First Night in Darkest Offton & Willisham

ROAD CLOSED.  Never a good sign.

I really liked these curtains as a back drop for the table...

As signs go, it's not up there with FREE SWEETS or WE ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING A GOOD SERVICE.  I wasn't worried that I wouldn't make it to the venue - I'd been forewarned, there was access - but that it might put off the audience, which when your show is Pay-What-You-Want is really not good.
I meet up with my generous hosts for the evening and set up.  And they really are good at Offton and Willisham Village Hall - welcoming, helpful and really enthusiastic.  I was put onto the space by a friend Mark, who was in The Juliet Inquiry last year and he suggested touring the show there.  It went well and so I was really looking forward to coming back.
Slowly an audience arrived and the ritual began.  Share your Good and Bad Deeds - and the conversion begins.  It's usually around how difficult it is to think of a Good Deed and how hard it is to choose a Bad.
And they're a good audience, they listen.  The space works well with the play - a slight echo, enough to create atmosphere, not enough to destroy clarity.
Afterwards it's time for tea (I'm on antibiotics at the moment so can't have alcohol - boo!) and a chat with the audience.  Finally home and this blog.  As per, here are some of the Good and Bad Deeds we shared.  And a v. short snippet of video - I didn't have time to film more.

Bad Deeds:
Believing that I haven't done a bad deed!
Cheated on a test
Eating Whale Meat (Yummy!)
White Lie
Drinking in Excess
Grumpy
Over Indulgence
Got Up Late
Road Rage
Not Listening
Shot a Rabbit
Did not clean my teeth
I / will have wasted a myriad of opportunities to do a good deed.
Didn't put the wife's Valentine flowers in water - they were a bit floppy by 14th Feb

And one for debate...
Deliberately letting a competitor win a race

Awaiting the audience...

Good Deeds:
Looking after Grandchildren
Raised a family who have raised a family and married a woman who cares for others
Always be kind
Giving your time to charity
Helping others
Raise money for good causes
Volunteered for the RDA
Friendship
Youth Club Sailing Instructor
Volunteered at youth group
Loaned money
Oiled kitchen cupboards
30 years on Hall Committee
Youth Offending Panel
Flowers to a sick friend
Helped a lady out by mending her clutch cable by the roadside
Cleaned my elderly neighbours wheely bin

A Reckoning in a Little Room

It's been a fraught few days as I get down to the nitty-gritty of rehearsing Everyman.  Ironing out those little mistakes (the same mistakes I was making 18 months ago!) and generally feeling like I'm not getting anywhere.  I am, it just feels sooooo slow...
Tomorrow is the last chance to get it right before a double bill of performances to students on Friday morning.  And they've read the play (in theory) so have a far higher chance of noticing any cock-ups.  Tomorrow I will also make my final choices regarding props, costume and additional bits and bobs.
That said, for all my due diligence for Friday, I've actually been mostly rehearsing the show for a performance next week which is at someone's home.  These rehearsals I've been calling 'a reckoning in the little room' - i.e. I've been rehearsing as though no one can move.  It's been interesting.  The only real problem I've had is for this exercise I've been rehearsing in my study, which means I constantly fight the part of my brain that's going - "ooh, I haven't read that book in a while".  Stupid brain.
Anyway, here's the first teaser trailer for the show - I've got material for two more, if I can find a moment to edit them.  Enjoy.  It's short.

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

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

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.  

Alternative Spaces - Part Two

I'm looking for a room.  I need a room - it needs to hold about twenty/thirty people, seated, with some space to perform but it must all be one level.  I don't want a theatre - I need a room.  But it needs to be accessible, easily accessible, to the general public.  And I'll be looking to hire the room March/April 2015.
What is the room for?  Well, I'll be announcing that very soon. But it's good.
The show would be Pay-What-You-Want and, but I'll happily hire the space, or I'd split the box office if there's interest.  It needs to ideally be in the East of England or London - but I'll be interested in moving out to different parts of the UK.
Suggestions or offers to me please - either email contact@milkbottleproductions.co.uk or Twitter me @RobertCrighton