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queenofthesplitseam · 10 years ago

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Thank you, Omar Gordon (and other tales of Studio 8)

So, Studio 8… I went there more times than I should. But I think I had a good reason each time. 4 times in total (which I know for a fact is nowhere near as many as some).

The first time was in my 4th show. Now my 3rd show had been spectacular, up there with my best shows (I had an Adam, Rob, Ed night which was the perfect way to get someone to fall head over heels in love with Punchdrunk). My 4th show, however, didn’t quite go to plan (yes, I know, never have a plan!), and I found myself at a bit of a loss about what to do. Luckily, I quickly latched onto Alex Mugnaioni’s Conrad. I had never followed Conrad for any length of time before, but he quickly became one of my favourites. I remember being terrified going into studio 8 and being genuinely shocked when I saw what fans often refer to as the Thing in Studio 8 (let’s not be precious now, it was a full-sized, very realistic looking, dead horse). There was also one extra touch to this experience - when I was finally pushed out of Studio 8, I was pushed right in front of a girl who was clearly not expecting a fellow audience member to come hurtling through a locked door man while a man bellowed at her to run, so much so that she screamed in my face. I left Studio 8 exhilerated, so the extra adrenaline rush this incident caused only added to the effect. I giggled to myself and skipped off upstairs.

I thought Alex’s Conrad was great, but I think many Punchdrunk fans have their first Punchdrunk love – the first person to really bring you into their story, the first one to fully immerse you. Now this person is not necessarily the first person you come across (believe me, I didn’t come across mine until a good way through my 2nd show), but it sticks with you. Now that person for me was Adam Burton, playing Mr Stanford, and my love only deepened when in my 3rd show he gave me my first ever interaction and 1:1. So after following Alex’s Conrad, I knew I had to see Adam’s. It was one of those special loops where you feel like you are the character’s companion, their go-to-guy, their confidant for that hour. Besides, you feel like you’ve bonded with a man once you’ve removed his stockings. The Studio 8 experience with Adam was just as thrilling, and if anything more devastating, having had it in the context of the earlier 1:1. I was shocked to find that although I knew what was coming, I was still scared because I was so caught up in the story. Although this time I think I was more afraid for Conrad and less for myself.

My 3rd visit was a Fool visit which happened quite by chance. I was actually following Alice when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I was expecting it to be a friend of mine who I had taken for her first time. It is still one of the most memorable images from The Drowned Man for me, after a tentative tap on the shoulder turning around not to see a 23 year old girl, but to see Rob McNeill’s Fool smiling at me in a sweet (yet somehow distressed) way and giving me a timid wave before offering me his hand. It was interesting going to Studio 8 with the Fool. The first part in particular, as he made me lie on the bed and cuddle the horse while he told me the story, and, for the first time, it really was a children’s story (as opposed to a grandmother’s story) being told to me.

After these 3 visits, I made a decision that I probably shouldn’t go into Studio 8 again. I’d had 3 amazing visits, but was worried that the experience would be diminished by going there again. Besides, 3 times is enough for anyone and some people had not been in there at all. But one night when I was wandering without any plan, waiting for my attention to be caught by some character or another, I came across Omar Gordon’s Fool. I really loved Rob’s Fool, he was a character so full of pathos. The strange, sad man in the mime’s makeup. Always an outsider. A man who knows too much. So I was mainly just planning to follow Omar’s Fool until I came across someone who caught my attention more. However, this plan was derailed when I noticed how utterly different Omar’s Fool was. He struck me as less tortured, yet somehow darker. He went about things differently. When he fell to the floor in the corridor in front of Studio 2 he pulled me down with him as if to talk to me (like Stanford does before the private party), only before he got chance Conrad towered over us and shouted at us both. When it came to reset time, after I had helped him put on his makeup, he took the flowers meant for Andrea and very slowly held them out to me. I refused to look at them, knowing that they weren’t for me, until the very last moment. As soon as my eyes left his to look at the flowers, he whipped them away from me and hid them. I suddenly got it, this Fool was a playful Fool.

When we got to Studio 8 time, I couldn’t leave Omar’s Fool, I was far too invested. I had decided that if he wanted to pick me, it was because he wanted me to see his full story, and who was I to decline? Besides, he was so different to Rob’s, I really wanted to see this part of his story. When he picked me he made me try the handle to the trailer, I gave him a look and tried it, unsurprised to find it locked. He smiled at me, took out his key and turned to unlock it. I tried it again and, still finding it locked, I decided I had worked this Fool out, he was indeed playing with me.

When we got into the trailer, he made me sit on the bed and the toy horse was nowhere to be seen. He whispered the story in my ear, and we followed the string into the dark. Up to the point where we saw the horse, this visit was not really much different to any of my other trips. We ran away from the horse, and it felt much the same as with the others. We were both scared, we were both in this together. That was until we got near the exit of the Studio. At this point Omar Gordon did something incredibly kind. I don’t know why he did it (maybe he always did it this way, although I have heard accounts to the contrary, plus in most loops the Fool can do this 1:1 2 or even 3 times, but I’m fairly sure he only had time to do it once in this particular loop), others have suggested he could sense I’d been there before and decided to switch things up a bit. Whatever the reason, it was one of the most generous things a performer has ever done for me. A moment where I really felt that this performer was going out of his way to give me a truly thrilling experience. And I was so grateful.

That was because at this moment, Omar Gordon decided that he would do everything he could to scare me shitless.

I was wrong, this wasn’t a playful Fool who enjoyed joking with me. This Fool was evil and enjoyed nothing more than messing with my head. As soon as we got close to the exit of Studio 8 he turned off his torch and walked away from me, leaving me alone in the pitch black. Then, every now and then would flash his torch back on so I could see his creepily made-up face coming towards me. At some points I would only know he was near me by the feeling of his breath on my face as he whispered to me, or the smell of cigarettes coming from his clothes. It was the stuff nightmares are made of. Alone with a clown in a dark, empty space. Stood still. Vulnerable. Completely at his mercy, when he clearly felt none towards me. In the past when my Studio 8 guides had told me I wasn’t safe in there, it was a warning. With this Fool it was a threat. When he decided to switch his torch back on he sneered at me and told me I needed to be more careful who I trust and showed me where the door was. It was the only time I ever had to open that door on my own.

When I left the Studio, I was clearly so visibly traumatised that my 4th and final visit marked the 1st time that a black mask had to come over to me and ask me if I was okay.

It occurred to me later that this experience illustrates one of the things that makes Punchdrunk so special - the huge difference between different individuals’ experiences, even when seeing the same thing. Had I not gone into Studio 8, I would have seen a fantastic performance, a complete story, but it would always have been with a playful Fool. Having that experience, however, coloured everything that had gone before. It had put that entire loop in a whole new light. And I was so lucky to see it that way!

#The drowned man #omar gordon #adam burton #rob mcneill #alex mugnaioni #punchdrunk

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nealspaper · 10 years ago

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King Lear -- Globe Theatre at The Annenberg Center

From its first syllable, the Globe Theatre production of “King Lear” impresses with its directness and animation.

Line readings are brisk and straightforward. Natural posture and expression reigns. Nothing is stylized. The actors inhabit their characters as if they living their scenes, and the result is a “Lear” of piercing clarity and unflagging vivacity.

The cast’s delivery is so conversational…

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#Alex Mugnaioni #Annenberg Center #Bethan Cullinane #Bill Buckhurst #Bill Nash #Classic #Daniel Perrie #Globe Theatre #Gwendolen Chatfield #Joseph Marcell #King Lear #Shakespeare #Shanaya Rafaat #Tragedy #University of Pennsylvania #Zellerbach Theatre

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klarionchaos · 10 years ago

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Went to The Globe today to see King Lear. My friend Alex Mugnaioni is playing Edgar and The Duke of Cornwall. The show was wonderful, I recommend you see it before they start touring America!

#takenbyme #the globe #shakespeare #king lear #Alex Mugnaioni #i also think I've made a new friend today ^.*

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shuttersopen-blog · 10 years ago

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My Time at Temple Studios, Part 21

Show #21 Friday, May 16: 5 pm

One of the side effects of my late flight on Thursday was that I didn't have a chance to run down to the National Theatre and pick up my tickets for the rest of the weekend, so I (unusually) had to hit the box office before each show. This led to moments like the one before this show, where I walked up to the box office and barely got an “O-” out before the nice lady behind the counter cut in with “Omura, right. . . “ and handed me my ticket. As the song says, sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. Other times, you wonder whether that means you've been too many times, then immediately dismiss the idea because, honestly, is there such a thing as too many times?

My target out of the lift was obvious as soon as I saw the cast board: Adam Burton as Stanford. As much as I love Sam Booth's Stanford, I do enjoy that we're finally branching out into some solid alternative interpretations (such as James Traherne, see show #16) – and Adam seemed an inspired choice. I found him in the Temple, setting up for the initiation. We were quickly joined by a small handful of white masks, who followed him around the room in circles as he did his work while I smugly positioned myself next to the platform, in a spot where I could watch him on either side of the curtain by moving only two steps to one side or another. Or maybe I was missing out on the fun. At any rate, Adam's Stanford seems much more particular about his work here, making sure everything was positioned just so, even taking time to adjust the angle of the baseball bats. Then he did an intriguing little dance, mimicking a knight chess piece, and grabbed one of the other white masks for the 1:1. Uh-oh. Dilemma. I want to follow Adam's Stanford. I don't want to spend a chunk of magic hour waiting for him to emerge. I also don't want to be that jerk who leaves just because he didn't get a 1:1. But. . . magic hour. So few shows left. Aaaargh. . . .

Honestly, when I lay it out like that, it's two arguments for staying against one for leaving. So of course, I left. Why wouldn't I choose the option that makes no sense in retrospect? I suppose I figured that I'd only been there for five minutes, so it's not like I was backing out of a loop I was invested in.

I rushed upstairs and came across Wendy (Leslie Ann Kraus), just as she was pulling the scissors out of the pool. Here we go – Wendy is one of those characters you need to follow for the first loop, on account of crowd size as the night wears on. And I had meant (and failed) to follow her during my March trip. New plan initiated.

I followed her to the dressing room, watched her hide the scissors, and then the PA (Fania Grigoriou) showed up. Even in just those few short seconds, she was incredibly intense and frightening – and had, amusingly, already amassed quite the crowd. She took us in to the bedroom, where I was treated to the most intense Wendy/Marshall (Fionn Cox-Davies) fight that I have yet had the pleasure to witness. There was, in particular, a great moment when Marshall was standing atop a dresser and lifted Wendy up into the air by her neck. From where I was standing, I could just barely see that he had his foot in the small of her back, supporting her weight, but it was still tremendously effective. And then the whole thing concluded with her going after him with a candlestick holder – not something I remember from 2013.

After that, I got my first glimpse of the Leslie/Kirsty Arnold pairing as Wendy and Andrea. They are absolutely adorable together. There's a spark to their friendship that I never quite felt with any other pairing. And visually, they just look like they belong together. It's wonderful. I followed them up to the Infidelity Ballet, which was, as usual, great. I think Sophie Bortolussi will always be “my” Wendy, but I can't deny that Leslie's Infidelity Ballet is unimpeachable. She owns the entire scene, top to bottom, so much so that my attention didn't drift over to Andrea and her red dress even once (I have a bad habit of doing that). It's really fascinating to watch her flip back and forth between her natural exhausted/terrified/distraught state and her peppier on-camera persona.

On the way downstairs afterward, we got to hear an unfamiliar bit of crazy speak in the stairwell as she stopped, looked at a few of us, and said “I can hear them. I can hear them everywhere.” Then Andrea caught up with her and we were treated to the lovely walk-and-talk where they get excited about the party. It's all about the emotional peaks and valleys, here. The tragedy wouldn't be as tragic without these moments of light to contrast.

Not much to say about the orgy – not only have I seen it a bazillion times, but I've seen it with Leslie's Wendy several times as well. After we returned to the dressing room, I did really like the way her focus gradually shifted more and more toward that spot in the rafters where the scissors were hidden, even as she was talking to Andrea. The murder itself was interesting, as it was the first time I'd seen an interim murder since the last time I did a Wendy loop, all the way back in December. It's a very different, much more compelling experience watching it with a crowd that numbers in the dozens, not the hundreds. I also got a bit of a kick seeing Alice (Emily Mytton) skulking about near the bottom of the hill, guiding her white mask around. I'm not sure exactly what it was about her body language, but I found the image absolutely hilarious. I'll definitely need to do another loop with her before it's all over.

Post-murder we ran up the stairs to the studio gates, and then right back down again to Studio 4. I still haven't figured out the ideal spot to watch the gate scene from, and I don't think I've ever felt it's impact as fully as I should. It seems like it should be a big deal, but it always winds up feeling kind of like an interlude before we get back to starting the story over.

After the snow room scene, which again benefited from the wonderful chemistry between Leslie and Kirsty, we were off to the birthday tent, which was already packed with white masks and is, sadly, the one scene in the show that I would actually call poorly staged. Cramming that many major characters into that space, and then having several of them sit down? For anyone other than the first dozen or so white masks to arrive, half of the people in that tent may as well not exist. Fortunately, Wendy spends much of her time up on the stage in the corner, so I could at least keep track of the person I was following. But still, it's tough. Other than the above, two things stood out to me about this scene. First, Leslie was absolutely dwarfed by Frankie (Daniel Whiley) and Eugene (Monsur Ali), which worked very well for the scene, as it made it more clear (for those of us in the cheap seats) how much she's being bullied into participating. Secondly, I think we may be at a point where every single guy who dresses in drag (and there are maybe 7 or so, across the two characters) has either a beard or a moustache. Which is not particularly meaningful, but I find it amusing.

Next up was her scene with the Doctor (Ira Siobhan), which was creepy and uncomfortable as usual, as well as absolutely rammed. When Stanford appeared behind the screen, I was really impressed by how simultaneously menacing and effete he looked, and was painfully reminded that I had originally intended to follow him for this loop. Ah, well – it's not as if I didn't enjoy my Wendy loop. Speaking of which, this was the point where I decided to bring it to a close, two scenes early. I did really want to watch her tree dance, but not with second loop crowds. That scene in particular needs a lot of space to be fully effective, and I kind of feel like it's the sort of scene you catch at the top of the show or you don't catch at all.

Based on some enthusiastic queue discussion, the other person I really wanted to catch this show was Alex Mugnaioni's Conrad. But I wanted to catch him from the beginning of his loop (or close to it, anyway – starting with him in the Seamstress shop would do), which meant I needed to wait until third loop. So I decided to do something a bit atypical for me – I didn't do a second loop at all. I just wandered, catching bits and pieces of things, and exploring a few rooms. I started this by sticking with the Doctor, but he disappeared into a 1:1 very shortly after Wendy left. Next up, I headed into town by way of the board room, and took a peek for the first time into the semi-hidden large room with the pile of scripts on my way. In town, I decided to check in on Tuttle (Ben Whybrow), as I hadn't seen his Tuttle before – but the shop was empty. I wandered into the bar, thinking I might spend a few minutes with the Barman, but he was nowhere to be seen. I headed over to another room that I'd never set foot in before, the small triangular one off to the left of the chapel. Finally, I realized that we were nearing time for Faye's dance at Dwayne's trailer, and decided that was where I needed to be. I didn't really want to do a loop with Katie Lusby's Faye, and probably never will again – the loop I did at show #16 was so absolutely perfect that any attempt to recreate the experience would be doomed to failure. But I was very excited about checking in and revisiting some highlights. I headed into the motel room through the back door, but it was empty. Apparently my sense of timing is not what it should be (then again, when has it ever been?). I was just about to give up and try something else when Faye stormed in, followed by a mercifully small crowd of masks. I watched her seethe for a bit and make with the drinkin', then we were off to the trailer. The dance there was amazing, and very different from Sonya's the night before, just as I had thought. I was mistaken about one thing, however – when I saw Sonya do it, I thought it was the same choreography, just performed in a very different style. Revisiting Katie's dance so soon afterward, I realized it was not at all the same thing, they just had a few common touchstones (like that dangling crossed-legged swing, which strikes me as one of those things that is probably harder to do and more impressive than it might seem at first glance). I also noticed that she pulled that landing-next-to-a-mask-and-looking-over-her-shoulder trick, thus confirming that it was indeed deliberate last time (and as far as I can tell, unique to Katie).

Toward the end of the dance, some newcomer started pushing his way through the crowd, apparently unclear on the concept that we were all trying to give Faye enough space to dance. He actually walked all the way up to the trailer, and stood right next to her! Unbelievable.

Even more unbelievable? The fact that it took me so long to realize that this guy wasn't wearing a mask at all, and was, in fact, the new Andy (TJ Lowe). D'oh. This was my first look at him, and while there wasn't much to go on, he seemed like solid casting. He has a very kind face. I thought about picking up with him for a bit, but to me, Andy is more of a full loop sort of a guy, rather than a setpiece guy, so I decided to wait until someday when I could stick with him for longer. Instead, I left Faye as she headed upstairs and went off to check Tuttle's shop again. I arrived to find the door locked and Tuttle disappearing under the counter with a white mask. Ah, timing. Fortunately, just about then Harry (Edward Halsted) showed up, rambling drunkenly. So I watched him for a bit. He handles this scene quite well, as it plays into that more crotchety demeanor that he has. When he sat down in front of the camera, I also noticed for the first time that he makes explicit reference to George Buchanan, the missing character. I'm sure all the Harrys do, but this was the first time it stood out to me.

When he wandered off I headed back to Tuttle's shop, where I found the door still locked – but Tuttle himself was sitting in the window, writing in his notebook. I took up a position to the side, where I could read what he was writing – it was a double page spread of character names. Every time he saw someone walk by, he put a question mark after their name. When William came by, he directed him over to the hoedown, shouting through the glass. Kind of an odd effect. I also noticed that when Faye passed by, he spent an awfully long time staring after her, which I appreciated. The Faye obsession is something I like about Tuttle, but which doesn't seem to be present, or at least isn't prominent, in many of the incarnations.

Eventually Tuttle emerged from the shop, red paint in hand, to go to work on the motel wall. It's a fun scene, mostly because running away from the Gatekeeper with him adds a touch of visceral excitement. Afterward, he let us all inside the shop just long enough for him to put his paint away, then closed up again, keeping one lucky white mask inside. Time to move on again.

Fortunately, I didn't have to go far to find my next scene: William (Greig Cooke) and Andy were already standing just a few feet away, beginning their post-hoedown scene at the fountain. Two new performers in one place? Sign me up. The scene played well – both of them seemed very comfortable (of course, Greig wasn't brand new), although I didn't hear a lot of effort going into the American accents (or lack thereof). Certainly enough to pique my interest in spending some more time watching both or either of them. I wound up following Andy into the Drugstore when he rushed off, as I wanted to take a look at Lucia Chocarro's Drugstore Girl.

I made it inside just in time for the most epic postcard spill I have yet encountered. When Andy hit that rack, the cards flew EVERYWHERE, and the mess stretched all the way into the phone booths. Oftentimes in the drugstore, one wonders whether it would be appropriate to help her pick them up. That was not the case this time. Three or four of us all joined in, and even then, we didn't get it all done before the Grocer (Monsur Ali) showed up. The look she gave me when I handed her my stack was incredibly tragic, and it was right about that time that it dawned on me that I was really enjoying my piecemeal loop, which I found a little bit surprising.

The scene between her and the Grocer played out largely as I remembered, with a couple of minor twists – the most significant being that she took the script with her over to the phone booth. The timing was also a bit off, as there was a long, awkward pause between the Grocer saying “It's for you,” and the phone ringing. This was actually the least crowded the Drugstore had ever been for this scene, at least in my experience, so I took the opportunity to follow her over and try to get a better idea of what happens over there. Her dialogue wasn't particularly revealing (“yeah. . . okay.”), but I was close enough to just barely pick up a male voice on the other end of the line – which means that somewhere out there, elsewhere on the set, it must be possible to see and hear the other side of the conversation. I have no idea who it could be – Stanford seems the obvious choice, but I've followed him and he has no such phone call. It's a mystery, and one that we are running out of time to solve, sadly.

After her collapse, the Grocer dragged her across the floor and left her in the middle of the room (which is a really unpleasant thing to see), then left. After a brief visit from Harry, she revived, completing her reset, and then took a white mask into the third phone booth (that's new!). Well, well, well. Things are always changing in Temple Studios. It was a good stopping point anyway, though, because it was time for me to catch up with Conrad. I headed over to the Seamstress's shop to wait for him.

As has become the norm for me, my timing was slightly off – specifically, I was early. I poked around the shop a bit, then poked around some more, and finally decided to go outside – which happened to be exactly the moment that he came to the door. Of course. There was no way for me to get out of his way, and he had the look of a man on a mission – he wasn't stopping for anything. So I immediately backpedaled, retreating into the far corner of the shop and standing awkwardly beside him,staring out at the rest of the audience, as he changed into his drag outfit. This also meant I was the one who wound up zipping up his dress, a task I concluded with a quick double pat on the shoulder, as if I was letting him know it was okay to drive away. I guess I wasn't sure he would be able to tell that I had successfully zipped him all the way up, but looking back, I'm not sure why I thought that. What a weird thing to do.

At any rate, I was pretty well on board with Alex's Conrad right from the get-go, even though I hadn't seen him do much of anything yet. He just had a certain presence about him that felt right for the part – smooth and suave, but kind of off-putting as well. That last part is really important for Conrad.

We headed out to the Horse and Stars for Conrad's cabaret, which was quite impressive. I was particularly intrigued by how rough he was with William – when he climbed over him on the bar, he looked like some sort of wild beast preparing to devour its prey. A lot less flirting and a lot more aggression than I was expecting. Afterward, he stuck around as usual to seduce the Barman (Ed Warner) – or at least, take a stab at it. Last time I did a Conrad loop, I discovered that the curved end of the bar was easily the best spot to watch this scene from, as the intense backlighting produced a very striking image, so that's where I settled in. This had a second, unexpected benefit – it meant that I was only a couple of feet away when Conrad finally leaned in to kiss the Barman, and at that moment, I got to hear him say something that made me laugh out loud for only the second time in the show.

“Pal, we're going to level three.”

But of course, it was not to be. There would be no level three that night. The barman rejected him, Conrad stormed out, yelling about enlightenment or advancement or something like that, and stomped through town in his underwear. He led several of us into one of the motel rooms for his cult/self-help instruction session. He wasn't fooling around – when the person he instructed to hold the door shut failed to do so, inspiring someone else to hold the door instead, he refused to continue until the original person he selected took over. After that, it was time to remove his high heels and stockings. And guess who he picked for that task?

Let me tell you, the rest of the room LOVED it when he stuck his foot out at me. Now, removing clothing from another man is not something I generally have much (any, really) interest in doing. But on the other hand, I do enjoy getting to participate and interact with the characters, so I certainly didn't mind doing it in this case. But since everyone else was so amused by the fact that Conrad was making me undress him, I decided to play up the discomfort quite a bit, making sure to pause and look around at everyone before I removed each shoe. Conrad was clearly on the same page, playing the sequence for all of the humor he could muster. When he offered me the first stocking, he pulled it down partway and pulled the end far away from his leg, so that I could pull it off without getting that close. The second stocking, however, he left right on the leg. The rest of the audience was eating this right up, and I have to admit I got a real kick out of their amusement.

The second stocking almost came off without a hitch, but then it caught on his heel and began to tear. “Don't break it, baby,” Conrad said, producing one more peal of laughter in the room before he dove into his lecture. It was the usual – life and death becoming one, things looking different in the light and the dark – but he delivered it with confidence and a surprisingly light touch, then ended it with a dramatic zipping of his fly immediately after the concluding statement. This very nearly resulted in my third out-loud laugh. But not quite.

In case it isn't clear at this point, I really, really liked Alex's Conrad. Every step of the way, he was just nailing it. I never thought I'd say this, but he might even be better than Adam Burton's version (clearly, I'm going to have to revisit that one to see for sure). His take on the character definitely leans closer to Adam's than Ben Whybrow's, but with a little added kick – a fire, an animal side that shows itself on occasion and stands in stark contrast to Adam's colder, slow burn.

With the lecture concluded, we headed into the studio, pausing momentarily for the Gatekeeper (Paul O'Shea) to extort a bit of cash from Conrad – an attempt which failed, since Conrad had no money on him. Oops. First stop inside the studio was the dressing room, where he pulled me in for a rather intense 1:1. Afterward, we came out and joined Andrea (Kirsty Arnold) for a walk to Studio 3. This was a pleasant surprise – it had slipped my mind that Conrad's loop meant I was going to see the magic trick.

I settled into a seat near the stage, briefly catching Larry (Matthew Blake)'s eye as they set up for the trick. He arched an eyebrow at me – in recognition? Or does he just do that to everyone? No matter – back to the magic trick. It was just as fun as it always is, and spun off in a slightly new direction toward the end. Once he speared Andrea's dress, Conrad got angry. Really, really angry – much more so than I've seen before. Each subsequent spear through the box was shoved in more quickly, more roughly, more aggressively, until the final spear – the one straight through the center. He really took his time with that one, twisting and pushing like he was actually trying to stab her to death. It was almost uncomfortable to watch (and by “almost uncomfortable,” I mean “totally awesome.”).

After the performance came to an end and Andrea popped out of the box in her underwear, the two of them had their usual fight about not sticking to the plan. It amuses me to no end that some Andreas lose their dress and some don't, but Conrad always chews them out for it either way. You just can't win with this guy.

Once Andrea was gone, it was time for the PA to come have her little fight with Conrad – and once again, I was amazed by Fania's ability to walk into a room and just take ownership of it, even before she does much of anything. That's presence right there. Once the PA got what she wanted and departed, Conrad awakened and began to prep for his scene with Romola. He started dressing, pausing for a moment to say, “Honey, you look tired. Why don't you sit down?”

Well. I've been to this rodeo before. I know what's going on. I'm not falling for it. Let someone else take him up on his suggestion – ideally someone who hasn't seen this. But no one else moved. I made an awkward, half-hearted move as if looking for a chair, but left it at that.

Conrad was not willing to leave it at that. He fixed me with a glare in the mirror and repeated himself: “Why. Don't. You. Sit. Down.”

Okay, then. I pulled out the chair next to him (the only option, really), and had a seat. He continued running his lines, soon reaching “baby, could you give my shoulders a rub?” I obligingly reached up, but as soon as my hand made contact he took off. I do really like that scene, as I'm a big fan of any time the actors mess with the white masks. But I do wish one of the newbies (or maybe that's it - maybe there were no newbies in the room) had taken the bait, instead of me having to play along as if I didn't know what was happening. Ah, well.

Next stop was Studio 5, where I got my first look at Lily Ockwell's Romola. I had come into the trip very excited to do a loop with her, and the only reason I didn't follow her at this show was because I had just done Romola at the show prior, and I figured I'd have another opportunity later in the weekend (spoiler: I didn't. Curses.). Can't say I got much of an impression of her take on the character, since this was the one scene where she is least herself. I did notice that she also seemed to play up the mesmerized/controlled angle when she went for the keys to a greater degree than I remember from the early months of the show, but not quite as much as Sarah Sweeney did. And that's sadly about all I can say. Next time, Lily.

After the scene concluded, Conrad wandered off to the side of the room, where he was instructed to head to Studio 8. His response – a brief but aggressive dance sequence. Or sort-of dance sequence. It started out similar to how I remember Adam's reaction went, but quickly devolved into a total collapse. One could make an argument that he just died, then and there. I suppose it's a way of giving some closure to those of us who are not lucky enough to make the journey into Studio 8 with him.

Speaking of: just as we left the Studio, I noticed that we had picked up a 1:1 Hunter. He had all the telltale signs – he showed up just prior to the upcoming 1:1, he was suddenly sticking to Conrad like glue, and, most tellingly, every time we turned a corner or paused, he made certain to get slightly ahead of Conrad – that is to say, where Conrad could see him. Once we reached Studio 8, Conrad took a look at everyone around him. . . and grabbed the hand of a girl I didn't recognize. I won't lie, I was disappointed not to see that final scene with him, especially after kind of being his guy for the rest of the loop. . . but hey, that's the way the cookie crumbles. And I have to admit that any disappointment I felt was heavily mitigated by schadenfreude at the fact that the new hunter didn't get it either.

With very little time left in the show, there was no point in wandering far, so I headed back to the dressing room to watch Andrea for the last few minutes. I'm pleased to say that when she went into the kitchen area, I managed to not stand between her and the cupboard when she went to get water! Fifth time's the charm, apparently. I'm so proud of myself.

Soon we were all herded back into Studio 2 for the murder. I hung back and watched from the stage, which has become my usual plan anytime I don't have a walkdown, then got myself a nice seat right at the front of the steps for the finale. While I stood there, awaiting the signal for everyone to sit down, I suddenly felt a rain of creepy spider-fingers on my shoulders. I turned around to find the PA standing there. She slipped past me to the stage, holding my gaze with a classic Punchdrunk stare as she walked by.

When the lights came up at the end, I was treated to a pleasant surprise – Larry, standing above me, his hand extended. It was my very first spontaneous walkout, after 21 shows. Granted, I've had walkouts before (just a few), but only when my walkdown has specifically planted me somewhere and come back for me. I'd never been selected for a walkout 'just because.' Until now. What a nice feeling.

He took me into Studio 3, where Luna (Kathryn McGarr) was waiting. She removed my mask and they both immediately started gushing over my performance, and telling me how much of a crime it would be if I don't get the academy award. They've really got that Hollywood exuberance thing down pat – the way they stood together, heads side by side, leaning in aggressively with big smiles and wide eyes – it's just a little bit scary. Which means I loved it. A fine end to a solid show, although the spectre of missing out on Adam's Stanford and Lily's Romola did cast a little bit of a shadow over it.

#punchdrunk #the drowned man #temple studios #leslie kraus #alex mugnaioni

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whenwillweawake · 10 years ago

Text

The pattern is a part of you

I don’t know where to begin with this one. We all had a character that we went back to, time and time again, for one reason or another. By the end, I had a handful, but the one that absolutely defined my time at Temple Studios was Conrad.

It all started at my third show, on a Saturday night just before Christmas. I barely remember the details. I do know it was quiet. Really quiet.

I found Conrad (Adam Burton, obviously) alone in his dressing room, in the final loop, right after the reset. My mouth was dry, my heart racing. Being in that dark little room as he scribbled on a flyer and prepared his suitcase was completely terrifying. It took a fair amount of courage to not just turn around and leave. I felt like an intruder in his private space. I was still at the point where I had no idea what to expect - and Conrad was a stranger to me, but even then, always seemed to be aware of us.

The blurs I remember from that evening are mainly selfish ones. My complete shock when he locked me in his dressing room and how for the the first time I felt I had become part of a character’s story, a confidante as he unlocked the door and we continued onwards together.

That loop also had me step into Studio 3 during a show for the first time; an experience I found completely unsettling. (Unbelievable now, given that it became somewhat of a ritual to spend a bit of time in there each show)

When he started rehearsing lines back in his dressing room, I fumbled to pull out a chair and sit down. His eyes were on me the whole time. I didn’t give his shoulders a rub.

I remember how the scene with Romola in Studio 5 made the hairs stand on the back of my neck and my body go stiff. Those voiceovers, those disembodied voices. The way a whole new level of control, or fate, or destiny, or whatever it was, emerged for me. I knew nothing of Romola’s story at that point, but I remember how fearful I was for her. And how Conrad being asked to visit Studio 8 chilled me to the bone. I would see this scene play out again many times, and it never once lost its impact.

And then, my first trip to Studio 8 with Conrad (and my only time with Adam). I wish I could recall the details. Mainly it’s just the startling absurdity of his Grandmother costume, his shaky voice; so quiet, so close to my ear. I remember a dash through the darkness, and leaping up the stairs to watch the final murder as he gripped my shoulders. Me, out of breath, shaking. I was completely invested in Conrad. In our journey together. We’d been through this whole thing tonight, side-by-side. And then he let go of my shoulders.

A rose appeared in his hands, from absolutely nowhere, given to me to throw. Then he led me to the stage, and left me. I’m not sure if I’ve ever felt more alone. I wasn’t ready for him to go.

It was this loop (and Adam Burton’s ridiculous ability to engage you in a story) that is really to blame for all of my visits since.

Following that night, Conrad become as much a habit as visiting Temple Studios did. I spent a few more loops with Adam’s Conrad before he left. Starting to notice the details: The way he used to look at the “Property of Temple Studios” sign and say “I don’t think so”. The imaginary shooting of Claude and Alice on the board room table. The exchange with Harry. The constant use of his dropper. The clicking of his fingers. The way he timed putting his wig on absolutely perfectly with the music. The weird little exchanges with Omar’s Fool in the corridors outside Studio 2. What was it that the Fool told them?

At this point in time, I had Conrad down as someone who was professional through and through. Perhaps a touch cold. Someone who was sick of the studios, using his scientology and drugs as a way to cope. Someone who really wanted to be on the outside, living his other life in drag, outside of the studio’s grasp. But they got to him first, sending him to his fate.

This picture of Conrad grew less and less clear for me over time. Different versions of him, my mind drawing tenuous links between him and The Grocer, him and The Fool, and my changing interpretation of events outside the studios, all adding to the complexity of his story.

—

I admit, I was worried when Adam left. Worried I wouldn’t like whoever was to be the new face of Conrad (I never did connect with Owen’s version). Worried that my favourite thing in Temple Studios would no longer have the same pull. And then Ben Whybrow turned up, beard and all.

The first few times I stumbled across him I remember thinking “This doesn’t feel so bad…”. But I wasn’t ready, not yet anyway, for a full loop.

Then one night I caught him in the Horse & Stars (probably in one of my extended visits with the Barman) and ended up heading along to the motel room behind him. He caught my eye and very soon I found myself removing one shoe, then the next, one stocking, and the other. Carefully handing them back. I still wasn’t ready to stick with him though, and watched him slip away through the studio gates whilst I headed on over to Tuttle’s.

There must have been something in his wolfish grin though, because during the very next loop as he pinned Tuttle up against the wall, I found myself drawn back to his side. Another rendition of I Can Never Go Home Anymore, then self-conciously slipping back into a relatively crowded motel room.

I felt half-guilty seeing this scene twice in the same night and slid behind some other white masks. But then, he had fixed me with his gaze again, grinning. And I was undressing him for the second time that night.

There was no way I could resist any longer, and soon we were in his dressing room, “It’s okay, you can drop the act now”, an inkblot, being questioned about why I do it, is it the thrill? The shadow of a moth. The drops on my tongue and running down my chin - wiped away gently with a thumb.

This Conrad felt more youthful. More playful. A little more carefree. He owned the stage during the magic trick and recited lines from The Glass Menagerie in his dressing room. He more easily gave up all his money to the Gatekeeper, again, with a grin. And in Studio 8? He felt more desperate. “We all have a part to play”. His weight shaking in my hand as I led him to the little bed.

He held me tight as we raced through the darkness, our breathing heavy. The horse. A moment. Stanford’s voice echoing through the darkness “He will lead you”. We run. He stops suddenly and I nearly go flying. A change of direction. His torch scanning the floor until it lands on his face, eyes ripped out. “Hurry, we’ve got to go”. Charging up the stairs, clutching my hand, darting through the crowd, just in time to see the final moments of the murder.

And, though he left me, he also came back for me. More drops on my tongue. Parting words and a goodbye before leading me back into Studio 3.

It was thrilling to know that I loved this Conrad just as much as the first.

Jude soon followed. Motel speeches that ended with “Read the book!”, reciting Hamlet in his dressing room, cartwheels through Studio 2, an anger at Andrea that I had never witnessed have such intensity. All sass and confidence until he started to fall apart at the seams, stumbling and falling down the stairs on his way to Studio 8. Not letting me step on the string.

And, then, there was Alex, who turned up and had absolutely no right to be as good as he was. Hilarious, dark, dangerous. In so many ways a completely different creature. Catching his last loop on his first night, I knew from his motel room speech that he was going to be a good one. I could forgive him fumbling with stockings and a bra, when he delivered that speech in a way that made it completely new again.

He was also unwittingly to thank for one of my absolute favourite and most unexpected Temple Studios memories. Having dashed through Studio 8 with him in the final loop, I found myself kicked out into the corridor… alone. Shaken and utterly confused I looked to my right, my brain whirring with the knowledge that the final murder was probably already underway, an empty corridor. I slowly turned to my left, to the stairwell, only to find my eyes meeting Stanford’s. He held up the rose he was carrying and beckoned me over, grabbing my neck and asking if he could trust in my discretion, before marching me to watch the murder.

After that first night, Alex’s Conrad only got better. Commanding, self-assured, everything Conrad should be. I wish I had seen more of him. He was forceful about getting his shoulders rubbed too - and remains the only one I felt obliged to obey.

—

Then Adam was back and my final months following Conrad were all about the differences, the changing moments, the new additions and the favourite scenes.

There was the complete surprise of a newly-shaved face and drops on my tongue after Andrea led me into a deserted Studio 3, covering my eyes and stroking my arms with her feathers before vanishing.

There was the time, just once, that I followed (Ben's) Conrad for his first loop after finding him doing push ups in his dressing room at the start of the show.

There was the somehow-self-aware “Perhaps we met in a dream?”, to Harry’s questioning. The loaded looks between Conrad and Dwayne. How much did he know his part in Mary’s death? Who arranged him as a distraction? Dwayne? The studio? Was this just another part he had to play?

There was watching each different Barman’s reaction to him as he removed his wig - and the way the lighting during that scene made it look utterly cinematic no matter where you were stood. (To watch it from in the saddlery, through the doorway, was just as special as from the other end of the bar, as you slunk to the right so as not to have Conrad’s gaze fall on you as he undressed).

There were so many scenes in that motel room. Some empty, some full, some with disobedient door holders or people chewing gum. People keen to remove his stockings or people horrified by it, just using the tips of their fingers as they struggled not to make contact with a thigh. There was the way he sought out everyone in the room while blotting his lipstick, and how I nodded in agreement every time. The way he zipped up his trousers just before leaving. It was always different, always a joy.

There was Ben’s Glass Menagerie lines and Jude’s Hamlet and the addition (in what felt like the last few weeks) of Adam’s speech in his cage whilst waiting for the PA. I never did catch much of what he was saying.

There was the increasingly dirty looks Conrad was dishing out during the magic trick as he plunged the sticks through the box. The final week was outrageous. There was the discovery that Conrad really IS lying when he tells Luna “it’s water”. Gin, definitely gin. And there was Larry, taking me by the arm and escorting me to “my usual spot”.

There was James’ Harry telling Conrad “Nice moustache!” and the new speech that emerged right at the end as Conrad waits to enter Studio 5. Talking to his shadow, words about how he used to have an inferiority complex, how he’s different now. Words I wish I had committed to memory and that maybe would have helped me unravel his past.

There was the makeover to his dressing room in early April, and the way he pointed at the magician before heading to Studio 3. A photo of someone credited, by a note on the back, as an inventor of method acting.

There was the way that Conrad, particularly Adam’s, seemed to get darker somehow. And seemed to become more and more tormented at the end of his loop. The way the PA seemed to become more powerful as time went by, and he seemed to become weaker.

There was the Fool, staying on the stage during the finale next to William and Mary, while Conrad mirrored him, crouched down at the side next to Wendy and Marshall. Conrad’s words of “the former becomes the latter, and the latter becomes the former, by sudden unexpected reversal” running through my head as I try to make sense of their respective trips to Studio 8 each loop.

—

When I came to the final show, probably much further from understanding Conrad than I had been on my first visit with him, he was the obvious choice for much of my last night in there.

It was a great choice. Gone were most of my tears from an emotional final loop with Jesse’s Grocer the night before, and instead Adam played it with humour, acknowledging the huge (adoring) crowd following him.

Words were changed in the motel room and met with raucous laughter. “Can the last one in hold the door?”; “Maybe I’m pretty good at this now” as his shoelaces were perfectly tied;”If this is a nightmare, perhaps we’ll awake tonight?”. All topped off with the way he still tried to catch everyone’s eye, whilst blotting his lipstick, despite the room being full to bursting.

There was the insanely loud cheers during both magic tricks - the second one with cameo appearances from Ben and Alex, which brought tears to my eyes as I silently said goodbye whilst grinning, laughing and whooping.

And there was the final trip to the motel room. Where I snuck through the back door, making sure I’d see his final speech, except I didn’t quite time it right and arrived to an empty room, a split second before him. He looked me up and down and his final words to me were “You’re early”.

When he left, he parted with a simple “Until…” and a pause that lingered, heavy in the air. The tiniest touch, the perfect sobering reminder that there would be no “next time”.

#the drowned man #ben whybrow #alex mugnaioni #jude monk mcgowan #adam burton

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