Photo of the Day - 24

The Big Friendly Giant - Set Painting - November 2009

Camera: SONY

A Midsummer Night's Dream

I have not stuck to my diary of posting dates to publish all the best photos from my Tasmania trip as I've been busy rehearsing for:

STAG presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream By William Shakespeare Directed by Ian Tweeddale at the Strathmore Community Centre, corner of Loeman and Napier Streets, Strathmore (Melway Reference: 16 H 10)

Thursday 3 March to Saturday 5 March @ 8pm
Sunday 6 March @ 2pm
Wednesday 9 March to Saturday 12 March @ 8pm
$20 adult $15 concession $2 discount off full price tickets for groups of 10 or more
BOOKINGS 9382 6284 www.stagtheatre.org/reservations

HELENA: I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius, The more you beat me, I will fawn on you.


HERMIA: How low am I, thou painted maypole? Speak; How low am I? I am not yet so low But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.


EGEUS: Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung, With feigning voice verses of feigning love.


LYSANDER: You have her father’s love, Demetrius; let me have Hermia’s: do you marry him.


FLUTE: Nay, faith, let me not play a woman: I have a beard coming.


QUINCE: You can play no part but Pyramus; for Pyramus is a sweet-faced man; a proper man, as one shall see in a summer's day; a most lovely gentleman-like man: therefore you must needs play Pyramus.


PHILOSTRATE. A play there is, my lord, some ten words long, Which is as brief as I have known a play; But by ten words, my lord, it is too long, Which makes it tedious; for in all the play There is not one word apt, one player fitted.


LION. You, ladies, you, whose gentle hearts do fear The smallest monstrous mouse that creeps on floor, May now, perchance, both quake and tremble here,


STARVELING: He cannot be heard of. Out of doubt he is transported.


PUCK. If we shadows have offended, Think but this, and all is mended, That you have but slumb'red here While these visions did appear.


MOON. All that I have to say is to tell you that the lanthorn is the moon; I, the Man i' th' Moon; this thorn-bush, my thorn-bush; and this dog, my dog.


OBERON. Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania


TITANIA. Not for thy fairy kingdom


SNOUT: Doth the moon shine that night we play our play?


BOTTOM: I will get Peter Quince to write a ballad of this dream: it shall be called Bottom's Dream, because it hath no bottom;


HIPPOLYTA: never did I hear Such gallant chiding: for, besides the groves, The skies, the fountains, every region near Seem'd all one mutual cry: I never heard So musical a discord, such sweet thunder.


THESEUS: Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword, And won thy love, doing thee injuries; But I will wed thee in another key, With pomp, with triumph and with revelling.

Some Plays Are Just Odd

Another old draft...

Some plays are just odd, and odd things tend to happen... We had a couple of interesting performances...

B tried to light a letter, which did not work, so he threw the letter and the lighter onto a pile of props on stage. After a while the paper lit and smoke started rising. B2 told one of the Frenchies who managed to find the paper and put it out.

Z seemed to arrived drugged, and W and I spent every minute that we could spare watching him making sure that he was okay. Especially when he was carrying the Circular Saw and standing on a platform, swaying to some wind that only he could feel.

A glass getting smashed on stage, where actors had to crawl all over and die. L told me about the glass and so I spent a huge portion of the play trying to sweep up all of the glass.

Instead of hors d'oeuvers I set up little cup-cakes with a candle in one for B's birthday. Seeing all the actors smiling, wanting to eat cake.

Pretending to eat eucalyptus leaves and maybe getting a bit carried away and then later in the evening feeling ever so sleeping and wondering if I was as stoned as a koala.

A door being pulled off it's hinges and having to hold the door shut for the rest of the performance, and when the curtain calls came on, holding it shut with one leg as I bowed and then exited.

Suggestions for a lost voice

Whilst undertaking ‘The Real Inspector Hound’ I managed to carelessly lose my voice. It was amazing how many people came up with suggestions to help…


Ginger and lemongrass tea

Pineapple juice

Honey and milk

Honey and hot water

Honey, hot water and lemon juice

Diflam throat spray

Coke-a-cola

Green Tea

Panadeine (codeine)

Yoghurt

Aniseed

Lemon and Ginger

Painting the stage

A director approaches you and says, "Oi, Andrew, can you draw a mural for my play? I want a city scape, with perspective. One that someone might see if they lived in Brunswick or Fitzroy, looking over the house opposite, over a park and then the city."

And you reply, "No worries, I'll do my best." And then realise that you haven't actually drawn anything since year ten in high school and that was about ten years ago.

You start by working out a horizon, one that the audience can see and start outlining buildings and you paint in a few buildings to see what it looks like.

Lesson 1: When you paint, do all of the painting at the one time. That way you can remember how you mixed up those colours.


Realising that the city looks a bit odd with no suburbs before it, you draw in a few more smaller buildings, however as some of the painting has been done, you don't have much room.




Lesson 2: Do all of the pencil working out first.

Looking at the mural, the park looks dreadfully sparse, so you fill it up, realising that it goes on for far too long. And that it looks like the house is in Craigieburn, looking for miles over farm land to the city.

Lesson 3: Really think hard about perspective and actual distances first.

Then the director says, "How about you make it so that the city windows light up at night."
And we experiment with glow in the dark paint, which doesn't want to be worked so finely, and end up testing white envelope labels, cut down to size with fluoro blue lights.




But does it work?




Yes it does, and the director starts requesting other things, I started thinking of doing it all over again.

Lesson 4: You are the artist and can say no.

And by the end it looked okay. If I did it again I would do it differently. Really really plan everything. Pencil line everything. And paint at the end.

Art in Melbourne

10:00 Showing of 'Toy Story 3'

I had seen Toy Story 3 before but I wanted to catch it again to double check a few things. Toy Story 3 is a beautiful movie, which would easily be in my top ten movies of all time. In Toy Story 3 a mix-up occurs where the toys decide to go to Sunnyside Daycare Centre believing that Andy no longer wants them. Woody bids them adieu, stating that he belongs to Andy, and starts to head home but finds out that Sunnyside is a despotic camp and heads back to try to rescue his friends. Wonderful animation, excellent heros and villains and a great story line, that is all that is needed.

But the way Pixar pulls the story off is astronomical. Real seat gripping action, terrific humour, and a final scene that is so beautiful, and so emotional, that makes me weep just thinking about it, and boy, I was bawling during the movie. And then a beautiful closing sequence during the credits to leave everyone on a high.

I'm not quite sure why the movie had such an emotional impact on me; but perhaps it brings back the heart-wrenching scenes of giving away my own toys; or going back to a time when everything was simple.

I think interrealm from www.imdb.com has a good point saying "that we all have very real and deep connections to our childhoods and to the things and people that allowed us as kids to be free, and innocent, and pure, and most importantly, to dream."

To have 'You've got a friend in me' sang in Spanish as the credits role as Buzz and Jessie dance made a beautiful end. The song alone brings smiles but the pictures bring laughter.


13:00 'The Real Inspector Hound' by Tom Stoppard

Reading and Rereading, trying to learn lines, over Belgium waffles and coffee. Relating them to Toy Story. "If we examine this more closely, and I think close examination is the least tribute that this play deserves ... the author has given us - yes, I will go so far - he has given us the human condition".


16:00 Tim Burton Exhibition at ACMI

This exhibition was amazing. Hundreds of Tim's drawings from childhood to adulthood, drawings for fun, by doodling, for books, for movies. Some pictures seemed to me a cross between Babbette Cole's illustrations in her 'Trouble With' books and Terry Denton's cartoons. Wonderful drawings, some of them would instantly make me smile when I saw them, they conveyed such happiness. Sadly I wasn't allowed to take any photos, and the ones that made me smile are not in the Exhibition Book. Most of the exhibition wasn't in the Exhibition Book, and I would probably advise people not to buy it. But the Exhibition was great. I loved seeing models for monsters and for movies that I had seen. Movies like Betelgeuse, Ed Wood and Edward Scissor hands which I hadn't seen for decades. The exhibition was almost like a trip down memory lane.


19:00 Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

The Melbourne University students put on JC, and did a lovely performance. It was easy to understand and enjoyable to watch - what more does any one want. A nice simple set, having a female Cassius worked nicely, I found it interesting that the director had claimed that it had been modernised, but I didn't think so - I thought that it was a good classical performance.


"To infinity and beyond!" - Buzz Lightyear

Three Posts Around Acting

I have a bad habit of drafting posts and then never putting them up. This is a long one, which started as three posts but have similar themes, through written rather badly. They focus on Snatches, two nights of short plays and Candle Ends, a four night festival of word performance held at Brunswick Arts. Though I have split it up into further parts.



Part 1.1: Initial Thoughts.

D and I were watching Glee and at the end D said ‘How weird’. But I thought that that episode wasn’t all that weird. There was a story which had themes and ideas which provoke thought. The characters had to sing a song that described them, yet they sang songs about others, their fathers, their partners, which led me to think that we define ourselves by our relationships. I am A’s son. B’s Partner. C’s dad. This means that when you are in a relationship you can feel more culturally acceptable, when you are not in a relationship you can feel on the outer fringes of society.



Part 1.2: Snatches.

The 11th year of Snatches has just finished and I enjoyed it. I entered thinking I would just do one thing but then fell into a few. On Wednesday I performed in ‘I am a Mac’, ‘Celebrity Lover’, ‘Form and Substance’ and ‘Bonding’. On Friday I performed in ‘Seven Jewish Children’, and re-performed ‘I am a Mac’ and ‘Bonding’.

But I had more fun than some other nights and I think it is partly because I felt that I acted better. ‘Bonding’ on the Friday was so much fun, and to hear the laughter was beautiful. Afterwards I had a great time talking to everyone over a few drinks. I shall miss C and M when they go overseas. I will have to try and visit them.

I liked the performances of ‘Poem’ and ‘Did You Ever Stay Curled in a Ball’ on Wednesday and ‘Tell Them I Said Something’ and ‘Bucket’ on Friday.

I didn’t realise until I arrived at the theatre on Friday that Jack and I were going to do ‘Bonding’ again, and I started stressing. I hadn’t read the script for a couple of days, so I had to read the script a few times backstage whilst busily biting my nails off. The play before us was ‘Tell Them I Said Something’ (TTISS), and I had no idea how long it would go for and as I stood watching going through my lines and actions in my head I became immensely engrossed in the play. I was laughing and totally forgot my worries and that I was going on staged. I loved TTISS.



Part 2.1: Rehearsing for ‘Salome’ - Death

Every picture has a thousand words. Pictures and words, words and pictures. Pictures invoke words and words invoke pictures. Rehearsing ‘Salome’ I am being haunted by a picture. My lines are:

Jokanaan: Get thee behind me! I hear in the palace the beatings of the wings of the angel of death.

Herod: There is an icy wind, and I hear … wherefore do I hear in the air this beating of wings? Ah! One might fancy a bird, a huge black bird that hovers over the terrace. Why can I not see it, this bird? The beat of its wings is terrible. The breath of the wind of its wings is terrible. It is a chill wind.

Herod: I tell you there is a wind that blows … And I hear in the air something that is like the beating of wings, like the beating of vast wings. Do you not hear it?

And these passages make me think of the scenes in the comic Sandman the episode called “The Sound of Her Wings”, Death and her brother feeding pigeons.

I like Neil Gaiman’s death, she is happy and through the stories I think that she is portrayed as more than death, but the circle of life, or the wheel of reincarnation. Of cause Terry Pratchett has a great death as well. I have to get these images out of my head or I will start smiling when I say ‘the sound of the wings of the Angle of death’.

NOTE: ‘Poisoning Pigeons in the Park’ is a song by Tom Lehrer



Part 3.1: After Candle Ends Driving North

Sitting at Wallan Wallan thinking… Sometimes I just want to drive on for ever, through Wodonga, Yass, Sydney, Brisbane, for ever travelling. A journey of healing, thinking, singing corny songs, only stopping to read, sleep and drink.

I’ve seen a bit of theatre lately, or through Candle Ends and it makes you think. Or you chose to think.



Part 3.2: First Date – A Physical Theatre performance by Penny.

Penny’s (from ‘Born in a Taxi’) performance, her facial expressions and her physical struggle to pull words out of her mouth, made me think that ‘yes that is exactly how uncomfortable and difficult interpersonal interactions’ can be. And this month has been difficult for me. At the moment I would love to hide. And in a way that might be what I am doing here.



Part 3.3: Edward Albee’s ‘Zoo Story’

Colin was wonderful as Jerry in Albee’s ‘Zoo Story’, which also spoke about interactions. It was a wonderful performance, both funny and thought provoking. Colin was wonderfully believable as a man down on his luck and had us as the audience in the palm of his hand. Though I have seen it five times I am finding it difficult to recall my thoughts and can only recall the interesting line “I’ll try to kill him with kindness, and if that doesn’t work, I’ll just kill him”.

But I do remember thinking that we show love and interact with others using a whole range of emotions, love, hate and indifference. “But if such a loss, can be called a gain” and that it is partially through our interactions we define our selves. “With a cockroach, with a carpet, with god … and perhaps one day with a human.”

I have really enjoyed my time with M,M,A,T,E,C,et al, but I have not interacted that much. I have not been ready, but I think of them as great friendly people.



Part 3.4: Thoughts

“You cant say ‘A dog I know’ without sounding suss” – from ‘Zoo Story’ by Edward Albee

“To espresso or to Latte, that is the Question, whether ‘tis tastier on the palette to choose white mocha over plain, or take a cup to go, or a mug to stay, or extra cream, or have nothing, and by opposing the endless choice end one’s heartache, to froth, to sprinkle, perchance to drink.” – from ‘Something Rotten’ by Jasper Fforde

Lady Jumping Flea who sings bittersweetly, Ali G, whose audience participation was hilarious and so very clever. Poems from M and M,

I think I may be tired.

“Perchance to dream” – from ‘Hamlet’ by Shakespeare

“I’ve been to the zoo.” – from ‘Zoo Story’ by Edward Albee

Must get a copy of A’s lizard-chicken story

Talking with Peter and Erin, I love Erin’s I believe poem: “I believe in too much coffee and books, both to be shard with friends, unexpected guests.”

I’ve run out of three pens writing this.

I’m beginning doubt my acting ability. I’ve always known that I’m not brilliant. But lately I’ve been stuffing up too much in a variety of ways. I thought that Bonding was great and thought that I might have rediscovered something. But I thought that something went wrong with Salome and LLareggub, which is a shame as they are two of the most beautiful bits of poetry I have acted in. To perform, do I need to find a story that fits me, or do I need to change to fit a story? I wonder where I can take acting workshops.

My coffee is almost finished. I have to think about hitting the road again. It’s interesting driving under these conditions. The sky is misty with light spitting rain. Everything is ever so dark. If there is a car ahead you use their tail lights to read the road and if not you stick to the side, your headlights following the curves of the road. Mo moon and stars to light the way, cars either overtake or sit behind you, using you as their guide.

Titus Set and Prop

I like sets and props. However sometimes they are not given any recognition.

Set by Sophie

What could I hide?

Katerina

I always find it amazing how quotes from plays can stay in your head for days.

“Actually, it’s men that make women crazy”
Kat

“You whipped off your shirt in a heated frenzy – being the trollop you are”
Steff

“I’ve still got the Monaro”
Tony

“Had to rest my coldie on my hottie, if you know what I mean”
Mr Bob

“You’re a lovely girl you know. Always ever-so-helpful”
Mrs Wokowski


“Hi there, my gorgeous but somewhat frumpy cousin”
Sam

“I have behaved very badly. I can see that now”
Everstein

For bookings/information go to:
http://www.stagtheatre.org/index.php

The Final Scene of Titus

Titus Andronicus is over.

<><><><><><><><><><>

Sam: “Are they creating an I-Phone application of you, so that I can carry you everywhere and ask you what I have to do next?”

<><><><><><><><><><>

I am sitting off stage. Aaron, Lucius and Lusty Goth are on stage. Lucius tells the Goth to hang Aaron, and Aaron is viciously led up a ladder, around where nooses hang from the ceiling.

“And hang the child as well,” Lucius orders. Then I notice that the child, a green doll, is not on stage. The actors are looking like everything is proceeding correctly, but I know better. I look around and see it sitting down near me.

I pick it up and the Goth is looking roughly in my direction and so, after one moment’s hesitation, in one mammoth throw, I send it arching up between lights and hanging plastic, over the entire stage, towards the tall Goth who stretches up her hand and just catches him, ready to hang, ready for Lucius to save him.

And the audience delights at the perfect choreography.

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Going to the pub and after parties with the cast, can be very interesting and a lot of fun. I talked to an English linguist who told me that I sound English, but don’t, have an English accent. I thought that that was very interesting.

I have none of the colloquialisms/conjunctions/expressions that can be found in Middlesbrough, or Liverpool, or Coventry, or London, or anywhere else in England. I just sound English.

However there is never enough time to talk to everyone, I wish I had a chance to talk to Lynne, Nell, Julian, Colin, R, A and S. And I think that I didn’t get to talk to N, A, B and R. I’m starting to wonder who I spent all my time talking to…

I guess that is one of the problems with having a large cast. I did have a lovely chat to A, V, V, S, E, and P. And played two games on ‘Guitar Hero’. Note: There are too many people with the same initials, think up different pseudonyms.

“So much of me is made of what I learned from you, You'll be with me like a handprint on my heart. And now whatever way our stories end I know you have re-written mine By being my friend … Who can say if I've been changed for the better? But because I knew you I have been changed for good”
- Stephen Schwartz “For Good” from “Wicked”

<><><><><><><><><><>

But I have to go. I leave at about 3:30am. I have a 10km race to run in the morning. I need to be at the MCG by 6:00am. 5:00am if I want any chance of parking the car. So off I go, I dropped Aniko in Brunswick and head to Clayton and to the Land of Nod.

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Act V, Scene III

LUCIUS: Some loving friends convey the Emperor hence,
And give him burial in his father's grave.
My father and Lavinia shall forthwith
Be closed in our household's monument.
As for that ravenous tiger, Tamora,
No funeral rite, nor man in mourning weed,
No mournful bell shall ring her burial;
But throw her forth to beasts and birds to prey.
Her life was beastly and devoid of pity,
And being dead, let birds on her take pity.

- Titus Andronicus (Act V Scene III)

Titus Andronicus

I think opening night went well!

“I’ll find a day to massacre them all, and raze their faction and their family, the cruel father, and his traitorous sons, to whom I sued for my dear son’s life; And make them know what ‘tis to let a queen kneel in the streets and beg for grace in vain.”

“So pale did shine the moon on Pyramus, When he by night lay bath'd in maiden blood.”

“Poor harmless fly, That with his pretty buzzing melody Came here to make us merry!”

“I say, my lord, that if I were a man,”

“Lord Titus, by your leave, this maid is mine.”

“Revenge, ye heavens, for worn Andronicus!”

“Brothers, help to convey her hence away, And with my sword I'll keep this door safe.”

“She is a woman, therefore may be won; She is Lavinia, therefore must be lov'd.”

“And here's thy hand, in scorn to thee sent back- Thy grief their sports, thy resolution mock'd,”

“Aaron, a thousand deaths, Would I propose to achieve her whom I love.”

“O gentle Aaron, we are all undone! Now help, or woe betide thee evermore!”

“Farewell, Andronicus, my noble father, The woefull'st man that ever liv'd in Rome.”

“Thou canst not come to me- I come to thee”

“O, how this villainy, Doth fat me with the very thoughts of it!”

“And at thy feet I kneel, with tears of joy, Shed on this earth for thy return to Rome.”

“Die, frantic wretch, for this accursed deed!”

Act I, Scene I: Tamora, Lavinia, Mutius and Bassianus
Act II, Scene I: Demetrius and Chiron
Act II, Scene III: Martius and Quintus
Act III, Scene I: Aaron, Messenger and Lucius
Act III, Scene II: Titus, Marcus and Boy
Act IV, Scene II: Nurse
Act V, Scene III: Saturninus

The Beginning of October

The Beginning of October is an Artistic Wonderland... The Beginning of October shows Melbourne’s Artistic Side... Melbourne is Creative in October... Melbourne’s Creativity Shines in October... When the footy’s gone the Artists come out to play...

This is a funny post; it is two tense; current and past. Edited too many times and too long to read. Just read the bit concerning Hamlet (Thursday) if you wish, or any other titbit or topsy-turvy, or look at the coffee (singular, not plural)...

WEDNESDAY – SALVADOR DALI

I don’t visit many Art Galleries, I don’t know why. Perhaps I’m lazy. There is a Salvador Dali exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria titled “Liquid Desire” (http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/dali/#id=Dali&num=01). It has been there for three months and is about to close, and I have not yet scene it.

There is a lovely YouTube clip of the show “What’s My Line?” where Dali is a guest and four contestants are blind folded and trying to guess who he is, by asking questions. It is available at: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXT2E9Ccc8A) if you are interested.

The Age columnist Danny Katz, wrote a rather humorous article about attending the Dali Exhibition with his inner Dali. Available at: (http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/dali-makes-an-exhibition-of-himself-20090923-g2m9.html)
''Let me show yoo a proper surrealist exhibition right here in your own city.'' And he led me down to Swanston Street. ''Look! It izz neither for cars nor for people. Thiz izz absurdo road.''
- Danny Katz in The Age – September 24, 2009

Anyway I finished work at Bundoora, drove down Plenty Road, caught a traffic report which listed accidents down three of my fastest routes into the city, made quick adjustments and forty minutes later I was in Melbourne, running the kilometre and a half from my car to the NGV. I had about an hour and a half to see the exhibition before I had to leave, but the line of people was so large, I couldn’t risk entering.

But I did buy a Dali book from a happy retail assistant who seemed happy to be talking to a happy person which will make a good Christmas/Birthday present. That is, the book will make a good present, not the retail assistant – I try not to participate in slavery. I assured the retail assistant that the only reason I was happy at 5:30pm was that I didn’t see any reason not to be unhappy and that I was happy at 9:00 as well, but 5:30am can be a different story. The only downside to the day was not seeing Dali, but I will try again!

WEDNESDAY – RETAIL

Jane has been writing, directing, composing, a play about fashion. Erin is in charge of marketing and I know about a third of the cast. I enjoy Jane’s writing and with excitement I head into the city to watch ‘Retail’. (http://www.melbournefringe.com.au/fringe-festival/show/retail). Having lots of rehearsals for Titus, this is the only day I can make it, and will be joined by Erin, Lynne and possibly the Tamoras. Retail’s tagline is: “The cuntsomer is always right”

The story is set in a street with two shops, one that sells high quality suits and one that sells wedding dresses. An empty mirror frame faces part of the audience which gives you a good view of the action. You sat in rows looking over the performance space and past that windows looking out over the QV square where further action was performed, lines delivered through radio mics.

Jane’s play was amazing. The two hours zoomed by, your emotions and feelings going out to Jennifer, Fleur and Bernadette whilst the play builds up to a dramatic surreal interpretive dance scene. Not everything is resolved, and why should everything get resolved, life doesn’t get resolved. But a humorous epilogue with Jen made the audience content and honoured to see Jane’s story.

TW played Mark and Young Man and did a superb job. TW is a very very pleasant, poetical, intelligent person to talk to and we said “going to the theatre is healing” which is something I tend to forget. I really respect and honour TW’s point of view, he doesn’t dismiss anything as not being worthwhile, his smallest acting parts are just as important as others including listing in his bio “man dressed as poodle in The Stupid Play”. The cliché/saying that belongs here is “there are no small parts, only small actors” sometimes attributed to Milan Kundera and sometimes attributed to Konstantin Stanislavsky. I wish I could have caught up with E2 as well.

It is as fun being Firs in “The Cherry Orchard” as Bad Bart in “How the West was Warped”. I feel with acting, you see your part, no matter what size, as a bit that is essential, that the other parts play off and are made ‘richer’ because of you. Otherwise why would the writer have created your character? Creating something where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Damn clichés, I can’t avoid them.

You feel special when you leave when the director, the actors and the marketer all thank you for coming. And while I went to support them, I left feeling supported (and happy in me).

(hot chocolate at Max Brenner's in QV, because someone arrived a little bit early)


THURSDAY – THE HAMLET APOCALYPSE

I am not needed at rehearsals for Titus Andronicus. I wonder if Lynne has found another actor to do my part? It would have to be someone tall to fit into the costumes… What a piece of work is man… I’ve lost my Billy Book, and I’m in the middle of Hamlet, which is slightly annoying.

I’ve booked a ticket to see “The Hamlet Apocalypse” (http://www.melbournefringe.com.au/fringe-festival/show/the-hamlet-apocalypse). The play is about a group of actors who are staging Hamlet on the eve of the apocalypse. But to go or not to go that is the question. It can sometimes feel weird, very weird when you go to a play on your own. Especially in such an intimate space as La Mama. And I have been very very tired, To sleep: perchance to dream.

Said Hamlet to Ophelia,
“I’ll do a sketch of thee,
What kind of pencil shall I use,
2B or not 2B?”
- Spike Milligan

I went. And I’m very glad that I went and I’m glad that I’m re-reading Hamlet as it made it easier to tell when the actors were being ‘people’ and when they were performing Hamlet. The performance of Hamlet was brilliant, told within an hour, with six actors.

M - Hamlet
F - Queen Gertrude
M - King Claudius
F - Polonius Laertes
M - Ghost of King Hamlet
F - Ophelia

There was no Rosencrantz and Guildenstern but they were not needed. But they have their own play so I am sure that they wouldn’t have minded missing out.
“Heads” - Tom Stoppard (1966)

It was amazing to see the character’s reaction to the upcoming apocalypse and also their reaction to each other’s reactions “I love you” “that’s not your line” “do the scene properly” “restart”.
The characters breaking in and out of their Hamlet personalities sometimes overflowed, sometimes juxtaposes, sometimes sat alongside, or complemented, or fought against the story of the play.

It was excellent how the Ghost of King Hamlet was present throughout the play, when in Hamlet he is only in small bits throughout. And he was ‘killed’ in the most beautiful manner. He stood in front of the LaMama stair and his brother Claudius standing half way up the stair gently poured sand onto his head. The sand covered him, giving him an unearthly look, and further grains of sand refracted off his head and spiralled around him, catching the light, like fairy dust, and slowly spiralled to the ground.

"My Lord, I have Remembrances of yours,
That I have longed long to redeliver.
I pray you now, receive them"

Early in the play, Ophelia tries to give Hamlet’s love letters back to him which Hamlet refuses to take back. Ophelia sits down and gently folds and turns and twists the papers into flowers, wherefore she smells them and carefully places them around the stage saying:

“There's rosemary, that's for remembrance. Pray you, love, remember. And there is pansies, that's for thoughts … There's fennel for you, and columbines. There's rue for you …”
Ophelia - (Act IV Scene V)

She does this, ignoring everything on the stage, dancing through the other scenes, dancing through the dialogue. And as she is walking she is so smoothly picked up by the ghost of the King and is gently, smoothly, spun around until they are both calmly lying on the flour signifying her descent into madness and her death.

It was so beautiful. And there was such beautiful and magnificent imagery and ideas and execution throughout. My words can not do the play justice.


(Melbourne Exhibition Building - when walking home)


(hot chocolate in borders, because someone arrived too early - is there a theme here?)


FRIDAY – THE LIST OPERATORS

Julian, Nell and I decided to head off to see Matt and Richard in “The List Operators for Kids”. (http://www.melbournefringe.com.au/fringe-festival/show/the-list-operators-for-kids) This is a show only for kids, however as we generally act our shoe size and not our age, we should have fun. If they don’t let us in, we will kidnap someone… Ewan and Elspeth, are you busy… If Matt or Richard are in a play near you, go and see it – or else… “or else what?”… Or else you will miss out on an entertaining evening (or afternoon).

For my Yarrawongian and Canberrian friends, “The List Operators” make up lists, sometimes with and sometimes without audience participation and have fun doing so. Here is a list that Richard and Matt prepared earlier:

Eight Lesser Known Roald Dahl Books.
1. James and The Medium Sized Peach
2. The Whiches (which which is which?)
3. The MCG
4. Charlie and The Potato Factory
5. The Twitters
6. Bouye
7. Danny Champion of Dingley!
8. George's Perscription Medicine

The show was very good! And we didn’t need to kidnap anyone. We three adults sat at the back and laughed so very hard, I nearly wet myself. “How do you wake Lady Gaga? Poke her face”. “All Nans are ninjas”. I picked up one or two references to Lynne’s Kid’s Shows.

J, N, E and I had Thai for lunch at Lemon something. Lemon Bistro it ended up being called. It was beautiful food and great conversations. I recommend it. Lemon Bistro is on the North side of Little Bourke Street between Swanston and Russel.


FRIDAY – ANTHEM

"And you ask me why I love her
Through wars, death and despair
She is the constant, we who don't care
And you wonder will I leave her - but how?
I cross over borders but I'm still there now"
- Anthem from Chess, Tim Rice, Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson

Julian and I have been singing Anthem from Chess at nearly every rehearsal. I played clarinet in the Healesville town band, and the music is so full of emotion it is beautiful. When I sing it, and play it, I am feeling the notes, the music, swelling up, crescendo-ing, into a huge climax of love and musicality.


FRIDAY – TITUS ANDRONICUS REHEARSALS

“I’ll find a day to massacre them all, and raze their faction and their family, the cruel father, and his traitorous sons, to whom I sued for my dear son’s life; And make them know what ‘tis to let a queen kneel in the streets and beg for grace in vain.”
- Tamora in Titus Andronicus (Act I, Scene I)

With the director busy with other scenes for hours on end, we run through the lines (and actions) once or twice and then stop, and go off track. I would be happy to go through them a thousand times but it seems to me that the others aren’t as fanatical. Home at midnight. Dead!


SATURDAY – SALVADOR DALI

Missed it. Slept and slept and slept. Read a book about a goblin and tin cans and tyrants. It had a lot of references to Jane Austen and William Shakespeare.


SUNDAY

Today is a special day; today there are five time zones in Australia. Rehearsals are due to start at:

11:00 Melbourne Time (Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time) NSW, VIC and TAS
10:30 South Australia (ACDT)
10:00 Queensland (AEST)
9:30 Northern Territory (ACST)
8:00 Western Australia (AWST)


SUNDAY – REHEARSALS

We started a bit slow and unfortunately on of the Tamoras fainted but we did a run starting at 7:00ish which went well. Which was a huge relief! Titus has a huge role and needs to fix up three little bits and other people have some trouble with other difficult bits, but opening night should be good. I am feeling more and more confident.

For one scene I read Lucius’s lines, which included: “But who comes here with this lusty goth” (Act V, Scene I). I wonder if anyone will notice that it is not one of Shakespeare’s original lines.

Victoria, Nell and I went to get ice-cream and toasted summer. Chocolate, vanilla and butterscotch, yum.

Spring has sprung, the grass was wiz,
I wonder where the birdies iz?
People say the bird is on the wing,
But that’s absurd
Because the wing of cause is on the bird

Afterwards we went to the Groovy Train where I had a coffee. And we found an interesting thing about the play: Chiron and Demetrius change costumes and accents in each of the seven scenes that they are in. Five actresses play Tamora and change costumes, including hats in every scene. Five actresses play Lavinia who also change costumes in every scene. While Nell plays five characters without changing costumes or accent – We enjoy messing with the audience’s mind.

We were talking and something was said which made me think that EK doesn’t hate my guts, which is good as EK is great person. EK said something a while ago which I obviously took the wrong way (and had a good cry about it), but all seems fine now, which is a huge relief.

(Mitch's elbow)


SUNDAY – DRIVING HOME

Theatre and songs, remind me of other theatre and songs. Driving home listening to Monty Python and the song “sit on my face and tell me that you love me” came on the CD, which these days always makes me smile as when I did a small monologue there were a number of actors who I had previously seen perform “Richard the Third”, which was the most amazing Shakespeare that I have seen. And we all sang “sit on my face” together.

A Very Theatrical Week's End

Friday

I arrived at rehearsals about two hours early. So I did the only sensible thing which was to throw off my shoes, lounge on the beautifully comfortable leather couch and start reading the epic play that is “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark”. The last time I attempted this, it was a chore, and I gave up. This time I was in, understanding the language, understanding the story. “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy” (Act I Scene V)

And then busy rehearsing “Titus Andronicus” by Little Billy. Titus and the cast exit and I as Marcus, on an empty stage: “O heavens! Can you hear a good man groan, and not relent or not compassion him? Marcus, attend him in his ecstasy, that hath more scars of sorrow in his heart than foemen’s marks upon his batter’d shield; But yet so just that he will not revenge. Revenge, ye heavens, for worn Andronicus!” (Act IV Scene I)

Saturday

Went with Julian to see a bit of Gilbert and Sullivan. Informed Julian that Lynne said to ensure a St Kilda victory in the AFL Grand Final everyone has to wear their underwear back to front and burn a green candle after rubbing it with sandalwood. Sadly I did none of this.

The first piece on the bill was “Cox and Box” with words by Burnand and music by Sir Arthur Sullivan. I had never seen it before and wouldn’t recommend it. However “HMS Pinafore” never disappoints (by G and S), and to my shock, one of my former work colleagues was in the cast, and did a very good job. The Captain and the Ruler of the Queen’s Navy were very very enjoyable, but sadly the crew was not as sharp or vocal, which I feel makes the performance lose a bit of its appeal. However a number of the jokes and insults were played superbly, much better than I’ve seen any one else do it – and I cracked up when Cousin Hebe whispered what she wanted to do to the Ruler of the Queen’s Navy which made his monocle fall out. Hehehehehe!!!!!

“For he might have been a Roosian, A French, or Turk, or Proosian, Or perhaps Itali-an! But in spite of all temptations To belong to other nations, He remains an Englishman!” (HMS Pinafore)

At the end of the play, Julian checks the footy score, turns around and says, “You should have put your underpants on backwards” which got a very good chuckle from the lovely granny sitting in front of us.

“… We are Geelong; we’re always on the ball. We play the game as it should be played; At home or far away; Our banners fly high, from dawn to dark; Down at Kardinia Park.” (lyrics by John Watts)

Sunday

More rehearsals for Titus Andronicus, but this time I only arrived fifteen minutes early, and was almost the last to arrive. There is one line which four of us say, and I think Erin, Bree, Julian and Myself all thought that everyone one else would know it, so there would be no pressure to say it. I’m glad we rehearsed that line, and now we all know it, and there wont be just silence where it should be. “No man shed tears for noble Mutius; he lives in fame that died in virtue’s cause.” (Act I)

Afterwards I allowed Erin to convince me to see “The Rise of General Arthur” which is showing as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. (http://www.melbournefringe.com.au/fringe-festival/show/the-rise-of-general-arthur). We walked to the café where it was to be shown and the techie told us that it was cancelled as the manager was sick and couldn’t come to open up doors and whatnot, however the techie thought that she might be able to get another venue. So Nell, Julian, Erin and I had a coffee, two hot chocolates and a honey-lemon-hotwater-drink (photos to follow).

A new venue was located and the actor, Phillip (I believe his name is), was all set to do the show. Using the techie’s script, instead of his own and without props and costumes. The techie using what limited light and sound effects she could use, knowing that another show would start in an hour and that she couldn’t change anything. But Phillip was wearing a groovy T-Shirt so we all knew that it would be fine. The T-Shirt said “I’m trained to use words you’ve never even heard of. You understand? Why, sometimes I use words I’ve never even heard of.”

And the story was, the tale of Pellinore but transported to the Gulf War.

The story was gripping, and the language poetical, painting perfect scene’s within our heads. I was gripped in the story, part of the story, and was transported away… Phillip’s story telling was superb, his emotion divine, his pronunciation clear…

At the start of the session Phillip said: “Six years ago, I formed a company called Maximum Verbosity, out of the belief that words could do damn near anything. Tonight, we're going to put that hypothesis to the test. Normally, this is a show punctuated by visual cues: by costume, props, and carefully-rehearsed changes in lighting and mood. I believe that this story is strong enough to survive without any of those things. It should be: it's already survived for over fifteen hundred years.”
Phillip Low, “The Rise of General Arthur” Maximum Verbosity, Errol Café, 27/09/2009



And it was.



Here is my coffee (photo by me).


You can tell that Erin took these photos as they are in focus.

Julian and Nell drinking hot chocolate. Erin, where is the photo of you? Where for art thou?

Tenth Year

At RMIT This is the tenth year of Snatches. Short plays by RMIT Students, performed by RMIT Students. I’ve been lucky enough to be one or two plays in Snatches and I thought I would make up my list of highlights from each year. I’ve tried to chose one play from each night (Wednesday and Friday), however in 2001 the same list was performed on both nights and my 2003 Friday night program has gone missing. Following my highlights are the plays that I have been in.

SFX: drum roll

SNATCHES

10th Year 2000-2009

2000
W - Digging into the Green Mountain by Mari
F – Other Woman by Gaylene

2001
B – Carnal Pseudo-Skewered Pig by Jane

2002
W – Attempted Sow a seed by Cameron
W – Dirty Angels by Mari
F – Therapy by Richard

2003
B – Oh Sweet Baby by Cameron

2004
W – Pacific Express by Sverre
F – The New Black by Jane

2005
W – Little Red Man and Little Green Man by Suzi
F – RIP or Thank God It’s Bin Day Tomorrow by Jane

2006
W – Funeral Plan by Bruce
W – Tea and Toast by Erin
F – The Spencer Spanking Plan by Meredith

2007
W – Guernica by Feranando Arrabal
W – How to become an Emo by Nick
F – Shot by Anthony

2008
W – Expecting by Melissa
W – Gareth and Eugene by Jimmy
W – Dragon vs Hero by Nick & Alia
F – Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard

My Credits...

2000
F – Terminus by Graeme

2001
B – Der Erfindung Raum by Nic

2002
W – Pictures at an Exhibition by Modeste Mussorgsky
F – The New Black by Jane

2003
B – Personality Test by Matthew

2004
W – Flick by Therese
W – A Trip to the Psychiatrist by Andrew

2005
W – Selling Your Soul by Aimee
W – God by Suzi

2006
W – Flick by Therese
W – Auto-Sanguination by James
F – The Bitches by Matthew

2007
W – The Leader by Eugene Ionesco
W – Credits by Andrew
F – Johnny Catflap by Mathew

2008
W – I’ve Been Everywhere Man by Andrew
W – The 13 Residents of Lupin by Rob and Seb
W – Batman and Superman by Aniko
F – Word-CONomy by Tania
F – Meating People is Easy by Mathew and Greta
F – The Devine Romance by Brett

Being Human

What does being human mean?



I’ve been having fun rehearsing and acting in a play. In the play I am off stage a lot and so I talk to the actors and the crew.

I have been having fun chatting to L, and then on Saturday I was given a Chrysanthemum. It was nicely placed on my bag. A thousand emotions ran through me. Actually a thousand emotions have been running through me a bit lately, but it is funny how a lovely gesture can multiply them by a thousand. If our ages were a bit different, I would swoop her off her feet.

I think that was the first flower that I've ever been given.

(Have I used enough clichés today?)

Socks

I have had a pair of long green woolen traditional Scotish socks in my car for the last couple of days. I think I look ok in a kilt.

Autobiography

I had to write an Autobiography for a play that I am doing in Eltham. This is what I came up with...

If you think I am the Andrew Scarborough that has appeared on countless British Television Series such as Doctors, Coronation Street and The Bill you are sadly mistaken; however neither am I the Andrew Scarborough that has appeared on Australian Idol.

I am the rather tall, spectacled person that has appeared in various theatre throughout Melbourne, in productions as diametrically opposed as Lambert and Voth to Ionesco and Shakespeare.

Having most recently undertaken the beautiful language and imagery of Thomas’s Under Milk Wood I am looking forwards to this next chapter performing in Alan Ayckbourn’s Ten Times Table.

Acting

Sometimes things just work perfectly. An art gallery used for music and theatre. A band fills up two corners and the middle of the floor. The audience is standing around. I am there, in a corner which is lit okay, near the bar, behind some people and one or two people behind me.

The band finishes, the crowd applauds, the band starts to pack up, and gently cutting through the noice like a hot knife through icecream

"I love Melbourne."

The audience turns. Their entire focus on me.

"...I love the buildings, the streets, the parks, the theatres, the people, the stadiums, the universities, the churches and the festivals. I love the glass windows of the skyscrapers reflecting the peaceful sky. Their shapes a mosaic against the never ending blue..."

...........................................................................

It is raining, I am trying to compose a post about something that someone once said to me, but it is getting bigger than Ben-Hur. I almost have the cast and the fifty piece symphonic orchestra and the crew, just missing a few odds and ends. Hopefully it will get a smile or two.

...........................................................................

Q: How do you get down from an elephant?
A: You don't. You get down from a duck.

Acting

Acting is a funny business, especially when plays are so poetic. Every line is beautifully written and there is an extraordinary amount of real/imagined pressure to get every line word perfect. And because of this pressure I think a lot of people cracked. However we all covered for each other so the audience did not realise that we stuffed up. There was one piece where I had to do three characters lines, but it worked. Here is a snippet which we got correct, with me as the voice:


Child: Look

Voice: Says a child to her mother as they pass by the window of Schooner House

Child: Captain Cat is crying

Voice: Captain Cat is crying

Captain Cat: Come back, come back

Voice: Up the silences and echoes of the passages of the eternal night

Child: He’s crying all over his nose

Voice: Says the child. Mother and child walk on down the street

Child: He’s got a nose like a strawberry

Voice: The child says, and then she forgets him too. She sees in the still middle of the blue bagged bay No Good Boyo fishing from the Zanzibar.

White Walls

Art Galleries look so sad when they are empty.

My friend E runs an art gallery and wants to have an exhibition of different modes of performance, and she asked me to perform a small piece or two. I said yes, and promptly went to the art gallery yesterday to have a look at the space.

The previous exhibition had just been removed and the entire walls were just covered in white paint. It was so sad. I wanted to get a bucket of paint and just through it all over the room. Then I started thinking, it is not sadness, more intrepidly waiting for something to happen.

Whilst my two monologues wont colour the walls physically, hopefully they will paint pictures in the minds of the audience. And the other artists/performers will throw light, colour, bednobs and broomsticks around the gallery.