Tuesday 26th January 2010

This morning was the same old usual rush get the little one off to school, then off to ChickenShed. Today is the first day back at ChickenShed from having a few days break after the Christmas shows finished. Today is the introduction of the new show “Midsummer’s nights dream”.

All of ChickenSheds students will be taking part in this production, that’s two BTEC classes of approximately thirty students and three foundation degree student years of approximately fifteen students per year. Also including some staff and one of the theatres older performing groups called Lunar. This is a massive cast with roughly two months to rehears until the first show. As iv been a part of Chickenshed for seven years, starting at the age of sixteen and have performed in many of their shows, I know how ChickenShed put big cast productions together. What normally happens is we get split into our character groups, once we are in these we are given a timetable witch we then follow. In our set times we will be taught and directed only the parts of the show our group is performing in. When it comes to technical’s, (normally a few days before the first performance) only is it then we see what the other groups have been rehearsing and that the show all finally comes together.

This morning all students were together in the Rayne. Here we were spoken to by the director and Founder of ChickenShed Mary Ward. In this talk we were reminded of how we must respect one another listening and including all in what we do. Mary read to us some memoirs she had written from a previous production of “a midsummer’s nights dream”. Talking of her feelings throughout the production process and on her notes directing the play. We ended the day by watching a version of the play on DVD, this was important that we new the play before going into our segregated groups as It will not be until technical’s that we see what our piers have been working on.

Key points I learnt from today:

* To keep notes on the play, not only will it help me keep a focused mind on the production but also that one day these notes might be a good source of reference to myself.

* The importance that everyone must understand the play they are performing in, for so many reasons such as enjoying the experience and having the right feel for their characters.