OF HIRED MEN, GYMSLIPS AND A SKYLIGHT GOING DARK

It’s been a while since I last was able to sit down, pour a large glass of red, and put pen to paper - or, more accurately, fingers to keyboard (the wine purely for lubrication of same, obviously) - and since then quite a lot has happened.

The Hired Man proved a great success and was widely acclaimed at all levels, which must prove immensely satisfying for Gordon, Bill and their team. Even better, our patrons and critics loved it, and there were long queues for returns outside the box office most nights towards the end of the week.

Pete Bagley’s production of Once A Catholic also delivered a good box office return - Mary O’Malley’s lampoon defrocking the Catholicism inflicted on schoolgirls in the 1950s. Full of nasty nuns, gymslipped girls, piddled priests and randy teddy-boys it was an irreverent, and wry, look at life in a convent school. I recognised the traits in the priest particularly well from when, in my far distant youth, I was an altar boy (and here I would ask you to keep your scoffing to a minimum) and one of the priests used to keep a ’wee half bottle’ in his pocket, and give me bets to give to my dad (who ran a bookie’s shop at the time). Ah, happy days…

Meanwhile, the work and planning goes on elsewhere in the theatre. The Dramaturgs have been reading plays like there is no tomorrow, and with the help of the rest of the Artistic Management I am fairly close to presenting the remainder of the 08/09 season (from January to July 09) to the committee for approval, so watch this space for news and for future audition notices. It’s good to plan ahead…

However, no amount of planning can prevent illness, and that is what unfortunately has happened to one of the cast members of Skylight which was due to go on in the studio on the 15th. With due consideration to the hard work of the company, the director, Marian Kemmer, and I, took the difficult decision to cancel the planned performances of David Hare’s cracking play. With no sign of an early recovery, and time growing very short, we felt the piece would have been under-rehearsed and therefore, in our view, not ready for public performance. This is absolutely no reflection on the work already done by the cast, and it may be that the production will be postponed, rather than finally cancelled. Again, watch this space.

Elsewhere Michael Bibb held the second of his Dead Poet’s Society evenings, this time concentrating on that well-known playwright from just up the road, Mr Shakespeare, and, in particular, his sonnets. The evening was well attended and a great success with plenty of time afterwards for a small red (or two). He is also starting the first of his acting and directing workshops, with three evenings dedicated to stagecraft this month. I understand there are still a few places available if learning more about your craft takes your fancy. Contact him by telephone on 01926 495955 (day) or 07947 378585 (mobile) or by email to learning@loft-theatre.co.uk.

We nearly have a complete team of chaperones for The Wizard of Oz. We still need a couple more just to keep the number of evenings that the volunteers have to do to a minimum. Again, if you fancy it, give me a ring or drop me an email.

That’s about it, I think, for now. On the whole onwards and upwards with the occasional smack in the face from an unexpected source. A bit like life really, which reputedly is a slog, or was it a blog? Perhaps I shouldn’t have had that third glass of red before finishing this . . .

As always comments and chat welcome, in person, on the phone 07885 546442 or by email ad@loft-theatre.co.uk.

ON AUDITIONS, PRE-CASTING, CHAPERONES AND TRYING NOT TO FALL OVER WHILE COVERED IN A GAS CAPE AND HOLDING A RIFLE

There’s been lots and lots of excitement around the theatre over the past few weeks. Hordes of auditionees for Glorious, The Way of the World and The Wizard of Oz. As predicted not everyone who turned up was cast. I would like to thank everyone who did come along and repeat my encouragement to keep turning up at future auditions even if you weren’t successful.

In line with the policy suggested in the Artistic Review I took the decision, in consultation with other members of the AM, not to hold open auditions for Duet for One, the replacement play for A View From the Bridge. This was quite simply because it is an intimate two-hander, and both director and actors have to be entirely comfortable with each other. Again, I hope those of you who were originally cast in ’Bridge’ will continue to audition in future.

I’ve had a limited response to my appeal for chaperones for The Wizard of Oz – I suppose you can call one email ’limited’ – so can I take this opportunity to ask again for volunteers. If we have a team of 10 qualified matrons (male or female) then volunteers would only be required a couple of nights each. This is something that will provide a large benefit to the theatre, for very little effort and involvement. Email me ad@loft-theatre.co.uk, or ring me 07885 546442, if you think you could help.

Finally, at time of writing, The Hired Man is at dress rehearsal stage, creating its own frisson of excitement about the place. There has been whinging, complaining, falling over furniture (even some falling off furniture) and numerous missed lines and cues – but enough about me. There has also been great fun with a great company who have worked their socks off to present, I believe, an absolutely cracking show.

So come along and enjoy a good story with great music - and, of course, have a laugh at a wee, fat guy trying to fall over when ordered, whilst trying to avoid being suffocated by a somewhat smelly gas cape and trip over his rifle at a totally inappropriate moment.

Oh, the joys and glamour of the theatre. It gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ’stick in the mud’.

As always, comments welcome, in person or by email.

Gus

A TALE OF WET HADDOCK, PAPERCLIPS and AUDITIONS:

It’s an interesting job to have, as artistic director.

You can go forwards for weeks, sailing along serenely on a calm sea of artistic endeavour, looking forward to a season of success and huge box office receipts, and then all of a sudden someone comes along, hits you in the face with some unexpected news like a piece of wet haddock, you tumble into a seething ocean of complaint, mistakes and misunderstandings and eventually drown in nitty gritty.

This is true, of course, for any seat of responsibility within any club. All the stuff you thought was being sorted by other people seems to end up on your desk and you find yourself dealing with paperclips rather than plays, and angry audience members rather than enthusiastic actors.

That is not in any way a complaint by the way, more a rough sketch of my first few weeks in the chair, which has actually been an easier road than I thought it was going to be. At least I’ve managed a few hot meals without telephonic interruption, which is more than I had when I sat in a slightly different chair a few years ago. As Mary (my far better half) used to say to me: ’If only the food would stay as hot as the phone does…’

The AM (Artistic Management) has now had its first official meeting, the next season is starting to take an exciting shape, the dramaturgs are feverishly reading plays at every available moment, I am having lots of contact from directors old and new and, most importantly, the casting directors, Ann and Phil, have organised the first set of auditions this year.

Now, to the point of this penmanship: The auditions are your opportunity to parade your talent in front of some of our directors. It might be that you don’t get the role you are after - not everyone is going to be cast in every play they read for. The important thing is that you get your face in front of the people who make casting decisions, and if something isn’t right for you this time round, then there is every chance there will be at the next lot of auditions.

I’ve had a couple of enquiries this week as to how to ’break in’ to the Loft. It doesn’t require flashlight, a mask and a stripey jumper - but it does involve a modicum of patience and the willingness to engage in other avenues of the company. When I started, a long, long, long, long time ago, I did a few stints at stage management and a couple at lighting before some far thinking (or insane) director decided he needed a spotty, young, thin chap with long hair who could hold a spear and not bump into the furniture. I even got a couple of lines. Luckily the said director hasn’t been caught, tried and convicted for my subsequent performances, but it perfectly illustrates the point: If at first you don’t succeed, don’t give up, but try something else and get to know the right people. That way you do two things: Give yourself a greater advantage next audition, and also help the theatre with the perennial problem of support staff.

I shall be at the auditions: So if you want to talk, chat up, make suggestions, or just generally beef then I will be the wee, bald, fat chap with greying beard wandering around. Unfortunately the young, thin, fully hirsute chap has long since gone.

Speak soon

Gus MacDonald

PS Email responses to this blog are perfectly acceptable and to be encouraged - ad@loft-theatre.co.uk

From the artistic director’s chair

...and isn’t it wonderful how easily one forgets what a hot seat it can be!

It’s good to be back, but – phew! Lots has happened over the past couple of weeks – far too much for the space available. So, in brief: A hugely successful production of Absurd Person Singular – both artistically and in its audience figures. Well done to Vanessa and everyone in the company for a great show. It was wonderful to see the theatre full night after night.

Welcome to Roy Donoghue who has agreed to come in and fill the studio slot left by the withdrawal of Endgame. His production of The Good Thief by Conor McPherson (of The Weir fame) is a gem. Full of energy, humour and not a small dollop of pathos, it has won rave reviews wherever it has been performed. Miss it at your peril – these are the final performances.

We now have the first three productions for next season firmly in place. The most gratifying thing so far is the number of potential directors who are ringing me asking to be considered for productions in early 2009. It really is good to talk – 07885 546442 is the number if you feel the urge...

Last, and definitely not least, I would like to offer my personal thanks to Wendy Anderson and Harry Sanders for their hard work over the last year or so, for the ease of hand-over, and to the rest of the Artistic Management team for their continuing work and support.

So here’s to them, and here’s to you, and to the Loft Theatre itself at the beginning of 2008 (as usual, as those who know me will testify, any excuse to raise a glass!).