Up the Duff – Final week of rehearsals

The final week of rehearsal starts with a singing rehearsal. The problem with the Musical Director’s laptop has been fixed and so we are back on track with working songs into the scene transitions. From remixes of nursery rhymes to Motown classic Baby Love, the songs are clearly going to really add something to the play.

 

Throughout the week the cast have been learning and rehearsing the songs with Chris and we have been working in choreography including hilarious routines with shopping trolleys in B&Q – not to be missed! As Damian actually made a comparison to the film Mamma Mia, it confirmed my suspicions that this would be one play I have worked on that my mum will actually enjoy!  

 

As the week progressed and the songs were starting to stick in anyone’s head who even put one foot in the rehearsal room door, we moved onto focusing on physically editing the play. The final week of rehearsal is a good time to strip away excess movement which has gradually worked its way into rehearsals and look at what movement is absolutely truthful and necessary. We achieved this by starting at the beginning of the play and working our way through again. As a result, when we finished the week with a run through, the play had become physically much cleaner and more focus had been shifted on to the story being told.

 

Props and set pieces have also started to work their way into the rehearsal room. It is a prop-heavy show and the actors are mainly responsible for the movement of the props throughout the play as they take through the different scene transitions. Therefore it has been imperative to work these into the play ahead of the technical rehearsals next week. A chunk of time this week has been dedicated to ensuring that the journey’s of all props are practical and that the cast are confident with what they take responsibility for throughout the performance.

 

We also held two open rehearsals this week. These were open to any public who were interested in gaining an insight into a rehearsal process. We had a great turn out and it was encouraging to see the amount of people who were interested in the play. New plays present a challenge to audiences; people are often reluctant to take a chance on plays with no reputation to precede them. The open rehearsals were a great idea to engage people with the play at an earlier stage than the first night – and, of course, for them to spread the word of what a wonderful play this is to as many friends as possible!

 

New plays ensure that theatre continues to progress and thrive and it is important that audiences continue to take an interest in new work for theatre to evolve and remain relevant to contemporary audiences. Up the Duff is an incredibly accessible play; many of my friends are bringing both their mothers and their grandmothers and plenty of male friends are keen to take a look too! From teenager Jess to middle-aged couple Sheila and Graham, Up the Duff really does cater for all tastes, ages and demographics and is an exciting insight into the kind of new work being created for theatre today.

 

As we move into tech week, where all the other elements of production including set, lighting and sound will be integrated into performance, the cast are feeling that they are ready for an audience to come and enjoy the product of our rehearsal process. The only thing this play lacks at the moment is an audience and so we do hope that you will join us on a date throughout November to celebrate the arrival of this hilarious and touching new play at York Theatre Royal. 

Reviews of The White Crow

Read the reviews of Twelfth Night below or alternately leave your own review in the comments section at the bottom of the page!

Real Theatre Blog – Review by Jane Williamson

Damian Cruden, director of White Crow, says that in staging Donald Freed’s play he wanted to use sound and space to bring the audience closer to the story of the Nazi criminal Adolf Eichmann’s trial in Israel in 1961. By manipulating the small, intimate atmosphere of York Theatre Royal’s Studio Space and combining it with imaginative set and sound design, the production is both mesmerizing and thought provoking, moving away from the perhaps expected sentimentality to a mature consideration of the question of guilt and responsibility.

The first act takes place within an enclosed office where policeman Dr Baum is questioning Eichmann in preparation for his trial. Their exchange is picked up by a microphone in the middle of the office and recorded for authenticity and this is what the audience hears. This highly naturalistic staging forces the audience to question their relationship to the seemingly isolated pair. In the second act, the walls are removed, opening the room out until Eichmann and Baum are less than a metre away from the audience. This forceful contrast heightens audience reaction to an almost painful point – as Eichmann strides around refusing to admit to his obvious part in the Final Solution and questioning the motives of his captors, you can feel those in the front row instinctively trying to move further away from him.

Characterisation of Eichmann is cleverly constructed to make the audience continually reassess their perception of the SS Colonel who insists he was ‘Only following orders’. Robert Pickavance produces a controlled and thoughtful performance, careful never to tip the balance in favour of outright evil or vulnerable victim in creating a man determined to avoid becoming a scapegoat. The enigmatic Dr Baum is movingly and sympathetically portrayed by Sonia Petrovna, creating the perfect foil to Pickavance as she tries to find a shred of humanity in Eichmann.

Craig Vear’s accompanying soundtrack is at times seamlessly integrated into the performance but at others an unnecessary emphasis. In keeping with the naturalistic style, it is drawn from sound effects and simple notes rather than mood music. The sound of trains and of Hitler’s speeches are used to remind the audience of the world away from the interrogation cell, but the menacing drones underpinning some of Eichmann’s more prophetic words are overdone. This audience needs no reminding of the constant evil hovering in the room, trying to find one of the pair to settle upon.

The White Crow explores complex questions and is a fine example of how the possibilities of theatre can be explored and crafted into a meaningful audience experience.

The Stage – Review by Kevin Berry

In 1960 the Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann was found in Argentina and spirited away to Jerusalem to stand trial. He had planned the sending of millions of Jews to the death camps.

Donald Freed’s new play imagines a confrontation between Eichmann, an extraordinary performance from Robert Pickavance, and Dr Miriam Baum, an Israeli psychologist played with barely suppressed emotion by Sonia Petrovna. She wants some kind of remorse from him, a spark of humanity, but he answers her probing with unshakable reasoning.

Dr Baum prepares an impassioned plea to David Ben- Gurion, the Israeli prime minister, to keep Eichmann alive. He will be a living witness of the Holocaust.

The first half has the two actors inside an office which is walled on all sides. During the interval the walls are taken away and the furniture is spread out. The audience are now inside the office with the protagonists. Their sparring is ready for flash points.

A soundtrack from Craig Vear makes a valuable contribution. It has trains bound for the death camps, marching soldiers, speeches from Hitler and is played as if in the haunting distance.

Damian Cruden’s measured direction allows the pressure to simmer and steam without exactly bursting. His actors respond magnificently. The moments of stubborn refusal from the one, of helpless exasperation from the other, are the meat of this play.

Alas, The White Crow is not going out on tour. That is a puzzle and a great pity.

Dan Bates – Blogs

Monday 20th April – FIRST TAKEOVER 09 STEERING GROUP

 

Well, today we had our first meeting with the Senior staff and the steering group of Takeover 09.

 

For those that don¹t know what I am talking about this is a truly brilliant idea (not mine ­- Damian must take all the credit for this)  of handing over the theatre programming to Young people, and let them programme what they want to see.  This will happen the last two weeks of Sept and the first of October this year. This is also due to the Free Theatre Initiative and rather than us making X number of free tickets available each week ­ allows us to build up to a longer period and give more out etc ­ the idea being that Under 26¹s will be free and adults will pay.

 

The Artistic staff have loads of ideas and am fascinated to see what they actually come up with ­ Robbie – is the Festival Producer and will be working closely with me on the overall organisation, finances (with Janis) and contracts etc ­ he seems very switched on and excited about the opportunity.

 

I am delighted that we did such a wide recruitment for this group of people, as we have managed to find people to work with us, who have not been part of our work before ­ again the whole point of the scheme!

 

After a quick introduction with Robbie (Producer), Sam and Charlotte (Artistic Directors)and Rachel (Associate Director) we met the steering group for the first time ­ again a wide range of ages and backgrounds from 12 years to 25 year olds. 

 

I had to now take a back seat and let it all happen!   Claire (the Take over General Manger) ­ being released for half a day a week from her employers (York St John University) ran the meeting and the first job was to elect a chair and vice chair ­ Anna was voted in as the chair ­ and I think will do a good job of ensuing the views of the group are maintained.  The have worked up their aims for Takeover and again truly brilliant ideas ­ so coherent, considered and very special.

 

I then had to do a dull bit about budgets etc, but again it all seemed to be understood.  The scary bit for everyone is thinking about deadlines and deciding the programme.  The group have to the end of May really for copy ­ and devising the programme.

 

Again did absolutely loads and in an hour ­ a record board meeting I reckon!

 

I left the meeting feeling inspired, and very confident that they will all deliver a great programme and have a good time whilst they do it ­ my challenge is how on earth we tell everyone what they are achieving and how we can make the best of this opportunity for the good of the young people, the theatre, the city and our funders. I hope they are as proud as I feel!