Hey folks, been awhile hasn’t it? Literally two weeks, my god. I’m so sorry, I hope the voracious fans among you weren’t planning a riot for Blog #4, you know I would never betray you like that. (I also am mostly writing this blog because Tash, the marketing manager, said that most assistant directors only have time to write three so I’m really only here to prove a point).
When we last spoke, we had not been inside the actual, literal Gate Theatre. Since then, I struggle to imagine a time when we have not been inside the actual, literal Gate Theatre. Over the last few weeks, my passionate love for tech sessions have become a bit of a company joke and I’m pleased to say that I still love them despite the consistent company chants of “tech, tech, tech” every time I get excited about a lighting cue.
We have now begun previews my dears, and are “technically” still teaching. That means that with every 12 hour day in the theatre, every pro-plus taken, every meal at the newly refurbished Notting Hill Gate McDonald’s (such a blessing), the show only gets better.
For the non-theatre folk among you – and I’m speaking mostly to my friends and family in Trinidad, reading this from my inevitable facebook post – high profile theatres (such as the Gate amirite Tash?) will have shows called previews. These are a chance to get a paying audience in to view the show in its entirety so that adjustments can be made before Press Night, which is when the press come in to review. Usually, Press Night is considered opening night but don’t be fooled, the house has been open since the 8th so we really must commend our actors and design team for their hard work.
Previews have been very exciting. Every morning Anna (Himali Howard, the director, if you remember), after compiling all the notes given to her from various trusted theatre people (Ellen McDougall, artistic director of the Gate for example, and yours truly), comes in with fresh new ideas to make the show even more mad and affecting than the night before. To be crude, we are working our butts off and frankly, it shows. Our technical team are unstoppable, working around the clock to make everything well-lit (and trust me, it’s lit fam) and every sound, specific and spooky (this is also lit, or should I say, sound?).
Our actors are the true definition of dedicated. No reader, you don’t understand. To understand the definition of the word, dedicated, one must come to our show to bear witness to Nicola and Cherrelle clarifying these complex ideas of slavery, tourism and the big kahuna, capitalism, as if it were the alphabet; all in a breezy 75 minutes.. That is a feat in itself even without the fab directing and light/sound/set design.
And with that reader, for the final time, I bid you adieu. Come see what all the fuss is about (also, come learn about what Britain did to the Caribbean so you guys could have nice roads and clean streets and beautiful parks lol hahaha Britain profited massively from the enslavement of other people and have no intention of giving us even an apology lol, such fun).
Gate Theatre soapbox officially dismantled from me. Forever.
Xoxo Emily
Catch A Small Place at the Gate from 8 November to 1 December.
