Opening night nerves?

In my previous post I was worried about how things would go. Well here we are three days later, we've built (and taken away again) two theatres in two different schools, done two dress/tech rehearsals and performed two brilliant opening nights of The Tempest - with two different casts to two separate groups of 200+ East London year 7 and 8s.

And that's just the start of it!

By the end of the tour these 27 young actors will have performed to over 2000 people in 9 different venues in the space of 11 days.

I'm sure there will be the odd hiccup along the way, that sort of punishing schedule would put pressure on even the most seasoned professional actor. But so long as we take a breath, regain our focus and carry on I'm sure we will be fine. When one of the young actors stumbled everso slightly on a line yesterday, this is exactly what she did: took a breath, regained her focus and started the line again - delivering it, and the rest of the show perfectly. I couldn't have been more proud. If we as a team can take a leaf from her book I know the 2000+ audience members from every corner of London will see the thrilling show these young actors are capable of.

The Final Bend

I am filled with trepidation, as I always am at this point of the rehearsal process. We have one more rehearsal - a dress/tech rehearsal on Sunday - and then we perform to out first audience! 200 year 7s waiting there with baited breath, excited to be out of lessons and trying to work out what it is they're going to experience.

As a director or assistant I'm always nervous at this point - there are just so many unknowns. Will the costumes distract? Will everyone remember their props? Will it all be loud enough? Will it be too loud? I must say usually all this concern is over nothing. And this cast have constantly surprised me with their high standard of work even though we keep throwing more and more at them.

I guess what it comes down to is that it's getting closer and closer to that point where there's not much I can do anymore! Me and Joss won't be onstage, or even directing them as they go. We can note - and I'm sure we will - but the long and short of it is we have to let them take the reigns now.

It's out of our hands now and into theirs, our jobs are nearly done and we get to see what they will go and create. The fear is whether I've done enough, and the joy is seeing they don't need me!