Holy Marys!

                                      

After a fleeting visit to my home town earlier this month, i have returned to Gloucester, this time simply to enjoy the production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, which my friend Rowena has produced. An open air production, it has been hampered slightly by the dreadful weather to which Britain is prone in the summer. The opening performance on Saturday night was able to run as normal with the sun actually shining and the grass of the Blackfriar's courtyard pretty dry. 

I must say, the Tygers managed to pull it out of the bag and there were some lovely performances and thanks to Rowena some great costumes too. I laughed a lot and I couldn't help thinking how great it must be to be part of such a process. On Sunday however the rain may have turned to drizzle but it was insistent drizzle and the decision was made to perform in St Mary de Crypt church - the second church in Gloucester to see a performance this weekend!

On Saturday, at the request of a local church group, the Interlude of Pyramus and Thisbe was performed by the Tygers at St Mary de Lode on Archdeacon Street. It was quite nostalgic heading down to that side of the city, as I used to attend college there many, many years ago. The church is utterly enchanting and thankfully still in active use. Sad to say, St Mary de Crypt is no longer in use as a place of worship but the building is an astounding example of medieval mystery and Victoriana.

Rowena was handed the keys and allowed to use the space at will. Needless to say, both our minds were popping at the opportunity the atmospheric space affords but this was really a case of get in and get acting. Troupers that they are, the cast filled the space and the performance was a genuine delight - three babies in the audience and hardly a sound out of any of them. I am writing this piece up in the church between shows and it will be interesting to see how well the second performance goes.

My mind is already thinking of future projects and how St Mary de Crypt - in the heart of the city of Gloucester - could spring to life once more as a thriving venue in the community.   

The New Ambassadors

It was reported widely this week that the producer and theatre owner Cameron Mackintosh will be making big changes to the Ambassadors Theatre in the West End. Unless you are a devotee of Tap Dogs or Stomp, it's unlikely that many young theatre-goers will have any idea of what the Ambassadors is actually like inside. In fact, I only went in there for the first time last year for a show as part of the London Cabaret Festival and I was utterly surprised at how small it actually was. Three full coaches and you would probably have to put the All Seats Sold sign up!

Mackintosh's plan is to create a modern space with between 450 - 475 seats, able to house smaller shows in transfer from the subsidised sector. Runs would last 8 - 16 weeks only. It's a bold, philanthropic move and the plans are in the process of completion before they are handed over to be approved by Westminster authorities.

I, like many other theatre people are welcoming this move as a valuable step forward both practically and artistically. I do however have one gripe and that is the intended name for the converted space. Mackintosh plans to call it The Stephen Sondheim Theatre. As much as I admire Sondheim, I am not sure it is particularly appropriate to name a British theatre after a living, American composer. There are plenty of British musical theatre names, which would lend themselves admirably to the space - Vivian Ellis, Sandy Wilson or Lionel Bart for instance - I particularly like the idea of The Lionel Bart Theatre. Or if it has to be a living giant of the musical theatre stage, why not The Don Black?

In the end, I suppose it's up to Cameron Mackintosh to decide and lets face it, in 50 years time we are bound to be heading - quite rightly - for opening nights at The Cameron Mackintosh and The Lloyd Webber, but that is the future. All I am saying, is that there was a British musical theatre before Sondheim came along so let's commemorate that with this new space.

The Gloucester Arts Council

The other more pressing matter that arose while I was away was that of the Gloucester Arts scene. For several years Gloucester has been a city in crisis. Extended poverty in the urban areas and the gradual erosion of core arts groups combined with a general apathy from the City Council have finally led to a rallying of the troupes. A meeting was called for all interested parties to discuss the situation and suggest proposals for the raising of a Gloucester Arts Council.

The primary aim of the meeting was to bring together artists, directors, writers and venue managers and discover how things can be improved. The brainchild of local businessman Phil McCormack, this first meeting immediately established that pretty much every arts group - amateur and professional - had the same gripe, namely a lack of effective marketing facilities and a decent skills and resources data base.

In the arts, communication is power and this meeting exposed that a flaccid local council has fobbed the arts community off for long enough. Personally, I believe that moving forward, the rise of the Gloucester Arts Council is a tremendous idea. A genuine network of groups, organisations and individuals creating a valuable resource, offering support and advice which will enrich the community. It will not be easy, of that I am sure but it's early days and Phil McCormack's genuine interest and affection for the arts scene in his city is fairly infectious.

Why The Long Face?

This weekend I mixed business with pleasure with business. First and foremost, it was a time to catch up with friends old and new. The Tygers, Rowena Davies community theatre company is producing A Midsummer Night's Dream, which is being performed at in the open-air at Blackfriars Priory. With my old am dram society well and truly fractured by mis-management and money troubles, it is good to know that there is still a thriving theatre focus to my visits. I can't really offer The Tyger's anything other than support - London has been my home for nearly 20 years - but I can make the odd hat/prop/accessory and enjoy the banter of the disparate company members.

I was delivering the fairy crowns that I'd made and they had to be fitted to each of the actors and I had to complete Puck's little percher, which I completed on my first morning. I was also polishing off the asses head for Bottom, which I was especially proud of. I also ended up creating a fairy bower for Titania and accessories for Oberon too.

Rowena has a vast array of crafting products, materials and costumes - all sourced on a tight budget - so it was a great opportunity to bounce ideas around with her about the look of the show. Another hot topic was its second annual production of Macbeth, which is taking place at Halloween. The auditions were held on Sunday and I was invited to sit on the panel and I have to admit that it was intriguing to see who would be wearing the crowns this year.

The whole weekend was not about theatre and thankfully I was able to catch up with David and Katherine in Longlevens and see their lovely home. David was - and still is - a talented fine-artist and I found his work with acrylics inspirational. I am sure I shall see them again soon - hopefully at The Dream, but until then I feel fuelled enough to experiment some more. It was also good to catch up with Andy Doyle too, who popped by on Saturday night where we sat until the early hours, chewing the fat and reliving old times.