Week 5

I think the time has come for me to introduce the team that I'm working with. We that are known as The Lord Chamberlain's Men. We were auditioned and each selected to be one of seven cast members.

The way we were

Out on the road we seven are joined by Peter, associate producer/tour manager, who has come along to guide us during these opening weeks. Peter tends to drive the large van and takes the lead when liasing with venues. He looks like an Owl so we call him 'The Owl' or 'Peter the Owl' or sometimes just 'Owl'.

Then you have JP who's playing Malvolio. He sports some ferocious facial hair that makes him look a good deal like the serial killer Peter Sutcliffe. It's generally agreed that he's rather funny...I imagine growing up in Stockton-on-Tees necessitates a keen sense of humour.

Then you have fellow northerner Todd who is otherwise known as 'The Mountain' because of his tremendous gravitas. One always sleeps very well when you share a Travelodge room with him because its like sleeping in the rain shadow of Mt. Fuji. In photos he often looks like a sex pest. Or Mr Tumnus. He plays Feste and Antonio.

Ollo Clark is our pretty boy Viola. Perhaps we should call him 'Jonathan' as most audience members seem to think he's the same chap that played Romeo in last year's TLCM production. He's growing wearier of this by the day. He went to Eton and Oxford and has 16 or so middle names and wears a family signet ring. Standard pre-requisites for a successful acting career. 

Ed is bonkers. Mad as a box of broken clocks. He went to a Steiner School which sounds like the most extraordinary education you can imagine. As a consequence he's wonderfully creative and free. He's also very accident prone and ten minutes won't pass without him picking up some minor pain or injury. And he sneezes a lot.

 

Lukas is know as either 'Crew' or 'Fido'. Crew because he's hands on and rugged like a techie or technical staff (the backstage crew that work in a theatre). Fido because like a shaggy dog; hairy and enthusiastic. He's a farmboy born and raised and the freedom and rugged rurality emanate from his personage. He plays Sir Toby Belch with according aplomb. He's the youngest in the group and this is his first job out of drama school. He LOVES pork pies n mustard.

 

Andrew is our Scottish Highlander. I suspect that he works on the side for Jakeman's the throat lozenge company- he has got us all addicted to them. I fear that one day we'll have to start buying our own. He brings a balanced and gentle energy to the group. It's generally agreed that if you were lost in the jungle you'd most want to be with him. Sometimes he goes mad or gets angry- it's hilarious. 

So those are the 6 lads aside from Peter who watches over us. He has to walk a careful line of authority owl and banter owl. He has to be the voice of reason though also wants to have a hoot where possible.

And so we spend every waking (and in pairs sleeping) minute together. All day every day. Every day. Every hour. Minutes and seconds. I'm pleased to report that we all get on very well and we only  want to murder each other very rarely. And we have a lot of fun and can be very open with each other; bonded as we have been in the face of adversity...battling the crazy demands of this life on the road.

#backstagebondage

So. Back to what happened last week then. This week could be dubbed 'London week'. It kicked off in a private members club - 'The Oriental Club'. This was a fancy affair...in the heart of the West End...it was a surreal change to be able to take a walk down Oxford Street in my dayfuntime rather than take a turn around a National Heritage site. I loved it. I love London...even the busiest most hellish street of it. The show was a civilised affair...150 or so invited guests...lovely to be able to go home on the tube after we packed up the set!

Next day was our invited guests show...in the heart of Soho in a Church courtyard. This was for friends and family but also for a few industry folk- directors and casting directors and such that we could muster to come. Unfortunately the tube strike directly clashed but I think only a few were put off. The show was well received as ever and it was a lot of fun to share Olivia with some friends. And a few drinks after!

The rest of the week and it was back into the normal rhythm of things. Batsford Arboretum (lovely walk amongst the trees during dayfuntime whilst the boys napped off the night before). Then Hylands House- standard stately home fare. Then a cheeky private garden party in the Cotwolds after which the group split in two...half of us getting the train back to London for some leisure and the other half getting buckwild in Bicester village- bowling and dinner fun. Last day of the working stretch saw us at Ham House in Richmond where we were rejoined by our director for the first time. Happy to report that he was pleased with the state of things. The show was also professionally filmed for posterity. Then two days off.