In the third instalment of our series following the progress of three companies towards the Fringe, we find student theatre company Z Theatre finalising their scripts, Laura Ingram, writer of Nell Gwyn: An Epilogue, buying turkish delight, and Laura Drane, producer of dance piece Caitlin, having a budget airline nightmare…
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Joanna Morley and Carys Tavener, Company Managers, Z Theatre Company
In the last month, Z Theatre Company’s four writers have been completing the finishing touches on their scripts, and have been discussing with the directors their creative plans. The casts have also been called together for read throughs and are all now very excited to hear the finished products; they can’t wait to get started on rehearsals. At this stage in the year, Fringe plans are becoming much more real, and all of our company are now beginning to picture themselves on the Royal Mile with a show of their own. Those who haven’t been before can only imagine the brilliant, theatrical chaos that’s to come!
As for ourselves, the Z Company Managers, this is of course the time of year where the final pressures and deadlines are upon us and the responsibility for the company is truly felt, but we’re confident that all of our hard work will be worth it for the end products. In fact, seeing the plays in our copies of the Fringe programme was one of the highlights of the process before arriving, and we’re awaiting our delivery of the posters and flyers, which will only add to our excitement as August draws ever nearer.
Z Theatre Company are @ theSpace @ Surgeon’s Hall from Mon 10 Aug to Thu 20 Aug 2015
Follow them on Twitter @ZTheatreCompany
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Laura Ingram, Writer & Producer, Nell Gwyn: An Epilogue
I said last time that my production style is “feast or famine”. The past few weeks have been all about the feast. At the moment, I’m juggling a hundred balls of varying weights and I can’t remember how many I’m supposed to have in the air. Every task completed generates three more. Things I think I’ve done already grow extra arms and legs. It’s a producer’s banquet, and I bloody love it.
In the past few weeks, we’ve kicked off rehearsals with Andy, our director, and Lucy, our actress; I’ve ordered new props and costume fabric, and 8kg of Turkish Delight; we have a quote for insurance and an excellent deal on flyers (my husband is designing these literally as I type); I’ve sent out dozens of press releases and had a few encouraging responses; I’ve had an interesting email conversation with an actress currently playing Nell at the Hollywood Fringe; and – thank the gods – I’ve finally finished the revisions to the script.
Next up: 1.) dust off my sewing machine and get stitching; 2.) finalise the flyers; 3.) push yet more press releases; 4.) complete my venue’s technical questionnaire; 5.) Skype Lucy about the script; 6.) send a bribe to The List’s Edinburgh office (it’s legit – it’s a thing on their website); 7.) figure out what to do with the wig; 8.) provide Robyn at the Fringe office with more details to enable her to advise me as to how best to ensure a future life for our show, and in “spare” moments, I’m putting together a Fringe Clash Diary of my own to help me plan for August.
Nell Gwyn: An Epilogue is @ Sweet Venues @ Grassmarket from Thu 6 Aug to Sun 30 Aug 2015 @ 16:55
Follow them on Twitter @OrangeGirlProd
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Laura Drane, Producer, Caitlin
Best start this update with news of a happy arrival. Just a few days ago, director Deborah Light gave birth to her daughter! Mum and baby are doing well (though they’ve not gone for Caitlin as the name; damn, there goes another publicity angle…)
So what else is new since last we wrote?
Off the back of Dylan Thomas Day (14 May), we’ve been hard at work thinking about a flurry of activity on 31 July, the date of Caitlin’s death. Be watching your feeds for #CAITLINday.
Oh and we’ve had a travel bookings nightmare! Having painstakingly sorted details for and booked flights for six people from Cardiff to Edinburgh (including a then unborn baby), CityJet only went and pulled that route! Cue panic and a scramble to work out options for trains, alternate flights, or all of us driving. We have finally managed to get refunds and rebook with FlyBe – and at £100 cheaper. The budget’s looking healthier, but I might have a few more grey hairs to add to my collection…
We’re well on the way to targeting the venues, reviewers and industry bods that we want to court for the show. To which end, we also have a new Associate Producer on board, the brilliant Luke Pell, who knows the artists, and everyone in the dance world, so is a huge asset to us during August.
Rehearsals are now looming in the calendar; we start at the end of July, with the previews in Cardiff at Chapter in early August. Then we have a hiatus as our performers Eddie and Gwyn go off and prep the two other shows they’re performing at the Fringe. (Gwyn Emberton in My People at Zoo, Eddie Ladd in Theatr Genedlaethol Cyrmu’s show Dawns Ysbrydion also at Zoo).
To cap it all, I’m off on holiday to Carmarthenshire in July – lovely, but a busman’s holiday as we’re just down the road from Laugharne where Dylan and Caitlin lived and loved and drank…
CAITLIN is @ Dance Base from Fri 21 Aug to Sun 30 Aug 2015 (not Mon 24) @ 20:00
Follow them on Twitter @caitlinedfringe