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Podcast
Jun 25
For the 2010 Edinburgh Fringe Festival we are producing two shows:
- The Apprentice at Rosslyn Chapel and;
- Hairy Maclary and Friends at Assembly on George Street.
This introductory podcast from the company gives a brief insight into the development of the show, a snippet of one of the songs from Hairy Maclary and a weekly update from rehearsals.
Directors Update June 2010
Jun 24
We’ve had a busy week with both shows having preliminary rehearsals this week. The Apprentice rehearsed on Monday and it was good to be back in Rosslyn Chapel for a reminder of just how good the atmosphere is in there!
Tuesday saw another Hairy Maclary development day and as well as Coffee and a Cast birthday cake, we got loads of good work done on the structure.
Today saw another singing rehearsal for Hairy Maclary and although I’m biased I have to say it’s sounding fantastic already and we’ve only done a couple of sessions.
Promises to be a great summer!
Bruce
The Apprentice is back!
Apr 7
Five years since we last produced our acclaimed debut show, we are delighted to announce this year will see a limited run of The Apprentice.
We are particularly pleased to be returning to Rosslyn Chapel – the inspiration and setting for the dramatic events surrounding the carving of the famous Apprentice Pillar.
‘A Dream inspired him to carve the Pillar, his master ordered him not to. The powerful and moving story of the choices a young man must make to fulfil his destiny…’
This year with extensive restoration work finished, you will be able to experience the Chapel and grounds without a steel scaffold cover and with much internal restoration completed.
This will be our fourth production of The Apprentice and it has sold out on every previous occasion so book early!
Nonsenseroom are delighted to announce that at Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2010 we will be producing the official UK premiere of ‘Hairy Maclary and Friends’ – the stage show of the much loved Hairy Maclary children’s books by Lynley Dodd.
Ideal for pre-school children but fun for all the family, the show will debut at the renowned Assembly Rooms on George Street from 5-31 August 2010.
Check back here for further details and booking information or add your name and email (on the right of this page) to stay up to date.
Our December 2009 production will be an adaptation of Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol”. Once again written by Simon Beattie and with all the usual Nonsense Room style this will be a great night out this Christmas.
- Venue Rosslyn Chapel
- Dates 7th – 12th December 2009
- Time 7.30pm (doors open at 7.15pm)
- Price Adults £10 / Conc. £8
NOTE: Rosslyn Chapel is cold, please wear warm clothing
Update: Rosslyn Chapel nearly sold out
There are still Friday Night Special Evening tickets available for our run at Rosslyn Chapel – if that night does not suit, remember you can still catch the show at Scottish Mining Museum.
Eeeeeeek! Only a few more days until our opening night, and my word, that is an alarming, yet thrilling, thought! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the rehearsal process; it’s absolutely flown by – time flies when you’re having fun, I’ll tell ye! Because it’s been a relatively short rehearsal period, I’m almost saddened by the thought that it’s coming to an end, as I’ve only ever performed shows for a week or less. But I keep forgetting that it’s actually running for a few weeks, and therefore this is a whole new ball game for me. So, no tears yet!!
Over the next few days I’m going to concentrate on the deeper, more emotional moments for my characters. There is one scene in particular which is completely heart-rending and poignant. The concept of having to give up her daughter beacuse she can’t afford to look after her is something I’ve never experienced and hope to never have to, so I need to just think about what must be going through my character’s head at that point in time, the will and counter will being played etc. She’s typically a very strong, valorous character in the play, but here I think she must have to show a tiny ray of weakness because she doesn’t want to have to go through it at all. However, she has guts and she knows what’s best for her child and so she makes the right decision. The stakes are so high for her here, and for Burns, and I just need to think about them more.
Another character that still needs a bit of work is Mary Campbell (Highland Mary). I just need to take her further, think about how she is different from Anna Park; what is her rhythm, her physicality in contrast to that of Anna? I realise I’m making it sound like there’s still so much to be done and it’s only a few days before lift off, but that’s not the case at all! I think it’s just because I have four very contrasting characters, none of which the audience get to see for very long or feel like they get to know well enough, so it’s simply a case of portraying all the different sides, dimensions and idiosyncrasies pertaining to each character fully – nevermind successfully!
I’m really enjoying performing my two solo songs and feel I’m coming into them more now. They’re both challenging, but the more I perform them the more confidence I gain and therefore the more rewarding the experience becomes.
All in all, I believe the show has tremendous potential, and I have complete faith that the audiences will adore it! There are some beautifully moving moments, full of poignancy and truth, which is well counter-balanced by the Laugh Out Loud comedy. It’s a real gem of a show and I think we now just need to let it sparkle and soar, and it’ll be fantastic!!
Jennifer Macdonnell
Less Than A Week To Go
Jul 29
MISSING YOU ALREADY
Less than a week to go until we start technical and dress rehearsals and I’m getting really excited about how the show is shaping up. The songs sound great and there are some great fun scenes to perform, as well as some real ‘hankies-oot’ moments! All we need to do now is polish everything up, ready to wow our first audiences.
The funny thing about rehearsing a show is how much things can change once you have a live audience. It is as though you go through the entire rehearsal process with one of the cast missing until the opening night and then, once the audience are in to react and provide the energy you need to play off, everything finally takes shape.
Of course, the whole idea is that the show is rehearsed with the audience’s reactions at the forefront of your planning but there is just no way to tell what unexpected little miracles or hiccups will come your way once the final part in the cast is filled. And, of course, just to keep things interesting, the final part is played by a different performer every night.
Fi-diddledy-dee!
Sometimes you reach the stage in rehearsal where you yearn for the audience to be there because you want to share in the joy of the work that is being created. That is when you know you are involved in making something special and that is where we are at just now with Ae Fond Kiss – preparing to welcome our missing cast member with open arms and a big old smile.
See you soon!
Gilchrist Muir
Half Way Through Rehearsals
Jul 23
Can’t believe we’re over half way through the rehearsal process already! Last week was brilliant, got so much done in just a week, and now we’ve finished blocking, it’s all starting to take shape. Yesterday we did our first run through and it was really great to put it all together and see the show more as a whole. The show’s looking really good and I was surprised at how much of the lines myself and the others had absorbed. However personally I am concerned about my singing as I’ve not got the most confidence in my singing, especially my head voice and quite a lot of the songs are extremely high. Also at the moment I seem to be tired all the time, which is having a negative effect on my voice, must just be the early mornings, bit of a shock to the system. Well I’m off home this weekend back to Chester for early nights, family time, lots of script work and some home comforts, lovely lovely.
Am loving working with everyone, am really lucky to be working with such a great company, and am enjoying the script incredibly, getting to really know and understand all my characters now which is exciting. I’d like to now explore further Nancy’s more emotional scenes such as the letters with Burns, and also have all my lines completely well and truly learnt by Monday!! Good luck to me.
Rebecca Bradley
Video Podcast 22/7/09
Jul 22
Video Podcast Cast and crew prepare for Treasure Island and Ae Fond Kiss
