Good Evening Sydney and Good Afternoon London!
So, this post is to offer my apologies for the severe lack of activity happening on the blog of late. Let me offer up my excuses! In the last month or so I've happened to become employed - what?! I know, the fact that my time in Sydney isn't a complete holiday was a shock to my system too! So I've begun teaching at two schools as a Speech & Drama teacher and bits and bobs on the side; and while it is wonderful, there is so much preparation to be done, and as aforementioned, my mind and body have been in holiday mode, so it's a bit of a jolt! But once I have settled in I will be plaguing you all more frequently once again.
Huge grovelling apologies in particular for those waiting on the interview with the OVNV's brilliant Alex Ferris. I've transcribed and written, but am in the process of cutting down the article from 5000 words to around 2, 500 - I'm finding this an extremely difficult task because everything Alex has said is important, wise, wonderful, funny and offers real heart and insight; he's not made it easy for me! So please, bear with me; he was so generous with his time, is such a gentleman and does such a fantastic job that I want to try my best to do his article justice.
I have two peace offerings:
The first - a brilliant article from James Rhodes that featured in The Guardian in April - I've been meaning to post it up for a while! Do yourself a favour and have a read!http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2013/apr/26/james-rhodes-blog-find-what-you-love
And secondly a hilarious clip on 'How to be a good actor' from Extras with Sir Ian Mckellen and Ricky Gervais. http://www.wimp.com/goodactor/
That's it from me for now! Sydneysiders, enjoy your Sunday evening, and Londoners - I hope it's a lovely sunny day in London! (As it was in Sydney! I'm sorry, I couldn't resist!)
Thank you all!
Fi
Sunday, 7 July 2013
Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Interview with Alex Ferris!
Hi all!
I’m very excited to announce Theatre Stop’s next
victim/interviewee is Mr Alexander Ferris – Head of Community at Old Vic NewVoices.
This guy - *pretty inspirational.
Let me, in brief (I say in brief now, because I’m going to give you a longer spiel when the interview goes up. This is the teaser so to speak.) tell you why I’m of this opinion. This will most likely embarrass him, but, here we go. The OVNV does incredible things for emerging theatre practitioners and it has a few components - two of these are Education and Community. The Education department work with schools giving workshops, inviting them to shows, training and advice while the Community reaches out to people of all ages and backgrounds, running workshops and professional quality productions that anyone can participate in as cast or crew. It’s theatre with a purpose, and demonstrates how theatre can affect lives in a very real and positive way. To do this kind of role, you have to be in it for the love of it, pretty selfless, dedicated, and I imagine, very organised. So, as overseer of these two sections, he must be a pretty decent – and busy - gent. As well as this, Alex directs the projects, as he did with the musical Epidemic, OVNV’s 2012 Community production. It was staged down in the Old Vic tunnels and had a 120 member strong company. That’s no mean feat. And on top of this – he’s really nice.
So, not as brief as I’d hoped (honestly, is anyone surprised?) but hopefully I’ve communicated why you should be rearing to read his interview when it appears shortly so you can hear more about Alex and OVNV. Inspiring, dedicated, talented, interesting and genuinely kind – Alex Ferris is the kind of guy you want to bump into on the street, work with in the theatre, and who you want to have as an interviewee on Theatre Stop.
*Pretty big understatement.
Have a great day everyone!
Fi
I’m very excited to announce Theatre Stop’s next
victim/interviewee is Mr Alexander Ferris – Head of Community at Old Vic NewVoices.This guy - *pretty inspirational.
Let me, in brief (I say in brief now, because I’m going to give you a longer spiel when the interview goes up. This is the teaser so to speak.) tell you why I’m of this opinion. This will most likely embarrass him, but, here we go. The OVNV does incredible things for emerging theatre practitioners and it has a few components - two of these are Education and Community. The Education department work with schools giving workshops, inviting them to shows, training and advice while the Community reaches out to people of all ages and backgrounds, running workshops and professional quality productions that anyone can participate in as cast or crew. It’s theatre with a purpose, and demonstrates how theatre can affect lives in a very real and positive way. To do this kind of role, you have to be in it for the love of it, pretty selfless, dedicated, and I imagine, very organised. So, as overseer of these two sections, he must be a pretty decent – and busy - gent. As well as this, Alex directs the projects, as he did with the musical Epidemic, OVNV’s 2012 Community production. It was staged down in the Old Vic tunnels and had a 120 member strong company. That’s no mean feat. And on top of this – he’s really nice.
So, not as brief as I’d hoped (honestly, is anyone surprised?) but hopefully I’ve communicated why you should be rearing to read his interview when it appears shortly so you can hear more about Alex and OVNV. Inspiring, dedicated, talented, interesting and genuinely kind – Alex Ferris is the kind of guy you want to bump into on the street, work with in the theatre, and who you want to have as an interviewee on Theatre Stop.
*Pretty big understatement.
Have a great day everyone!
Fi
Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Old Vic New Voices
And a very early Good Morning to Sydney and Good Afternoon to London!
The Old Vic New Voices (OVNV) is an incredible and unique scheme that is about encouraging emerging talent, this generation of theatre makers and those to come. I don't think there is anything quite like it. (Although if there is, and I'm just shrouded in ignorance, please let me know!)
The investment the Old Vic has put into OVNV is impressive, and they in turn have deeply invested in all those they endeavour to develop by offering practical and financial support, resources, training from professionals and some off-the-wall brilliant opportunities.
Go on, head over to Your Stop and have a look - truly, you only stand to gain by getting involved with the OVNV - in several lovely ways!
And now, please excuse the short post (everyone is actually breathing a sigh of relief) but I feel it's mostly covered under Your Stop and I'd quite like you just to head straight on over there instead of me rattling on here.
Now, to bed. Good Night/Morning/Afternoon to you all - I hope it's a lovely one!
Fi
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| Image credit: www.theatresonline.com |
The Old Vic New Voices (OVNV) is an incredible and unique scheme that is about encouraging emerging talent, this generation of theatre makers and those to come. I don't think there is anything quite like it. (Although if there is, and I'm just shrouded in ignorance, please let me know!)
The investment the Old Vic has put into OVNV is impressive, and they in turn have deeply invested in all those they endeavour to develop by offering practical and financial support, resources, training from professionals and some off-the-wall brilliant opportunities.
Go on, head over to Your Stop and have a look - truly, you only stand to gain by getting involved with the OVNV - in several lovely ways!
And now, please excuse the short post (everyone is actually breathing a sigh of relief) but I feel it's mostly covered under Your Stop and I'd quite like you just to head straight on over there instead of me rattling on here.
Now, to bed. Good Night/Morning/Afternoon to you all - I hope it's a lovely one!
Fi
Sunday, 21 April 2013
Interview with James Meryk
Good afternoon Sydney! Good morning London!
Always excited to have interviews up on the blog, and I know that I say how talented and lovely each interviewee is, but you know what - it's because they genuinely are. It's not my fault. They have been lovely, sincere, inspirational, interesting, talented and encouraging thus far, and you know what, the next few are too. And they are exactly the sort of folk Theatre Stop like to speak to. And when you think about it, the sort of people you hope you will meet and work with in this industry. So I apologise for the gross overuse of 'lovely' and other positive adjectives, it will continue. (Other synonym suggestions are welcome.)
Now this prefaces the new interview with James Meryk.
Obviously he is lovely and talented. Aside from being an excellent person, he's also a recent graduate of London Studio Centre and he's currently touring this sunburnt country with Action To The Word's acclaimed stage adaptation of Anthony Burgess' novella A Clockwork Orange*. Which had a sell-out run in London's West End. Pretty good first gig. So go on, head over to the Interviews section and have a read!
*A Clockwork Orange is playing in Sydney until the 5th May. For more about the show, reasons to see it (One of these reasons is Mr James Meryk, of course) and general excitement about it all, have a look at the Shows & Reviews section.
Always excited to have interviews up on the blog, and I know that I say how talented and lovely each interviewee is, but you know what - it's because they genuinely are. It's not my fault. They have been lovely, sincere, inspirational, interesting, talented and encouraging thus far, and you know what, the next few are too. And they are exactly the sort of folk Theatre Stop like to speak to. And when you think about it, the sort of people you hope you will meet and work with in this industry. So I apologise for the gross overuse of 'lovely' and other positive adjectives, it will continue. (Other synonym suggestions are welcome.)
Now this prefaces the new interview with James Meryk.Obviously he is lovely and talented. Aside from being an excellent person, he's also a recent graduate of London Studio Centre and he's currently touring this sunburnt country with Action To The Word's acclaimed stage adaptation of Anthony Burgess' novella A Clockwork Orange*. Which had a sell-out run in London's West End. Pretty good first gig. So go on, head over to the Interviews section and have a read!
*A Clockwork Orange is playing in Sydney until the 5th May. For more about the show, reasons to see it (One of these reasons is Mr James Meryk, of course) and general excitement about it all, have a look at the Shows & Reviews section.
Friday, 12 April 2013
Good Morning Sydney and Good Afternoon London!
Very excited to announce that an interview with the talented and lovely Matthew Barrow is up!
The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium, Sweet Charity at the Royal Theatre Haymarket, the first UK tours of Miss Saigon and Mary Poppins for Cameron Mackintosh, and the European tour of Fame. That's just listing a few so that you get the idea. Matthew Barrow has done some Musical Theatre stuff. Did I mention that he's currently in Merrily We Roll Along which had a sold out run at the Menier Chocolate Factory, nabbed the Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Musical and is so abso-bloody-lutely brilliant that it's transferred to the Harold Pinter Theatre, opening 23rd April? Well he is. So, on top of being a talented triple threat, he was also generous in giving us his time in between finishing the run of 'Merrily' at the Chocolate Factory to the transfer at the Harold Pinter. Don't hate him.
Each interview is a pleasure, unique and exciting and Matthew's interview is a wonderful read - and this is all down to him, and sadly not to any interviewing skills on my part! It's interesting, engaging, funny and he has real insight and wisdom to share with us all - so what are you waiting for - hop over to Interviews and have a read!
Fi X
Very excited to announce that an interview with the talented and lovely Matthew Barrow is up!
The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium, Sweet Charity at the Royal Theatre Haymarket, the first UK tours of Miss Saigon and Mary Poppins for Cameron Mackintosh, and the European tour of Fame. That's just listing a few so that you get the idea. Matthew Barrow has done some Musical Theatre stuff. Did I mention that he's currently in Merrily We Roll Along which had a sold out run at the Menier Chocolate Factory, nabbed the Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Musical and is so abso-bloody-lutely brilliant that it's transferred to the Harold Pinter Theatre, opening 23rd April? Well he is. So, on top of being a talented triple threat, he was also generous in giving us his time in between finishing the run of 'Merrily' at the Chocolate Factory to the transfer at the Harold Pinter. Don't hate him.
Each interview is a pleasure, unique and exciting and Matthew's interview is a wonderful read - and this is all down to him, and sadly not to any interviewing skills on my part! It's interesting, engaging, funny and he has real insight and wisdom to share with us all - so what are you waiting for - hop over to Interviews and have a read!
Fi X
Good Morning from Sydney!
Hello all!! (Or should I say 'G'day!'?! You non-Aussies love that! Actually, we love it too, really)
Hope everyone is well! Firstly, apologies for the lull in blogging! I've just arrived in Sydney and will be spending some months here - and the last couple of weeks in London have been incredibly busy with cramming as many interviews (for Theatre Stop), shows (for me), spending time with my London family and friends, and packing. Oh, the packing. Apparently you need to be rather organised when moving out and over to another country for a while - who knew it would take so long?! Thank goodness for lovely friends who are far more efficient packers. And very calm. And bring you chocolate when you're stressed about packing. Anyway, I'm digressing severely.
So, Theatre Stop will continue while I'm in Sydney! I've a nice little backlog of interviews that took place before leaving London, so will have plenty to work on! The only real differences will be that Theatre Stop will cover things on the Sydney theatre front as well as London. In terms of reviewing shows in London, that may be slightly more difficult as I won't be there to see them - believe me, it hurts! - but I think it's a stellar chance for you lot to send in reviews of shows you loved (and perhaps unfortunately, loved less) to share with us all.
So, more exciting things coming up - but next off the bat will be an interview with the lovely and talented Matthew Barrow. Matthew is currently in rehearsal for Merrily We Roll Along* which had a sell out run at the Menier Chocolate Factory and because it's so abso-bloody-lutely brilliant was transferred to the West End and will be opening at the Harold Pinter Theatre (formerly Comedy Theatre) on April 23rd. More about Mr Barrow in the very near future!
So, thank you for your patience and support!
Happy reading!
Fi X
*Obviously I adore this production, if you haven't head me raving about it already, just you wait. Will be doing a feature on the blog soon. But if you're in London, go, watch, laugh, cry and enjoy! It's truly remarkable on all fronts and deserves all the resounding praise that's been heaped upon it.
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| This morning, the view from home. Sunshine! Sorry, couldn't resist. |
So, Theatre Stop will continue while I'm in Sydney! I've a nice little backlog of interviews that took place before leaving London, so will have plenty to work on! The only real differences will be that Theatre Stop will cover things on the Sydney theatre front as well as London. In terms of reviewing shows in London, that may be slightly more difficult as I won't be there to see them - believe me, it hurts! - but I think it's a stellar chance for you lot to send in reviews of shows you loved (and perhaps unfortunately, loved less) to share with us all.
So, more exciting things coming up - but next off the bat will be an interview with the lovely and talented Matthew Barrow. Matthew is currently in rehearsal for Merrily We Roll Along* which had a sell out run at the Menier Chocolate Factory and because it's so abso-bloody-lutely brilliant was transferred to the West End and will be opening at the Harold Pinter Theatre (formerly Comedy Theatre) on April 23rd. More about Mr Barrow in the very near future!
So, thank you for your patience and support!
Happy reading!
Fi X
*Obviously I adore this production, if you haven't head me raving about it already, just you wait. Will be doing a feature on the blog soon. But if you're in London, go, watch, laugh, cry and enjoy! It's truly remarkable on all fronts and deserves all the resounding praise that's been heaped upon it.
Sunday, 24 March 2013
Hi all!
A shout out I'm delighted to be shouting about:
Students and Graduates interested in honing your Acting Through Song techniques, please head over to Your Stop and check out the Kate Golledge Workshops.
Can't recommend it highly enough! Go, thank me later. (Yes, I'm that sure you'll enjoy it that I'm being insufferably smug. But technically you'll be thanking Barney, Kate and your fellow workshoppers).
Fiona x
Students and Graduates interested in honing your Acting Through Song techniques, please head over to Your Stop and check out the Kate Golledge Workshops.
Can't recommend it highly enough! Go, thank me later. (Yes, I'm that sure you'll enjoy it that I'm being insufferably smug. But technically you'll be thanking Barney, Kate and your fellow workshoppers).
Fiona x
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