Wednesday 6 July 2011

Quick Quiz: #20 Laura Eades

1. Where are you working at present?

Next week we are rehearsing Holiday at Camden People's Theatre, in their basement rehearsal room. Some might say that rehearsing in a lightless underground room is unseasonal - I say, a windowless room is exactly what you need when rehearsing a show in the total nude while pregnant. It's about the body, and it's brazen, but the last thing you want is window-shoppers. And it's a huge privilege to have the development of our work supported by CPT - a fringe theatre that is so committed to new and experimental work.
 
2. Describe your occupation and why you love it.

I'm director of the theatre company The Honourable Society of Faster Craftswomen. Sometimes I write or perform as in Holiday, but mainly I bring together new collaborations project by project - and it's that that I really love - the feeling of being in great company - as well as the wonderful 'society' of the audience when we finally get to a show. 

3. Who do you most enjoy working with and why?

It's different every time. This time around, I'm excited to be working with two directors: Sara Kewly from the company Little Wonder, and Elgiva Field, who has a company called Oblique House and works a lot with Punchdrunk. The people I work with tend to be interested in experimental theatre and live art, and in what it means to forge an intimate relationship with an audience. 

4. What's your dream day?

I've never been one for taking it easy, so being pregnant has been a very different pace for me. But I do love to swim so today's job - preparing for rehearsal by learning lines lying beside Brockwell Lido - is the perfect mix of activity and lounging. Also, I get to photosynthesise as much as possible in advance of basement rehearsals. 

5. Favourite ever show and why?

EVER? That's a bit tricky. You can't really compare the immersion of going around Punchdrunk's Faust in a Wapping warehouse to, say, the irony of the dancing in Forced Entertainment's The Thrill of it All, or the surreality of some of the events Lone Twin have initiated, or the lovely at-ease feeling of watching Daniel Kitson tell rambling stories. Tim Crouch's The Author was the most ground-breaking thing I saw last year. 

6. Favourite actor/actress and why?

I don't tend to go for people with an acting style so much as a way of addressing an audience that feels natural and without pretence, albeit when it's a persona. I saw Ursula Martinez's Family Outing when I was 17, and it altered my mind forever. 
7. Favourite band/musical artist and why?

I love Clinic, they sound faintly dangerous. This year's obsession: Anna Calvi. 

8. Where do you see yourself in 25 years?

In 25 years I will be 57 and I hope to be making theatre whose form is defined by whatever parameters our lives present at that point! I hope I always get to team up with wonderful artists. I don't wish to still be making autobiographical work though ... after Holiday, I feel like turning my attention outwards for a while. I'm going to be a parent - it's not all about me any more. 

9. Any exciting future projects you'd like to mention?

This year I'll be making theatre in between looking after a newborn. To fit with this time, I'm going to launch an Honourable Society of Faster Craftswomen project which is about experimenting with new and much looser kinds of collaboration - whatever's possible in between feeds - ones that use the internet, the postal service, skype, writing, drawing, talking, the stuff of life. 

10. Random one: what's your favorite cheese?

Stilton. Goat. Gorgonzola. Camembert. All the wonderful, pungent, honking, farmyard cheese you're not allowed while pregnant. I swear, when it's breastfeeding time it's gonna be cheese cheese cheese all the way. This child of mine is not going to be fed on milk, more a kind of homemade breast fondue. 

11. Do you have Twitter? Do you follow @the_prompt? You should... 

Yes we should. and you should follow @TheHSFC

Monday 4 July 2011

Quick Quiz: #19 Dean Stalham

 1. Where are you working at present? 

Brockley Jack, Goldsmiths University and Channel 4
.
2. Describe your occupation and why you love it. 

I am a writer and an artist and I love it because of the freedom it gives me to express
myself.

3. Who do you most enjoy working with and why? 

I enjoy working with the renowned character actor Dudley Sutton, he is worldly wise and
doesnt mind sharing.

4. What's your dream day? 

To have a play on at the Royal Court theatre, waking up to rave reviews

5. Favourite ever show and why? 

Antigone - a play 2500 years old - that still resonates today.

6. Favourite actor/actress and why?

Paul Newman - ultimate cool.

7. Favourite band/musical artist and why? 

Amy Winehouse - sad genius who needs support and love.

8. Where do you see yourself in 25 years? 

On a hammock!
 
9. Any exciting future projects you'd like to mention? 

My first film showing on channel four in about three weeks time.

10. Random one: what's your favorite cheese? 

Red Leicester - I like the colour

11. Do you have Twitter? Do you follow @the_prompt? You should...

Yes
and I will.

Monday 27 June 2011

Review: Fixer @ Oval House Theatre

The Prompt always enjoys an evening at the Oval House Theatre, and this one proved again that London's fringe and African themed theatre scene is very much alive and kicking.

Fixer explores the relationship between Western journalists and those individuals on the ground connected with headline grabbing stories abroad; centering on a conflict between a major gas company and a group of rebels in the north of Nigeria. A pipeline has been attacked by insurgents, and two British writers are eager to get complete coverage for their respective employers by whatever means necessary. The play highlights the cut throat exploitation of local people in a remote Nigerian town by these two characters, Dave and Lawrence, and leaves the audience debating upon the moral implications of their journalistic methods.

The Prompt was quick to note that this piece is extremely well choreographed, with quick and clever scene changes centering around minimal props and scenery (a crate of bottled Guinness's and a row of aircraft chairs are used cleverly to bring to life a multitude of different settings ranging from a 5* hotel to a rebel encampment). The entire cast is on stage for the duration, and those not engaged in dialogue form an interesting backdrop and supporting act to the scenes taking place.

The characters are brought to life by a diverse and animated cast, with some clever and highly amusing exchanges between Chuks (Richard Pepple) and The Porter (Nick Oshikanlu) providing some of the comedic highlights of this otherwise dark and thought-provoking story. Alex Barclay's 'Dave' is sublime, capturing perfectly the plight of a once well-established journalist who is over the proverbial hump and desperate to save his job and credibility, often by subversive and amoral means. 'Lawrence', played by recent RADA graduate Damola Adelaja, seems frustratingly naive as he starts out his journey on stage and undergoes an interesting and emotional transition of guiding principles as he comes to terms with the means necessary to succeed in this unregulated arena.

The Prompt has now had the pleasure of attending two performances at the Oval House Theatre that are part of the London via Lagos festival (the last being Arinze Kene's Little Baby Jesus), and is adamant that this has been a hugely compelling and successful programme. It is a real shame that more London theatregoers cannot find the time or the will to attend more of these types of events, as they truly fulfill the quintessential essence and purpose of theatre: to invoke within an audience an understanding of the human condition that they previously were unfamiliar with. Fixer does just that.

Quick Quiz: #18 Ian Foster

1. Where are you working at present?

I work for a consortium of London-based voluntary sector consultants.

2. Describe your occupation and why you love it.

I train charities and voluntary groups in fundraising and other organisational development areas, and help write their funding bids. I love it because I get to talk all day, meet new people all across London and get a genuine buzz from knowing that I am helping some of the most undervalued work going on in the city. Also, I have the flexibility to write up theatre reviews when no-one is looking... ;-)

3. Who do you most enjoy working with and why?

Not really office-based, but I love the complete diversity of all the people I meet, forever keeping me on my toes. 

4. What's your dream day?

A rare trip back up north to see family and friends, especially my nieces and nephews.

5. Favourite ever show and why?

Hard one, but His Dark Materials at the National Theatre completely blew me away. I love the books so much that I never imagined I could love a different version of the story, but the adaptation was nigh on perfect, a brilliant cast and a production that showed off the NT at its best. I cried for 10 minutes in my seat as it ended, and wanted to sit through all six hours of it again straightaway.

6. Favourite actor/actress and why?

This changes on a moment by moment basis so I’ll have to give a selection: Julie Atherton whose musical interpretation skills make her one of the most heartbreakingly effective actors out there; John Heffernan, a rising star of subtle power and great depth, a top tip for future stardom; Elliot Cowan for combining being one of the hottest men alive with skilful acting choices; Nancy Carroll, if only for the end of Act II in After The Dance, one of the most perfect acting performances ever; and Helen McCrory as she simply bewitched my heart from the very first moment I saw her. But I reserve the right to change my mind.

7. Favourite band/musical artist and why?

Björk. She’s not to everyone’s taste but she has been one of the most fearlessly inventive and consistently innovative artists of recent times, never resting on her laurels and continually challenging herself, audiences and the record industry.

8. Where do you see yourself in 25 years?

Retired to the South of France, having won the Lottery.

9. Any exciting future projects you'd like to mention?

It is all change over here so watch this space, life is getting interesting...

10. Random one: what's your favourite cheese?
Why do you keep making me commit to favourites?! Today it is Grandma Singleton’s Tasty Lancashire – the king of cheeses.

11. Do you have Twitter? Do you follow @the_prompt? You should...

I do have the twitter on @oughttobeclowns and I do follow @the_prompt

Friday 24 June 2011

Quick Quiz: #17 Jodie McNee

1. Where are you working at present?
 
At the Arcola doing Chekov's Seagull directed by Joseph Blatchley

2. Describe your occupation and why you love it.
 
It is unpredictable, chaotic and inspiring, I have already met some incredible people who have changed my life. Every job you do, you learn new things...

3. Who do you most enjoy working with and why?
 
Cheek By Jowl, Joe Blatchley, Jonathan Harvey and loads of brilliant actors, people who are passionate and are real artists.

4. What's your dream day?
 
Working on a project that I really care about.

5. Favourite ever show and why?
 
My favourite show has to be Ecstasy, Mike Leigh, because it was full of life and i haven't been able to get it out of my head.

6. Favourite actor/actress and why?
 
Liv Ullmann because she is completely open and alive!

7. Favourite band/musical artist and why?
 
Nina Simone because she was incredible!

8. Where do you see yourself in 25 years?
 
Hopefully I'll be working with people who inspire me on a project that I love.

9. Any exciting future projects you'd like to mention?
 
I'm about to play at Bath theatre Royal doing Noel Cowards "This Happy Breed" as part of the Peter Hall company directed by Steven Unwin.  
 
10. Random one: what's your favorite cheese?
 
I really like Blue Stilton!

11. Do you have Twitter? Do you follow @the_prompt? You should...
 
Yes I am on twitter and yes I do follow you! X

Thursday 23 June 2011

Quick Quiz: #16 Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder (BOTTC)

1. Where are you working at present?

Primarily in London, at the Box of Tricks office, but we’re really excited about travelling around the country with our tour of ‘Head/Heart’ this summer.

2. Describe your occupation and why you love it.

I’m a theatre director. It’s a great occupation because you’re constantly challenging yourself and working with other people who are equally passionate about theatre.

3. Who do you most enjoy working with and why?

Working with actors is really enjoyable as you feel a tangible sense of achievement at the end of every rehearsal day as you edge closer to bringing a play to life.

4. What's your dream day?

Rehearsals followed by a sunny summer evening in a beer garden planning the future of theatre!

5. Favourite ever show and why?

At the moment I’d probably say Black Watch, having seen it twice in 2008 and 2010, I would still say it’s the most inspirational piece of theatre I’ve ever seen.

6. Favorite actor/actress and why?

Again, I don’t think I could commit to just one– Paterson Joseph, David Morrissey, Andrew Scott, all of whom bring a mesmerizing level of detail and truth to every performance.

7. Favourite band/musical artist and why?

Elbow, Bright Eyes, Laura Marling and Maximo Park are often on the playlist at Box of Tricks HQ. Just great tunes.

8. Where do you see yourself in 25 years?

Hopefully still supporting and promoting the next generation of new writing, maybe in a building of our very own!

9. Any exciting future projects you'd like to mention?

Quite a few things in the mix, but nothing we can talk about at the moment I’m afraid. Watch this space!

10. Random one: what's your favorite cheese?

Camembert, especially when it’s baked and there’s plenty of bread to dip into it…delicious!

11. Do you have Twitter? Do you follow @the_prompt? You should...

Yes and yes! You can find us at @bottc.

Wednesday 22 June 2011

Quick Quiz: #15 Hannah Nicklin

1. Where are you working at present?
 
My bedroom/lounge. Mostly. Unless that answer contradicts housing/tax law, in which case the answer is 'you know, around...'

2. Describe your occupation and why you love it.
 
If I had to boil it down to a sentence, I guess I'd say that I 'write, think, talk about and make theatre and performance for a living'. If you wanted a longer version of that, I'd say my work specifically lives in some of the space between performance and digital technology;  including speaking at conferences, running workshops, giving lectures, working with theatre/arts companies on their use of tech, writing for and making my own performance/performative projects, collaborating with others on creative projects, and a PhD which is mostly concerned with arguing what I do *is* theatre/performance. I'm also on the board of Third Angel. Oh and I do a bit of whining on my blog occasionally too.
I love theatre and performance and technology, and so count myself very lucky to be able to eke a living out of it. But what I think I love the most, is the energy and generosity of most people I encounter in the sector.
 
3. Who do you most enjoy working with and why?
 
ALL OF THE PEOPLE. No, seriously, I spend way too much time around books at the moment. Any chance to get out and talk to/work with creative people is awesome. A lot of my practice has so far been long-distance collaboration, so I'm hoping that over the next few years I can add a bit more 'seeing people IRL' into the mix. Maybe work with certain companies more regularly.

4. What's your dream day?
 
Gosh. I don't know. A couple of months ago I was walking through Nottingham past Page45 comics and tweeted how I wished I could afford something from there, and then half an hour later of lazing in the sunshine talking about setting up a new scratch night I got a DM inviting me back to the shop, where a benevolent stranger had put some money on account for me to buy 3 books. That day was pretty dreamy. I bought an ice cream and gave it to someone I'd walked past a few times holding a big sign in the sun. Pass it forward, you know?
But I suppose at the moment my 'dream day' is the end of the PhD - I'm going to try and go full freelance then, and move somewhere exciting and full of life, like Leeds. Lots of trepidations involved, but well outweighed by excitement.

5. Favourite ever show and why?
 
FAVOURITE EVER questions are difficult. There's no 'ever', as each show, musician, performer marks and shifts different versions of you. Sarah Kane's writing woke me up to theatre when I was 16. Black Watch took my breath away when I was 22, As If It Were the Last Time by Duncan Speakman opened my mind to performance that lived and breathed the streets 2 years ago. Right now, my favourite show is SlungLow's Mapping the City. Not only my favourite show, but one of my favourite ever experiences. I wax lyrical about how brilliant it was over here if you're interested.

6. Favourite actor/actress and why?
 
I tend not to think about performers as much as I probably should. I think the best disappear in front of you. I regularly fall a little in love in the theatre, though. Recently people like Lucy Ellinson, Chris Goode, Jon Spooner. What characterises them is passion, support when they're working with an audience, and the sense that they're offering you a little bit of their heart.

7. Favourite band/musical artist and why?
 
I'm into screamy, guitar-y stuff. I'm not doing you a favourite, but recent listening includes: La Dispute, Without Fire, Castavet, Deaf Havana, Piano Becomes the Teeth, The Wild, the Front Bottoms, Monument. I buy a lot of music at the moment. I grew up when Napster got big, so I only started paying for my downloads very recently. It was Bandcamp that did it. I have actual relationships with bands that mean something, all or almost all of my money goes to them, and they treat me like an adult, I can stream it all before I buy and then 'pay what you think it's worth' with two clicks. Some music is only worth £6. Some is worth much more than that. I'll often go back and give the band more money when I fall in love with something.

8. Where do you see yourself in 25 years?
 
No idea, and I kind of like that. Although I've given up hope of ever owning a house (I reckon anyone under 30 without rich parents has no chance), but hopefully it will be somewhere high up, with solar panels, a vegetable garden, and an independent water source. Plus I'd like to be still working with awesome people making awesome stuff.

9. Any exciting future projects you'd like to mention?
 
Is this where I'm supposed to plug stuff? I guess I just finished writing for a piece about the apocalypse to be done atop a London night bus next month, and I'm speaking at TEDxYork on the 7th about cities and art in the lead up to a month-long city-wide storytelling experiment starting in October. Oh, and me and Andy Field of Forest Fringe are getting together a 'flash conference' for Edinburgh this year, about performance, fringes, and the state of the world. We're going to be asking some big questions and inviting people to have conversations about them amongst performance, installations, and provocations from some exciting TBA people. YOU SHOULD TOTALLY COME. We're even doing lunch.
If you're interested in any of these things, best thing to do is follow me on Twitter @hannahnicklin, on my blog http://hannahnicklin.com, or on dedicated sites, like http://umbrellaproject.co.uk and http://flashconference.co.uk
 
10. Random one: what's your favorite cheese?
 
ALL OF THE CHEESE. Except feta. Which isn't cheese. It's chalky and malevolent.

11. Do you have Twitter? Do you follow @the_prompt? You should...
 
I do! I'm @hannahnicklin. I'm really fussy about the people that I follow, though, it's distracting enough as it is with only 1000 or so to follow! Quite often I'll list people, and go and check out what they're saying when I have a mo.

 

Wednesday 15 June 2011

Review: Betrayal @ The Comedy Theatre (14/06/2011)

It has been mentioned by esteemed voices in the theatre world that Pinter's plays, rife with long pauses and subtle witticisms, are no longer suitable for a modern audience; especially semi-autobiographical numbers such as Betrayal...

These doubters have been stupendously silenced by this particular production. Director Ian Rickson, who had the honour of directing Pinter himself once in Beckett's Krapp's Last Tape, has managed to not only pull together a star studded cast but has created a masterpiece in bleak, harrowing comedy.

First of all, and perhaps most importantly, Kristin Scott-Thomas is effortlessly brilliant as cheating-wife Emma. The reverse-chronological nature of the text makes hers a challenging role, as her character is required to shift backwards through many different stages of emotional attachment to both her on-stage husband and her clandestine lover (consequently best friends and work-mates). Particularly impressive was her ability to flip completely from repulsion to absolute adoration, terror to comely love in a matter of moments. Fantastic.

The rest of the small cast are also notably effortless. Jerry's drunken scene (Douglas Henshall) is a masterclass in creating tension, and the desperate following line 'have you ever been to the Sahara Desert?' slices the audience into welcome a nervous laugh as the emotional rollercoaster begins to slow. Robert (Ben Miles) creates a pitiful portrait of a broken man as he recounts to Jerry his solo adventure on an island off Venice, and has the audience in raptures with seemingly limitless ability to make light of such a bleak situation, in this seemingly impossible marriage of three lost individuals.

The dynamic and well crafted set is also worth mentioning; so many different scenes, ranging from a cold-water Kilburn flat to a plush Italian hotel, are born before the audiences very eyes and play a huge part in setting a bleak and cold atmosphere within which the play takes place. It's whitewashed and clean, does not distract but creates enough to remind us where each scene is set and allows viewers to attach emotions and judgements to each physical scene.

So far, this is the best show The Prompt has seen in 2011- and for that reason earns 5 well-deserved stars. The purpose of theatre, in this writer's eyes, is to awaken in an audience an understanding of the human condition they were previously unable, or unwilling, to apprehend. This production does just that, and leaves behind a chilling but fulfilling feeling and a sudden but humorous realisation of the incomprehensible and unchangeable flaws in everyday human nature. Excellent.


(***** 5 stars issued by Mr T. Prompt)

Quick Quiz: #14 Felicity Jackson

1. Where are you working at present?


I am working at Surviving Actors HQ! 

2. Describe your occupation and why you love it.

I love my occupation because I work within the creative industry, and get to meet some really interesting people. I run large scale events so the pressure is pretty immense, and every day is completely different! 

3. Who do you most enjoy working with and why?

I most enjoy working with my colleague Lianne - she's always got a smile on her face, and she's great at her job as well - which is a bonus! 

4. What's your dream day?

My dream day is the day after a huge event - logging on to twitter and reading how much everyone has enjoyed it! It's such a buzz! 

5. Favourite ever show and why?

Favourite ever show would have to be Miss Saigon. I watched when I was around 10 years old, and it was the first piece of theatre where I really enjoyed myself, and was fully immersed throughout the whole show. It's what converted me to theatre.

6. Favourite actor/actress and why?

Favourite actress has got to be Helena Bonham Carter - she always produces quality work and I trust films that she is in. 

7. Favourite band/musical artist and why?

At the moment Muse - I saw them at Glastonbury last year and the atmosphere was just unreal! I also have a soft spot for girly pop like The Saturdays... and J Lo is back - whoop whoop!

8. Where do you see yourself in 25 years?

In 25 years I hope to see myself producing Surviving Actors conventions all over the world - I want to take the event global! Oh and married... couple of sprogs?

9. Any exciting future projects you'd like to mention?

Well yes! We have a Surviving Actors coming up in Manchester in just over a month - July 23rd 2011 at Manchester University, Renold Building. You can register here: http://survivingactors.com/register.html

10. Random one: what's your favorite cheese?

Brie
  
11. Do you have Twitter? Do you follow @the_prompt? You should...

Yes I follow you... but do you follow me? @survivingactors

Tuesday 14 June 2011

Quick Quiz: #12 Hannah Anderson

1. Where are you working at present?

I am rehearsing for Pericles on at the Rose Theatre Studio in Kingston during the IYAF & will soon start rehearsals from Snap. Catch. Slam. which we're taking to The Pleasance at Edinburgh this year.
 
2. Describe your occupation and why you love it.


Actress & voice-over artist. No day is ever the same, I am forever challenged and I never wake up not wanting to go to work.
 
3. Who do you most enjoy working with and why?

Anyone who is fun, receptive and not negative.
 
4. What's your dream day?

Working on a Julian Fellowes drama.
 
5. Favourite ever show and why?

The God Weeps. First ever show written by Dennis Kelly (my fav writer) that I managed to see. Incredible performances, brilliant writing, an electric production.
 
6. Favourite actor/actress and why?

Right now I'm really into Ruth Wilson. An intensely brilliant & edgy actress who showcases British talent to the max.
 
7. Favourite band/musical artist and why?

Burlap to Cashmere - an American folk band who have recently reformed with a more punchy vibe than they've ever had before.
 
8. Where do you see yourself in 25 years?

Getting as much enjoyment out of my career as i do now. 
 
9. Any exciting future projects you'd like to mention?
 
I am waiting on a short who I starred in alongside James Northcote, who plays Edgar in Wuthering Heights this summer. A beautiful person to work with.
 
10. Random one: what's your favorite cheese?

Goats cheese. Hands down.
 
11. Do you have Twitter? Do you follow @the_prompt? 
 
Yes to both. Follow me @HhAnderson

Monday 13 June 2011

Quick Quiz: #11 Polar Bear


Where are you working at present?

All over the place. In a good way. I’m a resident artist at BAC where I’m developing a new piece for young people. I’m working on a new epic episodic online animated story with Birmingham mac. I’m working with Akram Khan on his new performance piece. I’m running the spoken word collective at Roundhouse as well as developing a new full length story for a run there in November. I’m leading an educational project with the RSC called Sound & Fury and a bunch more stuff. When you write it down on paper it looks like a lot and it is. I think i should write it down more often, might help me make sense of my time a bit better.

Describe your occupation and why you love it

I think of myself as a writer. Sometimes the things I write are for me to perform myself. Sometimes they are entwined with musicians and producers. Sometimes they are for other people to perform and sometimes they’re to be read. like those book things.
Alongside my writing I spend half my time helping other people work with words. This ranges from leading sessions with young children through to helping adults craft words for their own mouth.
It’s pretty hard not to love it because my time revolves around ideas. Either mine or other people’s, and that’s pretty much a dream situation. It can be hard and tiring and a little disorientating sometimes but I have a lot of ideas so to base my professional life around them is nice.

Who do you most enjoy working with and why?

Talented people. I don’t care whether you’re 4 or 64, if you’ve got ideas and skill I get excited. When two or more people start working on something together it stops being about either of them and becomes completely about the thing they are making. Everything from that point has to serve the work and if everybody involved gets that, and is also talented, it can make for amazing collaboration.
I’ve got a couple of people I work with again and again and the main reason for that comes down to personality and common sensibilities and, most importantly, a lot of skill.

What’s your dream day?

Wake up. Build a train track. Bit of jungle ninja role play. make breakfast. Drop kids to school. Cup of tea. talk ideas. Cup of tea. think. write. make lunch. share ideas. cup of tea. talk ideas. write. arm wrestle. plan dinner. pick up kids. look for mini-beasts. football. make dinner. bath time. kids to bed. cup of tea. talk ideas. write. watch a film. when everybody is asleep get headphones on and have one person hour long silent disco jungle rave.

Favourite ever show and why?

T.V show I’d have to say Northern Exposure closely followed by Twin Peaks. Both the perfect mix of amazing characters, suspense, comedy and an element of the surreal.
On stage my girlfriend to me to see a production of Mark O’ Rowe’s ‘Howie the Rookie’ at the Bush theatre about 10 years ago and it blew me away. The simplicity of the form and the craft of the storytelling. I’d never been to the theatre before other than school trips to naff versions of C.S Lewis tales and I dropped lucky. It was brilliant and had a big influence on me, long before I even thought about writing for myself to speak.


Favourite actor/actress and why?

Marlon Brando. Became a bit of a Brando nerd at uni and he’s still my favourite. in terms of current people. I really like Mark Ruffalo and Meryl Streep. There’s too many. I think I like people who make things seem effortless and yet don’t seem to need you to think that they’re cool. That applies to real life too. The best actor of my generation in my opinion is Riz Ahmed. I haven’t seen him in anything and not thought he was brilliant. I think there’ll only be more from him too.

Favourite band/musical artist and why?

Come on mate. You kidding? my fingers are tired now. A Tribe Called Quest. Nick Drake. Bjork. Ella Fitzgerald. Jono McLeery. LTJ Bukem etc etc etc

Where do you see yourself in 25 years?

Sitting on a train typing answers to interview questions. I’m seeing some kind of moustache though. Seriously, I don’t think about stuff like that so i have no idea. I’d like to think that my life is still about ideas and that my children’s lives are about whatever floats their boats too.

Any exciting future projects you’d like to mention?

Loads but not a lot that i can really without wanting to jinx things or give crappy two line blurb summations of. Excited about the Roundhouse run in November. Excited about the young people’s piece at BAC and finally getting some musical tracks finished and out into the world.

What’s your favourite cheese?

I can’t handle the hardcore ones. the ones that smell like horses. Too much for me them. I’ll rock a little brie and grapes on some nice bread, or maybes a applewood smoked on my rarebit if it’s that kind of night. have been known to pull out the buffalo mozarella when I’ve had to. For the ladies like, but that’s strictly a smoking jacket type affair scenario.
Laughing cow is also nice.

Do you have twitter?

www.twitter.com/homeofpolar and I do follow theprompt. It seemed like the right thing to do

Review: 1888 @ The Union Theatre

What is immediately striking about the tucked-away Union Theatre is the intimate and charming nature of the space itself; obscure and angular inside the auditorium, warm and welcoming around the bar area. Indeed, this antique and shadowy setting beneath a railway bridge proved a worthy backdrop for the dark and dingy tale of '1888'- a piece of musical theatre based upon the fascinating tale of a one 'Saucy Jacky', also known as Jack the Ripper...

London's West-End is dominated by musical theatre today; rife with uplifting harmonies, fist-clenching solos and enough special effects to keep even George Lucas happy. However it is rare in extremes that a musical is stripped back and performed in such proximity to an audience in such a way as 1888. This proves for an altogether different viewing experience. True; the obvious cliches of musical-theatre performance are much more noticeable from such a short distance (cue bulging eyes, wild gesticulation et al.), however it is somewhat special to witness the incredible choreography required for these types of performance up close.

And 1888 is extremely well choreographed, especially taking note of the small and irregular space gifted to the performers. Full cast dance routines are co-ordinated and tight- performed with oodles of energy and presicion unabounded. The songs are somewhat hit and miss, with one particularly weird and un-settling number detailing the death of a hooker marking the low point of the show, however Jack the Ripper fans will certainly appreciate the clever re-working of some of those famed letters into catchy musical numbers.

Performance wise, leading lady and young-star Gemma Salter shines brightest as scullery-maid Rosie Walker; she is certainly one to watch in future with her brilliant voice and obvious talents as an actress as well as a singer. Particularly impressive was the 'picnic' scene with romantic interest Stephen Lloyd (Detective Beck), where her reactions to John's well delivered 'post office' speech were both believable and telling of the obvious chemistry between the two protagonists.

All in all, this is a fun evening out and a captivating tale of a bygone London that is suitable for the whole family (well okay, maybe not the sub-13's). The Prompt would advise any fans of musical theatre to pop by and take a look.

(*** 3 stars issued by Mr. T. Prompt)

Quick Quiz: #10 @youngvicteabitch


1. Where are you working at present?

Young Vic Theatre

2. Describe your occupation and why you love it.

My occupation has no boundaries and I don’t really know what it is, I guess that is why I love it! In no particular order I have been a press assistant, a project researcher, an usher, a producer, a balloon modeler, a box office duty manager, a finance officer and for one brief spell a cleaner... however most recently a tweeter!

3. Who do you most enjoy working with and why?
 I most enjoy working with everyone until they say something stupid or give me a job I don’t want to do,at which point I moan about it until finally I forgive them until the next time…

4. What's your dream day?

Drinking at least 3 litres of tea a day preferably with biscuits, getting some new followers for YVteabitch, taking an overlong lunch break, doing as little work as possible.

5. Favourite ever show and why?

Jeeez that is a toughy! I thought Pillowman at the NT was incredible as was the production of No Man’s Land a few years back. At the Young Vic Tobias and the Angel was brilliant due to it’s sheer scale and warmth, I also really loved Joe Turner’s Come and Gone and more recently I Am the Wind (but that was a real marmite production for a lot of people) it was beautiful poetic and moving.

6. Favourite actor/actress and why?

Big fan of Mark Rylance he was stupendous in Jerusalem (but then everyone knows that) Tom Brooke in I Am the Wind was fantastic and he was also amazing playing Oswald in a workshop production of Ghosts we did here a couple of years ago. Oh and I just remembered Nancy Carroll in After the Dance – sensational, nuanced and powerful.

7. Favourite band/musical artist and why?

Duke Special they are one of those bands you can listen too in any mood, they also did the music for Mother Courage at the National last year but I didn’t see that so I have no idea if it was effective or not.

8. Where do you see yourself in 25 years?     

Oh god hopefully rich and fat moving from one of my many apartments to another eating the finest food the world has to offer and watching great things in great theatres. Hold on that was where I want to be in 25 years not where I see myself… I see myself poor and grumpy eating McDonalds and feeling sorry for myself, probably wishing I’d worked harder 25 years earlier.

9. Any exciting future projects you'd like to mention?

Really looking forward to seeing some Pinter at the Young Vic later this year, I don’t remember us ever having had one before so a double bill is a winner!

10. Random one: what's your favorite cheese?

Stichelton – so good; a mix of stilton and something else- go and get some from Neals Yard Dairy and grab a St John bakery eccles cake to go with it – heaven!

Friday 10 June 2011

Quick Quiz #9: Amy Clarke



Where are you working at present?

I currently work in the marketing department at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon

Describe your occupation and why you love it

My job title is Marketing Officer (Corporate) which means that I work as part of the team marketing the RSC’s “other” activities, rather than productions. My main responsibilities are marketing the RSC Membership scheme and my role has also grown to encompass digital  marketing (one of my favourite things!). Over the past three years I’ve focussed on building the RSC’s presence on social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter, I manage the company’s email marketing and am always on the lookout for new and exciting digital opportunities. I enjoy the variety in the work I do and working with a creative and talented marketing team.

Who do you most enjoy working with and why?

I’ve enjoyed meeting up with other digital marketers and enthusiasts in the arts sector to share ideas, case studies, challenges and horror stories. When I started out in marketing 7 years ago digital was just moving to the forefront, and now it’s such a major part of people’s lives and jobs. I enjoy sharing learning and experiences and I love the collaborative nature in the arts. 
 
What's your dream day?

A sunny, not too hot not too cold day, on a coastal path in Devon or Cornwall, with my boyfriend, ice cream cones, breathtaking views, and then eating some freshly caught fish in a local pub for dinner.

Favourite ever show and why?

Steppenwolf Theatre’s August: Osage County a few years ago at The National. It was an epic, engrossing production but was the perfect was to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon.

Favourite actor/actress and why?

Meryl Streep has never let me down


Favourite band/musical artist and why?
 
At the moment I’m listening to a lot of Jamie Cullum, and the soundtrack to (500) Days of Summer


Where do you see yourself in 25 years?

Living somewhere rural, running my own digital consultancy business, with a family and lots to look forward too


Any exciting future projects you'd like to mention?

At the moment the two projects I’m working on is implementing an all new email marketing system (I’m a geek and this is exciting to me) and I’m about to start doing some research and profiling of our social media audiences (and hopefully sharing this info and possibly the model with other arts marketers). The great thing about working for the RSC is that’s there always something exciting waiting around the corner.

Random one: what's your favorite cheese?

Can I say cheesecake?

Do you have Twitter? Do you follow @the_prompt? You should...

Yes, I do and I do. I’m @amyclarke_uk on Twitter and also tweet as @theRSC