Tuesday, 29 October 2013
Dragon flies into Edinburgh & Salford... PLUS a new trailer
Dragon - Production Trailer from National Theatre of Scotland on Vimeo.
We've had an incredible first two weeks on the tour of Dragon. The response from audiences has been brilliant.
Tomorrow night we open at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh and run there until Saturday 2nd November. Following that we finish our tour at The Lowry in Salford on Friday 8th and Saturday 9th.
Please come along, if you can.
Here is the brilliant trailer by NTS Seth & team...
Monday, 14 October 2013
Up, up, up and away...
Dragon opens tomorrow at the Citizen's Theatre, Glasgow.
It's taken three years, three house moves, two computers and a lot of paper but I'm finally there. It's happening. Phew.
The first couple of previews (last Friday and Saturday) were incredibly positive. The audience seemed involved and excited. We have to make a couple of tweaks here and there but we have a show. And it's absolutely the show I wanted to make when we started this project.
A lot of people ask: how do you write a play with no words? My answer is: very slowly.
When Jamie Harrison and Candice Edmunds of Vox Motus approached me to write Dragon they weren't sure what they needed. They wanted a boy, a story of grief and a dragon. The how was up to me.
I had a few false starts. Lots actually. I wrote a play with dialogue with a covering note to say that the actors could just not say the words. I wrote a scene-by-scene synopsis but that was dry as dust and incredibly boring to read. I read a heap of plays for children, lots of novels and picture books, and the only other silent play I know, Request Programme by Franz Xaver Kroetz.
The problem was how to convey the story, the characters' journey and the world to the actors and directors and designers in a useful way but that wouldn't limit them but let them imagine and invent.
Then two things happened.
I asked myself the question as to why the play was silent. Why doesn't anyone speak? Tommy is twelve years old and has lost his mum. His dad is stricken with grief, his big sister ignores him and his pals aren't his pals anymore. He doesn't speak because he can't. And if Tommy can't speak and the play is from Tommy's point of view then the play must be silent.
The other thing that happened was that we went into development. Three actors, two directors and a dragon. We played and tried things out in silence and I went away into the next room to write a scene before bringing it back for the director's to try out. Quite quickly we found a formula that worked for us.
It wasn't a film script, it wasn't a short story. It was a silent play.
Over the last six weeks, I've had the privilege of watching the actors, directors and production team turn the script into a piece of theatre. More than anything I've done before it is absolutely a team effort. Without that thing happening then or that person doing that at this point, none of it would work.
And of course, the thing about a silent play is that when you need to re-write a scene everyone has to be involved. It isn't simply a matter of me writing and the actor learning. Someone has to work out how those eighteen things that were happening now don't happen and those twenty-five things happen instead. It's incredibly complex and the fact that everyone makes it look so easy is extraordinary to me.
So I want to thank all the team for making silence beautiful and whatever happens tomorrow, it's been a blast.
It's taken three years, three house moves, two computers and a lot of paper but I'm finally there. It's happening. Phew.
The first couple of previews (last Friday and Saturday) were incredibly positive. The audience seemed involved and excited. We have to make a couple of tweaks here and there but we have a show. And it's absolutely the show I wanted to make when we started this project.
A lot of people ask: how do you write a play with no words? My answer is: very slowly.
When Jamie Harrison and Candice Edmunds of Vox Motus approached me to write Dragon they weren't sure what they needed. They wanted a boy, a story of grief and a dragon. The how was up to me.
I had a few false starts. Lots actually. I wrote a play with dialogue with a covering note to say that the actors could just not say the words. I wrote a scene-by-scene synopsis but that was dry as dust and incredibly boring to read. I read a heap of plays for children, lots of novels and picture books, and the only other silent play I know, Request Programme by Franz Xaver Kroetz.
The problem was how to convey the story, the characters' journey and the world to the actors and directors and designers in a useful way but that wouldn't limit them but let them imagine and invent.
Then two things happened.
I asked myself the question as to why the play was silent. Why doesn't anyone speak? Tommy is twelve years old and has lost his mum. His dad is stricken with grief, his big sister ignores him and his pals aren't his pals anymore. He doesn't speak because he can't. And if Tommy can't speak and the play is from Tommy's point of view then the play must be silent.
The other thing that happened was that we went into development. Three actors, two directors and a dragon. We played and tried things out in silence and I went away into the next room to write a scene before bringing it back for the director's to try out. Quite quickly we found a formula that worked for us.
It wasn't a film script, it wasn't a short story. It was a silent play.
Over the last six weeks, I've had the privilege of watching the actors, directors and production team turn the script into a piece of theatre. More than anything I've done before it is absolutely a team effort. Without that thing happening then or that person doing that at this point, none of it would work.
And of course, the thing about a silent play is that when you need to re-write a scene everyone has to be involved. It isn't simply a matter of me writing and the actor learning. Someone has to work out how those eighteen things that were happening now don't happen and those twenty-five things happen instead. It's incredibly complex and the fact that everyone makes it look so easy is extraordinary to me.
So I want to thank all the team for making silence beautiful and whatever happens tomorrow, it's been a blast.
Wednesday, 2 October 2013
Friday, 13 September 2013
Dragon rehearsals Week 3
It seems impossible but we are already at the end of week three of rehearsals for Dragon. As the actors in the show are finding, time goes incredibly quickly in this world. The whole skeleton of the show has been made and now we're going back over scene-by-scene to really delve deep into the characters and story.
The magic for me is that, as I dip in and out of rehearsals, so much changes or transforms.
What begins on one day as a character walking across the stage, a few days later is a street scene full of shopper, angry bike messengers and mysterious creatures. Those few lines I wrote in the quiet of my front room are now given noisy and bright life.
It's wonderful to see and testament to the brilliant imaginations of Jamie, Candice and the entire team.
Tomorrow is a big test, however, as we invite a small and select group of young people to come and see the opening. This is a great opportunity to see how well we are telling the story and what we need to do in the remaining weeks of rehearsal. The great and terrifying thing is that young people are not afraid of telling you the truth. Wish us luck!
Here is a picture that Candice (co-director) took today in rehearsals.
The magic for me is that, as I dip in and out of rehearsals, so much changes or transforms.
What begins on one day as a character walking across the stage, a few days later is a street scene full of shopper, angry bike messengers and mysterious creatures. Those few lines I wrote in the quiet of my front room are now given noisy and bright life.
It's wonderful to see and testament to the brilliant imaginations of Jamie, Candice and the entire team.
Tomorrow is a big test, however, as we invite a small and select group of young people to come and see the opening. This is a great opportunity to see how well we are telling the story and what we need to do in the remaining weeks of rehearsal. The great and terrifying thing is that young people are not afraid of telling you the truth. Wish us luck!
Here is a picture that Candice (co-director) took today in rehearsals.
Tuesday, 27 August 2013
Titus rocks!
Wahoo!
Titus had a brilliant Edinburgh fringe festival as part of the Made in Scotland and British Council showcase 2013. The splendid Macrobert were are producers and the lovely Summerhall was our venue.
Thank you to everyone who came along to see us.
And for those who missed it, you're silly.
But I although Titus doesn't like to make promises he can't keep, it looks like he will be back soon.
Until then here are a few of our splendid reviews.
★★★★ The Times, The List, Broadway Baby, Fest, Across the Arts.
★★★★★ Edinburghguidedotcom, Three Weeks.
And a couple of interviews with yours truly. Here and here.
We were also the lucky runners-up at the Scottish Arts Club Award for Scottish Theatre. Please note the amazing spelling of my name. Oh yes indeed...
Dragon rehearsals begin
It's taken three years but now the day has finally arrived and we have started rehearsals for Dragon. Here are Jamie and Candice of Vox Motus putting the actors into wonderful shapes.
We are very lucky that the play is a co-production with the National Theatre of Scotland AND the Tianjin People's Arts Theatre in Beijing. This means we have two brilliant actors from China working with us. Our Mandarin is a bit rusty but we are learning new things every day and in the words of Jamie - 'semi-fluent' by the end of rehearsals. I'll let you know how that goes!
Dragon opens at the Citizen's Theatre in October.
We are very lucky that the play is a co-production with the National Theatre of Scotland AND the Tianjin People's Arts Theatre in Beijing. This means we have two brilliant actors from China working with us. Our Mandarin is a bit rusty but we are learning new things every day and in the words of Jamie - 'semi-fluent' by the end of rehearsals. I'll let you know how that goes!
Dragon opens at the Citizen's Theatre in October.
Monday, 5 August 2013
SOLD OUT - Playwright (etc)
The workshop I will be leading as part of the Playwright Studio Scotland's TalkFest 2013 on Saturday 17th August is now sold out. I believe PSS have started a waiting list so do put your name down if you would like to come. And for those of you lucky folk who already have a ticket, I look forward to seeing you there.
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