It is four weeks until the show and the pressure is mounting! We have been mainly rehearsing the little scenes in between the larger set-pieces and working on the blocking, in particular. And we have a lot to work with now in terms of props and costumes, so we have been getting used to those too!
Sunday’s rehearsal was another Nursery special with the usual mass of humanity, and in particular, we worked on the play’s final scenes where we have to contend with not only a stage full of zombies, not only swords and furniture, but also Alfie in a dress.
Yup, Alfie now has the framework for his dress to work with and its going to look fantastic! It gave us the perfect opportunity to practise our final scene together to really try and get to grips with there dress in a very physical and emotional scene. I hope it doesn’t prove a distraction.
And further to the last blog, Steve and I have spoken several times about the film’s final scenes. We are having to justify the speech, the emotion, and the opportunity to get the sword safely tucked away all within a couple of pages, but with practise, I think it could be really nice. I still struggle with how to deliver it, but it could be really nice.
And other props and costumes are coming in now. We’ve got lanterns, shackles, bells, intestines, most of which has been crafted by Doctor Dee himself, Derek! He has been making these things on his own time and they are coming out beautifully. There was even a small flask of blood, which Derek then proceeded to demonstrate in rather gruesome fashion. I then tried to fake that I had accidentally hit him in the most, but the joke was missed by onlookers and lost on Derek. Never mind! 
Maybe next time!
The one downside to these sessions working on the blocking and all is that we are spending less time on the really dialogue heavy ones, or at least the ones I’m in. This had an unexpected effect. I forgot my lines! I have been off-book for weeks now, but with all the blocking we’ve been doing, I’ve been getting rusty on the lines! Crap! And I immediately found it frustrating. I tried to do a scene from Act 2 (I think) fluffed my lines, got angry with myself then got incredibly distracted by some chatter in the back of the room. To my slight shame, I did the slightly undignified thing of reprimanding the chatters, many of whom I like and enjoy talking to, but I was pissed off.
It was partly irritation and partly my filmmaker’s 1st AD brain kicking in. On a professional set, if someone is acting either in rehearsal or during a shot, you are quiet. But this is a different thing entirely and holding these people up to that standard is misplaced. Steve was quick to reassure me that it was fine after i apologised to him, but I still reckon some are being a little cautious with me. Not a bad thing really. Hopefully it’s respectful and not out of dislike. That would be awful.
The second rehearsal on Wednesday night was at a new venue in Elephant & Castle. For once, we were actually able to chart out specifically what the stage space was going to be like and the stage feels much more roomy already. And it gave us the chance to do lots of blocking! The most difficult bit of blocking in the whole play is not even a fight scene, but simply what to do with the dead bodies afterwards.
We had a go at doing this at a previous rehearsal, but we only had one zombie to practise it with, meaning that the dead body would be dragged across the floor on a mat, then he would get up and run to the next mat and get dragged out over and over and over again. This was the noble Steff, a man who missed his first rehearsal accidentally, but has turned up to virtually every single one since (which is generous given that he doesn’t even have any lines. Another man who’s been taking that time for the play is Rob Bullough, the man playing Sinklo). I have actually met the man on several occasions previously as he is a part of the improv community, and even part of the Duck Duck Goose team that do shows in Brixton and Brick Lane. He’s a good guy.
This time however, we had all the space in the world…ish. The duel between Bacon and Shakespeare is so much easier now that there’s room to manoeuvre, but it’s amazing how quickly it fills up once everyone starts lying down. We worked it out, slowly but surely. And it’s a bit of a dancing act. One of the dead zombies couldn’t make it that night, so the soldiers were picking up dead bodies that Rory and I were apparently sitting on top of at one point!
And more props were brought in, this time by Leigh. I had a fun little chat with him actually. We compared stories about martial arts and trying to keep it up int the city, which is difficult when your club was in Swansea, or in my case Falmouth (what up, Hupo Wushi!). But apparently production design was how Leigh got started with the Southside Players! His girlfriend was acting in something and they needed a prop made, so Leigh got involved, and then felt he just had to audition when they did Journey’s End back 2008.
And for this particular production, Leigh has been crafting swords! Not swords to fight with necessarily. These are swords to be carried by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men when they come off stage after performing Henry V, but they still get used! And they have been crafter by Leigh with the simple use of eBay-bought aluminium bars and the handles from cabinet doors! Clever bastard!
I feel like I’m starting to get to know people a little better now. Giggle Loop had an improv show on Tuesday (with Rory’s group Music Box as guests) and four members of Southside came to watch (namely Rory, Steff and Rachael)! It was a grand old time. Although there was a slight intake of breath at the mention of Giggle Loop’s next gig, Halloween…
That’s right… I’m double booked. Not officially, as the Land of the Dead show on 31st October finishes well before Giggle Loop’s slot at 10pm, but there is a stage to pack up, a lighting tower to dismantle, and then there’s an enormous party. I’m going to have to be late to the party at least, and Giggle Loop have been forewarned that they may have to do it without me, but I really want to be able to please everyone here. What I’m hoping is that my years of film-set dismantling experience means we can pack up the sucker in good time (I’ve had quicker turn-overs after all), and I’ll be able to do both shows, but Steve gets a look in his eye at every mention. And so do Giggle Loop. I hope I’m not in denial about this.
I Am Zombie Shakespeare 