POSTED: 16 SEP 2011

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Rehearsal Diary

Hello, my name is Megan Knowles and I have been assigned to help on the Huddersfield Canal Project as part as my work experience at Oldham Theatre Workshop. The performance will be happening on Sunday 18th September 2011, to prepare rehearsals have been taking place through out the week. To rehearse the cast spent Thursday 15th-Saturday 17th devising a piece suitable for the Canal Fate. They already knew who the main characters would be; A Time Traveller- visiting the past, Thomas Telford- an engineer who helped finish the tunnel, Laurence- a man relaxing on the canal, the factory girls- who explain their involvement with the canal, Billy- a boy who helped restore the canal in the 80’s and the half timers.


The story involves a time traveller visiting the past and exploring different people from different time periods, all of whom were involved in the canal. The time traveller involves himself with Thomas Telford an engineer who helped finish the tunnel. He then moves onto Laurence a man from the present time that is relaxing, having a holiday on the canal. Next we meet Betty Buckley, a girl who works as the gate keeper to the tunnel and then we move onto the factory workers who explain their involvement in the canal. The time traveller moves onto Billy, a boy from the 80’s who helped clean up the canal when being restored. The half timers move into the area and eventually the audience is brought into a forest where the production is brought to an end. The idea is that through out hundreds of years people still enjoy the canal and use it for different reasons.

Thursday morning rehearsals consisted of the group trying to create different ways how the characters could engage the audience in an effective way, an important part of theatre is to make sure that the performance is not just interesting but in some cases using audience involvement to make the piece unique. Ideas and suggestions were put forward as to why the  canal would be important to specific people- what relevance it has to individuals from different time periods and why. To come up with a more stylized performance a sound-scape was created; using references from the past to come up with a sound-scape creates different images in your head. The sound-scape tells you different ways as to how the canal would’ve been used in the past and it adds an eerie effect to the whole scene. The group came up with the idea that the canal has a sense of life, if you were to look at the canals from a birds-eye view you would have the image that the canals look like the veins of England.

Thursday afternoon consisted of me and the cast going to Diggle Park to see the set and where the scenes would happen. The group used the surroundings to come up with inspiration for different ideas for other parts of other scenes. As an example, Billy has to explain to the audience how a lock works, instead of just standing there waiting for the audience to arrive he would start his scene sat on the lock to make his opening line more interesting instead of just being stood up bored. The cast discussed where Ben (the time traveller) would stand, so it would look effective. He tried different ways and decided which position would look the best.  This trip to Diggle Park was beneficial because it gave the cast a sense of what the scenery would look like and how they could act around it and use the landscape to their benefit.

On Friday morning the canal committee gathered at Oldham Theatre Workshop to watch the cast rehearsing and seeing the ideas the cast had already created. The committee were very impressed with the progress the group had made as to devising the piece and were looking forward to see the performance on Sunday. Rehearsals with the children from Diggle School will start tonight and tomorrow we will be going up to Diggle Tip to start rehearsing again for Friday.

 

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We are now in our final rehearsals for this year’s alternative Christmas show “REAP.” OTW studio 1 has been transformed like never before and the space will definitely make the audience feel part of the environment. Expect to feel every emotion possible as the close up action unfolds! Reap is a completely original piece of theatre exploring issues surrounding youth culture in today’s society. Loosely based around the recent UK riots, the story explores the concept of “you reap what you sow.” Our central characters Liam and Alison meet through unlikely circumstances and the story follows their developing relationship which sends their lives spiralling in a new direction. The wider issues surrounding their journey are explored through a Brechtian performance style allowing us to question and comment on relevant issues and influences regarding the central theme.

 

As a director I feel strongly that theatre should have a purpose as well as entertain an audience. I hope this piece will not only take you on a powerful emotional journey but also provide a politically relevant thought provoking perspective.

 

 The young people involved have worked extremely hard throughout a very challenging devising process. We have been working with writer Sarah nelson to create an exciting story whilst exploring real current issues in society. It has been fantastic experience to work with such a creative and talented cast; they have had a huge input to the content and style of the piece.
Rehearsal Diary

Hello, my name is Megan Knowles and I have been assigned to help on the Huddersfield Canal Project as part as my work experience at Oldham Theatre Workshop. The performance will be happening on Sunday 18th September 2011, to prepare rehearsals have been taking place through out the week. To rehearse the cast spent Thursday 15th-Saturday 17th devising a piece suitable for the Canal Fate. They already knew who the main characters would be; A Time Traveller- visiting the past, Thomas Telford- an engineer who helped finish the tunnel, Laurence- a man relaxing on the canal, the factory girls- who explain their involvement with the canal, Billy- a boy who helped restore the canal in the 80’s and the half timers.


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This year marks the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Huddersfield Canal to through navigation and the Huddersfield Canal Society are planning an ambitious celebratory event to mark the occasion. The event will take place in Diggle, on the weekend of 17th/18th September.

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Oldham Theatre Workshop will use drama to explore the lives of looked after children and the big issues that affect them as they make the transition to adulthood.

 

The Corporate Parenting Conference is an annual event aimed at senior officers, elected members and partners across Oldham Council and beyond. It aims to highlight the important role that all services can play in the development of these children and our responsibilities to include young people in all decision making.

Our young actors will perform five short pieces of drama and linked workshops at the event. After consultation with young people at the Union Street Centre these performances will cover education, employment, health, housing and finance topics.

 

The specially commissioned work will reinforce to delegates their legal and moral duty of care for all looked after children across Oldham. This includes children in care and foster care, young people in children’s homes and those under 24 hour care.

 

Zoë Charnock, Corporate Parenting Manager for Oldham Council who commissioned the play, said:

 “We have full confidence in Oldham Theatre Workshop to deliver this project, promote our work and bring the issues to life. Using theatre we want to highlight our key message… that if it’s not good enough for your own kids then it’s not good enough for looked after children.”

 

The project is part of OTW's ongoing partnership work with looked after children, having recently created a cyber-bullying drama, radio pantomime and animation programme.

 

The company also took a group of young people in care to Auschwitz earlier this year as part of the 22nd Century Citizens project and they were heavily involved in our major summer production Shades of Grey.

 

Bernadette Deakin, Participation Officer for Oldham Council who ensures young people are involved with local services and the decision making process, said:

 “We have been working with Oldham Theatre Workshop over the last two years and children have built a trusted relationship with them.”

 

“Through the Children in Care Council we created a new drama group to discuss and develop emotive issues in a safe environment,” continued Bernadette. “The work has been brilliant in boosting confidence and self esteem, allowing young people to develop creative skills and gain learning certificates for their portfolios.”

 

The Corporate Parenting Conference takes place on Tuesday 16 November in Oldham.



 

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