I experience a mixture of sadness, relief, pride, fondness for what we have achieved and what the immediate future holds. It takes only one glance at the ignored stack of washing up to remember that, ultimately, it's business as usual.
But I don't want to kill Anne off just yet. I am sure there is a great deal of evaluating and analysing to do, and since we have this forum, we may as well use it. If I still have the drive in a few days time, I will post my own thoughts on the past few months, but I would be very keen for anyone else to add their own comments. Perhaps you were involved in the show and have some observations to make. Maybe you saw it and wanted to give some feedback. Whatever your views, good or bad, I'd really like to read them.
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3 comments:
On the last night, Nathan asked me as Stage Manager "If I knew then what I knew now, would I do it all again?" My instant, instinctive and truthful response was "No!"
On reflection, my answer wouldn't change but it would be qualified. I haven't been so proud of a theatrical production in a very long time. "Attempts On Her Life" 2008 goes into my theatrical top ten - and that is after 45 years of theatrical endeavour in the non professional theatre.
I loved the live camera work on the show. I am pleased that Nathan himself operated the camera, freeing me to concentrate on the projection. Nathan knew what he wanted visually and was able to get it. Jacquie's idea to back project it on to the screens was a winner. I loved the two scenes with Julie. I thought The Camera Loves You was splendid as Julie has the figure to be a model. It was however her vulnerability that tugged at the heart strings as Neil the director harangued her. The tight close up on Julie in Strangely! again allowed the audience beyond the footlights and into those tawny eyes. To see them fill with tears and then to see the tears run down her cheeks was moving in the extreme. I also liked the Kinda Funny, American evangelical TV, with Callum and Sue. The shots of Sue as Mom were excellent. I thought The Statement was the weakest of the scenes cinematically. The idea was good but somehow the hands weren't expressive enough and it just didn't hold together dramatically. I have recorded all the scenes on Windows Movie Mkaer as instructed and hopefully we shall see them at future exhibitions as part of the Bench archives.
I was impressed by the company spirit. Sometimes they wallowed at rehearsals but always Nathan drove them on, usually by providing a context or an idea. All the cast were eager and able to contribute ideas and Neil and Zoe in particular seemed to come up with new ones time and again.
I never heard a cross word exchanged and the actors were totally supportive of each other from the beginning to the end. The ensemble and company esprit were directly due to Nathan's directing approach. The backstage crew were equally supportive of each other and the production.
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