Everyman Daily Report: 6 & 7

It's been a sedate but busy old weekend and now most of my ducks are in a row.  I'm just sent off the first batch of press releases and tomorrow will do the local newsletters and start buying advertising.  The flyers will also arrive tomorrow and, once they're been stickered up, I'll be out and about again, letting the world know about Everyman.  If you're at the beginning of the tour it's getting really close now, if you're at the end, you'll wonder what all the fuss is about.  But I know, blink, and you'll miss it.
Beyond the admin I've doing the last purely text based work.  I planned to have gone over the whole text by tonight (Sunday) but I've got three pages to do tomorrow.  That's not quite true, I might have gone over it all by the time I crawl into bed (I have been rehearsing late) but that would technically be on Monday, so I've failed.  However, the words of the play are now, by and large, back in my head, with three or so weeks before my first performances for students at Essex University.  Next week I'm going to be moving about, playing with the physical score - but next week I also have competition for my time, as I've got a performance of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland on Saturday.  Life is really getting busy.
Yesterday was photo/video day - or evening rather, I needed the darkness.  Though that won't be the end of it - the photography will be a continuing process - I'm looking to create something for Everyman each week, as I try to perfect imagery for the show.  It's not easy, because I'm trapped in the same problem I always have for a one-man show.  All I've got to photograph is one man.  And there are only so many ways to do this.
More importantly, I want to document the show properly - as there are no photos or videos of this show at all - nothing since I started on it two years ago.  This needs to change, but I'm not sure, yet, how I'll do this.
Anyway, here's a little vlog of a retired costume from the show - the original, very creased, shirt of Bad Deeds.

Everyman Daily Report: 3, 4 & 5

Leavenheath Village Hall - 5th April at 6pm

The last few days have been an interesting mix of the eventful, uneventful and the unproductive.  Wednesday went really badly on the rehearsal front.  No rehearsal happened.  None.  Not a line was said.  I failed.
On the plus side, I did get a wonderful view of the A134.  Here's what happened.
I was going to view a couple of venues, sort out paperwork and generally scout round the area - these two venues being reasonably close together.  As it also happened my father was meeting up with some friends at the village of the first venue in Assington - so I tagged along and thought I'd walk to the relatively close Leavenheath.  In preparation I printed off a map from Google and planned a route - there were apparently footpaths, but I wanted to see how the roads looked and the last thing I wanted to do was get lost.
Unfortunately, the map I printed off placed my starting point on the opposite side of the road to where it actually was - so I gamely walked up to the A134 and tried to figure out how I could have got it wrong.
Eventually I was on the right path and made it to Leavenheath Village Hall and had a look round - I forgot to take photos inside, but I did take a picture outside.
Here's a short video from my day out.

I then caught a bus to Colchester to do some shopping and by the time I got home I was right royally knackered and so little work was done.
The last two days have been better and I've caught up with my line learning and my admin.  The last cheques have been sent, the tour is now fully booked and now it's adverts and permissions and the duller admin to do.  I'm very aware that I need to crack on with a lot of tasks, as I'm still riding a lot of deadlines close to the wind - but I'm refusing to let myself be rushed artistically.  The show is coming together on schedule, even though I lost time on Wednesday.  Tomorrow I'll be looking at the second half of the script, getting the last few sections in ready for next weeks more physical work - but I'm also going to be doing some photos and videos for publicity as well.

I'll be performing Everyman at Leavenheath Village Hall on Sunday 5th April at 6pm
Tickets can be reserved by calling 07946 652 196 or emailing contact@milkbottleproductions.co.uk

Everyman Daily Report: 2

Today I focused on the second quarter of the play - where Everyman asks for someone to go with him on his journey to death.  There are three/four characters he encounters - Fellowship (his friends), Kindred & Cousin (his relations) who are two people in the original, but combined into one in this version, and finally his Goods (his worldly possessions).  These are all external elements of his life, people or things outside of his person, who he is deluded into thinking he can take with him.  These rejections prepare us for the second set of delusions in the second half of the play, where he hopes to go to the other side with all his faculties - his senses, strength, reasoning and beauty.  But that's future.  Today, just externals.
As external characters they are mostly straightforward - your friends and relations are real people and (though generalised) are not abstract.  They tend to talk to you - so the dialogue is natural, fast, flowing - even funny.  Your Goods don't tend to talk to you - but the character of wealth is straightforward, deliciously slimy and evil.  To relearn this lines - or at least reacquiant myself with them - is great fun.  I don't think I made as much progress with the retention of lines as I did yesterday, but some solid groundwork was done.
In fact, I was surprised how much of what I went over yesterday had stuck - I briefly ran over my lines as I went for a walk this afternoon - here is a pointless video of the opening speech.

Tomorrow I'm out and about all day, looking at venues and sorting out the last paperwork for the tour dates (see blog post below) so I'm going to focus my spare time into going over the line learning and text work of yesterday and today.  If I can be fully books down on the first half at the end of the week - confident and strong on words - then real work can happen next week.  Huzzah!

First Dates

And we're off - the first dates of the The Summoning of Everyman tour are in the bag. Now, if you're based in Suffolk/Essex, or have friends who do, now's the time to book your tickets, or share this with those who might.
All shows will be Pay-What-You-Want and tickets can be reserved by phone or online.
For emails or any phone messages please state your name, contact number, number of tickets and, most importantly, which date/venue you're booking for.
If your local venue is not represented it's not too late to be added to the tour.  I'll come to churches, village halls, small rooms or even your home for a private performance for friends and family - just contact me and we'll see what can be done.  Have toothbrush, will travel!
So, the first week of the tour is Offton & Willisham Village Hall, Chappel and Wakes Colne Village Hall and Great Waldingfield Village Hall.  More soon, as details come in.

Offton & Willisham Village Hall                  -              Tuesday 24th March at 7.30pm

Chappel & Wakes Colne Village Hall         -              Wednesday 25th March at 7.30pm

Great Waldingfield Village Hall                   -              Thursday 26th March at 7.30pm

Boxford Village Hall                                   -              Tuesday 31st March at 7.30pm

Cavendish Memorial Hall                           -              Wednesday 1st April at 7.30pm

Hitcham Village Hall                                   -              Thursday 2nd April at 7.30pm

Maurice Rowson Hall, Gosfield                  -              Friday 3rd April at 7.30pm

Leavenheath Village Hall                            -              Sunday 5th April at 6pm

Hundon Village Hall                                   -              Monday 6th April at 7.30pm

Creeting St Mary Jubilee Hall                     -              Tuesday 7th April at 7.30pm

Assington Village Hall                                -              Thursday 9th April at 7.30pm

Brettenham Village Hall                             -              Tuesday 14th April at 7.30pm

Steeple Bumpstead Village Hall                 -              Wednesday 15th April at 7.30pm

St Mary’s Church, Chilton                         -              Sunday 19th April at 3pm

Boxted & Hartest Institute                         -              Monday 20th April at 7.30pm

Stisted Village Hall                                    -              Wednesday 22nd April at 7.30pm

All details correct at time of press – updates, corrections and directions to shows can be found online – or contact us direct.

Venue list again - this time with addresses and post codes! 

Offton & Willisham Village Hall                   -              Tuesday 24th March at 7.30pm

Lower Coney Grove, Offton, IP8 4RA

(For information call 01473 658547. No reservation required)

Chappel & Wakes Colne Village Hall         -              Wednesday 25th March at 7.30pm

Colchester Road, Wakes Colne, Colchester, CO6 2BX

Great Waldingfield Village Hall                   -              Thursday 26th March at 7.30pm

Lavenham Road, CO10 0SA

Boxford Village Hall                                         -              Tuesday 31st March at 7.30pm

Stone Street Road, Boxford, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 5NP

Cavendish Memorial Hall                              -              Wednesday 1st April at 7.30pm

Melford Road, Cavendish, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 8AD

Hitcham Village Hall                                         -              Thursday 2nd April at 7.30pm

The Causeway, Hitcham, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP7 7NE

Maurice Rowson Hall, Gosfield                  -              Friday 3rd April at 7.30pm

Church Road, Gosfield, CO9 1TL

Leavenheath Village Hall                               -              Sunday 5th April at 6pm

Suffolk, CO6 4NW

Hundon Village Hall                                         -              Monday 6th April at 7.30pm

North Street, Hundon, Suffolk, CO10 8EE

Creeting St Mary Jubilee Hall                      -              Tuesday 7th April at 7.30pm

Assington Village Hall                                     -              Thursday 9th April at 7.30pm

The Street, Assington, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 5LW

Brettenham Village Hall                                 -              Tuesday 14th April at 7.30pm

30b The Street, Brettenham, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP7 7QP

Steeple Bumpstead Village Hall                 -              Wednesday 15th April at 7.30pm

Finchingfield Road, Steeple Bumpstead, Haverhill, Suffollk, CB9 7EA

St Mary’s Church, Chilton                             -              Sunday 19th April at 3pm

Chilton, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 2ZB

Boxted & Hartest Institute                           -              Monday 20th April at 7.30pm

The Green, Hartest, Suffolk, IP29 4DH

Stisted Village Hall                                           -              Wednesday 22nd April at 7.30pm

Rectory Road, Stisted, Braintree, Essex, CM77 8AL

Everyman Daily Report: 1

Christ it's cold. It isn't really that cold, by my rehearsal space isn't great thermally, so I'm mostly not using it - I'm doing text work. So, progress report on Everyman. I know the first speech to buggery and the God speech in chunks, all the right notes, just not necessarily in the right order. The Death sequence has undergone a few minor changes and I remember from last time how difficult it can be to get right. This is the first section that requires real work on the physical text. I want to really pull the confrontation of Everyman by Death apart. And here I have a new toy to play with - or will when the weather warms up a bit and I got from text to movement. For the moment it's all in the words baby. But the words are mostly in my brain still, even after over a year has passed since the last performance.
The last bit I looked at today was the speech Everyman makes just after meeting Death - which is brilliant and terrifying. I'd quite like to sign the speech as I say it - hell, I'd love to be able to sign the whole play, but baby steps. So, I'm looking for a signer people - anyone know someone who can help? Internet, can you hear me?
Tomorrow, between the admin for the tour (so much to do!) and food and stuff, I'll be working on the first rejections of Everyman up to Good-Deeds. I'm hoping to have reviewed the whole text by the weekend, relearned most of it, and be ready to explore the physical realm next week.

First Rehearsals - Everyman Lives

Back in  the fray, rehearsing The Summoning of Everyman.  It was a sad day, as I put away my old script and printed off a new one. The old script had been with me since the first run two or is it three years ago, but is now so moth eaten, so covered in changes and scribbles that it must be archived off and put to retirement.
The King is dead, long live the King!
Let's not get too sentimental, it's a script and even this new version, tidy as it is, isn't as important as the performing of it. This week will mostly be about the words - relearning them, retooling them, getting to a stage where I can get on my feet and move.  The tour doesn't start for seven weeks, but the first one off private gigs start in less then four (dates still available for private performance, do get in touch) so it's going to be a bit of a marathon from now on. You can follow my progress on Twitter, I'll be posting regular updates.
And tomorrow I'll be posting a full tour schedule - so you can book your tickets and tell your friends.
It's all rather exciting!

Gazumped-ish...

Typical, you wait ages for one production of Everyman and two come along at once.  No sooner than I'm ready with my tour of Everyman than the National Theatre announce they're doing one - AT EXACTLY THE SAME TIME.  My immediate reaction was facepalm/whyme! - followed by a lot of swearing.  But then I had a cup of tea and calmed down, because really I'm rather pleased.
Firstly, it raises the profile of the play, or at least the title of the play, for early indications suggest this isn't a production of the play, it is an adaptation of the play, so we're not doing the same play at all.   It is notable that their play is simply called Everyman and not The Summoning of Everyman - and that the blurb suggests a more secular take on the narrative.  Death gets a lot of notice, God not one.  So, quite a different play, if the pre-publicity is to be believed.
Secondly, following on from the above, the National production will give the hashtag #everyman a bit more prominence and probably gain me more audience than it will lose me. It's not impossible that you've been dragged to this blog by said hashtag.  (If you have, earlier blog posts go into detail of my staging of the play and some of it might be quite interesting!)
Thirdly, if they bugger about with the text I can say my version has a certain authority.  Even though my production isn't exactly conventional, it does use most of the text and largely as the unknown author left it.
Of course if the National production is a huge popular success I could be screwed.  It coincides almost exactly with my tour, but we are reasonably far apart geographically.  Their production will be live streamed in July, which IS a sod, as that's when I'd be doing tryouts if I make enough money to go to Edinburgh for the Fringe.  And I don't see that a later tour in Autumn/Winter is as much of a goer now.  But we shall see.  I will weigh up my options as I go along.
So, I'm largely positive. Power to the moral interlude people, power to the morality tale!
For more information about my small tour - for small rooms and little theatres only - do have a look at this blog post.