Mr Bowerman fell to the floor during the diabetic episode a female member of the audience could be heard saying “Oh Dear!” very loudly.”
“There was much shock from the audience at the final kills on the stage.”
“When Mark hugged his dad there was an audible ‘aaah’ from the audience.”
“When Ms Alshibaya stepped forward to do the curtain speech a man in the audience shouted “Not in French”, she told him he had ruined her joke.”
“At the top of Act 1 Mr Healy delivered his line “Good evening Werneth, how ya doing?” and a man in the audience replied “Fine thanks”.”
“Honey the guide dog was sitting in her normal spot at the front of the stalls and was clearly quite alarmed at the garroting sequence and the log attack. She did however like Helga ten Dorp.”
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Sometimes the stage manager will comment on how well a complicated sequence might have gone:
“The blood bag in the garrote sequence was excellent tonight.”
And of course, there are also little slip ups on stage, but a professional actor knows how to recover:
“Pg. 24 – Ms Matthews fell over onstage just before her exit, she ad-libbed “that floor’s a bit slippy Mavis”. She was uninjured.”
Panto has a mind of its own – it’s our most complicated production of the year so there’s a lot that can go awry. But sometimes it’s not the set, props or cues that malfunction, it can just be a member of the company:
“Just before the safe scene – Sarah the Cook made the ad lib as she left “This next bit’s a bit dull but don’t worry we’ll be back on in a bit”. This derailed Dick. The audience loved it as she found it impossible to compose herself. We did eventually get back on track.”
Of course, the preferred words on any show report would be: “A good, clean show.”
See you out and about.
Kevin Shaw
Artisitc Director
Most of the time the audience will not notice that anything has gone wrong but it’s important to keep a record of what happens to see if there is anything that needs addressing (for example if there’s a cue that keeps getting missed is there a reason behind that? How can we prevent it happening again?). These reports are a way that I can keep track of what’s going on during the run of the production.
The reports are always formal in tone and refer to the actors as Mr Smith, Miss Jones etc. They will reference lighting and sound cues by number and reference the point in the play by the page in the script. These reports are then looked at ahead of the next night’s performance.
Sometimes, however, the report can be a lot funnier than intended. The audience has just as much of a role to play in live theatre as the actors on stage, take a look at a few examples:
“As Mr Bowerman fell to the floor during the diabetic episode a female member of the audience could be heard saying “Oh Dear!” very loudly.”
“There was much shock from the audience at the final kills on the stage.”
“When Mark hugged his dad there was an audible ‘aaah’ from the audience.”
“When Ms Alshibaya stepped forward to do the curtain speech a man in the audience shouted “Not in French”, she told him he had ruined her joke.”
“At the top of Act 1 Mr Healy delivered his line “Good evening Werneth, how ya doing?” and a man in the audience replied “Fine thanks”.”
“Honey the guide dog was sitting in her normal spot at the front of the stalls and was clearly quite alarmed at the garroting sequence and the log attack. She did however like Helga ten Dorp.”
_2.jpg)
Sometimes the stage manager will comment on how well a complicated sequence might have gone:
“The blood bag in the garrote sequence was excellent tonight.”
And of course, there are also little slip ups on stage, but a professional actor knows how to recover:
“Pg. 24 – Ms Matthews fell over onstage just before her exit, she ad-libbed “that floor’s a bit slippy Mavis”. She was uninjured.”
Panto has a mind of its own – it’s our most complicated production of the year so there’s a lot that can go awry. But sometimes it’s not the set, props or cues that malfunction, it can just be a member of the company:
“Just before the safe scene – Sarah the Cook made the ad lib as she left “This next bit’s a bit dull but don’t worry we’ll be back on in a bit”. This derailed Dick. The audience loved it as she found it impossible to compose herself. We did eventually get back on track.”
Of course, the preferred words on any show report would be: “A good, clean show.”
See you out and about.
Kevin Shaw
Artisitc Director
Thursday, 17 May 2012
It's gazebo time...
As the summer is fast approaching we’re getting ready to appear at the first of many events that are happening around Oldham over the spring and summer.
On Saturday members of the Coliseum team will be heading to the Failsworth Carnival to pitch up our new branded gazebo. They’ll be providing some great activities and workshops for kids and there will be lots of staff on hand to talk to the public about what the Coliseum is up to. We’ve recruited the valued help of volunteers, ambassadors and members of the youth steering group to help at the event.
Last year we had a pitch at both Oldham Mela and Oldham People’s Carnival. The Coliseum is a vital part of the community and therefore support these local community events.
After the Failsworth Carnival we’ll be at the Saddleworth Show on the 9th June and at Whit Friday on 1st June (a date is everyone’s calendar I’m sure). We’ll be doing something exciting at separate contest throughout the day; Uppermill, Diggle, Dobcross, and Delph. I can’t say much more than that but if you’re going to be there make sure you look out for us. Delph and Lees bands will be part of our outdoor production Star Cross’d that will be in Alexandra Park this summer.
We’ll also be at the People’s Carnival again on the 24th June which has been taking place since the 1900s and always raises huge amounts of money for charity; it’s one of those events you simply have to be part of.
And on the 8th July there’s the Oldham Mela at Alexandra Park which is a Sanskrit word meaning “to meet”, which is exactly what the Mela offers; a great opportunity for communities to come together in a festival atmosphere to enjoy food, music and dance. They’ll also be extracts of Star-Cross’d on the main stage.
The Coliseum team including volunteers will be at all of these events with a variety of activities. If you’re off to Failsworth on Saturday then make sure you come and find the Coliseum gazebo and say hello. There will also be someone from box office on hand if you would like to buy your tickets there and then.
In the meantime, rehearsals for Dumb Show started this week and the play is already starting to take shape. I also held auditions for Star-Cross’d last week and that’s coming together nicely. There are lots of things to juggle at the moment; brass bands, community chorus, new drafts of the script, Dumb Show rehearsals, signing off the new season brochure, organising season launch and the small matter of making sure the refurbishment is on track. Phew.
See you out and about.
Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director
On Saturday members of the Coliseum team will be heading to the Failsworth Carnival to pitch up our new branded gazebo. They’ll be providing some great activities and workshops for kids and there will be lots of staff on hand to talk to the public about what the Coliseum is up to. We’ve recruited the valued help of volunteers, ambassadors and members of the youth steering group to help at the event.
Last year we had a pitch at both Oldham Mela and Oldham People’s Carnival. The Coliseum is a vital part of the community and therefore support these local community events.
After the Failsworth Carnival we’ll be at the Saddleworth Show on the 9th June and at Whit Friday on 1st June (a date is everyone’s calendar I’m sure). We’ll be doing something exciting at separate contest throughout the day; Uppermill, Diggle, Dobcross, and Delph. I can’t say much more than that but if you’re going to be there make sure you look out for us. Delph and Lees bands will be part of our outdoor production Star Cross’d that will be in Alexandra Park this summer.
We’ll also be at the People’s Carnival again on the 24th June which has been taking place since the 1900s and always raises huge amounts of money for charity; it’s one of those events you simply have to be part of.
And on the 8th July there’s the Oldham Mela at Alexandra Park which is a Sanskrit word meaning “to meet”, which is exactly what the Mela offers; a great opportunity for communities to come together in a festival atmosphere to enjoy food, music and dance. They’ll also be extracts of Star-Cross’d on the main stage.
The Coliseum team including volunteers will be at all of these events with a variety of activities. If you’re off to Failsworth on Saturday then make sure you come and find the Coliseum gazebo and say hello. There will also be someone from box office on hand if you would like to buy your tickets there and then.
In the meantime, rehearsals for Dumb Show started this week and the play is already starting to take shape. I also held auditions for Star-Cross’d last week and that’s coming together nicely. There are lots of things to juggle at the moment; brass bands, community chorus, new drafts of the script, Dumb Show rehearsals, signing off the new season brochure, organising season launch and the small matter of making sure the refurbishment is on track. Phew.
See you out and about.
Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director
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