The trouble with Blogging

I love blogging. It allows me to write about anything I’m passionate about and gives me a brief break from reality. I can also write about whatever takes my fancy and feel excited about at that time, be it during a football match, in the run up to a theatre production I’m directing, or even after a hopefully tasty meal at a local restaurant. With the invention of modern technology I can even write articles on the move and away from my computer, which means you can capture the true moment which prompted you to write about it in the first place. So.. what’s the trouble I hear you ask?

Finding bloody time! I hate that life seems to rush by with a thousand things I need to do, which prevents me taking the time to write. The immediate response quite rightly is, ‘you don’t NEED to do anything’, but in my case I beg to differ ever so slightly. I run a theatre company, I direct rehearsals, organise social media and all the other trappings you don’t think about such as make-up and costume. That carries with it a responsibility to my cast to make sure everything is arranged properly and thus deliver the end product – a cracking piece of theatre.

I also have a 9-5 job so my time is severely limited. I think the key word is ‘time’. I remember a conversation I had with a friend recently which in a nutshell was about him having thousands of photos on Facebook of events and places we had gone but couldn’t actually recall the emotions or feelings he experienced at the time as he was so focused on snapping away. We’re all guilty of not giving ourselves enough ‘me’ time which is vital for you to appreciate your life and the people around you. Having time to step back from the spotlight also allows you to decide what things you do or don’t like or enjoy. So often society or the media dictate trends and people we should herald or berate, but why? Because it is fed to us through a drip while we busy ourselves at work or commuting or anything else that doesn’t enrich our lives. It’s easier to be told something then take time to find out for yourself, and thus when having a conversation with someone who asks me my taste in books, music, film or theatre, I tend to give an honest answer which leaves a puzzled look on their face as it’s something they’ve never heard of. I do encourage people to go away and look up whatever my answer was.

The last paragraph gives us an answer to the title of this article, I’ve just written that with a great energy and enthusiasm because I care about the subject matter. Whilst I do welcome people to offer suggestions for articles for me to write I do prefer plucking something out of thin air and typing away for however long and looking at the end result. An article packed with honesty and genuine opinion. I will be reviewing several local restaurants and venues over the next week or two as a nod to all the Northants peeps that read this blog. In any case, farewell for now and speak soon!

Important Links:

Our FB- www.facebook.com/CDProductions.theatre

Our website - www.cd-productions.co.uk

The West End, Grass-root Theatre and more! w/ Annemarie Lewis Thomas

As the subject line may suggest, today I am joined by Annemarie Lewis Thomas, Principal of the Musical Theatre Academy. I've read with interest several articles Annemarie has written for The Public Reviews website, so jumped at the chance to ask her a few questions theatre related. I'm really passionate theatre (as you've probably guessed by now!) and as much as I want to write about my views on this blog, I'm also taking the angle of interviewing other people from all levels of theatre from performers in amateur dramatics, West End stars and those involved in helping them get there, which is where Annemarie comes in. The MTA has a yearly intake of 22 students each year, who undertake an intense two year course as opposed to the 'standard' three year offering. Why only 22 students a year, I hear you ask? Well here's what they say on their website:

'The MTA does not want to be a large conglomerate college – its inception was to provide first class training for a maximum of 44 students (22 students per year) ensuring that no student gets lost in the crowd. We are confident that we can give 22 students per year top class professional training without losing the personal touch.'

I must say I do like this approach to teaching, as I personally feel people/children of all ages and walks of life can sometimes slip into the gaps and not feel particularly treasured and loved whilst in education. I do hear a lot of young people say they can't wait to finish school, but why? Is it the yearning to 'crack on' and get a job, making an impact in their chosen field? Or is it because they haven't been properly engaged at school/college to then place a value on education and learning? Sure, 'education' isn't for everyone, but then it depends on your interpretation of the word. Leaving school to start an apprenticeship in plumbing is still surely an extension of learning? Back to the MTA though, I found it very reassuring to see in the news part of their site, that so many ex-students or, as the MTA call them, ambassadors, are working in theatre. The trust to label them ambassadors and put the faith in them to represent the ethos of the academy, speak volumes of the teaching ethics in place. In any case and within are further ado, here is the interview I had with Annemarie..

Chris: Last weekend saw the closure of 'We Will Rock You' after more then 12 years on the West End. We've also seen the premature end of Simon Cowell's 'I Can't Sing' musical just six weeks after opening. Why do you think productions are struggling so much at the moment? 

Annemarie: I don’t think that the two cases are related at all…surely one came to its natural end (show years are like dog years…and therefore WWRY lived to a ripe old age, defying nearly every critic at the time of it’s ‘birth’ too I should add), whereas I can’t really comment on I Can’t Sing per se as I didn’t see it…but as you’ve asked the question…what is clearly evidenced is that it had an outstanding cast, the critics, on the whole enjoyed it (whilst a few failed to buy into the surrealism of Harry Hill’s humour), but it failed on a basic level of asking who its audience was going to be…and then before finding out the answer to that question opened it in one of the biggest houses in the West End, where the break even point must have been ridiculous.  Now the easiest way to have overcome this would have been to have put a celebrity in it - personally I applaud the fact that they didn’t, however why Syco didn’t create a celebrity out of Cynthia Enviro is beyond me.  I said exactly the same thing when Spring Awakening closed too early (IMHO) instead of us all moaning about the fact that we need to put ‘names’ in shows to get bums on seats the theatre community needs to wake up and create ‘names’, and I thought that I Can’t Sing was the perfect opportunity to have done that.  Cynthia is one of the most exciting musical theatre performers in the UK today, that production team had the clout to get her on nearly every prime-time TV programme going and yet they missed the opportunity. Therefore an audience wasn’t created, and a show with a quality cast was left playing to half full houses.  Love him or loathe him Cameron Mackintosh gets this right - he makes you think that a show has opened a year (or two) even before it has…therefore ‘the legend’ is already living before the show has got into previews, and audiences will take a punt on the show.  Who’s going to take a £75 punt on a show that they’ve never heard of, full of people they don’t know when down the road they can hear Abba? I don’t know whether the West End really is struggling - I just think that people are having to think very carefully about where they spend their ticket money so the shows have to tick all the boxes, and if they don’t then they’re gone, but you know if they’re brilliant I think that they'll always survive the test of time e.g. Billy Elliot, Matilda etc.

Chris: Locally to myself I have seen several 'am-dram' societies fold in recent years due to dwindling ticket sales and increased costs. Do you think there should be more support at grass-roots levels for such groups to help build up a theatre-goer following which could then have a longer term impact on audience numbers for professional offerings? 

Annemarie: Oh I'm so torn on the whole am-dram thing - when people do it solely as a hobby then I'm 100% behind it, but I wish that they would explore a more interesting rep(which incidentally might bring in fresh blood to keep the societies running) I mean as brilliant as Oklahoma is there are so many new writers/composers out there desperate to get their shows into production and I wish that am dram societies would be bold enough to give it a go (although I understand that they also have to put bums on seats and their ticket sales would be down if they did the brilliant Lift by Craig Adams as opposed to Carousel for example)…but then when I go to see am-dram productions and I hear those fateful words “it’s so good it’s almost professional” I invariably want to scream, or ‘so and so should be a professional’…because being a professional performer is so much harder than having a ‘safe’ job and a secure income and rehearsing a few evenings a week for a few months and putting on a show.  It’s about a constant state of insecurity, getting the show ready in a matter of weeks not months. I’d love to see more youth theatre groups as I think that’s the future of theatre, they will be the theatre going public in the future and even the next generation of actors.  I don’t know what it’s like anymore as I only mix in theatrical circles(I appreciate how rubbish that sounds..but it’s true) but I come from a very working class back ground and I was absolutely ridiculed(even bullied at one stage) for wanting to go to the theatre…so if it's the same now, then I want to see theatre at grass roots level breaking down the social class barriers (but I might be out of touch, and that might have happened in some places….unfortunately I know that it’s still true where I come from)

Chris: As we have all seen in recent years the funding for 'The Arts' has been repeatedly cut and savaged, with this in mind what steps do you think could be taken by theatre companies and theatres themselves to gain additional revenue?  

Annemarie: When MTN was first formed and called MTM, on the panel of experts were a group of Americans who stated that in the UK our thinking in Musical Theatre was at least 5 years behind theirs. It really stuck with me how incredulous they were about our fixation on arts funding, as they don’t have that in the States(of course they are also great believes in philanthropy which sadly hasn’t really caught on here).  I don’t know the answer to this question and I’m not going to pretend to make one up but their thinking has really stuck with me.  I run The MTA and we are not eligible for any government funding streams at all, unlike nearly all the established colleges that we’re in direct competition with, and I am constantly trying to think of ways in which I can find some money from somewhere to fund students that face financial hardship, and ironically all the ‘big independent money’ goes to the colleges that already receive government funding.  I suspect that the same is true for theatre companies.  Places like the Royal Opera House with their guaranteed Arts Council Funding have so many private benefactors it’s crazy…if only one of them would invest in a company that receives no Arts Council subsidy but who has an outstanding track record, or even invest in a writer, or a performer, or a composer…but no…they’ll keep investing in the organisations that have….government investments.  I haven’t answered your question…but I wish I knew the answer.

Hands up if you want more original songs to sing!

Chris: I read with great interest a recent article of yours about theatre schools not taking a proactive approach to encouraging developing new work. What do you think the first steps should be for them to go down this route and should there be some incentive in place to encourage this behaviour, even initially? 

Annemarie: This annoys me - at The MTA we have a policy to support new writing.  We opened in 2009 and have already commissioned 5 completely original musicals (not adapted from any books/films etc), we have gone on to produce those 5 musicals into full productions, plus a further 2 premières; we have been involved in readings and workshops of between 25 - 30 new shows in that time.  In addition to that we have recorded 5 demo albums of new musicals…in other words it’s more than just a lovely sound-bite policy. We really put our money where our mouth is.  Our policy is simple it has to benefit us and it has to benefit the writers therefore creating a win/win situation.  So what bit of this annoys me? We are a tiny college (with a maximum intake of just 44 students) and we can afford to do all of this.  The major colleges have an intake of 100’s, plus as previously mentioned government funding streams and private benefactors coming at them from all angles….just invest the money in people (i.e. writers and students) and not buildings and profits. It’s not rocket science.  It’s interesting how a few of them are dipping their toes in these waters now and shouting it from the rafters…but some of them are producing up to 8 full length musicals a year, we only produce 2 and have managed to do all of the above.  Maybe they should split their productions equally between new and old?

Chris: On the topic of new work being produced, aside from theatre schools themselves taking a more proactive approach, what do you think can be done on a wider scale to a) encourage smaller theatre companies to produce original material and b) give them a platform for such work to be showcased? 

Annemarie: Again harping back to the first MTN conference the American panellists said that they had learnt that the big lesson was to just keep producing the work in every 100 average/rubbish shows you might just find a gem. I just don’t think that we produce enough.  I’d love to see theatre companies commissioning writers to create a piece for their companies.  Give them a topic that you know would generate a local interest…I bet that you would get an audience interested.  Just stop playing safe.  I really do believe that our audiences are more daring than we give them credit for. A few years ago the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds commissioned me to write original songs for their Christmas panto. It's fair to say that I was not met with open arms (and ears). The box office staff were particularly put out that there would not be a familiar pop tune that they could sing along to.. fast forward four weeks later and the my ear worm songs had penetrated their good taste and they were asking me why I hadn't recorded an original cast album as they believed that the demand was there to warrant making it.  I was lucky enough to be asked back a further 2 years and those same box office staff went from resistant to excited to learn the new cheesy offerings that I had written.  We can educate our audience if only we dare to take chances.  Imagine if every QDOS panto had an original score? I really don’t think that the children would leave demanding their money back. People want to hear new stuff - let’s not underestimate Joe Public.  Maybe…just maybe if they got used to going to the theatre not knowing the music before hand they might develop an appetite for new musical writing.

Chris: I've read a fair bit about the unique approach you take with regards to looking after your students and also being more structured in the smaller intake to ensure quality and higher levels of individual focus. I would love to visit the academy to see how it all works for myself and do an article on my impressions, would that be okay? 

Annemarie: We have an open door policy so you are welcome to visit anytime. I’d advise a quick phone call first to check that I'm not working from home, but other than that surprise visits are good because then you can see that we really do operate within the guidelines that I preach about!

Chris: Thank you so much for taking the time to answers my questions, I will definately arrange to come down and visit the academy and hopefully speak to some of your students about their experiences there.

If anyone is interested in learning more about the Musical Theatre Academy then please do click the link to the right and it'll take you to the homepage, which has a lot of good info about the academy and what some of their ambassadors are doing now! Also, if anyone would like to take part in an interview with me, please send me an email or send me a message on Twitter @Theatre_Blogger. It doesn't have to be just about theatre, I'll talk about pretty much anything!

Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is one of my favourite reads. It's dark, gothic and is bubbling with hidden messages and meanings from the start. It also happens to be the next play we're set to perform after the Camden Fringe Festival has concluded at the end of August.

I've got the fun job of adapting the novel to play-form and directing the piece. I can't wait. I'm currently assembling a cast of talented actors/actresses to bring the characters to life and with rehearsals set to start in June the excitement is starting to build.

So many things are screaming for my attention at the moment from day to day life, social media engagement, directing my first original piece 'Three Blinks For...' which is debuting at the Camden Fringe and a million other things which have currently escaped me.

We've secured the theatre we're using for the play and a recent meeting with Nick and Becky who manage and run the venue has filled us with optimism for the future. As a new vibrant theatre company it is really important to build up awareness whilst staying true to our founding values.

These were quite simple, after all if you go too complex we're bound to flounder. We wanted to bring accessible theatre to the public as an option of having to go with a big city and pay the associated costs. As I mentioned we're hitting London ourselves in a few months but we're also looking at a kaleidoscope of other venues both near and far. With this goal we wanted to help raise funds/awareness of local charities or community groups in the areas we go to perform in. The power of social media is such that once people or organisations have 'x' followers or 'likes' then the messages they want to shout about can be heard much louder and have a great resonance with the social pool.

Lastly we wanted to develop talent. Half our cast in the debut production of 'A Doll's House' had never graced a stage before and this provides a refreshing compliment to those of us with more experience and stage time. The blend is quite energising as the 'new comers' arrived to each rehearsal with so much gusto and positivity, it was hard not to allow that to wash over us. The remit is the same for our fringe pieces and also with Frankenstein, which we will be auditioning roles imminently.

To close though and in keeping with the title of this blog article, Frankenstein allows people of all ages a chance to escape life for a short while and return to times when wonder and adventure were commonplace. I was recently reading one of the books by the late Tyrone Guthrie who said seeing Peter Pan as a youngster had a lasting impact on his ultimate decision to go into theatre. Luckily with the recent run of the play in London with Jonny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch there is a precedent of it being successful. Hopefully our offering can have a unique slant on the piece and give some small encouragement to those who come to see it. Maybe they'll decide that theatre is something they're interested after all.
 
Thanks for reading :) 

New Design – Hope you like it?

Hello!

Don’t worry, you’re not lost, instead you’ve found your way to my recently designed blog! As the name suggests there will be a tilt on theatre related matters from reviews of local/national shows/plays, interviews with anyone I can get my grubby mitts on to my musings on the industry as a whole.

Aside from this there will be tons of other content for those less ‘artistically’ inclined. I sometimes eat food and like to have an opinion on it. This mantra goes for many things in my life from charity raids on a Saturday morning to real life angst from yours truly. If there are any suggestions lurking in the backs of your mind then don’t be shy, comment or email me (link to the right) and let me know what you’d like to see/read about.

On the topic of charity shops, I love them! So I will try to go armed to the teeth with a meagre amount of money and see what treasure I can come across. This may extend to the occasional cheeky car boot, but as the weather is unreliable at the best I can’t make any promises. Just last week I came across the greatest.. wait, that’s a blog article right there waiting to be plundered! You can hear about those adventures at the weekend.

Back to the re-design. I decided to have the layout and image of this blog changed for engagement reasons really. No, I’m not engaged and nor will be I any time soon unless someone comes crashing through the door and makes a move. Single guy here! What I mean to say is that there is no point having a great message to spread or an idea to express if the packaging and frame aren’t attractive. Cancel that, they don’t have to be overly pretty but certainly can’t afford to be dour and frumpy.

Clean lines, white space and some good content. I think that’s a good starting point, don’t you? :)

On the verge of something special?

On the verge of something special?

I’m currently having my blog redesigned which is why things have quietened down a little bit and also there have been some great developments in the world of C&D Productions. We have our debut production coming up next month on May 10^th at the Kettering Arts Centre. The production is an adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s ‘A Doll’s House’ and promises to be a great showcase of some new local talent, something C&D are very passionate about.

We have the same venue booked for September, when we’ll be showcasing ‘Frankenstein’ again using a local cast. I’m very excited about this particular project as I’m sole director and the chance to give local talent the opportunity to become involved with us is something I’m really keen on doing. I’ve already been lucky to see some dazzling transformations of the current cast since we started rehearsals. The other quite special thing is the various backgrounds the cast have come from and I think it has allowed a very special bond to form so that we are like a little family.

The practice of going to the local pub straight afterwards has allowed the cast to get to know each other not only on a performer level but as people. This chance doesn’t always come through at rehearsals when people are focused on lines, blocking and where they need to be next but having that relaxation time afterwards has worked wonders. I’d compare it to the ‘cool-down’ you have at the gym after a hard work out and gives you that reflection time to realise how much hard work you’ve just done. Hopefully we can keep this talented group of actors together for as long as possible, whilst complimenting it with additions depending upon the project. That said the strength of the relationship is such that if there wasn’t a suitable part for any of the group there would be no issue of ‘ego bruising’ or falling out as they understand our need to maintain casting integrity.

Recently we secured two spots at the Camden Fringe Festival in August 2014. Everyone’s reaction so far has been great with the whole casting keen to stay involved if at all possible. It is quite rewarding when people are eager to support you as it shows you’re doing something right to inspire that sense of loyalty, with everyone happy to come down to see our performance if they aren’t cast. Locally in the amateur scene it is very cut-throat and if people aren’t cast for a particular show they can often desert that particular group entirely until the next valid production comes along which they can be involved in.

The message here is simple. Support because you want to breathe life into a project, not because you want something in return.

Spread the Word

So today had been an ordinary day as Friday's go. All the usual run of the mill stuff happen then I found myself outside Chimichanga. Now this in itself is obviously not exciting (unless you have a fetish for Mexican food!), but then something happened.. I check my phone, more specifically my Twitter feed and something brought a huge smile to my face.

Now I am a huge fan of the Game of Thrones books and thus the TV show by HBO. I 'follow' a number of the actors and actresses on my and C&D's twitter accounts and I take as much interest in their tweets and activities as much as I do other people because namely, we are all just 'people' at the end of the day. However, following people from all walks of life opens the curtains that bit wider when you wake up in the morning and allows you to see more of that lovely, sunny horizon.

Well, as anyone who has read this blog will know, it's brand spanking new! Thus not many people know about it, nor does it have much of a following or readership. That will all change hopefully in the future, but for the time being.. baby steps. Anyhow.. So I saw a tweet by a chap called Eugene Simon. I've found quite a few of his tweets interesting, engaging and fresh, so when I saw he had some blog related info to spill I immediately replied with some information about mine. Here's the rub..

Eugene happens to be an actor. Who plays a character from the above mentioned Game of Throne series. Who has 50,000 followers+ on Twitter. What happened? He replied.

At this point the thought of my date I was waiting for (she was 5 minutes late at this point) went completely out of my mind and I may well have done a little happy dance, I can't remember. It's irrelevant. What isn't is the fact a tweet I posted got retweeted to quite a big bunch of people which is fantastic and if you're one of those people who have happened upon this blog via Eugene's kind retweet then may I say a humble, Welcome.

Now the theatre company I co-own is bare three months old and despite the grand plans I have in the back of my mind, it's still very much fledgling, kinda like this blog. What would be super would be if more people came and read some of my rambling thoughts, followed @CD_Productions1 and spread the word about us a little further. The possible excitement in Eugene lending his support (even if it ends up being fleeting) is it's good natured and honest. 

Who knows.. in three years time I could well be directing a small play in London at a deliciously intimate venue and he could be in the cast. The world is a funny place and none of us know where we might end up. Life is about living, spreading positivity and supporting others to follow their dreams. Coincidentally, Mr Simon also has a blog so in the nature of this post - here's the link! Feel free to give it a read and show him the same support you're showing me by becoming part of my world. 

I may be super cheeky and see if I can do my first ever 'vblog' with him as it would surely create lots of excitement, be in keeping with the sentiment of blogging and would be a good excuse for a mini road trip!

What do you say Eugene?

p.s. My date did eventually turn up, we had a splendid time and I'm hopefully seeing her again next time. Bye!

Bloglovin

Unleased upon the masses!

It has rapidly come to my attention that to fully get the most out of this blog, people need to be able to find it. I could write volumes and volumes of top quality material but if people can find me and thus get access to this 'gold' then it's all for nought. Unless I'm using this to simply air my thoughts and cleanse my soul.. No, I don't believe that either!

Well I've been summoned by the mighty overlords at Bloglovin to include a bit of texty code in a post so this will prove a good vehicle for that. 

The good news will be that people can give good feedback and make what I type count. After all, the greatest prophet could have the most profound message, but if the masses don't hear him, then it is merely but a whisper.

I saw a good comedian last night at the venue I'll be performing at in May. His name was Liam Williams and he appeared at the last Edinburgh Fringe. He was very good, articulate and clever in his humour, which is probably why I didn't stop laughing. I can sometimes be sat watching a stand up show on TV and it gives me very little pleasure at all. My conclusion - either I need 'smart' humour to tickle my funny bone or I'm a sucker for in-person interaction. Either way, I had a good time and if his tour is coming near you I'd advise you buy a ticket!

I'll no doubt soon (in the next hour) look at making this a little bit more pretty and visually appealing. The trouble with starting a blog is that you want to fill it with content, namely your thoughts. However if you dress it up poorly, no one will hang around to read. 

Thoughts?

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Encouragement

The turn of the year seems so long ago, it seems only yesterday myself and Dan were sat in a local pub running through a myriad of ideas about our theatre company. Then we didn't have a name or even an idea of what our first production would be. We did have the best of intentions however, any grander schemes have been planned and executed without those featuring at all on the agenda.

The past three months have not been a disappointment. People have continued to surprise and amaze me with their kindness, their generosity and a spirit of support without the need to have anything in return. More and more in today's culture it becomes apparent as someone is doing you a favour that five minutes down the friendship they will expect the favour return, with interest. 

Why though? Surely one of the greatest feelings a human being can experience is the unconditional offering of friendship and advice. Then to see the fruits of your labours grow and prosper, in no small part to the help you gave the young sapling. It will continue to grow and one day when your walking past and feeling peckish, an apple may well just throw from a branch into your hand and you'll smile because the journey has come full circle.

Back to today, back to real life.

About a month ago I got in touch with a lovely young lady on Twitter @BeautyinBeta who runs a blog herself and was kind enough to give me some warm words of encouragement. Her genre is fashion and from the stolen glances I've taken at her website she certainly knows a thing or two so if you're intrigued here's the link. It was with a small tinge of pride that I tweeted her news on this blog's creation and in the style of this post she instantly re-tweeted the link. This is social media being what it was intended to be... Sociable.

Further focused thanks must go to Coulson Macleod who happen to be based in the same town I live in, Kettering (Northamptonshire). I initially approached Hannah on LinkedIn with an idea to get some help on the design front for our promo material for our first production, Henrik Ibsen's 'A Doll's House' set to be staged at the Kettering Arts Centre on May 10th. Unfortunately she wasn't able to help out on that front, but has since opened my mind a little to the 'Twitter Universe' and has given me a platform to get in touch with other local companies. I just want to take this moment to say thank you..

Of course there are a great many other people who have helped and encouraged me but I thought I'd give a nod in this post to the creation of this actual blog. It goes without saying if anyone has a particular subject or facet of theatre you'd like me to discuss and focus on, then please leave a comment below and i'll be my best asap.

The Beginning

I’m not sure where to begin if I’m honest.

I’ve just spent the last few minutes looking at the above line wondering how to continue then suddenly realised as I type that I have in fact begun. Life can be like that sometimes. You ponder and worry what the next step to take is and sure enough, by the time you’ve plucked your head out of the clouds you’re walking. Sometimes you don’t know where, but.. isn’t that sometimes the best way? You’re on your way to work on the bus or tube, you feel miserable. Why? Because you know what awaits you. The same building, the same dreary office furniture, the girl you like who is enraptured by the new guy.. That’s why I enjoy what I do.

Theatre.

I’m sure many posts will be of course littered with thoughts and opinions on theatre and a kaleidoscope of other somehow related disciplines, locales and people. It is of course the latter that can leave the most long lasting impression on someone, so maybe I should have put that first, it did however allow me into this train of thought. People can have such a huge impact, in a positive or negative light, that it can seem a risk stepping out of your door and opening yourself to the experiences they can offer. But then, what would have happened to Middle Earth if Bilbo hadn’t taken that first step he almost didn’t make?

I digress. The point I think I was trying to make was that if you don’t give people the scope to not only enter your life but also stay around a little then you deprive yourself. Life can be hard enough, but to choose to battle it out alone when you have potential allies at every turn just seems madness. I’m quite impressed by myself that this is a theatre blog but I have now only mentioned it twice. Maybe it’s a lesson that no ‘one’ thing should be all encompassing and to give passions and interests room to breathe you in fact nourish them rather than provide an over suffocating blanket, similar to an overzealous parent on that first day at school.

I’m Chris btw. I’ve let you into my mind so I thought it only polite to introduce myself. I won’t bombard you with an avalanche of experiences, events and mindless data just yet. I’ll try to slowly let it seep out through the cracks of my conscious so I don’t overwhelm you too suddenly. I’ve been involved in theatre for four years and have worked with probably 200+ people in that time, across a multitude of venues across the UK. I guess that’s why I like theatre so much, it isn’t the same building or the same furniture or people.

The pretty girl smiling at me in the front row one night could just as easily be a discerning critic the next. Different venues offer a range of alternatives experiences on so many levels from meeting staff who weren’t working the night before to the change of promo material and propaganda. I’m sure future posts will explore this angle in more detail but I’ll leave you with a thought. Venues change with the seasons. Make sure you bring your umbrella.

Chris