Theatre for The New Year

The Rolling Stone @ Orange Tree Theatre

January 14th – Feb 20th

Now if you are looking for something that will have you by the guts look no further

Written by Chris Urch, The Rolling Stone is about Dembe and Sam who have been seeing each other for a while, they should be wondering where this is going and when to introduce each other to their parents. But this is Uganda and they are gay.the consequences of their relationship being discovered wiil be explosive, especially for Dembe whose brother goes into the pulpit every week to condemn the evils of one man sleeping with another.

This play won the Bruntwood prize for playwriting 2013

Ticker Prices £10-£25

http://www.orangetreetheatre.co.uk/whats-on/the-rolling-stone/about

Swan Bake presented by Second Sons Theatre company

6th-7th May 2016 @ 7.30pm, Saturday Matinee 1.30pm.

Now if you are looking for some fun theatre that takes your imagination by the horns, why not check out what is bound to be a top show, if the blurb doesn’t get you excited maybe you should check for a pulse!

Written and directed by ‘Soho young theatre writer Samson Hawkins and début production of Second Sons theatre. It is a bold original comedy that splices stand up, puppetry, shouty sons and dancey bits to tell a unique story.The story follows Bell after being fired from the Royal Ballet for being addicted to the fictional drug nonce. She tries to drag herself from the gutter which proves hard when you are hallucinating unicorns, at she has the help of her nun girlfriend Maria who doesn’t fit in at the convent.When a hot shot young preacher turns up who hosts ‘Christ time’ and asks for a favour, the girls lives are thrown into chaos.

Book tickets for this hilarious show

https://suttontheatres.co.uk/events/swan=bake/

Tickets £5-£10

Forget Me Not @ Bush Theatre

Runs until Januray 16th

So if you want a good heart warming, tear jerking story this new year, look no further than Forget me not at The Bush theatre.

Written by  Tom Holloway and directed by Steven Atkinson. The story tells us of the Gerry in Australia who hopes to meet his mother for the first time, despite being sixty he has spent his whole life thinking he is a orphan.

In Liverpool Mary brews a strong hot cup of tea, nothing posh but she is as nervous as a pig at a Butchers.

Determined to uncover his past, Gerry and his daughter Sally embark on a extraordinary journey home- halfway across the world- in a precarious bid to bring their family together.

Tickets £15-£20

What’s On

Also check out Pink Mist coming up through Bush Theatre. Sets to be another must see theatre show.

The Mother @ Tricycle Theatre

Jan 21st to March 5th

Fom critical acclaim with The Father (Mollere Best play 2014) Award winning playwright Florian Zeller now brings The Mother.

Gina Mcgee leads a cast in a play that will leave you questioning the very nature of reality. Anna the mother in the play longs for the days of when her sons were younger, has her favoured son returned ? and what about her  husbands suspicious actions.

I’m sure this will be a great production so book your tickets now

http://www.tricycle.co.uk/current-programme-pages/theatre/theatre-programme-main/the-mother/#datesAndTimes

Bit pricey this play at £16-£30, but the cast and the playwright are great so if you can splash out it will be worth it! Maybe give up alcohol for a few weeks then I’m sure your be able to grab a ticket for this!

 

 

 

 

 

Headshots

So it’s nearly the end of the year, it is time for that New Year, New Me stuff, time for reinvention or maybe just a snazzy new headshot. Here I have two great headshot photographers, maybe a new headshot can snag you that much needed attention for that much needed next job.

Greg Veit Photography

Greg has worked as a professional photographer since 2009 and has done headshots for five years. He has also worked as a stage photographer and his clients include Italia Conti, the National Theatre and the York Shakespeare Festival. He is  based in Wimbledon.

January offer
1 hour headshot session,
1 retouched headshot,
Up to 4 outfits.
A choice of looks available.

Only £50 (normally £90)
Additional retouched photos £12 (normally £25).

Wimbledon, London
07768 173 503
http://www.gregveit.com

Twitter: @Veit_Photo

A P Wilding Photography

NEXT PROMO DATES: JAN Fri 8th Wed 13th Thurs 14th Sat 16th Fri 22nd

Studio Location: Hackney Wick, London E9 5LW, No payment up front. Only pay once you’ve seen and love the shots!

£150 includes 2 images – extra images from £25. 

Retouching/Hi Res/B+W versions included

Shoot length: 30-40 mins.

Assistance with styling/hair/make up

Relaxed, fun session with ex-actor turned photographer Alexa. Even nervous people come out on a high!

Contact: apwildingphotography@gmail.com

Website: http://www.apwildingphotography.com/performers-headshots

Events!!!!

Scratch Night

Every 6 weeks we put on regular scratch nights where 6 short 15 min plays are put on but for new diverse writing, actors, directors etc… to get involved and finally create work. So every 6 weeks we would change the plays/ writers at the scratch night along with the actors and crew to get a good turnover of diverse professionals in the industry. Every scratch night will have a theme such as disability, race, sexuality, etc.. this is giving a plethora of experience, diverse story telling and that opportunity for a professional credit with a chance to showcase ourselves. Also this is building the platform for the festival.

The first scratch night for Actor Awareness took place at The Canal Cafe. A big thank you to Adam Morley yet again for his help. Many people made this night possible.

Check out more photos a review at theblogoftheatrethings.com/2015/12/21/review-actor-awareness-scratch-night/

The night was so positive, Actor Awareness has been asked to come back in February to do another scratch night, would you like to be involved? I’m looking for 6 new 15 minute shows to put on in February at the Canal Theatre. There has been a huge out cry of various gender issues within our industry so I thought this theme would be perfect. So the next theme is “Women’s Night” the only 3 rules are…

1. Just women writers and directors can take part
2. Do not exceed 15 minutes
3. Submissions have to be in by the 24th of January

Interpretation of the theme is down to you, all you have to do is email your new bit of writing by the 24th to tomstocks0805@gmail.com how does that sound?

Writers Night– January 22nd

Venue- Theatre Deli @7pm-10pm

This evening is where people can come and share stories, stage or film. The way we run this workshop is by letting each person discuss or read some of their play or script for feedback. There will be some actors to help with the read outs. Host tbc.

With the writers night we want to help people develop stories (any genre) to generate new ideas and hopefully even progress stuff through to the scratch nights.

Pls email tanheartssteph@gmail.com for confirmation of a place

Shoot From The Hip

Ever been interested in improv, want to see unplanned hilarious action up on stage. Every Monday and Tuesday Shoot From The Hip improvisation team provide shows (FREE ENTRY) that are imaginative witty and inspiring.

Mondays- The Camden Head in Islington, 8-10pm

Tuesdays- The top secret comedy club, Drury lane 8-10pm

You can also catch them at MonolougeSlam bi-monthly at Theatre Royal Stratford East.

They have been described as: ”brillantly funny comedy” Spotlight & ”well worth a shot (pun inteded)” Timeout

Improvisation as an actor is exciting as it creates new ideas and thoughts that aren’t planned, you are always reacting to the other person and having to be present in the scene. For any artist improv is very exciting and can help you nurture your imagination and become more confident.

Shoot From The Hip do 8 week workshops and they start this January, they are reasonably priced.

I have had the pleasure of seeing them and I was in stitches, some of the best improv around!

http://www.shootfromthehipcomedy.co.uk

Email: shootfromthehipcomedy@gmail.com

Call: 07805680323

 

Two Idiots And A Camera

 

Two Idiots and a camera are a professional film and editing duo offering HD showreels for affordable prices. Having both trained at East 15 on their 3 year BA acting course, Ryan and Sean fully understand what casting directors and agents want from your reel.

Personally tailored scenes, a video chat consultation and the supplement of actors all help to make your showreel experience the best it can possibly be

1 Scene £90

2 Scenes £150

3 Scenes £200

Get in touch and book your showreel session

 

Twitter: 2IdiotsAndACam

info@twoidiotsandacamera.co.uk

 

The Bashford Twins

When did you guys decide filmmaking was the path you wanted to take?
We’ve always been interested in creating our own stories since we were about 8 years old. Growing up with books like Goosebumps and Paul Jennings kind of inspired us to write our own crazy and imaginative stories at a young age. Our parents bought a handycam when we were 14 and we started filming our own mini movies. From there we studied Media at Blackburn College and fell in love with directing when we did a World War Two documentary.

What attracts you to directing?
Putting your ideas on to the big screen, and to make the audience feel connected with the story from start to end. That’s always been a dream of ours. People say to us they can’t be directors because they’d be scared to manage a whole team, but that to us is one of the best parts. Being in control of your film creatively and visually whether it’s in the make-up department or with the sound designer puts a stamp on how the end product will be. Whether it’s successful or not, you have to be willing to say ‘I made that decision’ and stick by it. We’re a huge fan of music/sound design because that’s such a powerful tool to use in a film. We listen to soundtracks constantly whilst writing, on set and in editing process so small things like that make us excited to be a director.

So you’re twins, what is the best and worst of working together?
The best part is always knowing someone will be there to support your ideas and be honest all the time. When we write scripts it’s good to bounce ideas and having the same taste in films is always a plus. We wouldn’t say there’s anything bad about working together, we have the same goal and will work our hardest to achieve that.

As writers, what advice do you give other people putting pen to paper?
If you want to write a screenplay, make sure you’re passionate about it. Because if you are that’s already a huge step to completing the script. Another big thing is to just write, it’s like going to the gym sometimes you have doubts about going but when you’re there you keep going. Once you write you’ll have maybe 20 pages in the day. Some may be good and some not but that’s ok because you can tweak it along the way. And lastly be patient because it takes a long time to get a screenplay ready.

You have been working out of pinewood studios for some years winning prizes for your short films. Then and Now your most recent short starring Julian Glover is doing extremely well. What interested you to make this film ?
We’ve been working with Matt Hookings at Camelot Films for around a year before he told us the idea. We were interested in the challenge to make a film that has just one actor watching the TV and how to engage the audience emotionally with George. We all collaborated on the script and a year later we made the film. It was an amazing experience to work with everyone in the crew, and especially Julian Glover who was a joy to work with.

So Then and Now is in line for possible BAFTA and Oscar glory, as two guys from Blackburn this is amazing! What is your advice to other, writers and directors?
Thanks! We’re extremely happy and grateful for the opportunity to show our work, and hopefully it’ll continue. Our advice would be to never have an ego and always be willing to learn. We’ve seen people who have just started and they have this attitude like they’re better than everyone else. Never be that person and appreciate everyone on set. One thing that we did was learn a small part in each of the production, the lighting, sound, camera, production design and post production. When you see how much work you have to put into each job you’ll appreciate the people doing it and you’ll learn from them too. And aim high! We’ve always had a goal to be the first twins to win an Oscar and BAFTA for Best Director and hopefully one day we’ll achieve that.

In a competitive industry how do you keep motivated?
As we said previously, having that ultimate goal is our motivation every day. But also surround yourself with positive people that you trust. There’s a lot of fake people in the industry and having a close set of friends that are in the industry will help you stay motivated. We’ve worked with Matt for over two years at Camelot films, and another two girls Irene and Liana have worked with us for several months. Always focus on your target and work the hardest.

You have a feature in the pipeline, can you spill any gossip?
It’s called Prizefighter, a true story during the 19th Century. We hope to have some exciting news early in the new year but for now our lips are sealed!

You are part of Camelot Films, as a production company, what struggles do you find getting work made?
It depends on the project. We’ve recently produced music videos and commercials and the hardest part is finding the work. We’ve been lucky enough to have companies or artists come to us as they’ve seen our past work. Sometimes the budgets can be a lot smaller though so it’s a challenge to produce a high quality video without going over budget. But if it’s a short film you’re making, the hardest part is finding the money. We have a lot of connections in the industry that are willing to do the job for much cheaper or even free. But people need to live so you have to fund the film yourself or start a crowd funding campaign. It’s a month of hell but it’ll be worth it when you see the finished film.

How do you think the British film industry stands at the moment? 
In terms of the business it’s going amazing with Pinewood Studios expanding, Star Wars are here for a few years and a lot of the blockbuster films are being shot in the UK. But I think being an independent film maker can be quite tough. As in anything you have to know the right people and it’s a small circle. At the moment it seems the American’s are more warming to new English talent and it’s a shame the British funding bodies give very little opportunity at the moment. Hopefully it will change and for the better as there’s a lot of talent in the UK.

What advice do you give to filmmakers on a budget?
Get as many favours as you can! Get as much stuff for free! But most importantly feed your crew. You’ll be surprised at how many people are willing to help if the script is good. But people don’t mind giving their all to a project for nothing, as long as they have some good food. Be realistic as well with the amount of actors, locations and days to shoot. For ‘Then & Now’ we had one location and shot over two days. For another film ‘3 Million Dollar Milkshake’ we also had one location. So you can be as creative as you like but don’t expect to shoot in studios or in outer space for cheap!

Alexander Technique

Alexander Technique

Frederick Mattias Alexander is the pioneer of the Alexander technique which is taught throughout drama schools and conservatoires and is deemed essential to any actor who wants to work within theatre, especially Shakespearean actors. Frederick lost his voice and through self observation and self correction he found re-aligning his body, correcting habitual bad habits and habitual bad posturing, his voice returned. This is probably a rather simple explanation but what Frederick found was that the voice could be improved through correcting breathing problems that had been developed over the years. Alexander technique requires a journey of self discovery, it is a skill that will help you develop as a actor, singer or just in life, getting rid of tension and stresses of daily life.

Stanislavski understood that excessive tension interferes with creating the spiritual life of the character in performance, the Alexander technique deals with this directly. Often people are inhibited or impeding their progress in developing as an actor and the technique allows you to become aware of your tensions, allowing the you to develop new ways of performing.

The Alexander technique improves posture and movement, which is believed to help reduce and prevent problems caused by unhelpful habits. During a number of lessons you’re taught to become more aware of your body, how to improve poor posture and move more efficiently. The Alexander technique is used and taught by classically trained vocal coaches and musicians. Its advocates claim that it allows for the free alignment of all aspects of the vocal tract by consciously increasing air-flow, allowing improved vocal technique and tone. Alexander realized that people who had been using their bodies wrongly for a long time could not trust their feelings (sensory appreciation) in carrying out any activity.

If you have had no training and want to improve the quality and efficiency of your voice, finding cheap and good classes to help you improve your voice could give you the confidence to go for that role, whether it’s a Shakespeare play or a theatre role that interests you.

CITY LIT are based in Covent garden and they have plenty of reasonable courses. They provide 3 Alexander technique class options for around £100-150. The Academy is well respected and you will get your value for money in quality.

http://www.citylit.ac.uk

GO SEE

Tis the season to be Jolly, So it is time to get out and see some theatre. Be inspired, go see something that will make you laugh or cry. Here I have included some shows that be can seen on the cheap this coming Xmas season.

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Lyric 

Cinderella-  21 November 2015 – 03 January 2016.

Christmas equals PANTO, and at the lyric they have a treat so grab your glittery Converse and put the pumpkin into top gear, as Cinderella heads to the biggest party of the season to meet a very charming Prince. The show will be full of colourful characters, live music, lots of laughs and, of course, two very ugly sisters. TO BOOK- http://www.lyric.co.uk/whats-on/production/cinderella

 

Hampstead theatre

Pine- Thursday 10th December- Saturday 16th January.

Gabby has a first class honours degree and an MA but somehow is stuck – for the third year running – counting Norwegian Spruce. Betty wishes she was ice skating with her mates at Somerset House rather than ‘gaining work experience’. Joe is nursing a broken hand, and heart, by lugging trees. Taj can’t decide whether he’s in love with Gabby or Betty. And they’re all being driven out of their minds by Michael Bublé’s Feliz Navidad on repeat. Jacqui Honess-Martin’s delightful festive comedy explores the value of learning on the job, the rose-tinted expectations of recent graduates, and the inability to see the wood for the trees.

Tickets £5-£12. http://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/2015/pine/

Monologue Slam The Winners Edition

Monologue Slam is a exciting platform for actors and performers from all backgrounds, they undertake a gruelling series of auditions, including a youth round for 11-16 year olds, before 20 of them are chosen to perform in front of an audience and attempt to impress a panel of professionals.  The final MonologueSlam of 2015 is the special Winner’s Edition, with winners from all over the UK battling it out to be the MonologueSlam UK 2015 Champion! The event is December 14th Theatre Royal Stratford East, 7.30pm, £12.50. So be there or be square. It will be a fantastic night full of fantastic talent, maybe your get inspired to audition!

Book tickets: monologueukslam.com/event/london-monologueslam-

Other shows to go see

Southwark Playhouse- ‘Your last breath’ try book the preview days as then it’s £12,  4-30 December. A normal love story, spanning 160 years.Your Last Breath unravels the incredible true story of an extreme skier who was suspended between life and death in the mountains of Norway.

Kings Head theatre- Fucking Men 5th Dec- 9th Jan

The play is a moving portrayal of hunger and desire as it follows the erotic encounters of 10 men in their interconnected search for sexual satisfaction. Each scene in the play is a frank, candid and sometimes brutally honest depiction of the lustful transaction between two men. It is a loose adaptation of the 19th century play La Ronde in which pairings of characters are featured in scenes preceding and succeeding sexual encounters. It’s a structure that lends itself to strong characterizations and oodles of dramatic irony. Book: http://www.kingsheadtheatre.com

Gate Theatre- Medea. Running until 5th December. £10 a ticket, which is a bargain, So go book at http://www.gatehtheatre.co.uk.

 

Laura

Twitter: @LauraWOK

Laura you grew up in Ireland, what is the arts industry like over there?

Is it evolving?

Ireland’s arts scene is similar to London. It is bursting with incredible artists who are thriving and surviving and doing anything they can to tell stories. Ireland is bursting at the seams with great stories and great makers so a lot of Irish artists end up in London. Or New York or any of the other great artistic centres.

Is it evolving? Of course! I believe our industry is one of the best at adapting to the needs and desires of a current climate. Because it is run on passion and curiosity and the pursuit of community or rather, the pursuit of  togetherness.  Our industry, the Arts does more than evolve, it excels.

You trained at drama school, what advise do you give actors who can’t get accredited training ?

Work! Do anything you can to be in a room of artists making work. Make tea, paint sets, write, hand out flyers, ask for interviews, usher, monologue slam, do student film, do Masterclasses, go to NT platforms – the list goes on. Do anything you can to be part of the conversation.

The majority of my training was done on the job. Drama school is an incredible experience but it’s not for everyone nor does it guarantee success.

What did I learn at East 15? Be the person they want in the room, deliver on each performance and if you need help or advise, ask for it.

Do you mean why are artists important? If so….

Artists, actors, theatre makers, writers, TV executives are all important because the world needs to be told stories. “A nation without stories is a nation without history.” Our cultural and individual identity is interwoven into the stories we share and listen to. During times of unrest and upheaval, the nation’s theatres are full of romance and happy ever afters and vice versa. Stories and story tellers are essential to humanity because they remind us what it is to be human.

You are a writer, actress, producer, with your own shows. What do you love about making your own work?

I get to share what I think is important with a room full of people. I’m not brave enough to let the world alone yet. I am sometimes afraid and angry and nervous about the things that happen everyday, the stories in the news, the stories we hear on TV and the stories we don’t hear. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed and helpless and I don’t know how to help but I can. Action is simple. Tell someone about it. Stand up for something. Stand up in a room of people and tell them. Let them laugh about it or cry or grow angry but tell them and they might want to do something too. My last work BRIEF was about the illegality of abortion in Ireland. This results in 12 women a day travelling to the UK and other countries, to access safe medical care. It costs €60,000 a week meaning that appropriate medical care for females is exclusive and economically prejudiced.  I spoke to women and men about it. Then I wrote about it.BRIEF carries their stories and shares them with anyone who will listen. It mightn’t have changed anything yet but it is a beginning.

What advice to you give other artists wanting to develop their own work?

Find your true artistic voice before you go after funding or support. I spent so much time pursuing venues to put on work that wasn’t fully developed. Take time. Take your time with the idea. Develop the idea fully, research it, start conversations about it, get mentorship, read about it, go see other shows about it then and only then start thinking about producing it. You will break your heart trying to sell half baked ideas.

How do you and the arts cuts affecting you?

I have only recently begun to receive funding so it hasn’t affected me.I became very resourceful very quickly. I learnt to make work on a shoe string. I learnt to prioritise what was important and of course I had a really generous network of artists that believed in my work and were willing to work for a reduced/deferred fee or sometimes for a skill swap i.e. I acted in their film and in return they filmed my performance. It has been challenging but its made me value my work and my skills as a practitioner.

What work have you got on at the moment?

In September I was commissioned by Hab Arts and ACE to make a sound installation for DOMESTIC, a live arts festival in Manchester. Pillowtalk is about a woman suffering from early onset dementia. It’s a piece written for my grandmother. I’ve struggled watching her grow old, losing parts of her. I suppose I want her to know she is important, that her life has meant so much. Pillowtalk reminds us that no life should be forgotten. At the moment? I’m looking for the next home for Pillowtalk.

What issues are do you face the most and an artist and how to try overcome them

Finding the time to develop an idea and the financial support to produce the work. At the moment I have several ideas that are ready to go into research and development but I spend most of my time sourcing funding and support. Self funding through part time work, writing residency applications or applying for grants is a craft in itself and one that is absolutely essential. But it does get easier.

Thank you Laura for answering our questions. You are a inspiring actor and creator of theatre that the industry is lucky to have. Laura is not only a great artist but she is a good friendly, generous person. Check her Twitter out and keep un to date with her shows, she is a thought provoking actor with incredibly passionate and touching stories to tell.

Headshots and Photography

This week I am bringing you a photographer that I met whilst in the Apple store pursuing MacBooks, the mecca of all writers dreams, caressing computers and feeling euphoric at the thought of retina displays. After talking he let slip he was a photographer and Ta Da here is his fabulous offer for our readers. Take full advantage! He can offer a arrange of different styles from standard headshots to styled shoots.

http://www.mekxphotography.com

 

OFFER

1 hour photo session

1or 2 backgrounds

Studio or Location

5 images retouched (further images are charged at £14.99 per image)
20+ unedited images

Make up artist available for an extra (£20)

Images will be made available to you via a dropbox link for download (Please note that all images have to be retouched before they are available to download)

All of the above for £95 Available till 15 Jan 2016 (Normally £199)

To book a session please email hello@mekxphotography.com with ref – AA2016

ALSO CHECK OUT  https://headshots.pedro-antunes.com for discounted offers till end of the month