The Company is an amateur theatre group with members across Sheffield and South Yorkshire. We have been established for over a decade and have developed a reputation for high quality theatre worthy of the professional stage. We perform three plays a year at The University of Sheffield's Drama Studio, a renowned intimate theatre venue. Our members are encouraged to give creative input at all stages of production including script writing, set design, stage management, directing and acting. Our next production is Aphra Behn's The Rover which will be in the Drama Studio from Wednesday June 18th until Saturday June 21st and at the Dore festival Wednesday July 9th.

This blog will contain the thoughts and feelings of those members of The Company putting together this production of The Rover.

Who is blogging here? John is our leading man playing Willmore, the eponymous 'Rover' he is also managing the production, ensuring that all the disparate creative and technical strands come together to produce a whole play. Cassandra is new to on stage work with The Company having previously been part of the epic crew for "Noises Off". Alison is the director and has also done some of the adaption work to ensure the audience can understand what is going on and that the dirty jokes really shine though. Tony is playing Ned Blunt and will be battling with being typecast as a bumbling idiot and comedy costuming.

Blog Archive:

Wednesday, 16 April 2008

I know what happens at the end...

...but I'm not going to tell you.

We've finally got through and blocked the whole play (except scene 4 but that doesn't count). The last scene is epic, resolves all the loose ends in an amusing if highly implausible manner, and ends in rhyming couplets - what more can you want ! Highlights of last night were Emma and Greg being directed to "act more Italian", leering at invisible prostitues and Tony's hangdog expressions. Tony, you really make me see those pink bloomers...

And the swords were out too. It was good to see cast members getting in a bit of a practise before rehearsal proper, we all need to keep on our toes. Also remember Tony, the idea is your genitals AVOID getting hit by Vicky's knee.

3 comments:

Tony said...

Thank you John for the two compliments on my acting, the first WRT the bloomers, it is definitely something that is harder to do in rehearsals than it will be on stage, looking embarrassed and hangdog won't be difficult then...

As for the second, she never actually got me, it was all put on, the only thing that was real was the rubbing of the sore knee after we had done both the scenes where I get knocked to the ground...

Amber said...

Scene 4 NOT COUNT!!!! That's one of my two big scenes... :(

*wink*

Actually, I'm quite looking forward to rehearsing scene four, although I'm quite frankly terrified at the thought of having to stand to the side silently for the whole bit and react. I'm sure it will be fine, it just seems daunting at the minute.

John said...

Ah yes, but "The Art of Coarse Acting" teaches us that your reaction s must be so over the top or frankly bizzare that the audience will only be watching you.