Phew. The sun is shining and despite a frosty start, for the first time I think this year, I am not wearing 14 layers. I think, maybe, just maybe, spring is on its way. But who knows. Next week might see blizzards and white outs. So I’m not getting my hopes up. But anyway. We have had some incredible weather for our first week of rehearsals, which has made it a joy travelling the couple of miles from Ludlow to Pentabus HQ, and has really shown Shropshire in its most beautiful light. It has been a pretty joyful week all round actually-getting to grips with the play, the world, the characters, and working in Pentabus’s light and airy rehearsal space. Having our set has really given us a head start in understanding the space and working out how it might work in creating the many locations that the Viner family experience throughout the play.

After the first day of introductions, orientation, logistics of accommodation etc, James took us through his ideas for costume for the numerous characters, many of whom drop in and out of the action for a matter of seconds, never to be seen again. So the emphasis is on finding quick and efficient ways of demonstrating a different character, hats, glasses, scarfs, things that are quick to put on and take off. James throughout the week would disappear into the streets of Ludlow, Hereford, Shrewsbury for hours on end, trawling every charity shop, every boutique, every shop containing clothes that the people who appear in the play might wear. He would return to top up our increasingly full rail of clothes, and there would be trying on sessions to check how his purchases would look. some hilarious options that I’m not sure will find their way into the play (some very tight trousers for Owen, a bizarre flap cap which made the wearer look like he had a weird head extension, a tight pink t shirt for Iain (he plays one of Brian’s children Eleanor) that was just too tight to be appropriate in any way. Trial and error will continue, so that we ensure that costumes are authentic and truthful.

A highlight of the week was Wednesday afternoon, which was devoted to visiting some of the locations that feature in the play, namely Leominster, Docklow manor itself, the Kingsland Auction and the Kings Head. We had an hour in Leominster, so we all scattered throughout the town, dipping in and out of bookshops, antique shops, cafes, vegetable shops, soaking up the Leominster atmosphere and tuning our ears into the many different dialects that floated through the streets. Before returning to the trusty van (not me driving fortunately, Titch has taken on much of the ferrying around, which is quite brilliant. Not sure how I would handle driving a big old van crammed with actors. Titch meanwhile has it sorted.) I had a brief but strange encounter in a vegetable shop. I paused briefly outside it to look at their vegetable boxes (in the play, Owen has a ‘local produce’ stall and I just wondered what kind of boxes he might have and how vegetables might be displayed. serious stuff.) and I heard a voice say from inside ‘well dont just stand there, come inside’. I wasn’t planning to actually go in, but I kinda thought I had to, so went in and earnestly looked at some apples. There were about 6 men, all over 60, just standing in the shop, arms folded, or leaning on the counter. One of the men was just shouting at the others, while they looked on half amused, half incensed by what he was saying (which I tried my best to work out, but his accent was so thick I had no idea what he was getting so upset about). I decided to buy some apples, to justify my visit, which meant walking into the group of men to get to the till. The man kept shouting, I did my very London thing (I’m ashamed to say) of acting as if everything was completely normal, then leaving as quickly as possible. The man didn’t stop shouting once. Next, was a trip to meet Brian and Jane at Docklow Manor. I cant begin to think how weird it must have been for them, having 5 actors, 2 of whom will be playing Brian and Jane, rock up and wander around their house. But however surreal it must have been for them, they hid it very well as they were extraordinarily warm and welcoming and generous with their time. It was brilliant to fit the events in the play into the reality-to see the views,the chickens, the beautiful architecture of the house, really get a sense of why they had fallen in love with it. Great stuff to take back into the rehearsal room.

Next, the auction. An amazing place filled with the most incredible mix of people of all ages, all intent on finding a bargain. Rows upon rows of furniture, machinery, tools, boxes of miscellaneous objects ranging from the bizarre to the ridiculous and some so random I just could not imagine why anyone would buy them. (a toy dog in a welders mask anyone?) But what do I know. People munched on chips and sausage and kept warm by sipping hot chocolate and builders tea as the auctioneer began his patter, selling these weird and wonderful objects with a terrifying speed. There is an auction in the play, and we want to try and achieve a sense of the ritual and procedure of the event and it was great to get a flavour of how these evenings operate. We only stayed about half an hour (any longer and I might have made a bid on the dog in the welders mask) but I imagine that as there were literally hundreds of lots, it would go on well into the evening. We rounded off the evening with some food and a drink in the Kings Head, the pub nearest to Docklow Manor.

Back in rehearsal, we started from the beginning and the rest of the week was spent feeling our way through, getting the broad brush strokes of how the action might work, something which we can build on, expand, experiment with in order to find a way of telling the story in the clearest, most entertaining way.

A busy, exciting and productive week for all involved. Excited to hear that tickets are selling well for our opening night……