Indulgence Theatre news.
Rehearsal Diary - 05 October 2005
'Hay Fever' by Noel Coward
By Liz Lucas
Rehearsals have been underway now for some weeks and things are beginning to take shape. We have a set, I believe, the main fittings of which are being made by our very own Handy Andy, dear Jack Jones, who can create Cleopatra's Monument or a 1920's drawing room with a couple of metres of MDF and a handful of screws. I have not yet seen the set for Hay fever but I have every confidence that it will be magnificent, or at least good enough to hang the wretched barometer on. (Although we have no barometer at the moment!)
Some of the costumes are being hired from Boston, but Pauline Lancaster, a material genius, is making most of the ladies outfits. We have swooned deliriously over her sumptuous book of designs and we can hardly wait to get the costumes on and swan around looking gorgeous. What a joy it is to work with such talent.
It is becoming something of a tradition for the ladies in the company to get together with wine, food, make up and best underwear, gather in Irene's wonderful house and spend the evening trying things on, testing out make up, doing hair, eating, drinking and having ourselves a thoroughly decadent time. This works on two levels; it bonds the women in the group exceptionally well and gives us the opportunity to make ourselves beautiful. The confidence this instils in the female cast is tremendous; it's a shame the men don't do the same.
While we're on the subject of men, we have a really terrific male cast this time around. In fact the whole cast is a dream and apart from a small altercation concerning chairs, we have all got on famously. I feel that we are really playing to our strengths this time around and no one is miscast.
Rehearsals have taken place in Frank Kelly's end-of-yard-barn, which is a delightful retreat in the middle of the city, complete with squashy sofa, kettle and convenience! We go there on Sundays; the rest of the week we convene in another great barn, belonging to Nick, who is playing Sandy in the play. Nick is part of Stokes, the coffee people and generously allows us to rehearse in his warehouse. This huge space is great for getting an approximation of the set, (chairs and all) and running large chunks of the play, or rehearsing small bits while others go off onto another floor and do line runs.
The cast are as follows:
The Bliss family:
Judith
Played by Irene North who has been in this production before as Myra, I think, with Phoenix Players.
David
Played by Tim Bradford, a member of both Indulgence and the Lindsay Rurals.
Sorel
Played by Aggi Gunstone, a former Lincoln Shakespeare member and Indulgence Founder.
Simon
Played by Daniel Davis, who is also appearing another play very soon!
Clara
Clara is the-maid-who-was-the-dresser-for-Judith (Judith Bliss is a famous actress) and is played by Alice Kinloch, a member of Indulgence for the last two years.
The visitors to the Bliss Family:
Myra Arundel
Played by Jo Hollingworth, founder Shakespeare Company member and founder member of Indulgence.
Sandy Tyrell
Played by Nick Peel, of Stokes' fame and a fab dancer to boot!
Richard Greatham
Played by Richard Jones, who was a founder member of the L.S.C and former member of Phoenix and Paragoric.
Jackie Coryton
Played by Wendy Tenbeth who has acted with Phoenix and the L.S.C and is a founder member of Indulgence.
The Play is directed by Keith Ramsay and me, Liz Lucas.
We are very ably assisted with rehearsal notes and general useful information by Rebecca Bull, who is a treasure.
Colin Rout and Helen Millington have taken on prop collecting, and are doing a sterling job.
Rosemarie Gunstone is our Treasurer and a more diligent one would be hard to find.
The inimitable Huw Burrows will be our S.M and I don't envy him one bit!
We are now at the stage in rehearsals where cast members are wobbling on words, fretting about moves and generally getting in states about stage furniture.
I'll keep you up to date.
It'll be alright on the night.