reviewaboutnothing

[reviewaboutnothing]

A review on summer

Just as I finish my hourly scroll through instagram, I stop and I am now reflecting on what I have done over the past couple of weeks. Mainly nothing, I have done the odd thing here and there, but due to admin difiiculties, the summer of volunteering at the hospital I had previously planned was stopped before it began.

Next week I will be heading to Edinburgh Fringe Festival to work with a theatre company there, as much as I am excited, I do feel somewhat deflated. I believed this summer would be. as my friend Maria coined it, a “CV SUMMER”, a summer where I would be able to gain experience, volunteer and just feel at least slighlty fufilled because of it. 

It can be challenging coming to terms with when expectations you have are destroyed by something out of your control. Although these past few weeks have been slightly uneventful, these weeks have reminded me of why I chose the course I have, and what my passions are. It can be easy to fall into the trap of what seems like the best thing to do, rather then what you want to do. If I am going to be struggling within the creative field of work, I might aswell be doing what I want. 

Sometimes doing nothing can be the most productive thing ever. 

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Naked Comedy Workshop

A few weeks back I had attended a clowning, comedy workshop. Something that I had never done really before, I was unsure that it would even be my cup of tea, but I actually enjoyed it so much. The workshop was all about comedy, and how the key was to not try to be funny, but in comparison try to look sexy. Because inevitably, looking as average as myself, trying to look sexy was incredibly funny. 

I believe that this, was challenging for many seasoned physical theatre performers, but those with less experience seemed to excel. Physical theatre is all about control and using the body, but this workshop explored the feeling of being just slightly out of control, and how effective this is for an audience member to watch. 

Deanna Fleyser ran this workshop amazingly, her facilitaiton style was so constructive and relaxed at the same time, I wish it had been longer than two days - I did hear she did retreats! 

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Summer and Smoke - Tennessee Williams

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆  NOTHINGS 

DECEMBER 2018 - Duke of Yorks Theatre.

Walking into the theatre I had already made some questions about the play. I asked myself: Why are there so many piano's on stage? I later found out that these pianos were not only played by cast members to create atmosphere but also  enabled characters to move into and out of the space, and seemlessly. It was an interesting element which I did not expect from this adaptation, a play I had a prebel.

Patsy Ferran gave an outstanding performance of Alma Winemiller, the ministers daughter, and a beautiful execution of Alma' s internal commentary on choosing between faith and purity and a hedonistic life style with the man she loves. A raw performance and the vulnerability that is presented through Alma is something which  Matthew Needham,who plays John responded with. I was gripped, and through watching it, I empathised with Alma deeply, something which personally is not rare when it comes to the tragic heroes presented in a majority of William’s plays. 

Overall,  I am not shocked this amazing production was moved to the West End from the Almedia as this toxic classic from Williams which explores desire and obligation was orchestrated in such a unique way; not only through the five pianos present upstage for the whole play.

[reviewaboutnothing]

CA