Second Week of Rehearsals

The week starts off badly because, unfortunately, Michelle has had to go back to London due to a family crisis and is therefore unable to be at rehearsal on the Monday.

The rest of the company have a discussion about acting, which John McArdle describes as ‘refreshing’. The emphasis is on acting ‘in the moment’ which is all about being so secure with the lines and the character that the actor responds to each line fed to him as though he’d just heard it for the first time.

Some of the actors are feeling anxious at the sight of a new script I’ve produced over the weekend, because they've already started learning the lines. About eight pages have been shaved off the previous draft in the pursuit of ‘leanness’.

I’m asked to read in for Michelle on the first day as the script is intensely scutinised once more, with the actors invited to comment on the changes. David talks about the collaborative process and his role as inspirational leader.



The fight-director, Terry King, (King of Combat according to the actors) comes to advise on a slap and a minor scuffle that feature in the play.









In the 'Circle of Trust’ on Tuesday there’s a rapid learning of lines, where the rule is if you make a mistake, you go back to the beginning!

A chunk of Wednesday morning is spent planning the filming at the Heritage Centre, which we need to produce footage that can be cut in with achive footage for the show. We gain an insight into David the TV/film director.

In the absence of the students who will play the camera crew in the play itself, David assumes the role of extremely irritating PA and succeeds in upstaging everybody.

I go off at lunchtime to have a rash checked out at the medical centre and am diagnosed with shingles. I pack up in a panic and head off home, upset and angry. It feels like I’ve been dealt a cruel blow and that my involvement with the show has been abruptly curtailed.

Week One of Rehearsals

Memorable moments include . . .

David Thackers’ pep talk on the first morning about everyone aiming to achieve his/her PB (Personal Best)

A Meet and Greet session where we are all introduced around the circle and I discover later that I have my cardigan on inside out.

Michelle Collins handing round the jelly babies.

Thrills up my spine as the actors read the first scene – it works!

Lots of laughter in the rehearsal room at the first read-through.

A few weary tears shed at the end of day two when it becomes obvious that the play is too long.

Chatting with Kenneth Alan Taylor (who is in The Price) in the foyer about his time as a panto dame in Oldham.

Football banter around the table first thing in the mornings.

Colin Connor’s almost perfect Fred Dibnah voice.

The ASM’s dad showing Huw Higginson how to do magic tricks.

Working long days and having production and script meetings at lunch-times and after the actors have gone home.

The three actors playing ‘Dad’s Army (Fred’s mates) christening themselves, ‘The Three MustGetBeers’ and other members of the cast at various times calling them ‘the three witches’, ‘the three stooges’, ‘the tin man, the lion and the scarecrow’ .

Health bars I’d made for the cast (Rabbit Bars according to Huw) somehow ending up on the set!

David prepares me for mixed reaction to the play and quotes William Blake -
‘The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way’.

Having loads of rewrites to do over the weekend - pruning an already pruned play.

A new Fred, film-footage and fear

After a great deal of searching, we find a new Fred. Thank goodness!
Colin Connor is eager to research his role thoroughly so I spend some of this week helping him to get up to speed.

I also spend a morning with film-maker, Nick Wilding, going through his thousands of hours of Fred footage to find additional clips of film for the show.

The fifth draft of the script (fifth draft since the workshop that is - can it be a whole year ago?), is printed, bound and sent out to the actors.

This morning I meet with David Thacker and Joe Stathers-Tracey, who is in charge of projection. The meeting about film-footage is a difficult one but ends well in that David proposes an 'arty' take on the film content. The prospect of the footage fusing with the play, rather than being rolled out as documentary gluing the scenes together, becomes an exciting prospect.

Tonight I attend the Press/Guest Night of The Price at the Octagon and, as well as enjoying the superb production, am left wondering how the hell my play can follow the genius that is Arthur Miller.

Reality kicks in and I know that over the weekend I have to prepare properly for rehearsals which begin on Monday. Healthy food has to be bought, clothes have to be got ready, fear has to be allayed.