Robinson Q&A

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

All Lit Up (part 1)

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.

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

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.

What's the story with the Minis?

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

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

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.

Decking the Hall

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!

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

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!

What was going on at HfC This Morning?

World Record attempt well underway!

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!