Post 103: 020507 Dialogue Snippit

Violet: I do this to keep away from my husband.

Thomas: (Sniggering) I do this cause I'm just out of surgery.

Violet: Just kidding.

Jane: I've had 20 operations, I can relate.

Thomas: I can't relate.

Violet: Damn!

Jane: I've two bad accidents this season.

Thomas: I had a mole removed.

Jane: I take a lickin' but I keep on tickin'.

Post 99: 140207 Links to Articles

Due to popular demand, namely one young kiwi lass. Here are links to the articles so you might actually be able to read them.

The Review in the Korean Herald

The Review in the Korean Times

The Original Article in the Korean Times

Give me your feed back, tell me what you reckon, please.

Post 98: 130207 A Play in Progress

Two weeks of the show are behind us and the final week is about to begin. Today we had our second review published, this time in the Korean Herald. The reviews are sound if not a tad on the positive side but still i am less than satisfied. We haven't had the houses i had hoped for. Perhaps you could blame the weather, it is winter after all, or perhaps the location but it's only 15 minutes from western central. I can't fault the actors nor the staging itself, the actors have performed amazingly despite the month break we had in rehearsals and the venue is large and comfortable. There is the usual hassles we come across when putting on a play here, that being a lack of attention to details on the locals side of proceedings. The wiring in the theatre has let us down a few times when suddenly the projector shuts off in the middle of a clip or the channel changes without a button being pressed but these are minor things and detract little from the end result. A great performance of a solid play performed in a good theatre in a city of 10 million people. But still we can't fill a house. What is the first reason that springs to mind? I'll let you ponder that.

Check out the reviews;

Post 97: 300107 A Play on the Brink

A new play is about to erupt onto the stage at Hanyang University. The Play is called 'Hitchcock Blonde' and little ol' me is the director. Here's a few pics of the cast.

Post 95: A Weekend Behind Us

It’s a Monday night and I sit on the eve of midnight with aching limbs and a nasty cough that gives the impression a lung might come out at any moment. But along with that there is a glow of self-satisfaction. I steal these minutes to recall the weekend. Rehearsals, I dare say, began proper. The actors were split because of the nature of the play and I worked with two at a time, I’ve scheduled an hour overlap as I want all those involved to be well aware of the others, to be acquainted with those whom they will be sharing the stage. I want it to look like a cohesive performance. There is problems with this as the time I give to each pair goes very quickly and I’m sure the actors feel like they are not getting enough but I hope they can find the time outside of the hours I’m with them to rehearse together.

Apart from rehearsals I spent Saturday evening in Seoul in the company of friends both from work and the play. It was the unofficial Halloween night as the official night falls mid week and a little hard to party on. There were parties to be hard on every corner in Iteawon but we stuck to an Irish bar called ‘Wolfhound’ which we find perfect especially after they played ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ to which some of the girls danced in their fetching costumes and ‘Psycho’ on the big screen as music bleared from every corner. The beer is fairly cheap and the vodka goes down a treat. I found a cheap hotel to stay in and went to rehearsal the next morning in the same clothes as the day before. Stinky was I and without Ren in sight. By the time I got back to the apartment I was considerably knackered. It was a good weekend and will happily be stored away for future remembrance.

I did take photos of the rehearsals but for now these shots make the blog. Amanda and Krista in costume prior to leaping up on the stage and dancing the 'Time Warp'

Post 94: 251006 After the Weekend

I do hope this is not a trend that continues throughout the rehearsal process. After arriving at the Uni a half hour early on Saturday morning and discovering one of my actors already waiting with coffee in hand I thought stupidly enough that we were up for a good weekend. That was not exactly to be.

Upon getting to the room we discovered that it was over-booked for a weekend of exams. So finding a place in the shade on a cool day we began out adventures. It wasn't long before we were chased off by the biggest cloud of gnats I've ever seen. Saturday little progress was made.

On Sunday with no room, we were forced to rehearse outside on a dismal day that quickly got worse when it started to rain. We found shelter under an outdoor stage that we were forced to share with two other groups, one with guitars and the other with highly strung voices. I felt we did actually make some head-way but it was slight compared to what we could have done.

Here's a quick little snap of the team from Sunday as we were finishing for the day. Note the unusual extra. We are hoping for sponsorship.

Post 93: 191006 The Theatre Booked

After a night on the terps with two of my co-workers, a polished off bottle of Absolute and three hours sleep, I and a miraculously conscious co-worker made our way into Seoul to see about the theatre.

After being told that it was booked by someone else I was expecting a bit of a fight to resolve the issue and being in the state I was in knew I didn’t have the fight in me. We got there half an hour late which was amazingly well done and met Tory and his wife outside the station. We then headed to the office of the administrators of the theatre. It quickly became apparent that there was no booking and after a brief moment of confusion the dates were set and the price was given. We have a booked theatre. This is a great relief.

Our season begins on Thursday the 1st of February and runs for three weeks. For the first week we perform six times and the following two weeks we perform seven times ending on the 18th. We bump in a week before to run techs and dress rehearsals, hopefully giving us enough time to sort out any problems that will no doubt arise.

As each day passes it gets more real. Soon enough I actually believe it’s happening.

Post 92: 181006 The Trepidations

Wouldn’t it be great if things were easy? If I could set a day for rehearsal and all would come. If I could book a theatre and that would be it, no need to worry about where we are going to perform and just get on with the joys of rehearsing. If I could find the money and not have to fret over paying for posters, the theatre, the props.

Nothing is easy, I’ll have to except that at some point but it seems that it is even harder in this country than most. We had showed interest in a theatre and told the price to which we glowed. We were given a yes which we thought was a done deal but that was not to be. The theatre we wanted has now been booked on the weekends of the month we want to perform, this despite a yes and an awareness of our interest or perhaps because of our interest.

I have made the schedule for the next four months running up until the end of our performance but despite getting a confirmation that all actors would be able to give all time required it now seems I have to redo the schedule to accommodate altered desires. Not a biggy but it adds to a day that was already seeing compromises.

As for the first weekend: As of 10am on Saturday morning I had three of the five actors present. The other two had legit reasons that obviously can’t be altered so I don’t begrudge anything. I’m just hoping that this doesn’t bode for the rest of the rehearsal time. I shortened the needs of the day and three of us ended up going into Itaewon for a meal at Buddha’s Belly. This after a read through that took over two hours. It was out in the light of day, beside the smells of a bakery and occasionally swamped by the loud chatter of folk at neighbouring tables but it wasn’t all bad.

Sunday was a bust, expecting more of the same and without a full cast I decided to send the cast off on their own recognizance. A five o’clock meeting was held by the committee to make a few decisions and push things forward. Then we were in a good place, with two theatres to choose from and an enthusiasm for the task at hand. It was agreed that advertising was to take a different approach and as we’d decided on the University theatre I would see about getting a teaser poster up in the next week or so. The mock up is sitting on my computer but whether it will adorn the billboards of the Uni is a matter yet to be decided. I’m heading there tomorrow morning to see if the situation can’t be resolved. After some initial trepidation on my part to have the show performed on campus, I took a liking to the idea and now hope to remedy the booking of the theatre. Ah the joys.

Post 91: 131006 The Cast

The play is cast. After much deliberation and fretting over the rights and wrongs of each decision I came to my final cast list. I was told by some to suck it up and just do it but that's a simple thing and i'm a wimp when it comes to telling people 'No'. But now it's done and as of tomorrow morning we begin our rehearsals.

There are seven characters in total in this play but two of them appear only in film and do not tread the boards as such. I will most likely cast that in New Zealand as I have easier access to the equipment I need to make it.

The five who will be jumping through hoops and busting their hump over the next few months with be-

Matt as Hitch
Amanda as The Blonde
Thomas as Husband
Krista as Jennifer
Gef as Alex

During rehearsals I will bring a camera and will take notes on each days progress so you, like our own little soap opera, you will get to know these characters.

Post 88: 091006 Final Auditions

The auditions are done. The callbacks are finished. Now comes the hardest part of this process, the decision. Buy tomorrow it must be made.

Post 87: 081006 Auditions Continued

Auditions are never an easy thing for all parties involved.

For the actors there are the nerves, the butterflies, the fear, the desire to succeed.

For the director there is the worry about making the right decisions, for this is where a performance in made. If I choose the wrong configuration then it won’t work from the get go. If there is unbalance, it won’t look right, if there is too much ego or too much rivalry then I have problems from the outset.

Last weekend saw the final day of what turned out to be the first round. All those where showed interest in being in the play had a chance to show me their talents.

Yesterday were the callbacks that ended up including a few late comers. I was hoping to have things decided today so we could begin in earnest next Saturday. That was not to be when I found out one actor whom I was keen to see was in Japan for a few days.

We postponed a few of the readings until today and hopefully by this time tomorrow I will have a clear idea of who the final cast will be.

The worry does not stop there. Being where we are in the world and westerners being of a certain transformed nature I expect the unexpected. I don’t want drop outs but it may happen. I guess I will not stop worrying until the first night is behind us and everything has gone as planned.

Post 86: 250906 Auditions Part 1

The journey from script to stage finds momentum.

This weekend gone was the first of our audition weekends. Saturday saw six people try out for roles and Sunday saw five. To be honest I’ll be happy when this part of the theatre experience is over. I have never found great joy in telling people that there is not a place for them among the cast.

The experience of being is a play is wonderful. There is a sense of camaraderie found in the theatre that is, in my experience, found little elsewhere. Seeing others on such a regular basis and doing things that hastily breaks down the barriers ensures a level of friendship is quickly found. Combine that with regular bouts of drinking and we have the making of life long friends.

My struggle comes when I have to choose between good actors to play limited roles. I realize this is not a bad turn of events but I don’t have the strength to say no. Take the fact of when I first wrote and directed a play. I couldn’t say no to this particular actress so wrote her a role in the play. I’m far too weak. But I understand decisions must be made and made for the right reasons. For now I can put the hard decisions off until after next weekend.

Post 85: 210906 A New Beginning

Since coming to Korean some three and a half years ago I have been involved in several theatre productions a year. Mostly with The Seoul Players. I happen to consider it one of the best moves I’ve made in sending a blind email in the hope of being part of the show.

Earlier this year we staged two short plays, both of which were acted superbly by all. We had limited houses however, despite being in the centre of what is the Seoul theatre district. After what must have been somewhat disappointing result we were all feeling a bit gun shy when looking to the next production.

Krista and I were talking some weeks back and I proposed a play idea that was brought to me by our theatre companies previous producer. From this conversation came the enthusiasm we were both looking for and a meeting was called.

Last Sunday old and new faces gathered in a café in Iteawon to discuss the possibilities of a new show. It’s amazing what happens when like minded individuals come together. As a result jobs were divided, dates were discussed, plans were made. Auditions begin this coming Saturday and end the following Sunday. We hope to begin our run on the 1st of February 2007. The play is called ‘Hitchcock Blonde’ by English write Terry Johnson and I will be the director.

Post 57: 020706 The chapter closes

And thus ends another chapter. Last night was the cast party for ‘Never Swim Alone’ and ‘This is a Play’. We began at an Italian restaurant, enjoying good wine and great pizza and of course fine company. That was followed by a stop at a bar called ‘Hollywood’s’ which was in fact where a few of us began, being the early sorts and wanting to get the evening off to the right start.

We stayed there until just after midnight playing darts and continuing our drinking. The fist world cup game of the night kicked off at that point and the darts were overhauled by cheering English supporters. That was when we went in search of a more accommodating location. It was found in the form of a cocktail bar up a flight of stairs in the back alleys of Iteawon. A place where you had to not only remove your shoes as is tradition but your socks as well because the floor around the seats was covered in sand.

Our numbers had dwindled somewhat by then, from the 12 or so we began with to about six. We stayed there long enough to down a couple of quick cocktails and the time was ripe for dancing. Up ‘Hooker Hill’ we went and found room in a pub slash night club with a video DJ playing a mix of old classics like the ’Proclaimers’ and newer rap artists. By this time I had no choice but to stay on as the subways were closed and there was no way back to Uijeongbu.

Unfortunately the numbers dwindled yet again and I was left watching Steph and Mac being picked up on the dance floor. Time rolled on and 5.15 am meant the subway would be opening soon and my ride home would avail itself. Of the three of us went into the light of a new day and we said our goodbyes. The cast party was at an end and the chapter was closed.

Here’s a couple of picks from the night, both taken in the cocktail bar. The first of Krista sifting the sand and the second of the empty chairs further back in the bar. Note the beach embracing the chair legs.

Post 56: 300606 The Articles

Just so there's no doubt our show was put in print. Here are images from two of the three articles that were done on us. I missed evening seeing a third printed article as i had no idea which day it was being published. I found out a day later and by then it was impossible to get hold of.

Sometime today an interview that was conducted with the cast and crew will be put online. It was conducted by KBS, a local television station but as yet i don't have the address. As soon as it becomes available i'll post that as well.

Post 55: 290606 A thought fizzles

Upon ringing the organizing committee of the Chuncheon International Theatre Festival i was given a number. After being hung up on several times i finally spoke to a woman who informed me that there were indeed places available and could i please send an email detailing our performance.

After the excitement grew i fired off an email including links to the recent articles our play had recieved and to our own website and proceeded to wait. The 10 minutes passed after which time she said she would call back and i continued to wait. In the evening of the same day, not wanting to be pushy, i sent off a second email asking if the first email had been read. Checking my inbox several more times that evening and finding nothing i went to bed determined to ring the next morning.

The morning crawled in though the vertical blinds and i sat at the computer to check a final time before ringing. There it was: "You must be confused." She informed me. We are the puppet festival. Your live theatre style wouldn't work in our program.

Damn it, i said to myself. I was given the wrong number and got all excited for nothing. I later reviewed an initial email i'd recieved from the Theatre Festival, one i'd ignored as i'd actually spoken to someone whom i thought was part of the same festival, telling me that their festival program was full but we would like to invite you next year.

I guess we have to wait a year.

Post 53: 270606 There is this thought..

There is this thought, this hope, this notion that I’d like to come into being.

Whenever a season finishes i am always found lamenting the fact it was so short and how i would like to retain the sensations of being in amongst it. Well the opportunity has presented itself for at least one of the plays to see more life.

It just so happens that the timing of the next Chuncheon International Theatre Festival has placed it directly in our path and it would be a shame not to take full advantage. It takes place at the end of July, right when those involved in The Seoul Players will be starting to feel that itch again.

I have spoken to one of the organisers and was informed that there have been withdrawals of other acts leaving gaps in the program. The cast of 'Never Swim Alone' will all be available at this time but those of 'This is a Play' will not as Emily is leaving our shores in the not to distant future. Disappointment for one and excitement for the other.

I was involved in a play, ‘Rapunzel’ that was taken to this festival a few years back. It’s an exciting event to be involved in. We were put up in dorms with theatre companies from other parts of the world, Italian, Chinese, Israeli, etc etc. I remember one member of the Italian troop, Luca I think his name was, who spent one evening in the dorms balancing everything he could find on his nose, chairs, bottles and alike. To have the chance to be there again is one worth taking.

Initially they held the festival every three years but as I read from the website, the intention is to now have it every year. We are definitely on the books for next year but I’m the impatient sort in some regards and would like it to happen in four weeks time.

Check out the website:

http://www.citf.or.kr/

Post 52: 260606 "As the lights fade..."

And so the show closes and wonderfully we finished on a high. The theatre is not big and in fact appears smaller than its 105 seat capacity. With two houses today of just under thirty each it looked full. The actors went out with a bang. Giving more energy and projecting to a greater degree than previously seen.

I left the theatre in the pouring rain feelings a mix of satisfaction and disappointment. Nothing to do with performances or houses or the fact I missed the chance for a curtain call because we returned moments to late to the theatre. I found the rain refreshing and alleviated my mood enabling me to carry with me the world we had built for ourselves over the last few months.

As I sat on the bus I was startled by a young Korean woman wearing a t-shirt in the center of which was a maple leaf and surrounding it in bold lettering read the words, ”Pure Fuckin Canadian”. I new this Canadian world, not the country you understand but the bubble we crafted though time and exchange, would last longer than anticipated.

I take great pleasure in meeting and working with like minded individuals who can handle my eccentricities. In fact they are almost embraced as part and parcel of theatre. I was able to walk the stage and scream from my lungs and sing off key and spout the few quotes I remember from past plays and these moments were not looked on with distain but accepted. For that this experience will be highly valued.

But that is just a small fraction as to why I will value my time on these shows. Always the most valuable aspect to performance is the people you meet and share time with. Emily, with the cloak she shrouds herself in before each show and her amazing strength that shines though. Mackenzie, with her pure skills and ability to step out on stage and create something utterly memorable. Steven, with his forthright mind and unclouded view and the physicality that molded air into solid objects. Krista, with her vision and demand for a type of theatre that others dare not aspire to and the kind nature she keeps sheltered inside.

It’s 3am and I’ve just played the last four games of the Tantrix Asian Championships Semi-final. I’ll finish off my little rant tomorrow. Oh and I won the 3 out of 4 of the games and am in the final. To be played before July 4th.

Post 51: 250606 The beginning of the last day

Well here it is, the last day. Two more shows and the time spent will be left to gather dust in the recesses of our age inflicted addled minds.

The two shows yesterday went well, performance wise. There was the odd mistake but due to the depth to which the plays are now known they are easily moved beyond. A little spot of inadvertent laugher due to falling off the stage can be seamlessly incorporated.

The first house was light. Sitting in an inadequately air conditioned theatre at 4pm on a hot day is not everybody’s idea of entertainment. The evening session was much better however with nearly fifty people filing in to take their places. The noise they generated with laughter and the three times they broke out into applause seemed to convey a certain level of enjoyment.

Prior to the first show I went out onto the main street to put up posters. In a place that is practically wallpapered in performance posters, finding space was difficult. But our poster is a slightly smaller format so can fit in where others can not. Feeling a little better for having the knowledge of our play out there I returned sweaty to the theatre. After the break between shows I went to take a look to see if the posters had retained their posies. To my chagrin the majority had already been covered up. It’s a dog eat dog world in the poster hanging business.

Here's a cuple more photos. The first is of the silent extra in ‘This is a Play. The second is from the warm-up. Krista bought three sets of a game made up of a ball covered in suckers which lights up on impact and round discs to catch it with. The actors stood about on the stage throwing these flicering balls at one another. A damn good idea. Hot, sweaty and focused.

Post 50: 240606 Dressing room

It's the final weekend of our show. Four more performances before we wrap what has been months of work. I always get the feeling that these two week seasons are too short. Three weeks would be better, expecially for advertising. From the articles we had in The Korean Herald and The Korean Times we garners an interview on KBS Online and a second article in The Korean Herald for their magazine. These things will only come out after we have wrapped. A third week would be smoking.

Here's a couple of shots from last night in the dressing rooms after the show. Mackenzie and Emily. The show went well, all be it to a less than half full theatre. Just one sell out is all we ask.