Showing posts with label fringe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fringe. Show all posts
Thursday, 21 June 2012
Twitter and How to Use It
Sometimes life has a habit of getting in the way of even the most well planned of things. That is what has happened with my blog of late. Life, in the form of my own insecurities and foibles, has left me rather distracted of late so I have neglected my blog for almost two months.
I shall try, but won't promise, to provide a blog post at least once a month from here on in.
This particular post is being written at the request of one of the most highly regarded headshot photographers around, Mr Michael Wharley.
He is off to the NSDF conference this year and has asked if he can feature me as an example of an actor who uses Twitter effectively. Once I was over the shock of being asked if he can use my Twitter page as an example we talked the topic over a little and I decided that I would blog on the slightly wider topic of "How to Use Twitter if you're an Actor"
Not meaning to sound like I know what I'm talking about, and absolutely not meaning to lecture but it does strike me that there are some very simple rules to follow when using Twitter as a professional tool no matter what your profession.
Firstly there is the little matter of picking your name. Pick it carefully.
As much as your Equity and Spotlight names are your brand name so is your online presence part of the same brand. The fact that your schoolmates might well have called you Wobblybottom or that you really did have an email address that was "punanimaster@...." is something that you need to leave behind you.
Nothing, and I mean nothing, smacks of a lack of professionalism more than having an unprofessional online name. Your email address, even if it's a free web-based email, and your Twitter account are professional tools and need to be treated as such. The simplest solution is to just try to get an account that matches your name as closely as possible. If you have to veer away from that because some other person has already nabbed your name then so be it but don't veer off into the inane or profane.
If you want brand consistency across all platforms then I would suggest looking into sites like NameChk which allows you to check name availability on almost all forms of social media or Know'em which does something very similar but also allows you to check domain name availability and then gives you the option to pay for a service which will register your chosen name on up to 300 websites in one go. Personally I didn't much see the point in the pay service when you really only want to grab the top sites anyway but the option is there to use if you so desire.
Now you've got your page reserved what do you do with it?
This is Twitter we're talking about here so I will stick with that, although these can be extended to other social media sites too of course. Twitter allows you to change the background to your page. So change it. Even if you just tile your main headshot over the page that is something. And use a professional headshot as your avatar too.
I know these may sound like idiot guides but heigh-ho... Now you've set up your page you need to start to follow people. Personally I think there is limited mileage to be gained from following the celebrity Twitterati as you will not really be able to engage them in conversation. (Even if you do you will probably be speaking with the web manager employed to Tweet on behalf of the celeb anyway.) When I started out I found the Twitter accounts for as many of the London Fringe theatres I could find and then followed them. I looked at who they followed and followed them. That way I quickly built up a list of people I was following who were at least interested in theatre.
Read their posts. Reply. Ask questions. And above all else be prepared to help out too. If people need a retweet of one of their messages then retweet it. If you're stuck for something to say then ask who you can help.
I treat Twitter as part of the job of being an actor. Of course it doesn't improve my acting per se, nor will it get you auditions but if you follow film and theatre production companies, directors, and above all else casting directors, then you will hear about things in the pipeline often before they are public knowledge and that gives you a chance to be helpful.
There are some fringe producers out there who will look at a Twitter presence and if you've a growing following on here and someone else has none they will tend to offer parts to the actor who can readily market an upcoming show to their following.
Twitter isn't just about getting bums on seats though. Acting can be a very lonely profession at times and online social media can provide you with support and guidance in those times when you are ready to quit. And everyone has those moments sometimes. If you have engaged with people and shown compassion then you will get compassion back in return.
Speaking personally and entirely subjectively here I can say that there have been times when Twitter has given me room to vent and let off steam and others when it has given me strength and succour to continue. It has also put me in contact with some wonderful people who produce work that I truly admire. Of course, overtime, as you build your own online presence your personality will start to shine through. That is a good thing. You cannot expect to be entirely business focussed all the time and it's to be encouraged to have opinions on things and to Tweet them too.
I have seen people use paid-for Follower tools on Twitter. I decided long ago not to go down that path as even though they would generate a large kick in follower numbers it is doubtful that many of them would be even vaguely interested in theatre, film, or acting in any form so what would be the point of having the number for the sake of the number. I would rather quality over quantity any day.
As I've said before, spend time reading the Tweets from people who you follow. And reply. Twitter is a modern day version of the chat over the garden fence and it's going to be a very dull conversation if only one person talks all the time.
Be proactive. Be helpful. Be mindful too.
By mindfulness I mean don't flood your timeline with a million tweets about your undying love for Justin Beiber/One Direction/Twilight etc. It might well be that you will marry one of them but it gets very dull, very quickly when all you do is tweet about them. So think about what you post. Share the things you like. Share the things you really don't like. Share enough to allow people to see who you are beyond just being an actor.
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
That's Entertainment - Barons' Court Theatre
| "That's Entertainment most definitely entertains!" by Colin Appleby for remotegoat on 25/10/11 |  |
This double bill of one act plays, penned by the obviously talented Phil Preece, premiered at the Garrick Theatre in 2009 before embarking on a tour of the UK last year and returns to London for one night only.
The first piece, Mr Bluesky, ably directed by Paul Findlay who co-stars in the second piece himself, examines the life, lifestyle and losses accrued by one Vince Meager an aging rocker long past his prime and still touring playing his big hits from the 60s to his adoring, and shrinking, fan base. Driven by his self belief, and in part his loneliness, he invites a young lady back to his dressing room and it becomes apparent quickly that all is not what it seems as the two discover a past that may, or may not, have more in common than meets the eye.
Vince Meager is played by Steve Dolton and Kirsty, the female guest in the dressing room by Kelly Ward.
As a one act play the piece is entertaining and leaves you asking questions about the motives behind the actions of both characters. I don't wish to detract from the piece but as good as it is, it is very much the support act to what follows.
After a brief interval, the lights go up on That's Entertainment, where we are introduced to a couple of national TV stars at the top of their game. Set backstage at an awards night where the duo have been honoured with a glittering trophy the duo, The Jolee Boys, examine their careers and debated rather heatedly if perhaps they have sold out in order to cash in.
The script, in common with that of Mr Bluesky, reveals that all is not rosy in this particular garden. Joe, played by Paul Findlay, is at great pains to return to what he sees as his comedy roots but his entertainment partner Lee, played by Steven Humpherson, is happy to down champagne and snort line after line of cocaine and ride this gravy train for as long as he can.
The differences provide scope for both Findlay and Humpherson to let rip with their characters as they go from reminiscing about their first steps onto a stage as shepherds in a "navatity" play at school, to realising what is going on and what they each have to do in order to survive.
The play could easily handle being expanded in to a two act drama, or comedy, and works exceptionally well in the confined space of the Barons Court Theatre as the limited space adds to the pressure of both pieces. There is no easy escape for any of the four characters in these two pieces, nor would the audience desire one for them. Or for themselves.
Steven Humpherson perfectly captures the essence of coke addicted, almost alcoholic, light entertainment star and has what can only be described as phenomenal stage presence.
To say that he is perfectly matched by Paul Findlay is an understatement. These two actors have an obvious and easy camaraderie on stage which enables the exceptionally quick fire lines and the sharp retorts to come as if directly from the spleen. Every word and gesture is well aimed, well timed and delivered nigh on perfectly.
Talking of understatement it's not an understatement to say that both Findlay and Humpherson are destined for much greater things if this performance is to be believed. Far from waning I would say their personal stars are very much in the ascendency.
I do not know where this double bill is playing next but I will say hunt it down and see it. That's Entertainment is certainly what I call entertainment.
The first piece, Mr Bluesky, ably directed by Paul Findlay who co-stars in the second piece himself, examines the life, lifestyle and losses accrued by one Vince Meager an aging rocker long past his prime and still touring playing his big hits from the 60s to his adoring, and shrinking, fan base. Driven by his self belief, and in part his loneliness, he invites a young lady back to his dressing room and it becomes apparent quickly that all is not what it seems as the two discover a past that may, or may not, have more in common than meets the eye.
Vince Meager is played by Steve Dolton and Kirsty, the female guest in the dressing room by Kelly Ward.
As a one act play the piece is entertaining and leaves you asking questions about the motives behind the actions of both characters. I don't wish to detract from the piece but as good as it is, it is very much the support act to what follows.
After a brief interval, the lights go up on That's Entertainment, where we are introduced to a couple of national TV stars at the top of their game. Set backstage at an awards night where the duo have been honoured with a glittering trophy the duo, The Jolee Boys, examine their careers and debated rather heatedly if perhaps they have sold out in order to cash in.
The script, in common with that of Mr Bluesky, reveals that all is not rosy in this particular garden. Joe, played by Paul Findlay, is at great pains to return to what he sees as his comedy roots but his entertainment partner Lee, played by Steven Humpherson, is happy to down champagne and snort line after line of cocaine and ride this gravy train for as long as he can.
The differences provide scope for both Findlay and Humpherson to let rip with their characters as they go from reminiscing about their first steps onto a stage as shepherds in a "navatity" play at school, to realising what is going on and what they each have to do in order to survive.
The play could easily handle being expanded in to a two act drama, or comedy, and works exceptionally well in the confined space of the Barons Court Theatre as the limited space adds to the pressure of both pieces. There is no easy escape for any of the four characters in these two pieces, nor would the audience desire one for them. Or for themselves.
Steven Humpherson perfectly captures the essence of coke addicted, almost alcoholic, light entertainment star and has what can only be described as phenomenal stage presence.
To say that he is perfectly matched by Paul Findlay is an understatement. These two actors have an obvious and easy camaraderie on stage which enables the exceptionally quick fire lines and the sharp retorts to come as if directly from the spleen. Every word and gesture is well aimed, well timed and delivered nigh on perfectly.
Talking of understatement it's not an understatement to say that both Findlay and Humpherson are destined for much greater things if this performance is to be believed. Far from waning I would say their personal stars are very much in the ascendency.
I do not know where this double bill is playing next but I will say hunt it down and see it. That's Entertainment is certainly what I call entertainment.
Last Days of the Commune - White Bear
| "Witness a truly revolutionary event" by Colin Appleby for remotegoat on 20/10/11 | |
Presented by the suitably named Gunpowder Theatre Company, at the little gem of an oddity that is the White Bear Theatre Pub, is the absolute delight that is this production of Bertolt Brecht's The Days of the Commune.
The play, set in 1871, tracks the rise and fall of the Paris Commune in a semi-documentary style where the main character is the Commune and the streets of Paris themselves rather than any of the 60 or so characters who spend time on the tiny stage exploring the pressures of material hardship, class antagonisms, and the struggle of leading a city of 2 million people when you have no experience of rule and when the ruling classes, and the media, decide that your revolution is nothing other than mob rule.
The stage, as I mentioned, is tiny. And yet the sense of space achieved is phenomenal. As are the cast. Fifteen actors portray 60 odd characters and the play even features a full size cannon.
Having sat with my thoughts for a while about the play I am still unable to find anything more to say other than it's a remarkably strong ensemble brought together under the bold, and obviously talented, directorial wing of Genevieve Girling to make a piece of theatre which well deserves the critical acclaim it's getting in the press and well deserves being seen.
Struggling as I am to pull out a single performance as the truly stand out one of the evening, because the ensemble gathered here is so uniformly strong, I do feel that the vastly experienced Gary Heron brings a touch of vulnerability to his rough stock proletarian Papa Goule that adds a gentle side to what could otherwise be a tough character to warm to.
Worth highlighting amongst the remaining cast are Steve Wickenden who demonstrates a mastery of comic timing and delivers both his lines, and his non-verbal interjections, precisely and perfectly placed never ceasing to hit the mark without veering over into pantomime. And Rupert Ratcliffe, playing Pierre Langevin a member of the elected committee of the Paris Commune, continues to display the stage presence and talent that marked him out as someone to watch in the recent production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at the New Diorama and I am looking forward to watching him in Don Carlos at the Blue Elephant.
I am at pains to state that all of the cast rise the the difficult challenges that this play, and this production, set them. And they rise to them triumphantly.
The play, set in 1871, tracks the rise and fall of the Paris Commune in a semi-documentary style where the main character is the Commune and the streets of Paris themselves rather than any of the 60 or so characters who spend time on the tiny stage exploring the pressures of material hardship, class antagonisms, and the struggle of leading a city of 2 million people when you have no experience of rule and when the ruling classes, and the media, decide that your revolution is nothing other than mob rule.
The stage, as I mentioned, is tiny. And yet the sense of space achieved is phenomenal. As are the cast. Fifteen actors portray 60 odd characters and the play even features a full size cannon.
Having sat with my thoughts for a while about the play I am still unable to find anything more to say other than it's a remarkably strong ensemble brought together under the bold, and obviously talented, directorial wing of Genevieve Girling to make a piece of theatre which well deserves the critical acclaim it's getting in the press and well deserves being seen.
Struggling as I am to pull out a single performance as the truly stand out one of the evening, because the ensemble gathered here is so uniformly strong, I do feel that the vastly experienced Gary Heron brings a touch of vulnerability to his rough stock proletarian Papa Goule that adds a gentle side to what could otherwise be a tough character to warm to.
Worth highlighting amongst the remaining cast are Steve Wickenden who demonstrates a mastery of comic timing and delivers both his lines, and his non-verbal interjections, precisely and perfectly placed never ceasing to hit the mark without veering over into pantomime. And Rupert Ratcliffe, playing Pierre Langevin a member of the elected committee of the Paris Commune, continues to display the stage presence and talent that marked him out as someone to watch in the recent production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at the New Diorama and I am looking forward to watching him in Don Carlos at the Blue Elephant.
I am at pains to state that all of the cast rise the the difficult challenges that this play, and this production, set them. And they rise to them triumphantly.
Hang of the Gaol - Brockley Jack
| "Cool Prison Drama Beats Luke" by Colin Appleby for remotegoat on 01/10/11 | |
I know that I have mentioned in other reviews the perils of being a reviewer and an actor are manifest. Think about the dilemma one faces when reviewing a play featuring a cast you don't like, and a script you find impenetrable. Or even worse one where the actors work their socks off and the script shines with brilliance that the director has managed to remove all trace of.
Now take that peril and factor in the added risk of a cast populated with people I've either worked with in the past or people I've trained with. Mix them up with a venue I adore and a playwright I have a huge admiration for and the risks are increased. So great they are that I usually eschew the job of reviewing shows that are such large potential minefields. However on this occasion I grasped the job in hand by the horns and was rewarded with that warm glow that I get when I see a cast cope with a very wordy and dense script and bring it to life with charm, pace, and wit.
The play is one of Howard Barkers most successful plays and here it is performed in a remodeled Brockley Jack Theatre that is used to great effect to recreate the interior of Middenhurst Gaol. Now reduced to burning embers the ensuing inquiry tasked with establishing the facts behind the fire uncovers layer upon layer of deceit.
As the inquiry, led by the sexually rapacious civil servant Jardine, played brilliantly by Alan Thorpe, squares up to the establishment figures, who have a myriad of agendas that are slowly revealed, the demands made of the cast increase. And they largely meet that task ably.
I do not wish to give away any of the plot twists and turns here but there are delightful scenes and electric performances scattered through this production.
Julian Bird excels as the incumbent Home Secretary and displays almost as perfect a sense of comic timing as Darren Benedict, who brings a brilliance and lightness to his role as one half of a fantastical fire investigation team. Maggie-Anne Lowe, Anne-Marie Hughes and the exceptional Matthew Eaton provide the other cast highlights.
I should add that this wordy, dense, difficult play, showing in this charming, somewhat out of the way theatre was the second play I had seen this day. The other was a still in preview star vehicle in the West End. It was Cool Hand Luke. I may review that debacle but in direct comparison this was far more entertaining and far better acted.
Cool Hand Luke costs £50 a seat in the stalls. The Hang of the Gaol costs £12. Save your pennies and see this. Actually maybe splash out on a meal in the Brockley Jack pub before heading in to the see the play. You'll have a much better evening than you would seeing Cool Hand Luke.
Now take that peril and factor in the added risk of a cast populated with people I've either worked with in the past or people I've trained with. Mix them up with a venue I adore and a playwright I have a huge admiration for and the risks are increased. So great they are that I usually eschew the job of reviewing shows that are such large potential minefields. However on this occasion I grasped the job in hand by the horns and was rewarded with that warm glow that I get when I see a cast cope with a very wordy and dense script and bring it to life with charm, pace, and wit.
The play is one of Howard Barkers most successful plays and here it is performed in a remodeled Brockley Jack Theatre that is used to great effect to recreate the interior of Middenhurst Gaol. Now reduced to burning embers the ensuing inquiry tasked with establishing the facts behind the fire uncovers layer upon layer of deceit.
As the inquiry, led by the sexually rapacious civil servant Jardine, played brilliantly by Alan Thorpe, squares up to the establishment figures, who have a myriad of agendas that are slowly revealed, the demands made of the cast increase. And they largely meet that task ably.
I do not wish to give away any of the plot twists and turns here but there are delightful scenes and electric performances scattered through this production.
Julian Bird excels as the incumbent Home Secretary and displays almost as perfect a sense of comic timing as Darren Benedict, who brings a brilliance and lightness to his role as one half of a fantastical fire investigation team. Maggie-Anne Lowe, Anne-Marie Hughes and the exceptional Matthew Eaton provide the other cast highlights.
I should add that this wordy, dense, difficult play, showing in this charming, somewhat out of the way theatre was the second play I had seen this day. The other was a still in preview star vehicle in the West End. It was Cool Hand Luke. I may review that debacle but in direct comparison this was far more entertaining and far better acted.
Cool Hand Luke costs £50 a seat in the stalls. The Hang of the Gaol costs £12. Save your pennies and see this. Actually maybe splash out on a meal in the Brockley Jack pub before heading in to the see the play. You'll have a much better evening than you would seeing Cool Hand Luke.
Thick - New Diorama
| Thick Outstanding performances from all" by Colin Appleby for remotegoat on 16/09/11 | |
This was my first visit to the New Diorama Theatre, which is tucked away in the middle of a development of office buildings just north of Tottenham Court Road and what a delightful introduction to the space Thick turned out to be.
I know that as a review I should not allow the other things I have recently seen to influence my prejudging of a new piece. But, I'm human and I make no apology for coming to Thick with a slightly downbeat heart after the less than perfect production I had seen the previous evening. I own up to sitting in my comfy seat, in the intimate space that is the New Diorama, and being disheartened by the naive set design and the slightly downbeat music played whilst the audience wandered in.
Within moments of this black comedy starting however I perked up no end. Largely due to the stellar performances by the cast of four talented actors, led by Rick Bland (who is anything but) and supported by Gary Fannin, Barbara Barnes and the incredibly talented Genevieve Adam.
The tale is a journey of one man, Rudolph, an idiot savant (Rick Bland), to a funeral and is a complex and deft weave of flashbacks and memories featuring a plentiful supply of non-alcoholic gin, the shoe saleswoman from Hell, a man who lives only for his lawn and a further 9 characters including Pope John Paul II.
Only Bland does not have to play multiple roles but as he never leaves the stage during this 90 minute bravura performance (no interval) to ask more of one actor would be utterly unfair.
All in all this is a surprising, charming, intelligent, witty and at times seriously laugh out loud, emotionally moving piece of theatre which well deserves an audience so go and see it!
I know that as a review I should not allow the other things I have recently seen to influence my prejudging of a new piece. But, I'm human and I make no apology for coming to Thick with a slightly downbeat heart after the less than perfect production I had seen the previous evening. I own up to sitting in my comfy seat, in the intimate space that is the New Diorama, and being disheartened by the naive set design and the slightly downbeat music played whilst the audience wandered in.
Within moments of this black comedy starting however I perked up no end. Largely due to the stellar performances by the cast of four talented actors, led by Rick Bland (who is anything but) and supported by Gary Fannin, Barbara Barnes and the incredibly talented Genevieve Adam.
The tale is a journey of one man, Rudolph, an idiot savant (Rick Bland), to a funeral and is a complex and deft weave of flashbacks and memories featuring a plentiful supply of non-alcoholic gin, the shoe saleswoman from Hell, a man who lives only for his lawn and a further 9 characters including Pope John Paul II.
Only Bland does not have to play multiple roles but as he never leaves the stage during this 90 minute bravura performance (no interval) to ask more of one actor would be utterly unfair.
All in all this is a surprising, charming, intelligent, witty and at times seriously laugh out loud, emotionally moving piece of theatre which well deserves an audience so go and see it!
I Love You, You're Perfect. Now Change
On Tuesday 13th September I had the pleasure of attending the Press Night of Maple Giant Theatre's production of the multi-award winning, and internationally staged show I Love You You're Perfect* Now Change in order to review it for this website.
A show that garnered such a huge amount of critical acclaim obviously raises the expectation of what you are going to see, and factoring that with the delight of seeing something at the Bridewell Theatre, and something featuring someone I had the pleasure of training with, all served to perhaps raise my expectations unfairly to the level where they couldn't be anything but not entirely met.
The show, more a musical review than a traditional show, charts the ups and downs of the world of Romance. It strives to portray the truths and the myths behind relationships and with a handful of deceptively simple sounding melodies interspersed with some accomplished harmonies from the company.
The cast was missing Tonia Szkurhan, due to illness, and her role was shared by other members of the cast. Most notably by the director and actor Amy Cooke-Hodgson who rose to the challenge of stepping in at short notice with a remarkable level of calm and confidence matched seamlessly by her phenomenal vocal skill.
Out of the remaining ensemble, the stand out performance has to be that of JJ Criss who manages to switch from slimy lawyer type to tender loving father and a variety of other characters with charm and a vocal dexterity that I quite happily covet. Although a musical theatre actor, and lead singer for rock group Stamina, he manages to convey absolute faith and honesty with every word he sings.
I think I would have preferred the show more if the venue had been more intimate as sometimes the performers seemed a little lost in the large space they occupy here, but it's well worth seeing, for JJ Criss and Amy Cooke-Hodgson especially, and also for Jamie Scott-Smith's brilliant take on geriatric tap dancing (which I'd like to see more of, perhaps in a spin-off show of his own).
A show that garnered such a huge amount of critical acclaim obviously raises the expectation of what you are going to see, and factoring that with the delight of seeing something at the Bridewell Theatre, and something featuring someone I had the pleasure of training with, all served to perhaps raise my expectations unfairly to the level where they couldn't be anything but not entirely met.
The show, more a musical review than a traditional show, charts the ups and downs of the world of Romance. It strives to portray the truths and the myths behind relationships and with a handful of deceptively simple sounding melodies interspersed with some accomplished harmonies from the company.
The cast was missing Tonia Szkurhan, due to illness, and her role was shared by other members of the cast. Most notably by the director and actor Amy Cooke-Hodgson who rose to the challenge of stepping in at short notice with a remarkable level of calm and confidence matched seamlessly by her phenomenal vocal skill.
Out of the remaining ensemble, the stand out performance has to be that of JJ Criss who manages to switch from slimy lawyer type to tender loving father and a variety of other characters with charm and a vocal dexterity that I quite happily covet. Although a musical theatre actor, and lead singer for rock group Stamina, he manages to convey absolute faith and honesty with every word he sings.
I think I would have preferred the show more if the venue had been more intimate as sometimes the performers seemed a little lost in the large space they occupy here, but it's well worth seeing, for JJ Criss and Amy Cooke-Hodgson especially, and also for Jamie Scott-Smith's brilliant take on geriatric tap dancing (which I'd like to see more of, perhaps in a spin-off show of his own).
Lives and loves of a Reviewer Pt 1
As some of you know I write reviews for Remote Goat... bravely I do so under my own name.
I just thought I would share some of the things I've seen recently so you can see for yourselves it's not all champagne and starlight in the world of the reviewer!
I know it's lazy blogging but I thought it might be interesting to see if any of you have seen the same things and if you agree or disagree. Or just want to comment at all!
So the next few posts will be reviews of shows I've seen... in the order that I have experienced them. Of course I have blogged about some of them previously and you'll be able to figure out which ones I've referred to elsewhere in the blog yourselves I would imagine because you're an intelligent lot!
I just thought I would share some of the things I've seen recently so you can see for yourselves it's not all champagne and starlight in the world of the reviewer!
I know it's lazy blogging but I thought it might be interesting to see if any of you have seen the same things and if you agree or disagree. Or just want to comment at all!
So the next few posts will be reviews of shows I've seen... in the order that I have experienced them. Of course I have blogged about some of them previously and you'll be able to figure out which ones I've referred to elsewhere in the blog yourselves I would imagine because you're an intelligent lot!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)