UK Theatre Network

Hi Friend Exciting news ! Two of Scotlands top actors will be watching the rehearsed reading of Illustrious Corpse in Glasgow next Saturday (22nd May). The cast is made of up UK Theatre Network members including Karen Douglas playing Desdemona, Lizzie Maran as Miss Adelard and yours truly as Sir Richard Everall. The director Alex McSherry has created some classic comedy moments which are having us all in stitches in rehearsals. Great fun. Last night, I found out that David Hayman (Trial and Retribution, Ordinary Decent Criminal) and Gary Lewis (Billy Elliot, Gangs of New York) have now confirmed their attendance. David heads up the nominated charity SPIRIT AID and will be introducing the play. I am personally very excited and honoured to have such illustrious actors watching our performance. It has created an early flurry of butterflies :-) If you are in Glasgow next week and are keen to find out more visit www.spartaki.co.uk or drop me an email and I'll arrange to reserve tickets for you. In the meantime, have a GREAT weekend and enjoy today's brief newsletter, I'm getting broadband installed tomorrow so I will deal with any outstanding emails and updates soon. Douglas McFarlane Editor, UK Theatre Network ------------------------------------------ REVIEWS...REVIEWS...REVIEWS...REVIEWS... ------------------------------------------ Play Without Words Churchill Theatre, Bromley Those familiar with Matthew Bourne’s work through his company, Adventures In Motion Pictures, will have a fair idea of what to expect from this, his latest work; stunning choreography, deft touches of well-placed humour and well-delineated characterisations. Play Without Words has all this and much more. The story, loosely based on the film, The Servant, is set in swinging sixties London, where cool Anthony and his glamorous fiancée, Glenda, have their lives turned upside down by Prentice, his new manservant, and his slinky girlfriend, Sheila. The ensemble cast is fabulous; at points, roles are played by two or three actors simultaneously, each giving a slightly different interpretation of a situation. This works extremely well, the only drawback being that there is such a multiplicity of detail and nuance that you worry about missing one part of the action while focusing on another. I don’t mention names only for fear that this review would become a roll call of the cast! Highlights include an inspired valet service, a seedy Soho bar, and a party where members of the cast double as guests; from the shy square girl to eccentric Bohemians to suave sophisticates, each sixties snapshot is vivid and far from being cliché. The storytelling is clear and focused, the choreography sharp and stylish and excellent use is made of an evocative and versatile set. This is a triumph; theatre of this quality is to be savoured and relished. Do yourself a favour and see Play Without Words without delay. Until 15th May Box Office: 0870 060 6620 Review by Alix Cavanagh ------------------------------------------ TRAINING...TRAINING...TRAINING... ------------------------------------------ Next workshops : MEISNER TECHNIQUE (details below) A DOLLS HOUSE (Ibsen) ROMEO AND JULIET (Shakespeare) PRIVATE LIVES (Coward) REBECCA (Daphne du Maurier) Details :- MEISNER TECHNIQUE (Monday evenings from May 17th. 6-10pm)(2 spaces left) There is no obligation to attend more than one workshop. £20 for first Meisner session, £10 subsequently. The first hour, from 6pm, will be for those new to the technique, joined at 7pm (or before) by any who have attended before. Many small groups in London are working on the 'Meisner' acting technique. I will clarify how everyone who uses the method can apply it to scripts, and not merely indulge their emotions! My thirty years in the business have included 7 years of 'Meisner' training. Used by actors from Streep to Pacino, from Stone to De Niro, it is NOT the answer to all acting problems, but should be known by all actors as a brilliant way to sort out most problems. - Amongst other things it will certainly stop you from ever having a problem with fellow-actors again! (Do you imagine de Niro worries if a boring actress opposite him has only got her role because she was once Miss Finland? - No!- He gets on with it - using Meisner techniques to do so! On your first visit you will receive a crash-course on enough secrets of the method to use them, and if you want to keep to your own approach and never attend a second Meisner workshop you will still have added something vital to your other skills. Film camera will be available. Note that I do not expect people at other workshops to be interested in the Meisner approach at all. It is only one way of dealing with problems. You can come to as many evenings as you want, or as few. Phone to book on 0207 267 2759 or 07956 94 04 53 or e-mail jc@actorclub.fsnet.co.uk Sat.May.15. A DOLLS HOUSE (3 spaces left) Ibsen's most famous play, with stunning parts for male and female, young and middle-aged. It has great audition speeches, fantastic scenes for showcases, and is the key to all the rest of Ibsen's work. Copies loaned on the day of Meyer's translation so that we can all work from the same one. Sun.May.16. ROMEO AND JULIET. ( 3 spaces left) Shakespeare's most famous play, with parts for males and females of ALL ages (actresses might note that a current production has just cast a female as Mercutio), it should be known in detail by all serious actors. As usual we will take 3 scenes chosen to suit those attending and explore them in as many ways as requested. A must of anyone interested in Shakespeare at all. Sat.May.22, PRIVATE LIVES (4 spaces left) Noel Coward's most famous play. It has two stunning lead roles and two brilliant smaller roles for both male and female, ages 25-50. It is the key to all of Coward's work,