My Margaret Catchpole Blog.

Having initially approached Matthew Linley about the potential of doing some work experience in the office at Eastern Angles, I never thought I would end up performing for twenty nights as a Violinist (and of course, the front of a horse!!) in Maragret Catchpole.

Over the rehearsal period, I was kept busy shadowing the Cast rehearsals, standing in for the occasional Revenue Man or Smuggler, and sometimes chipping in with what the chorus had r hearsed in the scene, hoping I had remembered it correctly! 
read more

Penny is one of our loyal band of volunteers, and is also married to Roger who played an assortment of characters onstage as part of our Community Chorus. Here are Penny's memories of Margaret Catchpole:

Bentwaters Park and Slide - A Madge Memoir

May  The community chorus begins to evolve from a mixed bag of differently-gifted individuals to an all-singing, all-dancing troupe. Some are more musical than others, some have two left feet, but no matter - a rough bunch is what they are and WYSIWYG. Some are even allowed to talk.
read more

It seems totally at odds with the idea of a protected and safe rehearsal schedule to slap a 'performance' in the middle of the final week; to expose actors still experimenting to the judgement of an audience. It feels like forcing the end product far too soon. However, the 'Work in Progress' performance that the team presented last night, in the final week of rehearsals, seemed a very natural part of the process helping the show to find its centre and, of course, an obvious way to introduce the hird character to the piece; the audience.
read more

So it is clear I haven't written anything for a few days but things have been getting hectic in the rehearsal room and Peterborough. Not least today with a phenomenal downpour causing us to leave the rehearsal room for short while due a leak, or 5. The Nene is looking pretty swollen here, and the theatre is very close to it!

It's been an exciting week in the movement of this play. What you are always looking for and hope will happen is when an actor suddenly throws in an idea which urns their performance around and finds the missing link that takes the piece to a different and surprising level. Milo made the dramatic move of playing Lulu in a more outrageous and seemingly inappropriate way in order to play and force some changes. However, it revealed how the script could cope with such a dramatic shift and served as a reminder that rehearsals are about making those choices you feel, or even know, won't work but can often provide some impressive solutions.
read more

Day out of the rehearsal room today, researching.

So far with I ♥ Peterborough we have a gay Dad, a troubled musical son, a drag act and now a tornado. Why not? It is Peterborough after all.

Not necessarily a tornado hotspot in the same way as parts of America but Peterborough has had two in the past seven years and consequently makes a hugely important contribution to this production. So, my task today was to find out more about these phenomenons to help place t em in context for Joel and the cast.
read more

I should explain a little about what I am up to in this production.

I am assisting Joel so I am there to help wherever I can. This has ranged from checking availability of space and researching some props through to participating in rehearsals and researching material for either Joel or the cast but more of that tomorrow.

We were joined today by Silki, the Stage Manager, so one of my duties, to follow the script, has been taken over by her, freeing me up with other work
read more

So back on Monday and straight into the lads, all three, director included (never getting anyone to do what he wouldn't do himself), learning the Len Boone Shuffle to the iconic track Love Won't be Denied. Film was to be attached, but annoyingly the sound didn't record, so I will get another and post asap.  This particular dance seems pretty central to a night out in Peterborough so its inclusion was essential; we're just looking for an opportunity to go out and practise in situ. Good Luck! br />
read more

Here is a first report back from a sadly very wet and grey Peterborough, having completed the first week of rehearsals for Eastern Angles new production of ‘I  Peterborough.

The elements seem to know this play and the nature of the piece, having blasted us with an atmospheric introduction to the city, a city very much at the heart of playwright Joel Horwood's latest work. This weather is helping tap into Peterborough. A city often overlooked but we're quickl discovering it has a very strong character and presence; a personality built from medieval streets, 70's planners, diverse cultural mix, railways, fens and the skies.
read more