A Remarkable Week...

There is no doubt that this week at Yew Tree has been remarkable to say the least.  Writing and rehearsing our Summer at Nostell project is always intense but this year it seemed to rack up another gear.  Partly this was to do with having the most ridiculously busy June on record and then a July that didn’t really slow down either and partly because this year our play was inspired by real events. 

The guest bloggers describe the performance and the process of “Party at the End of the World” so well I don’t need to report on that so instead what follows is a few of my observations regarding some of the most remarkable things about the production…

First remarkable thing.  The joy I had in watching members of the cast - some newly graduated into Black Company, some seasoned members and some graduates back from their first or second year of university - join together to make a cohesive cast.  This is no easy feat and this challenge was compounded further by the richness of so many diverse personalities within the company but it was achieved and to wonderful effect.  One of the lovely things about having such a broad range of people is the learning that takes place for actors simply from watching the way others work.  I witnessed less experienced actors bloom under the unconscious mentorship of those who have gathered more knowledge and understanding.  It was lovely to watch especially with the realisation that this creates such an investment into YTYT for future productions.

Second remarkable thing.  How the cast related and engaged with characters who had lived 100 years ago.  The fascination with the differences in language, experiences, posture, etiquette meant that actors stepped out of their performance style comfort zone and became better actors in doing so.  Some of the actors literally blew me away with the bravest performances I have ever seen from them.  I was entirely delighted with the way they painted their characters.  Of course this is nothing compared to the understanding they gained in contemplating a world about to change so entirely and the impact that was to have on a generation of young people.  The legacy bestowed on us by the generation that preceded us I believe has a far more vivid relevance to the cast now than it would ever have done without taking part in the play.

Third remarkable thing.  The response of the audience.  The Nostell plays always provoke a positive reaction but this year might have been the most positive yet.  The story of the Winn family inspired the audience as much as it had the actors and of course the writer.  On Friday I spent the evening watching over 70 people from tiny babies to those in retirement and every age in between be entertained, moved, enlightened and surprised by the cast and the story they told.  As a writer and director you don’t get better than that.

As a final thought I want to say thank you to all of the actors and everyone who supported them by coming to watch .  Together we made something remarkable!