I have a couple of minutes free, so I am going to pop into Twelfe Night tech. Tech (the technical rehearsals for a show, in which all of the lights, set, costumes, magical effects are put together) at the Rep is open to anyone who works here, but I usually wait until everything is put together before I see the show to, you know, save the theatre magic. But I sacrificed my savoring for you. Feel special.
Ok, so I am here, in the balcony. It appears nothing is happening. I think they're on a break. Just my luck. There are two guys, not actors, standing on stage. One offstage is operating an elevator that is raising and lowering a platform on stage. Ok, that's a little magical. One guy gets on the platform, which is exciting.
The set is spectatcular. It's reminicient of the hull of a ship, but it twists and rolls across the stage to the edge where it splinters off. Everything is blue and green.
Back from break. The stage manager asks the actors to get in position. The house lights go off and the lighting is suddenly a magnificant sunrise. Magic! The actor playing Sebastian does the end of a monologue. Olivia comes on in a giant purple dress. Fabian comes on in a leather skirt, black stockings and tiny black pumps. David, the director, asks Nick, playing Fabian: " How much traction do you have in those little pumps?"
My ten minutes are up. I have concluded: this show is going to be not your usual take on Shakespeare. And I have just remembered that I only have one week to find a dress for our black tie opening night party, so I better go. More soon.
Magic!
|
Labels:
David Esbjornson,
Seattle Rep,
Shakespeare,
Twelfe Night,
Twelfth Night
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
As longstanding season ticket holders we will be seeing Twelfe Night soon, however it was distressing to hear in a recent review on opening night that the director sat in the audience and spoke so loudly while dictating notes to an assistant that they were disturbing patrons of the play 10+ rows away.
We have always endeavored to be respectful of the cast and other audience members near us, why was this basic dictum not observed by THE DIRECTOR ? I can not imagine past rep Artistic Director/Producer Sullivan being that inconsiderate of the audience or his actors.
-- Mark Early & Aloise Bates
Seattle
The way the production schedule at the Rep works is we have about a week of preview performances before opening night. Those performances (which cost less to attend) are actually still rehearsals, so the director is always there, often giving notes to an assistant. We find patrons often enjoy coming to previews because they get to be more intimately involved in the creation process. We really appreciate this feedback, though...we try our best not to disrupt the preview audience experience, even though they're seeing a work in progress!
Post a Comment