It's horrible innit, eh?
Had my first revision wobbles last night and today. Because of changes in my course structure I am having to prepare an extra topic for the exam, a process which is engaging but also frequently frustrating. I had the strangest dream the night before last night, set on some sort of weird school trip to a a lassive adventure park and restaurant that existed on a massive cliff above the sea. For much of this dream I was under the impression that I was a kind of wolf-like creature who could not communicate with others - symbolic interpretations would be greatly welcomed!
I was cheered by the fact it was April Fools Day yesterday, which as ever took me by surprise. The whole morning was essentially devoted to this, because anything to get away from the work. As it happens, I am neither going to Svalbard, nor have contracted Chickenpox, nor am failing my degree (yet).
James among others have remarked to me over the last couple of days that my blog had become great diary-like, which is certainly true, I think because I enjoy the therapeutic element. Hopefully in the future I'll write some more in-depth MT or History posts, but in the meantime it's nice having this as a way of letting off steam and of reflecting on the day. It has also become apparent that more people have read this blog than I thought, yet shockingly refuse to like my Facebook posts about it. I may experiment with readership by putting a shout out 'Fuck You X' to specific readers and seeing if they respond, for instance 'fuck you Ben Cisneros'.
I went around to my grandparents yesterday to watch the film of London Road. My grandma's ill at the moment - she has the big C - but she's coping well. It seems especially to have affected her taste, which means she's now developing a diet of BBQ Sauce, Haddock, and everything strong-tasting under the sun. She is brilliantly cheerful, despite this.
London Road is a verbatim musical that I was lucky enough to perform in in Cambridge this February. It takes the words of residents of Ipswich during the Steve Wright serial killings and sets them - in their exact rhythms and pitches - to music. The result is an extraordinary experiment in Musical Theatre, and is deeply poignant at times. The movie is exceptionally well shot, with some fantastically accurate performances - for London Road what you need most of all is a cast of mimics! Some of the music changes in the film throw you a little if you know the stage show, but in lots of ways I found the two to be complementary, because there are lots of small details you can fit into a film that naturally can't find their place in the stage show as easily - the tape crossing over the street, the franticness of the courtroom, and so on.
Our Cambridge production, directed by Ellie, had all of the living rooms on two-tiers as a kind of block of six. I played five characters, each with their own voices and styles, from 'news reporter' and 'husband in his 60s' to 'enthusiastic photographer' and 'later-turned-out-to-be-a-sex-offender'. My turn as a tracksuity chav type will remain for many years the least convincing character portrayal ever to grace the ADC stage. Everyone in the cast had to do this kind of multi-rolling, and there really is little more fun to do as a actor.
The London Road cast was certainly one of my favourite casts to have been with in Cambridge. Much of my time was spent with the fabulously-talented Tabitha, who hasn't done many ADC shows because she's too good at violin but who has a stunning voice and is far too good an actress to be in the pit. Amongst those I'd never performed with were Laura, whose acting chops (and comic timing) are really exceptional, and Ruby, who has a brilliantly subtle and thoughtful performing style. Then lots of classic fellow performers, Megan, Harry C, the aforementioned and actually rather good cis white male, the freshers Molly-May and Ruari, and in a relatively rare CUMTS foray the Footlighters Rosanna and Orlando, both of whom were a particular joy to perform alongside again and who constantly filled the rehearsal room with laughter. It was my first time working with Ellie, who doesn't need me to tell her she's brilliant at directing and many other things besides; Liv was our somewhat inexplicable (but good!) assistant director, and then we had Prodigy No. 2. Geraint and King Prodigy Joe B, who can turn any sound into gold and who possesses the voice of a God. It's fascinating how writing about these things allows you to kind of re-engage with the dynamic of a show, and of a social dynamic that disappears somewhat after that show is down. A fab company.
Two things were particularly good about this production. The first was that because we were rehearsing up at Newnham for much of the first week I got to eat at the Granta pub loads, and the lady behind the bar gave me vouchers for it without explanation which was even better. The second was that Adam Cork, the composer of London Road, actually came to talk to us about the show, watched ours and spoke to us afterwards. He was sat up on the second tier of the deck and gave us this really warming five-minute speech. He told us that it was one of the best productions he'd seen, which was hugely special - certain moments he said were *the* best he's ever heard or seen, like Good Moan or the harmonies in Everyone Smile. I remember thinking at the time that the moment would stick with me. Someone got a picture of it, too!
Anyway, lots of exciting MT stuff has been happening today, but I think I'll save that for the next post. I've become less-than-daily at the moment, and it's likely to stay that way as revision resumes, but we shall see.
RJLF
I was cheered by the fact it was April Fools Day yesterday, which as ever took me by surprise. The whole morning was essentially devoted to this, because anything to get away from the work. As it happens, I am neither going to Svalbard, nor have contracted Chickenpox, nor am failing my degree (yet).
 |
| Look at his smug, conservative-voting face. WHY ARE YOU LEAVING THE COUNTRY YOU TRAITOR?? WHY ARE YOU LEAVING MEEEEE |
I went around to my grandparents yesterday to watch the film of London Road. My grandma's ill at the moment - she has the big C - but she's coping well. It seems especially to have affected her taste, which means she's now developing a diet of BBQ Sauce, Haddock, and everything strong-tasting under the sun. She is brilliantly cheerful, despite this.
London Road is a verbatim musical that I was lucky enough to perform in in Cambridge this February. It takes the words of residents of Ipswich during the Steve Wright serial killings and sets them - in their exact rhythms and pitches - to music. The result is an extraordinary experiment in Musical Theatre, and is deeply poignant at times. The movie is exceptionally well shot, with some fantastically accurate performances - for London Road what you need most of all is a cast of mimics! Some of the music changes in the film throw you a little if you know the stage show, but in lots of ways I found the two to be complementary, because there are lots of small details you can fit into a film that naturally can't find their place in the stage show as easily - the tape crossing over the street, the franticness of the courtroom, and so on.
Our Cambridge production, directed by Ellie, had all of the living rooms on two-tiers as a kind of block of six. I played five characters, each with their own voices and styles, from 'news reporter' and 'husband in his 60s' to 'enthusiastic photographer' and 'later-turned-out-to-be-a-sex-offender'. My turn as a tracksuity chav type will remain for many years the least convincing character portrayal ever to grace the ADC stage. Everyone in the cast had to do this kind of multi-rolling, and there really is little more fun to do as a actor.
The London Road cast was certainly one of my favourite casts to have been with in Cambridge. Much of my time was spent with the fabulously-talented Tabitha, who hasn't done many ADC shows because she's too good at violin but who has a stunning voice and is far too good an actress to be in the pit. Amongst those I'd never performed with were Laura, whose acting chops (and comic timing) are really exceptional, and Ruby, who has a brilliantly subtle and thoughtful performing style. Then lots of classic fellow performers, Megan, Harry C, the aforementioned and actually rather good cis white male, the freshers Molly-May and Ruari, and in a relatively rare CUMTS foray the Footlighters Rosanna and Orlando, both of whom were a particular joy to perform alongside again and who constantly filled the rehearsal room with laughter. It was my first time working with Ellie, who doesn't need me to tell her she's brilliant at directing and many other things besides; Liv was our somewhat inexplicable (but good!) assistant director, and then we had Prodigy No. 2. Geraint and King Prodigy Joe B, who can turn any sound into gold and who possesses the voice of a God. It's fascinating how writing about these things allows you to kind of re-engage with the dynamic of a show, and of a social dynamic that disappears somewhat after that show is down. A fab company.
Two things were particularly good about this production. The first was that because we were rehearsing up at Newnham for much of the first week I got to eat at the Granta pub loads, and the lady behind the bar gave me vouchers for it without explanation which was even better. The second was that Adam Cork, the composer of London Road, actually came to talk to us about the show, watched ours and spoke to us afterwards. He was sat up on the second tier of the deck and gave us this really warming five-minute speech. He told us that it was one of the best productions he'd seen, which was hugely special - certain moments he said were *the* best he's ever heard or seen, like Good Moan or the harmonies in Everyone Smile. I remember thinking at the time that the moment would stick with me. Someone got a picture of it, too!
 |
| Adam Cork talking to the cast |
RJLF
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