So the rehearsal room has been an exciting place over the last week; we now have a full cast, always good news, the entire play has been action-ed and we’ve had lots of practice at the slow painful deterioration that lying in a small boat, with 10 men, 2 women and only one bucket will bring!

For those who haven’t heard of action-ing it is a time consuming but worthwhile endeavour developed by the forefather of modern theatre, Constantine Stanislavsky. It can (and has) have actors and director sitting around the table for hours, in fact yesterday we sat in the sun and took 3 hours to work out one scene, but what it provides is clarity, clarity of intention, each actor performing in the scene understands their own characters intention and that of the others on stage. You begin to develop a coherent sense of each person’s story and development and it forces you to consider the character in more depth. Our Master and Commander, Stu Denison (Director), is creating a sense of consistence and reality for the audience, hopefully you, so that what you see is truth on the stage, and you can believe in the characters. Now is the Hour is not simply a standard naturalistic play, where our first responsibility is to the writer, our responsibility is also to portray these people who really existed, loved, died and survived in this event.

I am finding the group approach to the actions a really helpful method of exploring and understanding my character, because on first reading, I didn’t particularly like my her, I couldn’t understand why this handsome, playboy pilot had fallen hook line and sinker for her when, by all the available accounts he could click his fingers and girls would swoon at his feet. Katriona Bowe-Lennox seemed mean, rude, ungrateful and unbearably cold. To begin with thought it must be a sense of responsibility on his part, but after reading some of his letters to his mother I realised his love was genuine and that there seemed a strong bond between them, that was something I would have to find and show to the audience.

Actioning has helped me see the complex situation Kat was in, the old structures of society which had begun to crumble after WW1 (think Downton Abbey after season 2) still had a massive hold on someone of her status, as a titled woman the option of leaving her husband was almost inconsiderable, but she does consider it, which frightens her no end. The research into how women feel 3 months into pregnancy has been illuminating too, frankly I’m mean and snipy when I’m hungry or have a headache, let alone on a ship, bobbing up and down, in the heat and pregnant, and don’t think what it’s like being in and open topped lifeboat for 10 days or more! Now I understand her journey I feel more connected to the character, and able to find the humanity and fun in her, she’s saucy and kind and very matter of fact, for a member of the aristocracy.

It’s been fun with Dawn (Doris), Steven (Peter) and Stu getting the scenes up on their feet, the first half of the play is set on a ship rather than a lifeboat, so more opportunity for movement and to and exploring the power dynamics and playing my favourite “intention”; “Kat overplays her social status”. To find out what that’s about you’ll have to come and see the show!
Other key events of this week have been seeing our set, which is beautiful and imaginative, getting a sense of costuming for press photos and the 30 minute improvisation that had all 12 of us really getting to grips with the physicality of dehydration and exhaustion.

Next time I hope to bring you photos of us messing around with make-up, and a new maddermarketeer’s perspective of life on board.

Week one in the boat

Welcome to the Now is the Hour blog, this is the first instalment of our in rehearsal updates.
What insider gossip can I tell you so far?

On first reading the script is very hard to visualise, the entire second act we are at sea with the cast of 12 in an 1940’s Cunard White Star Line lifeboat (think Titanic style but smaller). After meeting the director, and the boat, yes a real one! Brought, rather fittingly, in exchange for a bottle of rum, for the original one act production of the play which premiered at the 2008 Edinburgh Fringe, things seemed to slip into place like oars into rowlocks.

The story is based on the sinking of the RMS Laconia, in 1942, many of the characters are based on real people or tell real stories which is an exciting and daunting prospect for the cast. Already after five rehearsals I feel like I’m beginning to understand and relate to my character, Katriona Bowe-Lennox , a Scottish aristocrat, returning to her two young children from Egypt, as ever with the aristocracy things may not be quite as innocent as they seem; especially her friendship with the handsome New Zealand “fly boy”, Peter Medhurst. The prospect of singing on stage for the first time in 10 years is a little … daunting?

The cast is a mainly male selection, and includes familiar Maddermarket faces, familiar Norwich faces (Crude Apache and Great Hall may recognise some of their number) and some completely new faces, alongside a professional Guest Director, Stuart Dennison, who worked on the original production. Our first week has seen us physicalizing the horrors of sun exposure, dehydration and fatigue as well as getting to grips with the intentions of the characters.

We are still looking for one actor to play the roguish, accordion playing Major Simpson, late 40’s to early 60’s, he doesn’t have a lot to say for himself but is a key role, if you are free and fancy the opportunity to work with a new director in a world premier; do get in touch with the office, office@maddermarket.org!

That’s all for now, keep an eye out for more information coming soon!