It is a week out from dress rehearsal for The Big reTHiNK…Hey! I hope you’ve booked… you better or you are gonna miss out! www.qtheatre.co.nz – GO! Do it now and THEN come back and read the rest of the blog – OK? Good. Don’t make me come over there…
So…we open next WEDNESDAY October 3 would you believe and aw man I am having an absolute BLAST!! We had great fun taking some cast photos on Sunday, we were goofing around and having a few laughs with each other while striking ridiculous poses. Then it was down to the business end of the day – rehearsal with the actual set furniture designed and built specifically for this show… interestingly LARGER than our rehearsal furniture but you think it phased the brilliant cast of ‘Mad o Phobic’? Nope. Not a sausage. Took to it like a wee duck to water. Like they had used it all along. Good kids - Mama’s stoked
It’s a beautiful thing working on a very short but very original play... you have more time to experience the fact that audiences, actors and even the writer themselves don’t have some other version done at another theatre six months ago to compare it too. Haha – score! And who knows where it will go to from here.. The Dophin? Howick Little? Titirangi. The Basement perhaps or even Silo? It may travel… Court Theatre, Downstage, Circa? Who knows. West End maybe or oooh BROADWAY! And a Tony win for the musical adaptation to top it off. The possibilities are endless with a brand new play.
I PROUDLY come from a background in community drama… “AM-DRAM” as the ‘air-kissers’ refer to it and I am living proof that it is one of the best places to develop your craft. Not only in performance; but in professionalism. It is where the unwritten theatre etiquette is passed down through member to member, ghost stories are swapped, tales are told, memories gathered and suburban theatre legends are respected and revered.
These lessons I picked up as a 13-year-old novice performer with a desire to win an Oscar are so prominently featured during my journey to The Big reTHiNK show than ever before. So much is filtering in through my memory. Like performance advice from many different directors, feeling the energies, the encouragement, the depth and thought they put into every character and every aspect of the story. It blew my mind watching everything come together and it still does – every time.
I would see my extremely talented Mum create a pre-revolution French ensemble from scratch, worthy of an Academy Award, in our little kitchen out of yards of fabric cutoffs. I’d watch in fascination teams of volunteers’ - hammers in hand - building, molding, lifting, shaping, transforming a tiny stage into a completely different world.
The artistic flare of those gifted with a brush that spent hours into the night painting a deeper illusion into our make believe world, their backdrops and set enhancements taking audiences on a journey- back in time, forward in time, into different rooms, countries, forests, views, intimate moments and breath-taking storytelling. During this process of evolution you are surrounded by art and creativity whether you are ‘on the boards’ or not. Volunteers, friends, partners, neighbors, siblings, all driven by respect and an immense love for what they do.
Back in the days of manual lighting changes, portable tape decks for music and sound effects, stage managers that ran around cueing silently by theatre sign language and twenty actors all puffing on ciggies in the tea room at half time dissecting the audience technology and tact may have evolved but the actor’s half-time performance and crowd breakdown remains unchanged like generations before.
I remember clearly at final dress rehearsals the looks of pride in the bloodshot tired eyes of the crew … the Director with a hint of a tear and wobble of emotion as they formally hand the reins over to the Stage Manager. The buzz of opening night, the surprises that come with every performance, the friendships, the dramas and the many MANY fantastic cast parties on closing night.
This was my childhood, my escape, my pastime, my passion, my playground. It still is. Over 25 years of magical experiences, people and amazing storytellers. And here I am watching the magic unfold once again with The Big reTHiNK. Different theatre, different faces, same glow, same love – brilliant stories.
For the cast of ‘Mad o Phobic’ or “My Phobies” (including our awesome writer Lynz Wilmshurst and our wonderful PA Rachael Brough) I am so incredibly proud of them. They have had a challenging road that they hit with massive determination, commitment and passion. It is my hope that during this journey, all 8 of these amazing artists have gained a world of experience and come away with a huge sense of accomplishment. They have also taught ME a great deal in just a few short weeks – my teary eyes and wobbly voice will no doubt give that away.
Amazing. Just look at what a small team of people can do together when they play make believe and believe in making a play. In eight minutes.
See you all at Q Theatre :-)
Vikki xx
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