Some thoughts about pace…

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I can get more than a little obsessive about pace…as a director that is…not just randomly in life…that would be weird…

At this time of rehearsals when everything is staged in broad brush strokes and its time to polish the run throughs of scenes into performable pieces of theatre it becomes one of the many things that I become obsessed with.

This morning I had one of those glorious moments when the cast found the natural pace of the piece and things instantly fell into place as a result. It’s hard to describe the effect that this has on me. It’s a state of both relaxation and excitement because it’s just right…it feels, looks and sounds right and then I don’t worry about how to make it right anymore because it is. The flow of the words is in synch with the action on the stage and the meaning behind both of these things. It’s such a delight when you watch it happen…such a joy…

So Gold company have reminded me what it is I’m aiming for in the 6 pieces of performance I’m working on for Christmas and they should all be very pleased with themselves…just need to get the other 7 scenes to the same standard and all will be truly perfect in the land of Gold. Oh and obviously they need to make sure they find that same balance next week, that balance of haste and pause, of hurry and suspension of flow and piquancy…Anything can throw it off – a memory lapse, an actor having a bad day, the return of people who’ve been away, absence, over confidence, lack of confidence, lack of focus, costume so, so many things…so don’t let any of that get in the way…I don’t ask for much do I?

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