Unlimited Theatre have been busy preparing for lift-off with their new show Mission to Mars, coming to Polka this Autumn. With the casting almost done and rehearsals starting in September, Artistic Director of Unlimited and director of the show filled us in on the lastest...
We’re soon to sign off on the design for the show and Tim (Polka’s Production Manager) will then start to build it! Click here to see the latest pictures of Rhys's model. This is going to be the coolest den I’ve ever had to play in…
The other cool thing we did last week was two days of filming in a green screen studio for the scenes with the four “on-film” characters in the show. Basically, there’s a team of six astronauts travelling to Mars in two vehicles – Firefly 1 (carrying Gail and Stephan – the two “live” actors on stage) and Firefly 2 (carrying Vlatko, Joni, Maggie and Andy – whose scenes are all on video and synced into the show). All the characters are based on real scientists we know or have met.
Anyway… we filmed their scenes last week with our fabulous cast of Alex Elliot, Lucy Ellinson, Sue Ahmet and myself (well, they’re all fab, at least – I’d describe myself as having simply been VERY pleased to be there). Lillie Lindh was on make-up for the two days while the brilliant Lucy Wilson assisted me (directing) and the AWESOME Mic Pool. Mic’s doing the sound and video design for the show and has roughed up some shots with the space ship and other backgrounds imposed on the green screen. Click here to see some pictures via our website.
I cannot tell you HOW EXCITED I AM ABOUT BEING IN SPACE!
I thought that the Pirates play was very well produced and extremely amusing.
My favourite characters were Harry and Sneep because I thought they were the most amusing and I especially liked the way Sneep kept jumping whenever the chest appeared and Harry always had to assure him it was still there.
My favourite scene was when Jim was drowning and the sharks read him a letter. This scene was my favourite because the sharks actually moved their tails like they were really swimming in the ocean. My favourite effect was the treasure chest popping up in different places on the set and the way actors kept climbed out of it.
I think that all the actors stayed in character all the time. Jim actually looked like he was crying when he was angry with his parents and terrified of Captain McGovern. He also pretended he was angry very convincingly.
By Charles Way, writer of Pirates!
I have just returned from Washington USA where Imagination Stage is performing Pirates! at exactly the same time as the current Polka production. The play was a co-commission with Polka and it was fascinating to see how the script sometimes led to very similar directorial decisions being made and at others was open enough to allow for variations. Polka Theatre is a narrow theatre and Imagination Stage a wide one and it’s from this physical reality that the two productions take shape; both with very appealing and dynamic designs though very different. In general, the American production felt faster paced but interesting in terms of actual performing time as they were pretty much the same. The reviews from both countries have been excellent: “Seriously intelligent children’s theatre that is also great fun” (Time Out London) and “Young audiences wholly spellbound by Way’s adventure tale” (Washington Post USA). There is however a difference in the reviews which perhaps reflects different views of Children’s theatre in the two countries. The Washington Post sees only the ‘pirate’ story in which a boy goes back in time for an adventure. They seem to miss entirely the possibility that this was a dream play in which the boy appears to go back in time and that the ‘narrative’ is really about how Jim feels about his parents divorce and his reunion with his mother whom he has not seen for four years. What was great in both productions was to see kids on the edge of their seats and being committed as an audience to Jim’s emotional sea voyage and the adults slowly realising that there was more to the play than just swashbuckling of which there is a fair amount. Thank you to both companies for investing in a brand new play for children.
Charles Way
By Kelly Holmes, Parent Ambassador
Skitterbang Island was a delight for my eyes and ears.
When we first entered the adventure auditorium it was quite dark and all I could see was some seats and the stage for which the show was set. When the lights lit up and the music started it was amazing! The room filled with colour and sound.
There were three puppeteers. I think they did a great job of bringing the puppets to life: Uncle Edvard, Marie and Skitterbang. The puppet that was named Skitterbang was amazing to me and my daughter we weren’t too sure what it was though. We think he looked rather like a rabbit.
My daughter and I really liked it when Skitterbang was dancing near the gramophone that was really funny. I loved the vocals of the puppeteers, they were amazing. I really liked the way their vocals echoed around the room as if we were on a real ship far away.
We also really liked it when Marie and Skitterbang tapped all of the bits and bobs dangling from the ceiling because they made little sounds and noises. Those little jars when knocked shone with loads of different colours it was very beautiful.
I think it’s defiantly worth a watch I walked in to the room not sure about what we were going to watch and I came out of there feeling very re-energised and wanting to go watch it again. It’s a show that the whole family really will enjoy.
By Tunde Makinde (Captain McGovern)
Q: What did the pirate say when his wooden leg got stuck in the freezer?
A: Shiver me timbers!
Q: Why does it take pirates so long to learn the alphabet?
A: Because they can spend years at C!
Q: How do pirates make their money?
A: By hook or by crook
Ok, enough of the jokes I hear you say!!
This is Tunde here, aka Captain McGovern. We’ve just had a few days off which was welcome as the show is deceptively demanding physically. The last show we had was a private in-house show or what we call a ‘Gala’ performance. There seemed to be lots of friends from the cast and production team so the energy was great and I think all the actors seemed to give 110% (which I sometimes find quite confusing as I thought 100% was the maximum you could give - but I hope you get the point!). We were all in agreement that it was a great show. Afterwards we had some drinks and snacks while signing autographs for 10 minutes solid to all the enthusiastic kids. As a bonus to all of this we received two good reviews in The Stage and Timeout so it does seem to be going down well.
Right, time for one more joke….
Q: Why did the pirate refuse to say, "Aye, Aye, Captain"?
A: Because he's only got one eye.
To anybody that hasn’t seen the show…COME SEE IT. You’ll be hooked (geddit!).
Jo Belloli – Associate Producer/Early Years Programmer
The team have moved out of the rehearsal room and into the Adventure Theatre, where they have had their first day working on the set, with most (but maybe not quite all, yet!) of the props and final details … but everything will be ready by Monday when they start the final two crazy days of technical and dress rehearsals. There’s been a big transformation in the theatre, with people working all hours building and fitting the set an impressive set, making the props and costumes and designing the lighting.
Since my last blog, I’ve hardly seen what they’ve been up to. I thought I’d be able to blog some more, but my time has been busy thinking ahead to what we will be doing in the theatre next year and even the year after. So, although I keep in touch with what is happening right now, I’m always thinking about the future. Sometimes I have to stop twice about what year we are in! But I know there’s been loads of work going on. Music is now filling the air at Polka, and the puppets (to say nothing of the cast) are being put through their paces. But the team are still smiling, so that’s a good sign!
I’ll be watching a run-through tomorrow afternoon, which I’m really looking forward to. And then, next week, I’ll keep out of their way on Monday when they will be doing lots of technical work with the lights and sound, but look in to see a dress rehearsal on Tuesday evening. Then Wednesday morning … it’ll be the first performance of Skitterbang Island!
By Michael Sewell - Harry in Pirates!
Hi everyone, it's Michael Sewell here. I play Harry in 'Pirates!', and I have to say I’m having an absolute blast. We have just finished our first week on stage, and it has been wild! The team, had done a great deal during the four-week rehearsal process, and it was great to finally get the show in front of you - the audience! And what audiences they were! It's a great atmosphere in the auditorium, with all the children really getting involved in the show. Plenty of energy, usually voiced by fits of screaming or laughter! Such energy really carries up to the performers on the stage and gives us even more enthusiasm (or 'enthusims' if you're Captain McGovern) to produce a great performance.
All the activity that goes on during the show is really hard work. We are always busy jumping, singing, dancing, sword fighting (some of us even get to swing on a rope), but when you see the excited faces of the audience in their seats, it makes all the effort worthwhile. I definitely needed a day off. However, after a quick rest I am pretty sure I can speak for everyone when I say we cannot wait to get back on stage and entertain another 300 bellowing seven to ten year olds!
Hi everyone! The nice people at Polka Theatre have asked me to tell you what it’s like being in an opera specially made for children: the answer to that is ... really EXCITING!
My feet ache a little after so much walking over hill and dale on snowy Skitterbang Island. But who knew an island could be so beautiful?! I am really enjoying exploring all the many details of the island, especially in Skitterbang’s amazing cave. And you should taste his special Monster Tea – mmmm! One thing I never expected was having to get used to singing all the time, but actually it’s rather splendid!
Well, I must sign off now – I have to go back into rehearsal. We’re running it through from start to finish to get all the little touches just right. I hope that you all come to visit Skitterbang Island from the 7th of July; we’ll have so much fun together!
Lots of love
Marie x
By Jo Belloli
As Associate Producer I can’t believe how lucky I’ve been that our Artistic Director, Jon, landed this one on me, to lead on! Now in rehearsals, I’m at the point where I’m stepping back, and it’s all completely in the hands of our brilliant creative team, cast and production team.
I have snuck into some of the first two days of rehearsals, and have had real difficulty in dragging myself away to get on with other things. It’s quite awesome, sitting in that room, hearing and seeing the beautiful work that’s happening. I won’t be back in rehearsals again until the end of next week – I can’t wait to see what shape it’ll be in by then ….
Ben Sewell playing Sneep here! I've just been thrown overboard which gives me time to blog.
It's only day two into rehearsal week three and we've already got so much done! We visited a real pirate ship on the weekend which has really helped us to imagine what life would be like at sea, which makes the whole world of Pirates more believable. Rehearsals are going well and everything is coming along swimmingly. The scenes are really staring to take shape, everyone knows their lines, the fights are becoming more polished and everybody still has all their fingers!
This show is so much fun! As an actor I've never done a show which has as many different elements as this. We've got an amazing cast who are acting, singing, dancing, fighting, puppeteering and more! We've also got a director who's as wacky as the rest of us who's ever so jealous he doesn't get to join in with all the swashbuckling. We are all friends here at Polka and we can't wait to move this show from the rehearsal room back to the stage so we can share it with all of you.....! .
Hi, I'm Rachel, and I play Captain Freely, the pirate captain!! I am having so much fun as a pirate; girls don't often get to brandish swords and swash-buckle their way across the high seas. This morning, we have been working on some of the fights with our fight directors, Ruth and Rachel (great name), which are shaping up to be action-packed! At one point I've got two cutlasses to fight with at the same time, which means there is a lot to remember, as none of us wants to lose an eye...
During the rest of the week we have been working on Act One in depth. Jonathan, our director, has been adding little details which have helped to create more rounded characters, and have given each of us more of a back story. One of my scenes has now unofficially been titled 'Where's My Treasure??!!!' to help me remember what Captain Freely's one and only motivation for being in Jim's bedroom is. These little tricks always help.
Well, tea break is over now so I'd best get back to the hard work (fun) of the day, with a pirate yell! Aaarrrggghhh!!!!
By Edward Dede (Jim in Pirates!)
We’re just coming the end of our first week of rehearsals on Pirates! which feels like it’s gone by so quickly!
So far, Jon, the director and us as a cast have been working through Act One and the first part Act Two – setting out the blocking of the scenes, getting to grips with the journey’s of the characters, learning the songs for the show and also starting to work on the fight scenes. It’s been great to learn all these different elements and really getting stuck into it which has made the week feel busy but at the same time feel like we’re covering a lot of ground on Charles’s script.
We‘ve also been lucky enough to start rehearsing straight away on the stage, which as actor has really help get a sense of the space and the how big the set will be. It’s also been interesting for me seeing the change in Jim throughout the First Act. From being kidnapped by Captain Freely from his bedroom to entering this new world through this ‘magical’ chest having to deal with the fact the he’s hundreds of miles away from home on Pirate ship and now has the chance to become a fully fledged pirate! Right now, I can just hear the ‘ching’ ‘ching’ of the swords as Ben and Mike go through their fight choreography as I write this so I better get back to rehearsals as I feel like I’m missing out on the action!
By Jon Lloyd Artistic Director of Polka & Director of Pirates!
I spent yesterday morning thinking about sharks. One of the scenes in the play is set underwater, and features Jim, our hero, and two talking sharks. I was working with Liz, our designer, and Roman, associate director here at Polka and puppetry expert (he directed Charlie and Lola’s Best Bestest Play and James and the Giant Peach). We were playing with UV (ultra-violet) light and seeing how we can make it look like the sharks are swimming and floating all by themselves. As if by magic. And I think we’ve found a way.
It’s less than a month to go now before we start rehearsals. The closer I get, the more nervous and excited I feel. Nervous because as the show’s director there are so many things to remember and prepare; excited, because I can really start to see and imagine what the show will be like. We’ve cast 4 out of 5 actors, including Captain Freely, the gutsy female pirate captain, and are just waiting to hear about the last one. And the set design is almost ready. It’s like a big pirate ship from 1718, with the prow jutting out into the audience, with lots of rope, timber and canvas. I still need to find a fight director though, for the sword fights in the play. We need someone to help make those edge-of-your seat exciting.
So fingers crossed we can bring all these great elements together. I’m confident we can, because there’s such a brilliant team here at Polka working on it. Keep reading from 24th May to follow our progress in rehearsals and see if we can make Pirates! burst into life in all its swashbuckling glory. And of course, come and see for yourself – by booking now!
By Kelly Holmes, Parent Ambassador
A delight for my eyes and my ears, I honestly felt like i was at home sitting with my daughter and watching charlie and lola on the television.
It had everything from the show and it was put together wonderfully. The puppets were fantastic and the puppeteers did a fantastic job they put so much energy into which got everyones attention. I wanted to get up and join them they looked like they were really enjoying themselves and so were all the children in front of us. I think thats the big success of charlie and lola it brings your imagination to life and makes you want to be part of it.
It was great when all these little tissue paper butterflies fell from the ceiling part of me wanted to grab them all and keep them for my self. i felt like a big kid again and my daughter really enjoyed trying to catch them to. We made it a little competition between ourselves.
Another great part of the show was when lola went to have a bath and she asked Charlie to help her get all these whales out of her bath and lots of tiny little bubbles came down it was great to see that to and it was so much fun trying to pop them all.
The artistic side of it was fantastic i couldn’t believe how well it worked. The lights and sound just brought the whole experience together. I can honestly say i wouldn’t mind going again me and my four year old daughter enjoyed it so much we were talking about it all the way home.
Don’t miss out on watching a first class show get your fingers on the polka website and book those tickets.
Polka are very excited to be working with Unlimted Theatre on a brand new show all about the adventures in space! The show is already sounding very exciting and will be hitting Polka's stage later this year. Keep reading to hear all about it in the blog below from Clare, one of the writers of the show....
Last week Jon, Alison and I (Clare) visited four schools to find out what children between the ages of 7 and 11 already know about Space, which as it turns out, is quite a lot. All the schools, teachers and pupils were great, the Youutube clips of Gail spinning in Zero-g were a particular hit. I was excited about the fact that so many pupils knew about Black Holes… quite often there was debate about the difference between a worm hole and a black hole.
Most pupils so far seem to think that looking for aliens, (or to be more accurate, looking for life on other planets, not necessarily only intelligent life) is the best reason for risking all the dangers of equipment going wrong, explosions, arguing with the one person you have to share the tin can with and missing your family.
We asked everyone at the beginning of each workshop if they want to go into space and so far it seems about 70/30. I’m with the 30% who don’t fancy it much. OK. It’s exciting to discover new life and swim like a fish in air… but I find it really difficult to imagine how it is even possible for a few human beings to inhabit such small spaces…when one glance out of the window reveals the enormity of… well… EVERYTHING. I’d never thought about it in this way before, but a good thing about the weather is that it hides a lot of very difficult questions behind a beautiful and ever changing screen.
Jon on the other hand is with the 70% who are up for the time-of-your-life adventure, growing 2 more inches and not being able to scratch your ears on a Space walk.
One pupil on Friday morning simply said in response to the question, “Do you want to go into Space”: “No. Cos it’s alright here.” Brilliant!
Keep checking back for more Mission to Mars blogs...
By Sanjay Shelat (Charlie)
So it is Sunday night, and the night before the Monday of the week where we open… That was a long way of trying to build up to the fact that I am completely feeling the fear! As an actor, I know that of course it is normal to feel the fear, of course the nerves and the scared feelings and the worry that you’ll get it wrong and drag everyone down with you kicks in. With theatre, if you don’t get it right, you are letting both your fellow actors and the audience down. I, like many actors (whether we admit it or not) feel a responsibility towards the audience. They trust that I will take them on a journey, that I will give them the experience that they have come seeking.
Anyway, this is all getting a little philosophical. I’m going to go over my lines (again) and then get some much needed rest before tomorrow’s final clean day of rehearsal. I hope that it goes well.
Last Day!
By the Earthworm
Oh no, we’ve come to the end of the run – what a fantastic time it has been. It is a shame – we have to take all our wonderful costumes to be cleaned (especially mine as I crawl all over the place), all the set and lights have to be taken down and Neil (the centipede) has to take off all his boots (all 50 pairs!).
We are now about to go on stage for our last performance – sniff, sniff – and hopefully the audience will enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed performing this show.
See you all soon from Earthworm and the rest of the peachy cast!
Freezing cold but busy with pirates, Charlie and Lola, outer space, World War Two, Lonesome school and marathon training...
This week feels like a typically busy and eclectic time at Polka. Rehearsals for our new Polka cast of Charlie and Lola’s Best Bestest Play have started. They don’t have long – the show re-opens here next Wednesday! It’s exciting to welcome this show back to where it started nearly two years ago; it feels like a homecoming. I also had a meeting with my designer, Liz, about the play we’re doing here this summer: ‘Pirates!’ It’s set on a desert island, a boy’s bedroom, a pirate ship, a Royal Navy ship, and deep under the sea (including two sharks). So definitely what you’d call a challenge. We’re very interested in ships, in timber and rope and canvas.
I’m currently a writer-in-residence at a local primary school, Lonesome School in Mitcham. I’m working with Years 4 and 5 there on creative writing, exploring how to write plays and bring your writing to life in fun and dramatic ways. I’m really enjoying the experience and we’re hoping to create some plays and stage them.
The brilliant Unlimited Theatre team are working away on their play about outer space for this autumn. It’s set 25 years in the future, on the first crewed mission to Mars. For more information click here where you can read an interview with a real-life astronaut trainer.
Off to the Imperial War Museum later for the opening of their new exhibition. We’ve been invited because we’re working with them next year. More details to follow. And in between all this, I’m doing lots of running! I’m running the Brighton Marathon on 18th April, in aid of Polka’s Arts Access Programme. If you’d like to sponsor me, I’d really appreciate it. Please click here.
By Alice, Young Voices Panel Member
Shortly after arriving at the Polka Theatre, I was led down the long, bright corridor and into the annexe where the Young Voices Panel session was to be held. To begin with, the whole Young Voices Panel created poses of the different positions a director would stand in through a rehearsal. After being put into groups of three or four, posters were made of the roles of an artistic director.
Soon, it was time to find out what the job was really about! The artistic director of Polka Theatre came in and talked about his role. Everybody discussed: how the job works, what it includes and the different kind of situations you have to deal with.
Once again, the members of the Young Voices Panel were put into a group of four - with one director and three actors or actresses. Firstly, the three main points of a play were shown in freeze frames. Then, a short play was created with a different director.
After watching everyone's plays, the director of each group discussed what they had to do and how they went about it. The actors and actresses were then asked to share with everybody how they thought the director did and what they'd learned.
I learned that although the job of an artistic director sounds easy there is a lot to think about and do. I think that to be a successful director you need to have a good imagination, to have a clear idea of what you want to have happening and also you need to be very fair - making decisions that are fair for the actors and those that will also please the audience. I feel that I have learnt a lot about the role of an artistic director and what it includes. It has definitely made me think about wanting to be a director when I am older!
By The Old Green Grasshopper
James and the Giant Peach So, two months into the run, and we're all still enjoying the show!
You might ask are we bored of it yet. Well, no! David Wood's script is so strong, that each time we perform, we find new ways of telling the story to keep it fresh. The audience is different every day and laugh in different places, which keeps is on our toes!� It�s fun performing in the snow, and often quite cold but we soon warm up once we've started acting and singing.
60 shows down and about 40 to go, so come and see it before it is too late! We had a lot of fun deciding who had the best vocal sound effect for the cockerel! It's quite a hard sound to make! Des Yankson had a good sound. Do come and see the show, and you'll have as much fun as we're having!
