War Poets

Blake again!

An update on my first official week at the internship with Helen Eastman:

Helen is a founding member of a theatre company called Live Canon, which produced shows of poetry spoken and sung using small groups of actors. This week I was with Live Canon as they prepared a show called War Poets and performed it at the Oxford Playhouse!

Tuesday and Thursday were rehearsals. In an old church hall turned rehearsal space (with the sounds of Glee's "Small Town Girl" being rehearsed through the walls) we spent several hours drilling the poems that the three actors had to memorize and perform. We also ran the a capella songs that they were to incorporate. I was in charge of recording the blocking as they quickly placed the movement throughout the show as well as watching book and feeding the actors lines if they needed them. After working overtime on Thursday, they were ready to go!

On Friday, we boarded a train to Oxford at 9:50 (about an hour train ride from London) and once we got there went straight to work. An hour or two of rehearsal in Oxford University's Classics Department and then to the stage! The Oxford Playhouse is a historic and prestigious venue, often hosting big name actors is big name shows. Just to be there and see the facilities was great(all of their lighting instruments are different but the sound system is very much the same as MSU). Our show did not have a set, so we performed on the set for Oxford University's upcoming student production. I assisted in fixing the blocking to fit the space while a student lighting designer adjusted our show lighting. The show was great, with over 300 audience members in attendance! (Who says poetry is dead?) We enjoyed chatting with some of the audience and Playhouse employees at the theatre bar after the show and then we journeyed back to London.

Check out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VWjcqnokrg&feature=related (This poem was performed by this actress in our show)
http://www.livecanon.com/

Next week I return to Oxford for at least two days (with my internship paying for travel and accommodations!!!). We are working on mounting Medea, a Greek tragedy that will play at the Oxford Playhouse for a week before touring the UK. It will be an opportunity to see a professional touring show in action. Also, I will be helping to cast a huge upcoming show with thousands of applicants! I'll keep you updated.

Cheers!