The Milk Bottle November Newsletter

Milk Bottle Productions Presents... 
STORYTELLER 
The Natural History of Trolls 
Written and Performed by Robert Crighton, plus Special Guests

“Whatever you do, don’t think about orange penguins!”

Multi-Awarding Winning Storyteller Robert Crighton is returning to his roots with a new collection of stories for 2011.  Featuring his trademark wit and dark humour, Storyteller will draw you into unusual worlds and introduce you to people you’d not normally meet.

This first show is the world premiere of the ‘The Natural History of Trolls’, three stories covering a hundred and fifty years of history, two Queens and their subjects in the fairy kingdom.  Midst this epic timeline is the story of an ordinary commute gone wrong, when a troll-like tramp in an Underground carriage turns out to REALLY be a Troll.

Funny, thoughtful and with occasional attempts at wisdom, let Robert Crighton lead you through a world like ours – just a little off centre.

LONDON RUN - The Barons Court Theatre 

Tuesday 29^th November to Friday 23^rd December 2011 - Tickets £12 / £10 Concession

Tuesday to Saturday starts at 7.30pm – doors open 7.15pm.  Sunday at 7pm, doors open 6.45pm.

Box Office: 020 8932 4747

Barons Court Theatre, “The Curtain’s Up”, 28A Comeragh Road W14

Nearest Tube:  Barons Court (Piccadilly/District Lines)


SUFFOLK TRYOUT - The Quay Theatre
Sunday 20th November at 7.30pm - Tickets £7, Friends of the Quay Concession £6
Box Office: 01787 374 745
The Quay Theatre, Quay Lane, Sudbury, Suffolk.

Praise for Robert Crighton in previous Milk Bottle Productions...

THE COMPLETE SHERLOCK HOLMES - 2010 / 2011

★★★★  London Theatre Network: “Crighton is an accomplished story teller... Immersive, enjoyable and cosy, you will leave the room with a satisfied smile on your face, as if you’ve just visited some old friends.”

The Stage: “... a seasonal treat.”

★★★★  Remotegoat: “Robert Crighton gives you a unique evening of storytelling... It is easy to see why Robert Crighton has won awards for his performance.”

TEACHING GODS & OTHER STORIES... - 2009

Fringe Report: “Verdict: Funny, fast-paced, with depth... There are a lot of good reasons to see the show. It's funny, fast-paced... surreal fantasy, with an edge of revenge... Robert Crighton performs with great energy and no little charm... well viewed after a drink, before a bigger one and some cheese, in celebration perhaps of strange dreams and the campus cat.”

Milk Bottle Productions Presents...

Robert Crighton:

GHOSTORYTELLER

Written and Performed by Robert Crighton

Two weeks of real ghost stories collected during our autumn tour.  From the ghosts of empty houses, to the personal ghosts we carry around us, this collection is a mixture of the fantastic and the “real”.  Do you have your own ghost stories?  Let us know and we might add it to the show.  Send to contact@milkbottleproductions.co.uk 

BE WARNED:  The first two tryouts sold out completely - book now to avoid disappointment!

Tuesday 27^th December 2011 to Friday 30^th December and Tuesday 3^rd to Sunday 8^th January 2012 (No performances 31^st Dec, 1^st or 2^nd Jan)
Tickets £12 / £10 Concession

Box Office: 020 8932 4747

Barons Court Theatre, “The Curtain’s Up”, 28A Comeragh Road W14

Nearest Tube:  Barons Court (Piccadilly/District Lines)

Radio Times

I've done a few bits on local radio in the past.  I've a natural face for radio, of course, and I like talking, which is apparently what people like to here on air.  So, yesterday was an adventure into the world of London community radio - the lovely Anjul and Jenny at OnFM invited me along for a natter about the show, along with their other guests.  And natter we did, for a good hour or so, about all sorts of topics beyond the obvious plugging of show.  In fact, I even gained an additional cast member - my fellow guest was a film critic with a very rich voice perfect for storytelling and who has, subject to dates, agreed to join the GhoStoryteller show for one night in December.  More on that soon.
I did intend to take a few pictures whilst there, but I completely forgot, so I didn't.  Which is a bit sad.
The day before the radio show I was in Sudbury doing my penguin act again.  I did arrange my good friend Marian to film a bit of that - to be seen below.  Though I present it here as a mockumentary.

 
This week the publicity machine gears up a notch, as do rehearsals.  It's a big weekend coming up and a lot of footwork to get everything together.  A tryout for GhoStoryteller on Friday, all day rehearsals with the cast on Saturday and Sunday, leading up to the performance of The Natural History of Trolls at the Quay Theatre.  Busy, busy...

Operation Orange Penguin

Today I wandered around my local town dressed as an orange penguin, plus sandwich board announcing: "Don't think about orange penguins!"  It was a surprisingly pleasant experience.  I might take it up as a hobby on weekends, simply to see the amused / bemused smiles on peoples faces as I wander by.  I'd hope to think I passed on a little happiness.  Several people stopped me to take a photograph, some people asked me what it was all about, and one person tried to convince me that evolution doesn't exist.  Now really, if I was trying to peddle intelligent design I wouldn't choose a flightless bird as one of my converts. 
The flyer (see what I've done there) I was given listed 15 reasons why evolution doesn't exist.  I'd list them all here, but they are quite repetitive, so I'll just mention my favourite: Reason 6.  "Living things look like they were designed, so how do evolutionists know that they were not designed?"  It's a sentence like that that makes me understand why Richard Dawkins tends to go a bit over the top with his athetism.  I didn't engage the flyerer with much conversation, partly because I think our world views differ quite widely, but more because I was focused on the difficult task of being a penguin. 
I decided in the end not to do flyering myself.  It wasn't easy to do for a start as I couldn't really see, though if anyone did engage me in a discussion about the costume they were rewarded with paper. 
I bought a poppy, which I haven't had a chance to yet this year, I waved to small children (a bit of a waste as the show isn't for them) and after an hour and a half realised I was sweating rather a lot.  After the photoshoot last month (see below) I have added a few holes which solved a lot of the ventilation problems, but even on a cool day like today the temperature soon builds.
I stopped for a coffee and took stock.  I may not have sold any additional seats for the show - I don't like street hustling - but I do think it caused a bit of amusement.  So, my work here is done.
I'll be in town again on Saturday and hopefully will get a few pictures taken as I wander.  Till then, ta, ta!

Milk Bottle Productions Presents...

STORYTELLER:

The Natural History 

of Trolls

Written and Performed by Robert Crighton, plus Special Guests

“Whatever you do, don’t think about orange penguins!”

Multi-Awarding Winning Storyteller Robert Crighton is returning to his roots with a new collection of stories for 2011.  Featuring his trademark wit and dark humour, Storyteller will draw you into unusual worlds and introduce you to people you’d not normally meet.

This first collection is called The Natural History of Trolls, three stories covering a hundred and fifty years of history, two Queens and their subjects in the fairy kingdom.  Midst this epic timeline is the story of an ordinary commute gone wrong, when a troll-like tramp in an Underground carriage turns out to REALLY be a Troll.

Funny, thoughtful and with occasional attempts at wisdom, let Robert Crighton and his team of storytellers lead you through a world like ours – just a little off centre. 

15+ age guidance.  Not suitable for young children.

Sunday 20^th November at 7.30pm

Tickets £7 / £6 Friends of the Quay

The Quay Theatre, Quay Lane, Sudbury

Box Office: 01787 374 745

Endgame

We're into the last two weeks of rehearsals now - that is prior to the last tryouts.  That means everyday a full run of both The Natural History of Trolls and GhoStoryteller, plus other activity, like publicity work and eating.  Today, after the two runs, I explored one short speech, which I'm a little worried about.  It's mostly fine but there is a noise I have to make during it which is troublesome.  It's a complicated noise to make, technically, and I got really good at it for the Summer.  Unfortunately, at the New Wimbledon Studio, after the first night the sound would not come.  The cast all said to me on the second night: "what happened?"  I fear that it's a sound that only works when my voice isn't grounded.  After a few weeks rehearsal and performance the voice tends to drop a tad, to be properly warmed up for the duration - this is why over time old actors and vicars sound very fruity.  This year I have been performing far less than usual and so was able to find this sound - now that I'm back up to speed, it might not come out to play.  But I am working on it - I won't give up - because it sounds positively weird if I get it right.

Troll with Georgina Blackledge

This last week was spent with my lovely cast for Trolls, who've been fabulous in comparison with my own confused burblings.  During the rehearsals I took a few pictures - just compare the glamour between the others and myself.  I look a wreak because I spend most of the rehearsal time scratching my head, pulling my thinning hair and pulling at my face, in between taking my glasses on and off.  I also find that I don't sleep the night before a rehearsal, a kind of Christmas time excitement, and fear that I'll oversleep and turn up late to rehearsal.
I actually enjoy rehearsing with other people, but I can be a little indecisive at the first few rehearsals.  I'll make a whole list of ideas and then slowly dismiss them as we go along, till I have some idea where we're going.  And then I'll talk a lot about stuff that is almost to do with the piece, but not quite.  Like unfortunate subtexts.

Sophie Morris-Sheppard with Troll

Actors love subtext.  They love it so much that sometimes they forget the sub part of it.  They love to identify the subtext and then play it, over and above the text.  Directors sometimes do this as well - Jonathan Miller springs immediately to mind.  The thing about storytelling is that, though the piece will have a subtext (and boy have I found one or two interesting ones in Trolls) the performer usually doesn't - because they aren't a character, they aren't feeding off the traditional inner life.  Some actors can't cope with this very well and insist on hunting shadows that are not there - luckily my lovely cast do not do such things.
I, however, keep stopping rehearsals to point out a resonance in a line I hadn't noticed before.  It doesn't help because it's a resonance I want suppressed, but it does make me chuckle and I can't resist pointing out something amusing.  Along with any mistake in the text that I've only just noticed.
So, roughly speaking, I'm a rambling, shambling mess at present - but I don't think I'd do it any other way.  The work seems to be good, even if I'm not looking or sounding my best.  I get to spend many hours with lovely, professional people and so too, hopefully, will you - when you come and see the show, again and again and again...
In two weeks time the last tryouts will be over, it'll be eyes down for London.  We'll know once and for all what needs to change, what needs to remain the same.  Then the fun really begins.

Troll at Work

Milk Bottle Productions Presents...

STORYTELLER

The Natural History of Trolls

Written and Performed by Robert Crighton, plus Special Guests

SUFFOLK TRYOUT -

Sunday 20^th November at 7.30pm

Tickets £7 / £6 Friends of the Quay

The Quay Theatre, Quay Lane, Sudbury

Box Office: 01787 374 745

LONDON RUN - 
Tuesday 29^th November to Friday 23^rd December 2011

Tickets £12 / £10 concessions

Tuesday to Saturday starts at 7.30pm – doors open 7.15pm.  Sunday at 7pm, doors open 6.45pm.

Box Office: 020 8932 4747

Barons Court Theatre, “The Curtain’s Up”, 28A Comeragh Road W14

Nearest Tube:  Barons Court (Piccadilly/District Lines)

Halloween in Glemsford

Halloween - a gig in the Angel Pub, Glemsford.  It's the second outing for what will become GhoStoryteller for two weeks in London.  As it's still a work in progress I read from a script, but I did add a lot of local bits for that night only and needed to not confuse my brain when learning the final draft.
I rose late on Halloween and spent the day wandering around collecting my thoughts and my material.  I dressed carefully - not too Halloweeny, just in a black waistcoat and tails, a bit butlerish.  I arrived at the pub quite early to help judge the space.  I had been once before, but who'd want to get it wrong.
The Angel isn't a large pub and it is fairly oddly shaped - there are two rooms diagonally placed from one another, linked by the bar.  You can see both rooms so long as you stand in the linking archway along the bar.  This is where I performed, popping between the two halves.
Normally this would be a problem, but I opted for a microphone to hold both rooms together without physically being there at all times.  With another show I wouldn't have bothered, (never knowingly undersold) but ghost stories need soft speech which amplification makes happen rather well.
Unfortunately, though the PA at the Angel was good, the shape of the space meant it was difficult to avoid feedback.  I had a couple moments of howl around and it did limit my movement slightly, but otherwise was fine.
The major drawback with arriving early was there wasn't much to do.  Normally I would find sitting in a pub quite easy - but as I couldn't drink any alcohol before the show time flowed slightly slowly.  There were a number of trick or treaters who came in.  Some were little boys and girls dressed to the nines and accompanied by a responsible adult, but others were obnoxious teenagers who (completely uncostumed) burst in and tried to nick a handful of sweets.  They went away with a verbal thick ear.
The audience now arrived en masse and the place was soon very busy.  After a short argument with the microphone I began.  Now, I had been warned before I started that the locals might be a bit loud, that there might be hecklers.  Not a bit of it, they were all lovely and quiet.  There was one moment when a loud knock on the front door (possibly a projectile pumpkin thrown by the disappointed teenagers, jury is out on that one) coincided with a particularly tense moment of the first story.  My word, the room didn't half jump.
After the show I was, at last, in a position to have a drink or four, and swapped a few ghost stories with the locals.  It was a lovely evening and I must thank everyone at the Angel, and my good friend Fiona, for inviting me along.
Today has been the aftermath.  Using the response to edit the text down a bit more, make notes on what worked and what didn't.  As a result the show is now 500 words shorter and hopefully 500 words better.
Robx

Milk Bottle Productions Presents...

Robert Crighton:

STORYTELLER

Written and Performed by Robert Crighton

GhoStoryteller

Tuesday 27^th December 2011 to Friday 30^th December and Tuesday 3^rd to Sunday 8^th January 2012 (No performances 31^st Dec, 1^st or 2^nd Jan)

Two weeks of real ghost stories collected during our autumn tour.  From the ghosts of empty houses, to the personal ghosts we carry around us, this collection is a mixture of the fantastic and the “real”.  Do you have your own ghost stories?  Let us know and we might add it to the show.  Send to contact@milkbottleproductions.co.uk 

Tickets £12 / £10 concessions

Tuesday to Saturday starts at 7.30pm – doors open 7.15pm.  Sunday at 7pm, doors open 6.45pm.

Box Office: 020 8932 4747

Barons Court Theatre, “The Curtain’s Up”, 28A Comeragh Road W14

Nearest Tube:  Barons Court (Piccadilly/District Lines)