tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-231294902007-10-26T17:18:53.052+01:00Andy Catlinnoreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1151257479910227482006-06-25T18:37:00.000+01:002007-02-01T13:27:31.960Z

Here ends the production blog for the Traverse Theatre (Scotland) production of Gorgeous Avatar, directed by Philip Howard. Cast: Pauline Knowles, Una McLean, John Kazek, Patrick Hoffman. The script is published by Nick Hern Books. Jules Horne is currently under commission to write a second play for the Traverse.

Jules Hornenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1151239343158984572006-06-11T18:37:00.000+01:002006-06-25T18:48:44.820+01:00

Final night on Skye, in the ridiculously beautiful setting of Sabhal Mor Ostaig, the Gaelic college. I cross the road bridge for the first time, and head south. Once again, it's a scorcher of a night. What with the heat and the start of the footie, I'm amazed that people turn out for the play at all. But it's a great end to the tour, and a responsive last audience. Responsive, that is, apart from

Jules Hornenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1151248182424828222006-06-11T16:01:00.000+01:002006-06-25T19:05:42.216+01:00

Phil Turner Technical Stage Manager I catch up with Phil on the final night on Skye at Sabhal Mor Ostaig, just before the show started. Not the best time to talk techie, but the last chance before Gorgeous Avatar deconstructs forever in a scatter of planks, soil, hats, lights, props and people. A play's an ephemeral thing. You have to catch it while you can. So returning to Phil and his role

Jules Hornenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1151239036480147182006-06-09T13:32:00.000+01:002006-06-25T17:42:43.560+01:00

Strathpeffer's show is being staged as a joint venture with Eden Court Theatre, currently working in exile with a massive refurbishment underway at their home base in Inverness. Great news for the Traverse crew, as the Eden Courtiers are on hand with expert help for the get-in and get-out. It makes a massive difference - everything gets done far more quickly. The venue is the lovely spa

Jules Hornenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1151241016488598522006-06-08T14:06:00.000+01:002006-06-25T16:21:53.160+01:00

Finally, we scotch any vestigial illusions you might have about the glamorous world of theatre. Banish any such thoughts right now. Punt them over a large precipice with a red hot flow of lava at the bottom. Then run away and hide in the hills. And if you really insist on preserving any romantic notions, look away. When we join the touring team in Ullapool, some of them seem to be absent. This

Jules Hornenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1151240088791760922006-06-08T13:43:00.000+01:002006-06-25T17:11:04.370+01:00

I set off from Kelso in the morning and pick up two of the Traverse team in Edinburgh, then it's up to Ullapool's McPhail Theatre and a Highland heatwave. It's not all been plain sailing for the actors and crew, but it's a great show nonetheless - and we've a good-size audience, despite the glorious weather. Next day, there's a writers' workshop with a extraordinary group, some of whom have

Jules Hornenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1151233409773786432006-06-05T12:00:00.000+01:002006-06-25T13:00:29.806+01:00

Sunday morning on Lewis: All the shops are closed. Even the main hotel door is shut. The manager has to let us out specially. The door closes behind us and we're out in the street, feeling like the scruffiest heathens on the planet. Stornoway is heaving with smart black-suited men and wedding-hatted women off to church. Even the wee girls wear berets to cover their heads. We shake off the merest

Jules Hornenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1151230705499377202006-06-04T10:51:00.000+01:002006-06-26T15:38:33.510+01:00

Secret confession: when Suzanne (Graham, Literary Development Officer, on the left here) and I arrive at An Lanntair, we're horrified that only one person has signed up for the playwriting workshop. It seems a helluva way to go for such a small number. And yet everywhere, there's evidence of the marketing team at work - newspaper copy, ads, posters. And I've done a radio interview the week

Jules Hornenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1151245272307087492006-06-03T15:20:00.000+01:002006-06-26T15:31:51.646+01:00

Suzanne Graham Literary Development Officer Suzanne has worked as Assistant Director during the rehearsals of Gorgeous Avatar, and is following parts of the tour around Scotland to run playwriting workshops. In her own words... I work with people who are completely new to playwriting. So that might be through schools, community groups, or just interested writers' groups dotted about the

Jules Hornenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1151226068690179122006-06-03T09:22:00.000+01:002006-06-26T15:39:30.546+01:00

The Highlands and Islands part of the tour kicks off with a night in Ballachulish Village Hall - a well-established stop on the touring venue. For me, it's back to the day job as writer in residence for Dumfries & Galloway Arts Association, and a chance to catch up on the work that's piled up meanwhile. Fast-forward over this bit (too traumatic) and on to the weekend, when Suzanne (Graham,

Jules Hornenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1151175610758933292006-05-30T19:03:00.000+01:002006-06-25T09:12:04.786+01:00

West to Dumfries: the show transfers to my (sort of) home territory as part of the annual Arts Festival. Dumfries Theatre Royal is Scotland's oldest theatre building, with links dating back to the country's well-loved bard, Robert Burns. It's a helluva squeeze to fit the set into the tiny proscenium arch space - not because the set is too big, but because the entrance doors are tiny, and lead

Jules Hornenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1148732856421798242006-05-27T13:20:00.000+01:002006-06-24T19:02:57.653+01:00

On Thursday, it's northwest to Carlops near Penicuik, and the small but perfectly formed village hall. Stuart Delves was there... 'Carlops is a bit of an artists' colony on the fringes of the Borders. So, the audiences may not always be big but they're good quality. And since the opening of our new Village Centre in 2004 we've become an established venue for touring theatre and even mounted our

Jules Hornenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1148731943684191402006-05-25T12:47:00.000+01:002006-05-27T13:49:06.206+01:00

If it's Wednesday, it must be Galashiels... The Traverse team head west for one of the tour's bigger venues - the Volunteer Hall - where Mark's set has a chance to expand gloriously. There's enough room for all the scenic lightboxes, which glow right across the back of the hall. The seats are raked quite shallowly here, which also pulls Amy's window right into view. It's amazing how it looks

Jules Hornenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1148727044720454932006-05-23T11:44:00.000+01:002006-05-27T13:34:46.343+01:00

Exclusive pix from the sell-out opening night of the Gorgeous Avatar tour at Wauchope Hall in Yetholm in the Borders... The tour crew arrived the day before and stayed up into the small hours getting the set and lights working in the new venue. The set is too big for the hall's own stage, so it's all been turned round, with some of the audience sitting up on stage, and everyone entering the

Jules Hornenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1147868340586049722006-05-17T13:13:00.000+01:002006-06-25T11:56:31.743+01:00

Kath Lowe Front of House Manager Some Traverse people are pretty hard to pin down, because they're so darn busy on show nights (you know who you are, and no, you haven't escaped…). So this bit of blog finds Kath in the Traverse office as the clock hands creep towards midnight, and her job still not over for the day. The energy of these people… it's not right, you know. Your job in a nutshell?

Jules Hornenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1147819157436263692006-05-16T23:29:00.000+01:002006-05-17T11:56:34.476+01:00

Now that Gorgeous Avatar is running like clockwork, here are some cheeky pictures from our Production Department during the creation process: This is Deputy Electrician Euan McClaren mixing up a storm (and probably a low flying, Top Gun-style jet fighter) for the Gorgeous Avatar soundscape. It's a little blurry but this is Techical Stage Manager Phil Turner blowing up a snow storm. For those

Andy Catlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1147562105007383402006-05-14T00:05:00.000+01:002006-05-14T00:15:05.010+01:00

Curious about Gorgeous Avatar? Stuck in a far away Polar Exploration Camp and can't get to Scotland? Or you've seen the show and want to remember those magic moments? Solve any of this problems by visiting our fully automated Photo Gallery at: www.gorgeous-avatar.co.uk/photo-gallery/index.html Handcrafted with Photoshop and suitable for all ages.

Andy Catlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1147445053669812402006-05-12T15:32:00.000+01:002006-12-20T12:16:16.900Z

Patrick Hoffman (Dan) and Pauline Knowles (Amy) Pauline Knowles (Amy) Una McLean (Rose) John Kazek (Rafi) and Pauline Knowles (Amy) Patrick Hoffman (Dan) and Una McLean (Rose) (All photos: Douglas Robertson)

Andy Catlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1147387361758153052006-05-11T23:23:00.000+01:002006-05-11T23:50:32.216+01:00

Tonight saw the writer, director and cast all undergo the trial-by-fire that is the Post-Show Discussion. For the uninitiated, this is an opportunity for the audience to see, meet and question the creative team behind a show. It can be an informative, probing and lively interaction between theatre professionals and the people who pay to see the fruits of the labour. Or, alternatively, it can

Andy Catlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1148807822731741732006-05-07T09:55:00.000+01:002006-05-30T15:24:10.220+01:00

John Alder Film maker John Alder came up from Tyneside for opening night and was sidetracked into the Traverse office. He's Gorgeous Avatar's own weather maker, responsible for creating the snow, rain, sun and landscapes appearing on the set's plasma screen. He's also a composer and founder member of The Jags, but we didn't get time to go into that. Fortunately, it's all here. What's been

Jules Hornenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1146924334333856882006-05-06T14:56:00.001+01:002006-05-12T22:26:00.843+01:00

The first audience to see Gorgeous Avatar (Traverse Theatre, 5 May 2006) The first Gorgeous Avatar curtain call... 1 down, 23 to go...

Andy Catlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1146934454616018312006-05-05T17:50:00.000+01:002006-05-07T11:14:39.830+01:00

Martin Duffield Box Office Manager Usually when I turn up with the blog mic, the Traverse team stampede for the hills. But not Martin Duffield, the fearless box office manager. Hardly surprising - his job is all about communication, whether it's on the phone, online or (lawdsakes!) face to face. So dress rehearsal day finds us blinking in the unaccustomed sunlight after a day spent underground..

Jules Hornenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1146933299258470362006-05-05T17:29:00.000+01:002006-05-07T11:09:55.293+01:00

Douglas Robertson Photographer Just to give the actors teensy wee extra challenge, the dress rehearsal saw a man with a mighty lens leaping about, doing his best to put them off their lines. This turned out to be Douglas Robertson, production photographer and veteran of many a Traverse show. After he'd taken the allegedly obligatory writer's photo, I got my revenge by pointing the trusty blog

Jules Hornenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1146818270299267602006-05-05T09:37:00.000+01:002006-05-05T10:35:50.240+01:00

You've read the chat, why not see the play? The full Gorgeous Avatar tour dates are as follows: Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh Fri 5 - Sat 20 May (various times) www.traverse.co.uk £12 (£7 concessions/£4.50 unemployed) 0131 228 1404 or online at www.traverse.co.uk Wauchope Hall, Yetholm Tue 23 May, 7.30pm www.yetholmonline.org.uk £7 (£5 concessions) Tickets available in advance from Adams

Andy Catlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23129490.post-1146727669486681672006-05-04T08:22:00.000+01:002006-05-04T08:34:06.273+01:00

Members of the cast and creative team of Gorgeous Avatar in rehearsal: Pauline Knowles (Amy) and John Kazek (Rafi) working on the set John Kazek (Rafi) surrounded by movement and action Philip Howard (Director), Pauline Knowles (Amy) and Patrick Hoffman (Dan) ponder the intricacies of new writing Mark Leese (Designer) and Kai Fischer (Lighting Designer) seek inspiration at the rehearsal

Andy Catlinnoreply@blogger.com