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Topic Summary

Posted by: archive
« on: August 20, 2007, 10:48:52 PM »

Pretty self explanatory really. Hope it doesn't undercut my opinionated ranting too much.

Archive 15-6-2002
Posted by: archive
« on: August 20, 2007, 10:45:28 PM »

I would be very happy if I could have some other feedbacks for the production of Crave.I have to say I agree with some of Chris and Iain's observations. I would like to analyse some points more deeply. For example, the reason for the actors to be among the audience or the way we created the music.

Archive 13-8-2002
Posted by: archive
« on: August 20, 2007, 10:44:13 PM »

Itis very interesting to read about the production of Crave. As I am the director I would like to add something to the discussion, even if some months later. I am not English and working with such a text has been very hard. One thing is very important to say: we worked above all with the musicality of the words. We had two very good musicians,but their role was very limited and they were just allowed to create some echoes of the rhythm of the words. all the music has been written together with musicians and actors, according to the rhythm of the words. We were sure the meaning was enough strong to arrive to the spectator without emphasising it. I agree the second part was not so effective. ABout going to Royal Court, I think nobody can judge with such superficiality, prejudices and snob attitude, very bad for theatre maker and usually a beginner's attitude. And the writer did not realise that it was not Guiddhall, but Goldmiths College... Going to Royal Court was a good experience for the actors. Itis not easy to have information about Sarah Kane and through this site we discovered about the talk and we were very happy to go and learn something more about her. The idea of inviting the small audience of the talk to our production was simply a way to share our experience. We couldn't have any economic or vanity aims because the performance was a student production and the money was for the college and for covering the expences, certainly not for us. During the talk we also invited Graham Saunders and he was very happy to come for the matinee show and talk with the audience for one hour after the show. We had the opportuninty to share ideas and thoughts about Crave and Kane.

Archive 12-8-2002
Posted by: archive
« on: August 20, 2007, 10:42:50 PM »

Comments appreciated and astute. Not playing up the relationships between M/B and A/C too much is a trap a lot of productions fall into (esp. the Royal Court as Iain noted and also the production in Scarborough which I saw), but I still wasn't that convinced with the staging. Goldsmith's production did leave this open (so that the voices could be seen as possibly belonging to one mind), but some of the moments where characters inclined to others as if addressing them without making contact seemed to be a bit vague and clumsy. I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with having moments when the 'four bodies on stage' actually do attempt to relate to each other in some way (if not directly), but I got the impression they just felt stuck inbetween ideas abit. That's the beauty of the play though: I doubt they'll ever be a 'defintive' way of doing Crave, which makes working on it all the more exciting if slightly frightening.

Archive 16-6-2002
Posted by: archive
« on: August 20, 2007, 10:41:40 PM »

To scream properly it is best to do so on the inhale not the exhale. That way you can do a good long clear scream without knackering your voice. I lernt that from copying Blixa Bargeld...

Archive 16-6-2002
Posted by: archive
« on: August 20, 2007, 10:40:00 PM »

Interesting points, Chris, and itĀ“s always great to discuss performances.

I liked the Goldsmith production a lot. I thought having the actors in the audience had the effect of bringing out the flow of the play more. One failing of the Royal Court production (which was otherwise excellent) was that at times it turned into two dialogues (A and C, M and B) rather than 4 independent voices. The Goldsmith Crave avoided this. With the voices mixed in the audience, every line seemed fresh and challenging.

The actors couldnĀ“t scream (they didnĀ“t let go and lose their inhibitions, so it came over as forced) but otherwise I did like the acting. For example M used her hands very well, complementing the words in a subtle underplayed way.

Iain PS I liked the way the "tickets" were pieces of paper with A, B, C or M on them, indicating which area to sit. I was a C.

Archive 16-6-2002
Posted by: archive
« on: August 20, 2007, 10:38:31 PM »

Re: London production Jess refered to... if it was the Guildhall production you were talking about, I'd have to take issue with the verdict "very effective". Certainly the production team behind it can be applauded for composing an original score for the piece, and there were some good moments but (and I don't want to be harsh) it still felt very much like a student production. Without being specific (unless requested), some of the cast simply weren't up to it, and the music, though an interesting idea, seemed to have given the cast the license to ignore the MUSICALITY OF THE WORDS, which is central to the play. Apart from the various sections that Kane hands performers on a plate, there was a definite sense of the performers just getting up and saying their lines in the correct order, full stop. Having A deliver his speech amongst the audience was an interesting idea, but it didn't seem to have any particular purpose, and the 'grouping together' at the end was a bit of an awkward "lets get everyone around but for no particular reason other than they all mention light". It was a passable production as a whole, but I was more than slightly riled by the number of audience members (mainly from Guildhall) who came out nodding their heads in polite approval, and basically congratulating themselves on seeing some Kane that was (and I quote) "quite affecting". As someone working on a production of Crave at the moment, I'm probably over-reacting having lived and breathed the play for the last few months, but I think Crave has SO much more potential. It seems to be the very 'in' Kane play to do at the moment because directors are given a free reign to do what they want with it - and there's nothing wrong with that - but for anyone who has a relatively good understanding of the work, to call the Guidhall Crave "very effective" worries me slightly. I wouldn't have minded but they went to extent of publisicing themselves at the Royal Court's Kane talk!!! I'll cool it now... sorry! Any other views of this production welcome of course, I might be completely wrong, but I'm up for arguing about it :-)

Archive 15-6-2002
Posted by: archive
« on: August 20, 2007, 10:37:24 PM »

Alas, we can't find out what the long number is, as Sarah swore everyone she told to secrecy. We do know that ES3 is a hospital ward she was on.

Best wishes for the production. I recently saw a student Crave in London, where for the first two-thirds of the play the cast sat at the front of the audience, who were sat in a semicircle divided into four sections with one player in the middle of the front row of each section. Most of the time all the actors were spotlighted, though some sections were spoken in total darkness. For the conclusion, they all got up and stood close together in a row on the stage. Very effective.

Archive 13-6-2002
Posted by: archive
« on: August 20, 2007, 10:36:33 PM »

I am totally impressed by this discussion page and have been reading the postings for two hours. I can probably continue for days. I will be directing Crave and have just started doing some in-depth research and analysis with my cast. We had discussed the numbers "ES3" and the long "phone number" as possibley being Sarah's patient and room numbers, as in hospital. I'm interested to see that other people share this theory. Does anyone know, were these actually Sarah's numbers, or is there any way to find out? Also, if anyone has directed Crave previously and has anything astounding they experienced and would like to share, please email me. As we discover and experience through our rehearsal process, I will perhaps post more (for all those obsessed with Crave!)

Archive 12-6-2002