Stage Door

Fairy Pacifica

2011-12-29T15:11:00.000Z

We've been catching up with our panto cast asking them the questions you probably didn't need to know the answers to but may still enjoy reading.

Fairy Pacifica turned out to be another excellent drawer, but what else would you expect from someone that's been on Art Attack!

Q: Who's the naughtiest in rehearsals?

A: The director!

Q: If you created your own pasty what flavour would it be?

A: Strawberry's and Clotted Cream

Q: If you were stranded on a dessert island what's the one thing you could't live without? - spot the deliberate (ish) mistake.

A: Fairy cakes and meringues

Q: If you were stranded on a desert island whats the one thing you could't live without?

A: My Shadow

If you've got a question for our cast drop us an email - blog@hallforcornwall.org.uk

Merry Christmas

2011-12-21T14:47:00.001Z

Guest Blogger - Tony Berry

2011-12-12T15:09:00.001Z

It is my unyielding attachment to live theatre in all its many forms that first lured me to Hall for Cornwall and its hugely diverse programme of activities. From there it was but a short and painless step into becoming a patron as soon as this happy band of supporters came into being.

It was a bargain too good to refuse. It offers involvement, provides “ownership” and gives a sense of helping the local arts scene, no matter what one’s preference, to survive and thrive.

My thinking was simple: a community devoid of the arts is culturally impoverished and emotionally deprived. We need music, dance, art and drama as much as we need rugby, soccer, the Olympics, food, wine and a walk with the dog to provide a balance to the pressures and stress of daily life.

But the arts – like those other distractions‒cannot survive in a vacuum. There is a considerable cost incurred to mount the simplest of shows. As government funds dwindle and once-wealthy philanthropists feel the pinch, the financial net has to be cast wider afield.

If we want to continue enjoying the unique brand of stimulus only live theatre can provide – and at the increasingly high level seen at HfC – we have to do more than buy a ticket then sit back and applaud. We need to contribute more than this. Even just a little bit more.

To become a supporter costs a mere £27.50 a year. That’s not even 53 pence a week – a quarter the price of a cup of coffee.

Not only do you help HfC prosper and develop, but also there are benefits received at all levels of membership. It deserves a standing ovation.

For more info on membership click HERE

Cap'n Jackie Q&A

2011-12-01T09:23:00.001Z

We've been catching up with our panto cast asking them the questions you probably didn't need to know the answers to but may still enjoy reading.

Cap'n Jackie Killigrew turned out to be a surprisingly talented artist.

Q: Who's the naughtiest in rehearsals?

A: Tweedy!

Q: If you created your own pasty what flavour would it be?

A: Minced beef, garlic, rum & mushrooms.

Q: If you were stranded on a dessert island what's the one thing you could't live without? - spot the deliberate (ish) mistake.

A: Custard tarts.

Q: If you were stranded on a desert island whats the one thing you could't live without?

A: Sleep

If you've got a question for our cast drop us an email - blog@hallforcornwall.org.uk

Robinson Q&A

2011-11-29T14:19:00.001Z

Next up for the panto Q&A / drawing challenge is Andrew who plays our hero Robinson Crusoe.

Q: Who's the naughtiest in rehearsals?

A: I think by a unanimous vote, Stewart our director wins that title.

Q: If you created your own pasty what flavour would it be?

A: Love my biscuits so I'd have to say a cookie pasty

Q: If you were stranded on a desert island whats the one thing you could't live without?

A: I've got a massive sweet tooth so an unlimited supply of cakes and pastries.

If you've got a question for our cast drop us an email - blog@hallforcornwall.org.uk

Patsy Paints

2011-11-24T11:49:00.002Z

We've been catching up with our panto cast asking them the questions you probably didn't need to know the answers to but may still enjoy reading.

First up its Dame Patsy Crusoe, all the cast were asked to draw a doodle of themselves, and the quality didn't disappoint.

Q: Who's the naughtiest in rehearsals?

A: Tweedy!

Q: If you created your own pasty what flavour would it be?

A: Banana & Spaghetti with a drop of Spingo.

Q: If you were stranded on a dessert island what's the one thing you could't live without? - spot the deliberate (ish) mistake.

A: A spoon.

Q: If you were stranded on a desert island whats the one thing you could't live without?

A: My knitting and a good book.

If you've got a question for our cast drop us an email - blog@hallforcornwall.org.uk

Paper People

2011-11-16T16:26:00.000Z

On Monday night our Education team were busy at Truro College creating and animating weird and wonderful creatures at a puppetry workshop with the Puppet Centre Trust and Robin Guiver, famous for his work on War Horse.

The evening saw the attendees mastering the tricky and somewhat surreal process of turning a paper person into Michael Jackson, Garry Lineker and the Queen (Imagine those three at a dinner party)

The workshop was a great success, thanks to all that attended and helped organise the evening.

From one mad day to another...

2011-11-08T15:51:00.000Z

Never one to sit still we’ve been working through the weekend, showing off some off some of our Panto costumes at the Cornish Pirates match on Sunday where they smashed the Rotheram Titans with a 30 – 13 victory, hurrah! Clearly Robinson Crusoe and Princess Polly are Lucky charms as they were also invited to help out with drawing the half time draw, all of which resulted in a very fun if slightly surreal day.

And so the madness continued into Monday as we opened Alan Bennett’s The Madness of George III featuring award winning actors David Haig and Clive Francis. Lindsey and I were outside the theatre grabbing people’s reactions which I've been busy putting together into a video…

Hello and welcome

2011-11-04T12:55:00.000Z

Hello and welcome to Hall for Cornwall’s updated backstage blog. Lindsey and I are here to tell you all the juicy goings on from the wonderful world of the stage.

Mainly its going to be us letting you know what’s happening at HfC but if you’ve got any questions about the theatre, then we’ll try our hardest to answer them. If you have a question for a celeb or just want to know how we change the light bulbs we want to hear from you. There’s no question too big, no question too small (within reason, we’re not giving away all our secrets!)

We’d love any submissions from you too, so if you’ve written a review or taken an amazing photo at a gig email it over to blog@hallforcornwall.org.uk and we may well post it.

So sit back, read, reblog, become a fan, re-tweet and comment away.

All Lit Up (part 1)

2011-08-15T14:11:00.010+01:00

The eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed a short break in Hall for Cornwall’s programme of shows this month. This isn’t (contrary to rumour) because crew have headed en masse to Perranporth beach! In fact, they are working harder then ever during our regular maintenance period – one of the busiest times of year for them.

One of the tasks being undertaken is to clean and check ALL of the theatre’s lighting stock. This is no small task – each lighting unit is taken apart and cleaned before being PAT tested.

Another task the crew have been busy with has been to shorten the steel wires on all 35 fly bars. This involved clearing them of all lantern stock before manually adjusting each one. The adjustment means that when lowered they are at a better height for working on. They also rise higher in the fly tower to give us additional clearance (something that comes in very useful when touring companies bring sets designed for larger venues!).

I snapped a few pictures of the bars during maintenance. It’s very rare indeed to see them all lowered and clear like this.

Another development has been updating of the theatre house lights. The new lights are LED powered and offer significant power efficiency savings when compared to the old lights. There’s certainly no loss of light as a result – the new units appeared to be very bright when I went into the auditorium last week.

Alongside the highly visible building renovation and maintenance work, these types of maintenance jobs are a vital part of keeping the theatre functioning efficiently and ensuring ongoing improvements. Work being undertaken is part-funded by the Theatre Fund payments with ticket sales. As well as safety and maintenance we are investing in lighting that is more efficient with a view to reducing our operating costs as well as our carbon footprint.

Stage Door Chat with Go!Go!Go!

2011-08-05T17:23:00.011+01:00

For this Stage Door Chat we recruited some new reporters in the form of Ben, Phoebe, Maddie and Isla whose agreed to take part in our Families@TheTheatre reviewers' scheme. After seeing the show they met the Go!Go!Go! gang and asked them some questions they had prepared during the interval. Ben interviewed Steve, Carl and Mr Baffled - after Mr Baffled had asked him why Oranges are called Oranges but Bananas aren't called "Yellows"!

Ben: "What is your favourite Pop band?
Mr Baffled: "Go!Go!Go!"

Ben: "Have you always wanted to be an actor?"
Everyone: "Yes!"

Ben: "Is it fun being in th Go!Go!Go! Show?
Carl: "Yes!"

Ben: "Have you been in other shows?"
Steve: "No - This is my first."
The girls interviewed Holly, Jade and Gemma - and since they had a green pen, Jade agreed to take down the notes! Girls: "Do you like your dance actions?
GoGoGo: We love them! But it's even better when everyone joins in!!

Girls: "Is it fun on stage?"
GoGoGo: Lots of fun! It's like playing with our best friends all the time.

Girls: "Do you like being on stage?"
GoGoGo: "It's our favourite thing in the whole world!"

Girls: (To Gemma) Do you like singing on stage or dancing best?
Gemma: Both! At the same time!!

Our Families@TheTheatre group had a great time at the show today and told me they particularly liked "Wake Up Smiling" and enjoyed the sock-eating Fluffalope.

After meeting all their fans after the show and being interviewed we imagine the cast will taking it easy before their 11am AND 2.30pm performances tomorrow as well as their final show on Sunday. We hope they find time to enjoy some of the sights of Cornwall as well during their stay.

Click to book tickets to see The Go!Go!Go! Show or call Box Office on 01872 262466 If you think you know some budding young reviewers who might like to carry out a Stage Door Chat for us sometime, please email richardl@hallforcornwall.org.uk for information.

CAR REVIEW - MINI Cooper (Junior) S

2011-07-12T10:10:00.001+01:00

The paintwork is a stylish shade of blue, the shape classic MINI and the price is unbeatable! This is the must-have car for the about-town toddler who can't be doing with all that walking nonsense.

Featuring two gears (forward and reverse) the car is responsive with intuitive, easy to use controls. Being electric, its carbon footprint is minimal and there is no road tax to pay. Leg-room is, admittedly, at a bit of a premium and the boot has been sacrificed but this is not uncommon with convertible models.

The wheels are premium-grade plastic with mock alloy trim (no polishing or waxing required). The turning circle is, admittedly, not that tight for such a small car so a large space is advised whilst drivers are getting the hang of it.

The main benefit of the car, undoubtedly, is the fun factor and the huge smile on the face of its driver. The mini featured in this review is being raffled and could be yours for just £1 (or £5 for a book of tickets purchased online). Tickets are available at Hall for Cornwall Box office or online (click HERE).

Go on... make a small person's day!

Its Go!Go!Go! at HfC this summer for children and adults.

2011-06-24T11:15:00.013+01:00

For some people, Summer is a time for lazy days in a deckchair or on a beach but Hall for Cornwall is gearing up for a packed season of activities and fun for all the family.

SPACE, Hall for Cornwall’s adult acting company makes its performance debut at The Acorn in Penzance next week with Arthur Miller’s tense and thought-provoking play The Crucible. As a first outing, the company have not shied away from a play that is packed with tense scenes and high drama. The questions raised by The Crucible, about how society can turn on itself when one group is targeted and labelled dangerous remain very much relevant in the post 9/11 era.

The Crucible will be performed on the 4th and 5th July at 7.30pm. Tickets cost just £10 (£6 Concessions) and can be booked HERE or by calling Box Office on 01872 262466.

Our junior acting company, Upstage, follow quickly on their heels with a lively production of “The Wizard of Oz” at the Burrell Theatre, Truro on July 16th. Tickets cost £6 (£5 Concessions) and can be booked HERE or by phoning Box Office.

The above productions have gone through quite a bit of planning and rehearsal over the last few months – but if you’re up for a fresh challenge this summer (or you have children who need a challenge) then “Mummy Mia” is for you! We’re offering a group of young people the chance to stage a musical – in a week! Between the 9th and 12th August from 10am to 2.30pm, children can attend daily sessions at Hall for Cornwall culminating in a performance of a brilliant brand new musical for children about life in Ancient Egypt. Details and information on how to book can be found HERE

For slightly older young people (15 – 18 yrs) we have “Theatre Storm”, a series of drama workshops covering improvisation, acting skills, directing and stage management. These sessions take place between the 9th and 12th August in the afternoon from 3pm to 5.30pm. Details of how to book will be added here early next week.
Activity is not confined to our Creative Learning department, however! Between the 5th and 7th August, an energetic family show explodes onto the HfC stage in the form of The Go!Go!Go! Show. This fun-filled pop musical is great family summer entertainment with magic, dance and plenty of participation from the children in the audience.

The stars of the show visited a number of schools in Cornwall this week, previewing a couple of the songs and teaching the children some dance and “Ichi Oo” moves that certainly livened up the morning assembley! Images from Bosvigo and Grampound Road schools.Tickets for the Go!Go!Go! show can be bought online HERE.

A fun-packed summer season at HfC

2011-05-31T12:19:00.001+01:00

Friends of Hall for Cornwall have already received the summer brochure but Stage Door is happy to reveal a selection of the highlights that await when the season goes on general sale this Friday.

We have some world class drama coming to Hall for Cornwall this season, with Simon Callow’s one man show Dr Marigold and Mr Chops with us between 6th and 10th September. Later in the season we have The Madness of George III, with David Haig taking the lead role.

If you’re a fan of West End musicals, the season leaves you spoilt for choice with such shows as Dreamboats and Petticoats and Blood Brothers (both on sale now) Looking further ahead, we have Buddy between October 3rd and 8th.

Families have much to look forward to as well, with our summer “pop musical” The GoGoGo Show offering a summer holiday treat between the 5th and 7th August. Everyone’s favourite builder (Bob the Builder) will bring his stage show to Truro on the 1st and 2nd October. In the meantime, for our youngest audience members, why not come along to Alice on June 19th? This magical show has been created especially for an audience of five years and below (plus their grown-ups!). Tickets cost just £2 per child (plus theatre fund). Accompanying adults pay £1 plus theatre Fund.

Hall for Cornwall continues to offer some fantastic dance with Shaun Parker and Company bringing “Happy As Larry” to Hall for Cornwall on 27th and 28th September. Keep an eye out for several local dance shows this season as well from Jason Thomas, Pamela Darlington and Cornwall Dance and Drama.

Music continues to be an important part of the programme with, among others, Rick Wakeman, Marc Almond, Gilbert and Sullivan, Halle Youth Orchestra, Noah and the Whale and the (official) Glenn Millar Orchestra covering a wide range of genres and styles.

So whatever your preference, we look forward to seeing you at Hall for Cornwall this summer. Are you a Friend of Hall for Cornwall? click HERE to book today.

Vegas Comes to Town (twice!)

2011-05-21T12:22:00.001+01:00

Here at Hall for Cornwall we put a lot of work into the logistics of getting shows ready for opening night. Part of that process is getting the cast, set, props, costumes and other equipment in the right place at the right time. It’s a little unusual, in our experience, for shows to stop by a week early but that’s precisely what Martyn Lucas did today for the shoppers in Truro!

One Night in Vegas will be at Hall for Cornwall next Friday, but to promote his “homecoming” show, Martyn and one of his “Vegas Showgirls” arrived on Lemon Quay this morning to perform a selection of numbers from the show and offer passers by a few limited free tickets.

The One Night in Vegas show now tours the whole UK, with dates including the London Palladium, but the story started right here at Hall for Cornwall with his first ever version of the show. Martyn is thrilled to be returning next week – his show is bigger and better having grown over the years. In addition to the Vegas Showgirls, Martyn will be supported by musicians of the acclaimed British Philharmonic Orchestra for a wonderful live “big band” Vegas sound.

If you were there at the start, Martyn would love to show you how much One Night in Vegas has grown and if you weren’t there at the start… why miss out this time around? To book click HERE

Stage Door Chat - Wuthering Heights

2011-03-31T18:24:00.002+01:00

The senior section of Hall for Cornwall's youth theatre group Upstage are busy rehearsing for their forthcoming production of Wuthering Heights. Upstage caters for young people from the ages of 7 to 18 with sessions split between young, intermediate and senior age groups.

Many of the actors performing in Wuthering Heights have been with Upstage for several years and are veterans of many productions. Wuthering Heights is possibly one of the most ambitious plays they have tackled to date in terms of characters and subject matter. When Stage Door caught up with four of the lead actors, they were relishing their parts and looking forward to opening night!

Upstage places are available on a term by term basis. Details can be found on the Hall for Cornwall website. Enquiries can be directed to isobelk@hallforcornwall.org.uk.

To book tickets for Wuthering Heights click HERE

What's the story with the Minis?

2011-03-16T14:05:00.008Z

Have you seen the MINIs?
Passers by will have seen a Mini or two parked outside Hall for Cornwall recently on Lemon Quay. They’re brand new and rather cryptically decked out with messages about “MINI-malism coming soon…”. Clearly, Hall for Cornwall is “Up to something”.

We’ve a track record for doing things a little differently here. Not so long ago we were responsible for life-size cows popping up all over the place. More recently, we’ve been seen carting about huge sections of knitted scarf as we continue to coordinate Cornwall’s bid to capture the Guinness World Record™ for the longest scarf in the world.

What’s MINI-malism all about?
MINI-malism came about because Ocean BMW in Falmouth kindly donated a couple of Minis to allow us to create something new and exciting. Our Head of creative engagement, Polly Agg-Manning is a big fan of theatre of the absurd, and what could be more absurd then touring a performance around Cornwall in a pair of Minis?

We wanted this tour to feature new work, developed in Cornwall and so between November 2010 and February 2011 we have run a series of writing workshops at the hall for members of the public who wanted to give play writing a go. These workshops have been led by professional writers and actors, introducing the genre and leading playwrights of absurd theatre.

All participants have now submitted scripts and the four we think will work best at our selected locations will be passed to professional actors to be performed around Cornwall.
How will it work?

Performances will take place in, and around the minis. Plays are performed by two actors (in the front) to an audience of two in the back seats. We anticipate three performances a day running Thursday- Sunday weekly in May and early June. We can confirm that tickets will cost £50 plus theatre fund for two seats per performance and will be on sale in early April.

Guests will rendevous with the mini and actors at a pre-arranged point, and be driven a short distance to an iconic/scenic Cornish location to enjoy the performance before being returned to their own vehicles.

Obviously, with an audience of two per show, this tour will quite likely sell out in record time! Each play will be streamed online (the performance will be live-recorded on location) at some point during it’s run so we can reach a wide audience – though obviously nothing will be quite as good as being in the audience! We also have plans for the final performance to be streamed online live and we’ll be setting up a location for people to come and watch it FREE at an outdoor location.

The project has received generous funding support from Worldwide Financial Planning as well as a range of Project Partners .

Why?

We’re acutely aware at Hall for Cornwall that the geography of the county doesn’t always make access to the theatre easy for people who live further away from Truro. One of the benefits of the MINI-malism tour is that we are taking theatre outside of the building and onto the road (quite literally!).

We’re also very keen to develop new talent wherever we can – and this project has proved to be a popular opportunity for new writers to have a go at writing and to see their work performed as part of a professional tour.

Another important achievement for us is to remain innovative and unique. We’re not aware of any other show touring the UK in quite this format. If we can encourage creativity and skills locally, take theatre out into the community and create an experience unique to Cornwall, we feel we have achieved a winning formula.

Look out for further details of the MINI-malism tour online! Join the facebook page and follow us on Twitter @MINImalismhfc.

Spring 2011

2011-02-25T12:01:00.001Z

Friends of Hall for Cornwall have received the Spring brochure which goes on public release on March 2nd. One of the main benefits of being a Friend of Hall for Cornwall is a priority booking period during which time most of the shows featured in the next guide are available exclusively for them to book via the Friends section of the Hall for Cornwall website and through Box Office.

Of course, this doesn't mean Stage Door can't give you a sneak preview of some of the highlights of the upcoming season at Hall for Cornwall to whet your appetite!

Chouf Ouchouf promises to be a dazzling, exciting dance spectacle which draws inspiration from Medina in Tangiers. Expect a "mix of skill [and] sleight of hand" (The Guardian) with a cleverly designed set that brings alive the sounds and atmosphere of the narrow streets of Tangiers.

Calendar Girls returns to HfC after a sell-out run last year with a new cast. This year's cast includes Ruth Madoc (Hi-De-Hi), Lesley Joseph (Birds of a Feather) Kasey Ainsworth (Eastenders) and Camilla Dallerup (Strictly Come Dancing). This promises to be a popular summer treat so early booking is recommended.

History lovers of all ages won't want to miss "Horrible History" in June! Discover just how "awful" the Egyptians were, and why the Romans were throughly "rotten"! The show is packed with historical facts but is presented in a fun and engaging way. A great treat for all the family!

Towards the end of the brochure we have two big musicals. Dreamboats and Petticoats will be with us between the 11th and 16th July and Blood Brothers will be at Hall for Cornwall between the 22nd and 27th August.

All shows will be bookable online and through Box Office from March 2nd. If you are interested in becoming a Friend of Hall for Cornwall and the benefits you'd receive, please click HERE for additional information.

Building a Theatre Community

2011-01-11T14:09:00.001Z

Staff here at the theatre have certainly launched into 2011 with enthusiasm! Across all departments there has been a flurry of activity in these first weeks of January as we plan a whole series of activities, initiatives and projects. Many of these have a common theme: building our theatre community.

Part of the magic of live theatre is that the experience is shared with other audience members. It is the collective “whole” that generates the atmosphere of a memorable experience. This can range from the collective “booing” and heckling of a pantomime baddie to the rapt silence during a particularly enthralling performance. There is always a “buzz” as audiences leave the theatre discussing what they have just seen, which is also part of theatre’s magic.

Starting early this year, Hall for Cornwall will be creating spaces and opportunities for our community to share their thoughts and experiences of theatre. Some of these will be “real” spaces and others online, but the common theme is to allow people, in whatever way they prefer, to talk about our art. Alongside this, we are taking steps to ensure that our art, and services, are as accessible as possible to all, making ours an inclusive, welcoming community.

Space To Talk (and to listen)
We are in the process of creating an online theatre forum that will be accessible via our website. Forums are a great way for people to talk about common interests, debate and discuss what they have seen and generally “chat” with other theatre goers. Beyond that, forums can be a great source of creativity. We hope to run mini events and competitions as well as offer forum members the chance to contribute to, and take part in, theatre activities and projects.

Of course, as the oft-quoted saying goes, we have two ears and just one mouth (this applies to eyes too!) so as important as discussion will be on the forum, it also offers us at Hall for Cornwall the chance to listen to you. We can learn about what you like, what didn’t go down so well, what ideas you have and what opportunities you’d like us to provide in the future.

An example of “real” space would be the newly launched “The Play’s The Thing” group for the over 50s. We’ll be offering people the chance to come along to the Hall for a hot drink and a chance to read through and chat about plays shortly before they arrive on the stage. This project is a great way to meet other theatre goers and to get to know the plays, and their characters, ahead of the performance. We have a choice of sessions planned for The History Boys and King Lear. The cost, per play, is just £2.50 including refreshments.

Access

We’ve been putting a lot of effort into our accessibility for some time and 2011 should see this work come to fruition. The website has been re-worked to increase text size and each page can be “read aloud” by clicking the link bottom right of the white text area.

We are also commissioning an entirely new piece of theatre specifically for a visually impaired audience. Keep an eye out for the “Theatre In The Dark” project as well as looking for the access show icons on the show pages of our website. Many performances at Hall for Cornwall are signed, audio described or captioned.

Our aim is to create the opportunities for a theatre community to grow. All are welcome.

It's Panto Time! (Oh, yes it is!)

2010-12-13T12:55:00.000Z

Hall for Cornwall’s pantomime, Sleeping Beauty is now well underway. It’s a particularly special time of year for everyone who works at Hall for Cornwall because we see so many family groups. Pantomime is often the first exposure to theatre for children and it certainly delivers! Baddies you can boo, outrageous and funny characters, music, dance, colour and a happy ending. What more could you want?

This year we have plenty to keep everyone happy. Of course, the Princess falls in love, and marries, her handsome Prince, but we also have the very talented double act of Richard Allen (Nurse Maivis) and Tweedy (pretty much playing Tweedy!) providing lots of laughs.

You couldn’t really wish for a nastier Carabosse then Julie Hobbs who manages to be utterly evil without being so scary the children will get upset! With Cameron and Clegg, her “boys” she seeks to gain Beauty’s grace and good-looks for herself but she is consistently out manoeuvred by Fairy Crystal (Mary Woodvine) who is always one step ahead.

And if all those aren’t enough, there’s even a frog and a dragon! Sleeping Beauty runs until January 3rd 2011. There are a variety of show times during the run to suit all diaries and bed-times!

Decking the Hall

2010-12-08T16:35:00.003Z

As panto approaches, Hall for Cornwall is in a festive mood. We are particularly grateful to the students of Devoran and Penair schools who have worked hard to turn our bar area into Sleeping Beauty's Castle, trapped behind a wall of vines. Two Year 9 art classes were "volunteered" for the project by their teacher. The first produced printed banners using themes and script extracts from the panto, whilst the second class supported the primary age children from Devoran to produce some really nice relief stone window frames and the vines/flowers that intertwine around them.

The artwork produced was combined with sections of the Really Long Scarf and some artistic input from our own staff here at HfC to produce some festive displays in the Trelawney Bar which will be enjoyed by thousands of people over the run of the panto.

Sleeping Beauty opens this Friday at 7.00pm and runs until the 3rd January 2011. If you want to test your skill and reflexes, why not play our online Sleeping Beauty game? Forward it to a friend after you have played and you could win Free Tickets!

Shoot-Out at Hall for Cornwall!

2010-09-07T16:50:00.000+01:00

This probably isn't what you think! There was a shoot-out at Hall for Cornwall last week but it didn't involve two members of our technical team facing each other at noon, hands hovering over their holstered pistols.

Some exotic lighting effects being created.

In fact, it involved manufacturers of some of the latest theatre lighting products putting their wares up for direct comparison against other manufacturers. Of particular interest on the day was the comparison of the industry leading ETC Source 4, with the new challenger - the Selecon SPX, from two of the leading manufacturers in the field of theatre lighting. Also represented were Martin Professional, GLP, Arri, and (courtesy of White Light) I-Pix, Robert Juliat, Coemar and Look Solutions. The purpose of the event was to inform opinion as we consider replacing some of our lighting stock. This was a big significant event which attracted quite a bit of industry interest as well as the two companies sending their top executives from as far afield as Texas, USA and Denmark.

A display of colour from the wings of the stage.

Generally, lighting is demonstrated at trade shows in individual stands or by reps at theatres. One of the two companies at Hall for Cornwall last week was ETC. Their Source 4 lights are considered the industry standard with over 2.5 million sold. Phillips Entertainment, however, have recently launched the Selecon SPX in direct competition. Their literature claims their product is superior - so we decided to find out and offered both companies the chance to trial their products at HfC side by side. This was the first test of its kind in the UK.

These lights are the workhorses of our theatre. Our current stock is aging; some is beyond repair, and it doesn’t perform to the expectations of the quality shows coming to Hall for Cornwall. Replacement also gives us the opportunity to make energy efficiency improvements - For example the lights we tested last week offer the same light output as our current lanterns and do so at 600 watts (as opposed to 1.2kw). There is a 50% reduction in energy use which obviously offers financial savings and a reduced carbon footprint. LED technology has made huge advancements in the world of entertainment lighting and it was a fantastic opportunity to see these products on our stage with their huge potential for energy saving as well as creative advantages.

Other lights being demonstrated.

Ian, one of our stage technical team, explained that with touring companies there is a need to recreate the same show at every venue - and ideally the lighting approach and kit at each theatre needs to be as similar as the venue allows. It is therefore important for Hall for Cornwall to keep its stock up to date and in line with other presenting theatres.

Whilst the technical teams from each company eagerly looked at the competing products in a very scientific way (white light is never "true" white but may be bluish or yellow in tint, for example) Ian explained that Hall for Cornwall needs to balance that aspect with more practical concerns, such as the durability and life expectancy of the equipment and how flexible it is in application.

Some of the other lighting products at the shoot out in action.

Hall for Cornwall were not alone in taking an interest. We had representatives from Lane Theatre as well as Theatre Royal, Plymoth in attendance as well as several other lighting companies. Matthew Pitman, from Martin Professional, explained that this was interesting for him as this was his first chance to see the two competitors side by side.

"Hall for Cornwall is taking a very thorough approach" he told me. "It's very unusual for companies to directly test their equipment side by side like this - there is a lot of professional pride at stake." He also commented on the very gentlemanly conduct evident throughout the day.

The two lights side by side on stage.

The shoot out was a very successful event that left our technical team with plenty to think about as they weigh the options for the future. They can now make their decision based on having seen the products for themselves in action, in the theatre.

Two products shooting it out!

Summer Fun at Hall for Cornwall

2010-08-05T16:28:00.000+01:00

We're delighted to welcome back Birmingham Stage Company this week with their latest adaptation of a Roald Dahl classic. George's Marvellous Medicine opened this lunchtime and runs until 2pm Sunday.

This show stops in Cornwall on a national tour. At each location the cast are joined by a couple of local children and in this case the lucky actors come from the junior section of Hall for Cornwall's own youth theatre group "Upstage". "Upstage" runs during school terms and is designed for those with an interest in drama aged between 7 - 18yrs. "Upstage" Sessions run throughout the day on Saturday by age group with the focus firmly on fun projects that develop confidence and drama skills. The auditions for George's Marvellous Medicine are just one example of the type of opportunity that "Upstage" members are offered above and beyond the exciting programme of events run by the Youth Theatre itself.

Many of our readers will know about our Really Long Scarf already, but when word of it reached Erika Poole, who plays Granny in George's Marvellous Medicine, she immediately reached for her knitting needles! As you can see from the pictures, she has knitted a fair length already (round the neck of the small chicken!) and she plans to continue knitting until the end of the tour in November when she will post the completed length to us.

George's Marvellous Medicine promises to be a great hit. It's packed with Roald Dahl's unique kind of story-telling and humour with some impressive special effects to have you on the edge of your seat! It is a great treat for all the family this summer.

Cast in both pictures: Small Cornish Free-range Chicken, Granny, Erika Poole, Big Chicken, Jason O'Brian, George, Clark Devlin. For the record, the Small Cornish Free-range Chicken in the pictures is one of our Upstage children!

Trailer for Columbo

2010-05-13T16:24:00.000+01:00

What was going on at HfC This Morning?

2010-05-05T10:13:00.001+01:00

Anyone Can Write performances this eveining

2010-05-04T15:06:00.000+01:00

This evening sees the work of several local writers premiere on the stage at Hall for Cornwall. The six plays selected from nearly 40 submitted have been handed to a small cast of professional actors under the expert directing team of Tim Brinkman and Anna Coombes. This promises to be a great evening that celebrates Cornish writing talent, with live music and a series of short plays covering many subjects. Tickets cost just £6 (Concessions £5) and can be bought on the door from Box Office or online (Click HERE).

Motionhouse - Scattered Trailer

2010-04-27T14:21:00.000+01:00

At Hall for Cornwall May 18th 8pm. Book Tickets

Plays selected for performance at HfC

2010-04-27T14:13:00.000+01:00

Following the huge volume of submitted scripts at the conclusion of the Anyone Can Write project, 6 short plays have been selected for performance at Hall for Cornwall on May 4th. The play names, and their authors, are listed below along with the cast of professional actors who will be bringing the scripts to life for the very first time.

I Hope It's Good by Donal Fogarty (Wadebridge Group)
Hell Hath No Fury by Rosemary Robinson (U3A Looe Group)
Playing Host by Katy Eddy (Richard Lander Student)
Nozy Parker by Pam Douglas (WI Group)
A Skinny Latte by Mary Ann Bloomfield (Youth Workers Group)
A Bit of a Picnic by Sarah Russell (WI Group)

Tickets to the performance are available now and cost £6 plus £1 Theatre Fund.

Book Tickets Online Today

The cast for the evening's performances are as follows:

Mark Buffery
Elaine Claxton
Heidi Dorschler
Dean Nolan
Juliet Welch
Kate Wilde

Anyone Can Write play premieres at HfC

2010-04-21T12:22:00.005+01:00

One of the short plays written through the Anyone Can Write programme was premiered on stage at HfC yesterday afternoon. With Cornwall's WI holding their conference here, we felt it was an excellent opportunity to stage one of the short plays written by one of their members who took part in the writing programme.

"On With the Show" was a hilarious short play written by Jane Curnow who was in the auditorium to see her play come to life. It followed the course of a small committee meeting to decide the "theme" for their stall. There was a hint of "Vicar of Dibley" about the proceedings and much of the humour clearly struck a chord with audience members who recognised aspects of the characters that will be familiar to many; the nervous, officious chairperson, the well intentioned "helpful" person willing to donate anything from a whistle to a racehorse and the inevitable committee member who forgets to switch off their mobile.

Alongside the important business of the meeting there was some sharply scripted and funny gossip, including the women who had "gone out" after "finding him on the internet". This was the subject of much discussion as he was far too big for her, and grey! Only after some clever double entendre do we discover they are talking about a greyhound, not a man off a dating site!

"On With the Show" had a cast of four actors, including Kate Edney who played Princess Jill in last year's panto at Hall for Cornwall. Kate met up with Jane before the play for a photo (above) and told her the actors had really enjoyed working with the script which had had them falling about with laughter. It was certainly very well received by the WI.

Six other plays written through the Anyone Can Write programme will be staged at Hall for Cornwall on May 4th. Tickets are now available (Click HERE).

ANYONE CAN WRITE has benefited from funding from FEAST and the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation. We are also grateful to our stakeholders, Cornwall Council and Arts Council, England, for their ongoing support.

World Record attempt well underway!

2010-04-09T10:04:00.002+01:00

Hall for Cornwall is pleased to report that the attempt to bring the record for the World's Longest Scarf to Cornwall is well underway. Tied to this year's panto, Sleeping Beauty, HfC is coordinating an army of knitters from around the county and well beyond (including Canada!) to challenge the record currently held by Wales.

We've a very long way to go, but have had several scarf sections donated so far and we know of contributors working away all around Truro and Cornwall. Staff at HfC have been learning too, with Knitting Masterclasses and socials arranged on a monthly basis (all welcome, novices and experts!).

The first of many ambitious milestones will be "A Mile by May" which we hope will see the first mile of scarf assembled in time for the Fal River Festival. Anyone interested in getting involved with the attempt can email info@reallylongscarf.org.uk for a knitting pack or call into Box Office to pick one up.

The next Knitting Social and Masterclass is to be held at the Hall from 10am - 12pm on April 29th.

Why not pop by for a chat and to knit a few rows? In the meantime, scarf sections have been arriving at Box Office and will be assembled by our team of elite Knitting Ninjas!

Preview of Birmingham Royal Ballet in rehearsal.

2010-04-08T15:05:00.001+01:00

Birmingham Royal Ballet rehearse Slaughter on Tenth Avenue from Rob Lindsay on Vimeo.

At Hall for Cornwall 4th - 5th June. BUY TICKETS NOW

Scripts pouring into HfC this week!

2010-04-07T10:13:00.000+01:00

Hall for Cornwall has been inundated with scripts at the culmination of a year long writing project in Cornwall. “Anyone Can Write” was an initiative organised by HfC to encourage people from around the county to write their first piece of drama for the stage.

The scope of the project has been very great, reaching youth workers, community groups, students, and the WI. Each writing hub or group has had the support of a professional writer to assist them with the creative process as well as the support of their fellow participants.

As the project draws to a close, completed scripts have been flooding into Hall for Cornwall’s offices with just over 40 scripts received at the time of writing. Hall for Cornwall’s Community and Education team have been delighted with the number of script submissions and are looking forward to working through all of this fresh material. All scripts will be reviewed by a panel of script readers and each writer will receive some useful feedback on their work to encourage further writing.

The four or five scripts that are considered to be the best of the project will be handed to a small cast of professional actors and will be staged as an evening of Cornish short plays at Hall for Cornwall on Tuesday 4th May. The evening promises to offer a variety of topics and themes as a new crop of Cornish writers will see their work come to life on the stage.

“Anyone Can Write” received support from FEAST and the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation. Tickets for the performance are available from Hall for Cornwall now.

Hall for Cornwall Video Guide - April

2010-04-01T12:15:00.002+01:00

Serenading Louie - Preview

2010-03-23T14:47:00.001Z

Serenading Louie is a very accessible play examining relationships at that moment of self introspection when you compare the reality of life with the dreams and aspirations of your youth. With a small cast and “front-room” set, the audience is pulled irresistibly into the intimate home life of two American couples in the early 1970s. The director, Richard Curtis, has resisted the temptation to re-set the play in a contemporary setting which is a wise decision. The characters are of their time, and therefore sit comfortably among the period furniture and cultural references.

The essence of the play remains as relevant for 2010 as it was when written in 1970 however. Relationships are timeless, whether it’s the long established friendships dating back to time in college or marriages that, after several years, have lost their way. It is these relationships, and the communication, or lack of, at the heart of them that come sharply under the audience’s focus. The process of soul searching is punctuated by moments of light and very quick humour, which bring a necessary connection with the audience and make the characters seem wholly human.

The four characters are, at heart, unhappy. Rather than merely bemoaning their lot, however, for much of the time they appear to be grappling with the question of why. The audience will probably have far more success in understanding this question then they do, which is what makes the experience so moving and thought-provoking. In observing their failures you gain insight into some of the most fundamental questions behind personal happiness and achievement.

The acting is fully convincing throughout. This is a very experienced and strong cast who will be familiar to many. Geraldine Somerville, who plays Mary, has appeared as Lilly Potter in four Harry Potter films so far and also starred alongside Robbie Coltrane in “Cracker” as DS Penhaligon. Her on- stage husband, Jason O’Mara starred as 1st Lt Thomas Meehan in “Band of Brothers” and in “Life on Mars”.

Jason Butler Harner is an American actor for whom Serenading Louie is his UK debut. His TV credits include “The Good Wife” and “Law & Order” and his exasperation with wife Gabrielle (Charlotte Emmerson - Foyle’s War, Casualty 1909), is masterfully conveyed with the odd sigh and some quite awkward silences.

Serenading Louie is a solidly entertaining piece of drama. It won’t leave you feeling elated – the play is not sugar-coated – but it does draw you into the lives of four people at a critical point. It makes you consider some important questions and it will almost certainly move you with its conclusion.

ESF Awards - Success for HfC!

2010-03-22T14:19:00.001Z

Hall for Cornwall was delighted to receive an award for its work on staff training and development through the European Social Fund. The award recognised the work done at Hall for Cornwall to ensure the widest participation by staff in the training sessions. When receiving the award, Tim paid tribute both to the staff who undertook the training and to Truro and Penwith College Business Centre who delivered the training programme and who nominated us for the award.

The award ceremony was an inspiring and at times moving event. Some of the recipients of individual awards had overcome considerable barriers to achieve a great deal through ESF funded initiatives and it was good to hear their stories and to celebrate their success with them.

The awards were attended by the Rt Hon Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for the South West and Department of Work and Pensions.

A Night Less Ordinary - Room on the Broom

2010-03-19T15:47:00.000Z

A group of our younger visitors recently came to Hall for Cornwall with their parents uner the A Night Less Ordinary scheme funded by the Arts Council. After seeing Room on the Broom, they went round to stage door to meet the cast for a quick chat and a few photographs.

This was a great experience for these young people and we would like to thank the cast of Room on the Broom for their time.

A Loving home for the "Poorly Cow"

2010-03-01T11:29:00.001Z

Many visitors to Hall for Cornwall will have seen our "poorly cow" in the bar area, complete with bandages. Clearly she is in need of a good home where she can be well looked after. We've been pleasantly surprised by the number of enquiries we've received with offers of a home for poor Cleo and we'd like to thank everyone who extended an offer of a good home for her.

After much consideration, we decided to let Cleo go to Whitemoor School where she will not be short of caring attention. A number of pupils wrote to us, offering Cleo a home, as part of their literacy activities. We were very impressed by the quality of these letters which displayed the pupils' ability to write formal letters and make a pursuasive argument.

We also felt that Cleo's message; "Be the change you want to see" was a good one for the school's pupils to be reminded of. We were able to let some of Cleo's new owners see her when they visited Hall for Cornwall to rehearse for the Kidz 4 Cornwall performance. Cleo has now settled in her new home at Whitemoor.

A Magical Evening!

2010-02-25T15:35:00.002Z

On Saturday 20th February, some of Cornwall's most enthusiastic young talent came to the stage at Hall for Cornwall for one night only. Orchard Studios' Charity Gala Performance featured music, dance and comedy and starred young performers from across the county.

Unusually, the performers also experienced the show from the auditorium, since for the duration of the act they were not in they took seats as audience members and watched their fellow performers. In this way they experienced both playing to the audience and enjoying Hall for Cornwall as a spectator.

With an audience of just under 600 in-house that evening these young people had a good and appreciative crowd to play to and they took full advantage of the experience. The evening raised just over £2000 for Hall for Cornwall and we would like to thank, and congratulate, everyone who was involved in this successful production.

Image by Roger Croxon

A Night Less Ordinary - The 39 Steps

2010-02-11T10:51:00.000Z

"A Night Less Ordinary" is a scheme run by Arts Council England which funds free theatre tickets for those under the age of 26. A group of young people from the St Austell area got a night even LESS ordinary last night when, in addition to receiving funded tickets they were given a post-show tour of The 39 Steps stage by Company Manager Justin Savage. The tour lifted the lid on this very complex production which is incredibly fast-paced and puts the cast of four through numerous costume changes and, on occasion, involves the rapid application of a carving knife to the back!

Justin explained to the group how the stage was marked out and how each prop and piece of costume has its place backstage. They saw how the set of 39 Steps is constructed and inserted into Hall for Cornwall's stage which is in fact quite a bit larger than the area visible to the audience.

A few of the tour "Highlights" included Mr Memory's Moustache, Nessie, the knife that kills "Miss Schmidt" and the corpse. Justin also talked them through the process by which lighting and sound cues are followed during the production - a process he described as akin to "Driving for 2 hours on the motorway in thick fog". It requires absolute focus and concentration.

The group were very interested in the process involved in constructing the set - which is something of a technical marvel involving a lot of hard work! The set will be taken down the night of the last show then driven to its next tour destination over 300 miles away and immediately reconstructed.

A Night Less Ordinary is an ongoing scheme that Hall for Cornwall feels offers a great way for young people to access live theatre who might not otherwise be able to. If you are under 26 and would like to enquire about A Night Less Ordinary tickets (Wednesday performances only) please contact Box Office on 01872 262466.

Our thanks to Justin and the Company of The 39 Steps for taking the time to arrange and conduct the tour. Last night's event was arranged as part of "A Week Less Ordinary" which is a national week-long celebration of the "A Night Less Ordinary" scheme.

Monthly Guide

2010-02-04T10:03:00.001Z

This is a new feature for Hall for Cornwall - a short "What's on" selection which will be produced monthly by Mycornwall.tv

Stage Door Chat - Kernow Voice (Whitemoor)

2010-01-28T09:41:00.001Z

As well as welcoming established stars to the stage, Hall for Cornwall regularly hosts local talent, among which are the budding stars of the future. Kernow Voice, Whitemoor, were among the groups of young performers raising money for the Cornwall Music Therapy Trust. Kernow Voice is an ongoing singing project organised and supported by Hall for Cornwall. The opportunity to perform is an integral part of the project and Stage Door went along to have a chat with some of the singers.

I started by chatting to Blade and Gemma (Age 9) who sing in the junior section. We talked about performing on the Hall for Cornwall stage. You might expect young people to find the prospect of facing an audience of up to 980 odd a bit daunting but these two seemed pretty relaxed about it.

"We're used to it," they explained. "We've been here before and it gets easier the more you do it." Gemma has been in Kernow Voice since the project started and so has nearly 3 years of singing experience behind her already. Blade hasn't been with the project quite so long but has learned to enjoy performing. He told me that other members of his family get "really bad stage fright" but he's done it more often so it doesn't bother him.

I asked them what they would be singing. "A School Rap and Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines" they told me. They like both songs but said the rap was their favourite of the two pieces. If they had to choose a favourite song from the entire Kernow Voice repertoir, it would probably be "Consider Yourself" from Oliver.

The junior section of Kernow Voice Whitemoor had the job of opening the Kidz 4 Cornwall show with their two songs. They were followed later in the programme by the senior section. I spoke to Helen and Melissa (Age 15 and 16) who are relative newcomers to the project what they felt about singing with Kernow Voice.

In just two months this was their third performance with the group so they too were relatively relaxed about performing though they were a "bit nervous" they admitted. They told me that it was a good project for people their age to be involved with and that they enjoyed performances and being part of the group.

Kernow Voice is one of the longest running community performing arts projects run by Hall for Cornwall. As well as being a great ongoing experience it was very clear from chatting to these young performers that the experiences offered to them through the project were allowing them to develop the confidence to enjoy performing on stage.

One of the benefits of this type of project is that it can instill a life-long joy for singing and it certainly seemed that the young people I spoke to were on that route. Gemma and Blade, for example, hope to continue into the senior section, by which time they will be true "veterans of the stage"!

For additional details about Kernow Voice, including the adult singing group, contact Isobel King on 01872 321971

Stage Door Chat - Brendan Cole

2010-01-25T11:48:00.001Z

Hall for Cornwall was delighted to welcome Brendan Cole to Truro on Friday for a two night run of his dance show "Brendan Cole Live and Unjudged". Two lucky ticket holders won a competition via our Facebook page to meet Brendan for a chat before the show.

Brendan told us that this was his first visit to Cornwall and that he liked the theatre and the stage and was delighted to have sold out both nights. The opening night was something of a Cole family affair as not only is his brother touring in the show with him but his Mum had travelled in to see the show for the first time that night.

Brendan was not courting controversy and refused to be too drawn on many aspects of "Strictly". However he told us that he gets on very well with Craig - it's just that he "doesn't agree" with a lot of his feedback! There was also a wry acknowledgement that Len might not necessarily approve of his use of capes in some of the show choreography!

Talking about the show, Brendan admitted that it was quite demanding in terms of energy. He assured us that he does get out of breath - even if it doesn't seem like it from the audiences' point of view! He was kind enough to give our competition winners 20 minutes of his time and signed their programme as well as a poster for our Stars Restaurant.

Brendan expressed the hope that he would return to Hall for Cornwall at some point in the future. We look forward to seeing him when he does!

Everybody has a story; what’s yours?

2010-01-21T11:14:00.000Z

On a cold and icy morning earlier this week an intrepid group of WI members gathered at the CFWI Conference Room in Thremilestone to take part in the first of 6 play writing sessions led by local playwright Paul Farmer. Theirs is the first of 6 community groups who over the coming 4 months will be learning techniques to help them write a 10 minute piece of theatre for the stage.

These workshops form the community element of a new Hall for Cornwall project called Anyone Can Write which is taking place from October 2009 to May 2010.

Isobel King Hall for Cornwall Projects Manager said:

“I was very lucky to sit in on the first of our community writing workshops. For this project we have been seeking out people who are just willing to have a go, no prior experience is necessary. Taking part in a project like this will be fun but there is also a degree of hard work. You also have to brave enough to share what you have written with others in the group and ultimately, if you write something to be performed, with a public audience.

The WI group were a really friendly group of ladies who I’m sure will support each other through the creative process. I look forward to dropping in to another of their sessions and hearing what they have written.”

About This Project

Anyone Can Write is about instilling skills, confidence and creativity into people who may never have thought of writing a play before. It was kickstarted in October with a week long workshop foccussing on writing for the stage which was led by Duncan Macmillan. Duncan won the Second Prize and the Writer-in-Residence Bursary at the inaugural Bruntwood Playwriting Competition for his play Monster, which was subsequently nominated in the Best New Play category at the MEN and TMA Theatre Awards. He was Pearson Playwright in Residence at Paines Plough and had written for the National Theatre Studio, Paines Plough and the Royal Exchange he has also had work staged at Theatre 503 and broadcast on BBC Radio 4 (Afternoon Play).

The Anyone Can Write project is part funded by FEAST. FEAST is a new programme to make great art happen in Cornish villages and towns. The ambition is to touch and inspire people of all ages and backgrounds and generate a whole new wave of creative activity in our communities.

For more information on FEAST go to www.cornwallculture.co.uk/feast

Darke and Dazzling nights at HfC This Week!

2010-01-18T09:01:00.000Z

We're gearing up for a busy and exciting week here! Our Darke Festival, celebrating the work of the late Cornish playwriter Nick Darke opens on Tuesday with a rehearsed reading of "Never Say Rabbit in a Boat". Darke Nights comes to the stage on Sunday 24th - an evening of dance performed by young people from around the county. This promises to be a great showcase of young talent brought to stage in a partnership between Hall for Cornwall, KEAP and The Works. Darke Visions, a show involving young people from a wide selection of Cornwall's secondary schools can be seen the following night on Monday 25th.

We're also hosting two very big names this week! Rick Wakeman is coming for an evening of music and "grumpy humour" on Thursday 21st. Always a popular visitor to Hall for Cornwall, Rick's combination of sharp wit and music make for a highly entertaining evening.

On Friday and Saturday, the glamour of the ballroom comes to town as Brendan Cole's "Live and Unjudged" show promises two days of supurb dance. Despite a "Bad Boy" image on Strictly (mostly the symptom of a perfectionist I've always thought), Brendan's dancing talent and ability is universally recognised. The show has been well received by critics thus far:

"Far from being one man's excuse to be self-indulgent, the show was a fun celebration of dance and music with five professional dancers including Scott Cole (Brendan's brother – proving rhythm runs in the Cole family's genes), an impressive live band and two talented singers thrown into the mix." - Julia Bennett

The new-look Coffee Shop Opens for Business!

2010-01-14T14:05:00.001Z

This lunchtime was quite exciting for our catering staff as after a short period of refurbishment, the coffee shop reopened with the new serving counter. The new counter is designed to allow self-service which means that hopefully popping in for a cake and some coffee will be much easier to do, and quicker, and customers will be better able to view the selection of food available.

Our catering manager, Jenney Robinson, is delighted with the new counter.

"We've moved the staff access to the street end which is a lot better for staff and customers," she explained. "The till area is a lot less congested and staff are not squeezing past each other where hot drinks are being prepared. Food is displayed much better now whilst being properly chilled so customers can serve themselves from the full range of food available. As customers become used to the layout it should improve the speed of service."

There are a couple of finishing touches that will go in over the next few days but when I was in the coffee shop this lunchtime staff and customers seemed very pleased with the new design. I have to say also that the cakes on display were very tempting indeed! Why not pop in next time you're in Truro?

Weekly Bulletin

2010-01-08T10:12:00.001Z

It's been an "interesting" start to 2010 here at Hall for Cornwall. Whilst Truro itself has missed most of the bad weather there has inevitably been some impact on staff attendance and understandable concerns from the public about shows they have booked tickets to see.

The first piece of good news is that we were able to reschedule another performance with Johnny Cowling on Feb 17th. Anyone who was too snowed in to attend on the 7th can return their tickets to Hall for Cornwall within the next 7 days and alternate tickets for the 17th Feb can be issued. Of course, this also offers people a chance to catch him if they didn't have tickets to this week's show which is an added bonus! Johnny is always a popular visitor to the Hall so we're pleased to be seing more of him!

The next show, is the much acclaimed and unforgettable Circus of Horrors (see previous blog post). We are definitely looking forward to this show as it is always a great spectacle.

From Wednesday of next week you can chase away the winter blues with the "King" of Rock and Roll with Lee "Memphis" King taking to the stage as Elvis in an evening packed with of his most famous, and popular, music.

We wish all our blog readers a safe and warm weekend!

Last of Jack's Cows finds a new home!

2010-01-06T11:11:00.003Z

Travel the Milky Way is the last of Jack's Herd and was available to win through a raffle. Hundreds of people bought tickets during December in the hope of winning her and the final lucky winner was Jacky P who will be providing a good home for her on the North Coast of Cornwall.

Jacky and her partner came along to Hall for Cornwall yesterday afternoon to collect their prize and told me a bit about how they came to enter the raffle in the first place. "We were in truro and just popped into the Coffee Shop for a quick drink," Jacky explained. "I saw the cow there with her "Win Me" badge on and I had to buy a ticket."

Jacky is delighted with her prize and like many people fell in love with the cow which features a map of Cornwall with milking stools representing about a third of the county's dairy herds. We are told "Travel the Milky Way" will be enjoying a good home under the shelter of an oak tree, possibly with a view of passing walkers and a nearby school. We hope Jacky, and nearby residents, will enjoy her company for many years to come.

The removal company hired to transport the cow to her new home seemed a little bemused by what they described as "the most unusual request" they'd ever had. I got the impression they were a little unsure what they'd find when they got to Hall for Cornwall but in the event with some laughter and a few quick snaps "for Facebook" "Travel the Milky Way" was on her way to her new home.

This event is both a happy and a sad one for us as it brings to an end a very exciting and popular project here at Hall for Cornwall. The cows have been a feature of Cornwall, and a big part of the Hall's collective identity, for much of 2009. However, we do feel that the last of the herd has gone to a very good home and so this was a happy end to the Jacks Cows project. We wait to see what 2010 will bring!

Where a Summer School can take you!

2010-01-04T14:35:00.003Z

We're looking forward to seeing the latest Circus of Horrors show here at Hall for Cornwall on Friday and Saturday. The production will not be lacking in colour, eccentricity and the "wow" factor for which the Circus of Horrors is rightly well known. But as you watch some of these acts you might wonder how these artists came to choose this profession above more mundane occupations (such as writing theatre blogs for instance).

Well for one performer, Natalie Verhaegen, the road to the role in circus of Horrors began right here in Cornwall! Natalie worked as a marketing manager but felt she wanted something extra from her career. Even taking a course in design management at university in Nottingham didn't quite satisfy her desire for something a little more unusual and exciting.

Eventually, following the Circus skills summer school in Cornwall, she applied to Circus of Horrors to be a saxophone player and was delighted to be accepted. It was at this point she discovered the true meaning of the old adage "be careful what you wish for" since this saxophone playing job has one or two "little extra bits" in the job description guaranteed to satisfy the desire for a more "exciting" career.

These "extras" include Natalie playing upside down and standing at a board and having knifes thrown around her.

"At first, I thought it was a wind up" claimed Natalie. "My mum would never even let me slice a Tomato let alone stand at a board and have knifes thrown around me."

Never the less she did master her new found skills and is now competent playing standing at a board and having knife thrown around her at 30 miles per hour and playing hanging upside down. Which just begs the question "What summer school will you be going to in 2010?"

Circus of Horrors - Day of the Dead runs from Friday 8th to Saturday 9th January. To book tickets, click HERE

Dame Trott's makeover - the movie!

2009-12-31T08:02:00.002Z

Professional makeover for Dame Trott!

2009-12-14T15:13:00.000Z

"Some people think you're scary..." goes one of the lines in a song about our pantomime dame this year. Actually, she's not as bad as some I've come across - and played opposite - but its certainly fair to say that where makeup is concerned Dame Trott does not subscribe to the "less is more" school of beautification!

This is understandable in many ways as when you see her choice of wardrobe, not to mention hair dye palette, "understated" is not a word in her vocabulary. Perhaps this is why Jack and Simon's father "whoever he is" ran away? Or perhaps it was her cavalier approach to post-milking and mucking-out hygeine. Whatever the cause, the lovely people at Debenhams in Truro offered to help her out with a professional makeover this morning!

Catherine drew the very short straw of turning our Dame into a Belle and though it was a challenge calculated to test the most professional of beauticians, it's fair to say that she did an excellent job! After some initial skepticism, Dame Trott herself seemed well pleased.

Whether this new, chic look is kept or whether she reverts to her old habits remains to be seen - you'll have to come and see the panto!

Pictures from top: (Original style, makeover x2, not too sure, final result!)

Our new Corporate Friends!

2009-12-11T13:16:00.002Z

We would be remiss if we didn't properly welcome Ocean BMW on Falmouth Road, Penryn as new Corporate friends of Hall for Cornwall. We look forward to working with Ocean in a mutually beneficial partnership as they support Hall for Cornwall in the work we do and, hopefully, develop a close interest in, and partnership with, Hall for Cornwall across the diverse range of our performing and community activities.

Ocean BMW is the home of BMW and Mini in Cornwall.

Win the last of Jack's Cows!

2009-12-11T11:09:00.000Z

"Take a bit of panto land home with you!"

Most of you will have seen Jack's herd of cows around Cornwall this summer. Most of the herd have now found new homes but the final, and possibly most "Cornish" of the lot, is up for grabs in Jack's Cow Raffle. Tickets cost just 50p with money going to Hall for Cornwall's "Loved to bits" fund.

"Travel the Milky Way" features a cleverly painted map of cornwall with milking stools indicating the county's dairy herds. It was designed by Tracy Sheffield who works in our Box Office.

This cow is not small - so the winner will need a large garden or, if they're feeling particularly generous, a VERY large conservatory! On the plus-side she's remarkably well behaved for a cow and very low maintenance. No chewed plants - guaranteed. Sadly, though, if you're hoping to use her as an alternative to mowing the lawn you are destined to be disappointed.

Tickets are obtainable from the Box Office and we are also selling them during late night shopping evenings.

Christopher Timothy very kindly helped launch the cow raffle during his time at Hall for Cornwall with Grapes of Wrath.

Dame Trott & Simon

2009-12-09T14:12:00.002Z

Introducing Jack, Simon and Dame Trott!

2009-12-08T16:46:00.003Z

The Saintly One Productions have been working with Hall for Cornwall to produce a series of small comedy shorts to publicise Jack and the Beanstalk.

The interprid two man film crew assembled at St Michaels Mount to to film and produce various segments including a trailer which can be seen on the Hall for Cornwall website and on facebook. The crew consisted of Falmouth University broadcasting student Andrew Cook and Truro College sound engineering student Karl Apsitis.

The short films were made during breaks in filming the main trailer and show some of the panto cast members having some unscripted fun with their characters (these are not scenes from the actual pantomime). They serve as a fun introduction to our talented cast and some of the colourful members of "Landsend-ia".

Professional Dance Workshop organised by Hall for Cornwall

2009-12-08T12:39:00.002Z

Whilst the Hall for Cornwall Trust is perhaps best known for managing the venue and the performances we stage at your theatre, the charity uses the funds available to it to promote Performing Arts in Cornwall in a variety of ways. Often this work goes unseen and one of the purposes of this blog will be to record some of the excellent work done by our Community and Education team to further the charitable aims of Hall for Cornwall through direct arts projects in Cornwall.

One of the most recent events coincided with the acclaimed Jasmin Vardimon Dance Company's recent performance here on the 2nd December. Hall for Cornwall, with support from The Works, arranged for a well-attended dance masterclass workshop to be hosted by two of the company's performers for fellow dance professionals from right across Cornwall.

An event like this allows professional dancers an invaluable opportunity to exchange ideas and enhance their repertoir. This in turn feeds out into the community via both their own dance classes and future performances locally.

Feedback from those who attended was very positive indeed, with many highlighting the ability to layer choreography and work closely with a new dance partner as a particular highlight of the event.

A telling comment was that for one practitioner, the class allowed them to "let go of original intentions/relationships to find unexpected/more exciting possibilities" which must surely be a sign of success in any creative event.

Our First Set of Facebook Winners!

2009-12-07T10:57:00.000Z

We are pleased to announce that the first facebook pantomime picture is fully tagged and we have seven lucky winners with free tickets to see Jack and the Beanstalk at Hall for Cornwall.

We'll be running another compatition very soon for tickets to see the pantomime on the night of the 19th December. Keep an eye out on our facebook page for a chance to win!

The first set of winners were:

Lucy Ahmed, Nettie Edney, William Folkes, Emily Lentz, Arwen Folkes, Penny Weston & Kirsty Bowers

Congratulations to them!

Behind the scenes - panto report!

2009-12-04T12:26:00.000Z

Rehearsals for Jack and the Beanstalk are now in full swing and I was lucky enough this morning to be able to watch a full run through of Act 1 of what promises to be a very entertaining family show.

I'm not going to give too much away but I can promise you that the show is very entertaining with some great musical numbers from the cast. A few topical, and local, jokes have been seemlessly worked in to firmly place the show in Cornwall but this is fairytale land at its best.

It is very encouraging to see the entire act running through non-stop, complete with music. It's possible to get a good sense of how the show is going to look on opening night now though rehearsals don't start here at Hall for Cornwall until early next week.

It's fair to say that 98% percent of this morning's run-through went smoothly. This type of rehearsal quickly highlights issues for the director and stage crew to iron out and there were a couple of these that will be worked on. A quick costume-change, for instance, that saw an entire scene acted by a headless-cow!

Beyond such practical matters, though, the rehearsals are now at a stage where the director can get a sense for the overall shape of the performance and begin to fine-tune all aspects of the audience experience. It's impressive to see how much is already in place, in terms of dance routines, songs, lines and delivery but the process is far from over and a lot of work will go in to the final run-up to opening night.

Speaking to Richard, who plays Dame Trott, it seems that the cast are very much enjoying the experience so far. There is certainly a lot of energy, and laughter, going into the business of getting Jack and the Beanstalk to the stage.

I asked Richard about the stage here at Hall for Cornwall - specifically how it compared with other performance spaces he'd performed in.

"It's huge," he replied. "You do cover the stage as you would in a smaller venue but you have to speed up a bit!" Richard also explained that Hall for Cornwall is, despite its stage size, a fairly intimate venue for performances. "You feel quite intimate with the audience. You can see all the way to the back." This type of connection is particularly helpful for panto where audience interaction is very much part of the performance.

We'll be visiting the cast in rehearsal again next week as they have their first session here on site, complete with the set.

Facebook Panto Picture Promotions coming soon! Win Free Tickets!

2009-12-01T17:06:00.005Z

As it's a giving time of year, we've decided to give away some Free Panto Tickets! We'll be posting Panto Pictures from time to time on the Hall for Cornwall Facebook Page (not the group page, sorry!). Tag the cast members (and the cow if you're especially keen) with your name and we'll give you a ticket to see the panto. We'll give notice ahead of time when the competition will run, what the pic will be and we'll tell you which date tickets will be for.

RULES:

You can only tag yourself, not your friends.
Ticket can only be issued to the named winner.
Only one tag per character in the picture will be eligible to win a ticket.
You can only successfully tag one picture, one time during the course of the Facebook Panto Picture Promotions. You can enter a tag as often as you like!
This competition is not open to Hall for Cornwall employees or their families.
Tickets offered for stated night only. We cannot substitute prizes.
To avoid confusion with the actors and their identities, all tags will be removed once the promotion period has passed.
The decision of Hall for Cornwall in declaring/allocating winners is final.

LOOK OUT FOR THIS PICTURE!

This will be the first Promotion Picture available for tagging. Keep a watchful eye on our Facebook page - it will be appearing very soon! This will be to win a ticket for the 14th December evening performance.

Bingo Bells and Panto Cows make for an interesting evening in Truro!

2009-11-26T13:21:00.003Z

The reindeer parade and late night shopping was an unmissable opportunity to get our Jack and the Beanstalk panto cast members out and about. The event was also the ideal time to launch "Jack's Bell Bingo" and the cast quickly got stuck into the job of handing out numbered bells to just about anyone who caught their eye!

The bells were a huge hit and Victoria Square was quickly ringing to the sound of countless tiny bells - a sound that followed along the route of the parade as we had a massive 650 bells to give out during the evening. Each bell has a corresponding numbered envelope which can be obtained from Box Office by bringing your bell in. Prizes include drinks and food from our restaurant and coffee shop, posters and panto tickets.

After the parade hopeful youngsters were turning up at the Box Office, bells in hand, to see what they had won. Though many bells remain as yet un-redeemed (we assume because the children wouldn't give them to Mum or Dad to read the instructions!) we had quite a few lucky winners with tickets, posters and other prizes being claimed.

Whilst the title of last night's event was "Reindeer Parade", an unexpected appearance by our panto cow, Daisy, temporarily upstaged the reindeer when she made a brief appearance at the start of the parade. She even walked some of the route before it all became a bit much for her poor hooves and she made her way back to the stable to rest.

All of the panto characters, and especially Daisy, proved popular with the crowd and many photos were snapped. The cast did an incredible job with handing out bells and fliers in what was the first of no doubt many public appearances ahead of opening night. The event was a great success in raising awareness of the panto at Hall for Cornwall and it's nice to think of all those Christmas trees out there that will have an HfC bell hanging on them this December!

Further bell hand-outs are expected between now and Christmas so keep an eye and ear out for them at future late night shopping evenings.

It's not too late to redeem your Bingo Bell by bringing it into the Box Office.

All youngsters GET TO KEEP THEIR BELL regardless of whether it is a winning bell or not. All bells offer a small complimentary prize so please do pop along with them if you haven't already. Please note, though, that only bells with their valid number can be accepted as without them we cannot verify which envelope belongs to that bell.

Public Notice:

We received special permission to allow Dame Trot into a public place from her "sheltered home for the excitable"on the understanding she was properly chaparoned! She was returned home after the event, took her medication, and had a settled night.

Stage Door Chat; Steve Steinman from Vampires Rock

2009-11-25T17:04:00.003Z

Stage Door went backstage to find Steve Steinman ahead of his one night at Hall for Cornwall with Vampires Rock. The combination of Rock Music and Vampires seemed worthy of discussion!

To start with I observed that the show had a storyline. I asked Steve whether he felt Rock Anthems are a particularly good medium for telling a story - and had he found it easy to find songs to fit the key moments?

"Rock music is very good for telling a story," Steve replied. "We didn't fit music around the story in Vampires Rock - the story came from the songs which flowed naturally from one to the other. When we were picking the set there was a natural progression of songs; you know what should follow each one and a story emerged." Steve was quick to emphasise that Vampires Rock isn't a musical in the traditional sense.

"It's a Concert first, we tie it together with a bit of dialogue and storyline but it's not a musical." He explained that in musicals he'd seen he'd often felt that the dialogue got in the way of the songs. "It's a speeded-up musical in a way. I think of it as a theatrical concert. There isn't really a name for it!" I asked if he felt this was a new concept unique to him. "I suppose it is. There isn't anything else quite like it."

This show is very flamboyant! Is it important to have that type of backdrop to some of these numbers?

"Definitely. Classic Rock needs that; its what it is. Rock is over the top. I think audiences do expect that at a rock concert. The theatrics add to the experience." Steve pointed out as well that since many of the original artists are known for the theatrics in their shows that the pyrotechnics etc are almost part of the music. He remarked that if many of the well-known acts like Alice Cooper "just turned up on stage and strummed away quietly" their audience would be baffled!

You're a well-known singer of Meat Loaf's songs. What makes these songs special for you, and what do you think is their more universal appeal?

"Those songs are how my career started on Stars in their Eyes so they're very important to me for that reason," Steve answered. "It was that show that gave me a taste for performing - before that I had a "normal" job. The show and those songs have got me where I am and allowed me to create a career in music."

With regard to their universal appeal, Steve said "They have great storylines. Songs are a moment in time for people and music takes them back to that moment. Bat out of Hell was a huge seller, for instance, and so the music means something to a lot of people. It takes them back to that moment when they were listening to it for the first time. The music is big, epic - not unlike Queen's stuff." Steve was quick to praise the writing and music as well as Meat Loaf's performance of the material.

"Jim Steinman wrote it and deserves a lot of credit. A lot of the inspiration for Vampires Rock comes from his lyrics." Steve added, "We could easily have done Vampires Rock using just Meat Loaf material. But we decided to use a range of rock classics as it gave us more scope."

I asked if this was Steve's first visit to Hall for Cornwall and if there was anything particular he liked about coming down here.

"I've visited three times now, I think," he replied. "Sure, its a great place to visit; feels like coming down to the end of the world! It's nice to get a good crowd in and filling the venue is important, because of the distance. It's great when you do, though, because you feel very positive about the rest of the tour. If you sell well in Cornwall you feel that the tour will do well elsewhere." he added that he was very pleased with Monday night's audience. "People know the product now of course. I imagine it is harder for new acts. People have to take Vampires Rock for what it is - it's not too serious but it's entertaining. We really do aim to impress and give people ten times more what they're expecting. Beating expectations is important for us."

Going back to the show, do you think Vampires Rock has bought Rock to a new audience via the vampire theme, given how in fashion vampires seem to be at the moment?

"No, I don't think so, " Steve answered. "Our audience has built steadily over the years. The recent films aren't about proper vampires anyway! Twilight, for instance, it's just High School Musical with teeth! It's about kids and non vampires falling in love with vampires - nothing like Rock Vampires!" Steve did acknowledge that it was good that it raised awareness and got people talking and thinking about vampires. "But it's nothing to do with Rock."

He described Rock Vampires as much darker and more edgy. "I'd say Lost Boys is closer to Rock Vampires really - there's that edge to it. Interview with a Vampire is probably the best vampire movie."

Given that vampires are famously immortal, do you think Rock Music will, in fact, live forever?

"Yes!" Steve was pretty positive on this point! "Queen, AC/DC are still going strong, in fact they're bigger than ever! There's lots of bands coming back." The music still has appeal and Steve feels that its become "cool" again with lots of different people listening to it.

Finally I asked him whether he felt anyone new will take the baton from the older groups and continue the Rock story.

"I'm not sure," Steve replied. "People tend to do new stuff so I don't know whether anyone will, or could, take over from the classic groups. Mind you, you do get new groups that do that. Oasis, for instance, they were just The Beatles, weren't they? Maybe a group will do the same with Rock."

We'd like to thank Steve for his time and we very much hope he'll be back again soon!

Jack and the Beanstalk Panto gets underway!

2009-11-23T13:58:00.001Z

With panto season nearly upon us, staff at Hall for Cornwall took the opportunity to properly welcome the cast of Jack and the Beanstalk to the theatre ahead of the first script read-through this morning. Most of the theatre departments were represented at a short informal reception held in the Stars Restaurant allowing us all to meet the cast and the production crew ahead of a busy schedule of rehearsals and a packed 3 weeks of performances. The cast seemed to be looking forward to the challenge and getting their teeth into a script packed with gags and larger-then-life characters.

We're welcoming back a few familiar faces and some local actors this year and Stage Door blog will be meeting and talking to most of them in the run-up to opening night. In fact, Stage Door will be following the panto cast closely as they prepare for an exciting season, with regular updates on rehearsals and all the other preparations that go into staging your annual panto.

In the meantime, why not test your wit and reflexes with our Jack's Catch the Coins game? Click HERE to play.

Pictures: Staff and panto cast mix at the reception. Aftwerwards the cast get down to business with a first read-through of this year's script.

The Show Will Go On!

2009-11-20T11:31:00.004Z

It's been a busy 14 hours here at Hall for Cornwall, but following a hurculean effort by staff we are pleased to announce that tonight's Grapes of Wrath performance WILL go ahead as planned!

Unfortunately, during last night's performance one of the below-stage sprinklers was triggered. Due to the location, water collected very quickly and for safety reasons power in the theatre had to be shut off and the performance cancelled.

Once the theatre had been checked by the fire brigade, the clean-up operation began immediately with staff working until the early hours. Even one sprinkler can discharge a huge quantity of water in a relatively short space of time and it was a lot of work to set things to rights.

At the time of writing, we have successfully dealt with the water and have installed industrial driers in the affected areas. Aside from drying out, we have obviously also had to conduct work on the sprinkler system itself and extensively test the electrics to ensure tonight's performance can go ahead.

Investigations into the cause of the incident are ongoing but I am pleased to be able to report that damage appears minimal due in large part to the swift actions of staff in dealing with the water.

We would all like to offer our apologies to any of our readers who were caught up in what proved to be a disappointing and difficult night. In such cases, where a sprinkler has activated, evacuation of the audience, cast and staff is absolutely necessary whilst the cause of the alarm is investigated by the fire brigade.

All audience members are being offered the choice between a refund or an alternate performance, with Box Office staff working today to re-accommodate many of last night's audience into the remaining performances. The play is well worth seeing and we hope to be welcoming most of our disappointed audience members back tonight and tomorrow.

We have been grateful for the messages of support and understanding from our customers. Your help and good natured cooperation with the staff who conducted the evacuation is also very much appreciated by us all.

Box Office can be contacted on 01872 262466

As you can see from the pictures taken this morning we are almost back to normal. The pictured sprinkler (top) is an example of the one triggered - the size of the pipe gives some idea of the discharge rate of the system!

Friends Meet the Stars

2009-11-18T15:10:00.003Z

Hall for Cornwall held a "Meet the Stars" event for the Friends of the theatre after last night's opening performance of Grapes of Wrath. These events are one of the benefits offered to the Friends of the theatre and are an important part of how Hall for Cornwall operates.

As well as allowing our Friends to meet and talk to the performers, last night's event allowed us to properly welcome the cast to Cornwall and make them feel at home. After a flawless opening night performance there was no question of the warmth of the reception.

Friendly company and a drink or two was probably most welcome given that the sophisticated set used for Grapes of Wrath includes an on-stage river and a very efficient sprinkler system for the torrential rain scenes that leave most of the cast pretty damp by the final curtain! They seemed none the worse for it by the time they arrived in the Stars Bar though.

Grapes of Wrath has a fairly large cast with many very experienced and high profile actors. There was plenty for our Friends to talk over with them and the event was enjoyed by all who attended.

Pictured are a selection of Friends of Hall for Cornwall chatting with Rebecca Night who played Rose of Sharon.

THIS WEEK!

2009-11-17T10:42:00.002Z

The English Touring Theatre bring their production of The Grapes of Wrath to Hall for Cornwall this week. Headed by Christopher Timothy, Sorcha Cusack and Oliver Cotton this production received two Tony Awards on Broadway and has been well received by reviewers in the national press during its tour.

Grapes of Wrath opens tonight and runs until Saturday with evening performances starting at 7.30pm. matinees are on Thursday and Saturday from 2.30pm.

Stage Door will definitely bring you more news on this production as the week goes on!

For seat availability and online booking click HERE

Stage Door Chat; Dancing in the Streets

2009-11-12T17:32:00.002Z

l-r (Paul Hazel, Rob Grose, Courtney Buchannan, Adebayo Bolaji)

Stage Door went backstage to talk to some of the cast of the West End show Dancing in the Streets during their run at the Hall for Cornwall. We talked about the music and the great Motown artists that inspired the show. I started by chatting to Paul and Rob.

Firstly I asked whether the cast were inspired to be portraying such great artists and performing their music.

“Absolutely!” was the reply from Paul who performs Smokey Robinson’s numbers in the show. “How could you not be?” Both agreed that they were very aware of the history of both the songs and artists.

“We’re not mimicking them, that’s very important,” Rob told me. “We recreate the look as best we can but the main thing the show recreates is the energy of these performers and their music.”

I asked whether they had put something of themselves and their own interpretation into the performances.

“More than a little” they both agreed. “The performances are mostly us. There are aspects we can recreate; dance moves, and obviously some artists like Stevie Wonder and Diana Ross have a certain style. But a lot of these artists can’t be mimicked. They don’t have any “isms” and that’s where we are able to perform with the same energy but in our own way.”

I also asked them if any of the artists were particular favourites of theirs.

“You naturally get attached to your own set,” Paul replied. Rob agreed but they both added that the Stevie Wonder numbers are particularly special to perform, even as backing singers, and that the Temptations were a favourite prior to the show.

My next question was how they felt that these artists compared to modern pop stars.

“No comparison!” they replied instantly. “We’re talking about these performers and enjoying their music 50 years later. Do you think they will be doing that with who we’ve got at the moment?”

They agreed though that there are similarities, particularly in how the groups then, and now, were very carefully put together by the recording companies. This opinion was echoed by some of the female actors who also noted that the groups were created in a quite artificial way not unlike today.

As a follow-up I asked the cast how they thought their acts might fare on a show such as the X factor.

“The problem would be getting through in the first place,” Rob explained. “Quite a few of the Motown stars were very raw at the start. They had no social graces, some may well have been in trouble with the law in the past. The studio managed them very carefully. I don’t know whether they would have made it past audition for that reason. But on the show, absolutely. They’d blow the competition away. There was such raw talent and energy.”

“Take Smokey, for instance,” Paul added “It wouldn’t matter what he performed, he’d always attack it hard and put in a great performance. There was such raw talent there it would definitely shine through… if they got on.”

Both the male and the female actors were quick to point out that these groups were every bit as manufactured as modern bands. In that sense they might have fitted the X Factor format. They also commented that Motown’s studio auditioned in a not dissimilar way, with queues around the block on occasion. However the sense was that Motown had an eye for spotting talent in very rough diamonds which modern promoters and studios might not be prepared to take on.

The consensus of the female artists was much the same – getting on might have been an issue but there is no question that The Supremes would stand out!

Turning to the music itself, I asked what they thought it was that made some of these songs such classics.

“The lyrics" Rob answered at once. “They are very powerful, and full of meaning. Lots of them tell stories and they just resonate. There is lots of double meaning there as well.” They explained that these artists were true all-rounders writing a lot of the songs themselves.

“The way they combined lyrics and dance moves was very clever too." Rob added. "You see it during some performances, the audience are automatically doing the steps and actions they’ve seen on old clips. Like “Stop in the Name of Love” everyone remembers that. The visual element with the music was very important.”

I then asked how hard some of these numbers are to sing given their wide vocal range.

“Very hard indeed!” both replied. “They were written right at the top of the register. This was deliberate, to create that pleading, sincere sound. But singing eight shows a week, this puts a real strain on our voices. There are a couple of numbers where we’ve dropped it an octave. Performing on tour is a very different game. You couldn’t hit those notes every night as you would in a studio recording.”

They also explained that protecting their voices was a tough job. “It’s unbelievable what you have to do! Cold draughts are really bad for us. Obviously you avoid anyone with a cold etc. You’ll notice a lot of us wear scarves!”

Finally I couldn’t leave without giving them a chance to comment on the wigs.

“You get attached to them!” Rob replied dryly. “No, seriously, it’s something that gives the audience a quiet smile. A couple are actually a bit more extreme than the artist’s real hairstyles but that’s part of the drama of the show. The visual effect on stage is important. They’re not too bad.”

Welcome to Stage Door, the Hall for Cornwall blog!

2009-11-11T14:03:00.005Z

This is an entirely new endeavour for Hall for Cornwall and hopefully one that will prove popular with our audiences! What you see here when you attend a show is just the very tip of the iceberg. The theatre is a complex organisation in which a very wide range of staff contribute in many areas, often hidden from public view.

"Stage Door" aims to offer an interesting glimpse behind the scenes and to introduce some of the people who ensure the sound works, the lights come on and the curtain goes up!

We also hope to share some additional information about performances, such as what goes into producing the annual pantomime.

The name "Stage Door" implies back-stage access and the Stage Door blog will not disappoint! We will feature interviews and profiles of as many visiting performers as possible - giving you extra information and insight into performances and the actors in them.

Alongside this, will be regular updates on upcoming shows and latest ticket availability. If you love theatre and Hall for Cornwall, make sure this blog is added to your favourites!