What's so great about...Method Acting?

On BBC Radio 4, Lenny Henry introduced an amusing programme on Method Acting, inspired by Stanislavsky and developed pioneered in America by Lee Strasberg

Here'e the link to the Listen Again page

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/whatssogreatabout/pip/p6k0z/

and here's the blurb...

Lenny Henry questions the iconic status of people or things held dear by many.

Lenny goes to New York, where stands the legendary Actors' Studio, the space created in 1947 by Lee Strasberg and others to provide a safe place for some of the world's greatest actors - often the biggest Hollywood stars of their generation - to come and practise their art. Seeking enlightenment from such stars as Ellen Burstyn and experts and aficionados, Lenny tests his reservations about The Method and finds that when he actually has a go it's not quite as unconvincing as he at first thought.

Places are still available for the B in the Park Shakespeare Summer School in Glasgows Botanic Gardens.

It is a full-time course for young people aged between 14 and 21 running from 7th July to 2nd August; culminating with 4 performances of Love's Labours Lost in the gardens at the end of the course.

For further information please contact Jen or Sarah on 0141 3349016 or email education@bardinthe botanics.org

Dear all,

I'm writing to let you all know about a new musical theatre project thatI've started working on. In September this year the newly created 'NoNonsense Productions' will be presenting Jason Robert Brown's 'The Last Five Years' at Finnart St. Paul's Church for a two night run (Friday 19th and Saturday 20th September).

Some of you, I'm sure, will know this show well but I imagine that most of you don't know much about it. It premiered in Chicago in 2001 and has since run Off Broadway and in London. In October this year it returns to the West End of London for one night only. It is a one act musical/song cycle which tells the storyof Jamie, a newly published novelist and Cathy, a struggling actress.These are the only two parts in the whole piece. The structure of themusical is unique in that her story begins at the end of their five year relationship and works backwards and his story starts at the beginning of their relationship. They overlap in the middle where they perform the only duet of the show. There are lots of clips from the show available on YouTube and the original cast recording is definitely worth having a listen to. A full synopsis can be found on Wikipedia.

Both parts are vocally and emotionally very demanding and we are therefore looking for two strong performers. The character of Jamie is 23 at the start of the show and 28 by the end, Cathy's age isn't mentioned but she would be of a similar age. The show will be performed in the intimate setting of Finnart St. Paul's Church, Greenock on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th September with the full 6 piece acoustic orchestration. The show will be directed by Kevin Jannetts and I will be music director. The audition/rehearsal schedule for July is listed below. Rehearsals for August and September will be arranged depending on cast/production team availability during these months.Please only audition if you can commit to this project as we have a relatively short timescale. An audition fee of £3 will apply.

AUDITIONS
Sunday 6th July - 4pm - 6pm
Monday 7th July - 6pm - finish

JULY REHEARSALS
Wednesday 16th July - evening
Monday 21st July - evening
Wednesday 23rd July - evening

Please have a look at our web site www.nononsenseproductions.co.uk where you can download an audition form and find a lot more information.

This is something completely different to anything that has been done in Inverclyde before and I hope that you'll all support us as much as you can. Tickets are available now at £8 and are limited so book early!

Please pass this information on to anyone else who you think might be interested.

Thanks for getting to the end of this,

Mark

Mark Macdonald
e: markmacdonald@hotmail.com
t: 07821 578 734
w: myspace.com/markmacdonalduk

Auditions for Arches LIVE!

Lost property is a unique installation/theatre/performance piece created for the Arches space. It will be a 20 minute journey for 3 audience members at a time.

For Arches LIVE! I am looking to collaborate with artists from different disciplines to create an unusual performance aesthetic. The devising process will involve one to one rehearsals and small group collaborations to be decided between the director and artists involved dependant on when is suitable for both.

The Arches LIVE! Is a highly reputable festival and this will be an exciting platform with media exposure for performance artists to show their work and to make future contacts. Due to the fact that there will only be small numbers of audience participating in this special experience each night it is not possible for a box office split/fee for this project. Therefore the rehearsal process between director and individual artists will work around other commitments and jobs so it is expected that time commitment will vary. This initial piece will be created with the intent to showcase and lead to proposals of future paid work.

The dates for the Arches festival are 18-27th September the dates/times for Lost Property is still to be confirmed but will be over 2/3 nights in this time period. The devising period will take place from mid July – September and suitable times will be discussed with artists involved.

As an Artistic Director I have worked at an International level and have experience creating devised work for children and adults. Most recently I have created work as part of the West End Festival at Gilmore hill Theatre/The Tron Theatre and The Royal Lyceum. My work has also been recognized and awarded through Imaginate and will be shown at the Byre Theatre in October 2008.

The audience will be part of a journey and will encounter and interact with different performers. I would love to hear from artists with experience in performance and in creating collaborative and devised work:
• Storytellers
• Performer – devisors
• Physical theatre performers
• Dancers
• Opera singers
• Musicians

Informal meetings/auditions will take place mid July. If you are interested please contact me sachakyle@hotmail.com with information about what you do/how you would like to get involved and experience that you have. If you are unable to participate in this piece but would like to be involved in future projects you can also forward me on this information.

Look forward to hearing from you,
Sacha Kyle

Hosted by Tam Dean Burn

Featuring: Allan Tall, Dean Queasy, D.O - NEIMAGI-N.E, Groucho Hanjob, Piefinger, Pauline Goldsmith, Derek McLuckie, The Low Miffs and Tigers on Vaseline. Visuals by SonicSinema

Doors open 7pm. Pay on door. Bar open throughout performances

The Manifesto began as a political cabaret night compered by Tam Dean Burn at the old Grassmarket Traverse Theatre in the early '80's, then moved to Theatre Workshop ( run at the time by a guy called Andy Arnold! ) and now it is back in the Victorian Bar of the Tron, running on the last Sunday of the month ( breaking for summer in July and August ).

The Manifesto Political Kabaret
Sun 29 Jun @ 19.30

Tickets: £5 (£3) Pay on the door

Thursday 19th - Saturday 21st June, 2008
7.00pm
Gilmorehill G12, Performance Studio
Tickets £5

Sample the talent of Scotland's emerging writers and actors as they explore and develop new plays. Presented by Playwrights' Studio and Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama with Gilmorehill: we have three new pieces so savour one or try them all.

Thursday 19th June
One Gun by Ian Low
Dir: Bill Wright

Friday 20th June
Long Drop by Selma Dimitrijevic
Dir: Lorne Campbell

Saturday 21st June
The Last Respect by Kenny McKenna
Dir: Daljinder Singh

For more information or to book tickets please call the gilmorehill box office on 0141 330 5522 or contact boxoffice@gilmorehillg12.co.uk

NewWriting NewWorlds Festival presents

New Works

Scotland's emerging theatre makers given a chance to play.
Two evenings of undiscovered new works that will launch you into new worlds.

Friday 6th & Saturday 7th June, 7.30pm
Gilmorehill G12 Performance Studio
Tickets £4
G12 Box Office: 0141 330 5522
LIMITED CAPACITY- 35 so book early!

Over one weekend, New Works will showcase seven devised works-in-progress from Scotland based emerging theatre makers.

FRIDAY 6th June from 7.30pm

Locked (10mins)
Philip Spencer

Woman on the Wall (25mins)
Julia Taudevin & Anne Lothian

Liar (20mins)
Harry Wilson and Catriona Easton

Bloodmarked (25mins)
Selma Dimitrijevic

SATURDAY 7th June from 7.30pm

Your Pub Quiz Needs You! (25mins)
James Oakley

A Woman in Berlin (25mins)
Iain McClure and Nicola Campbell

We Were…Re-imagining The Mother (30mins)
We Were Here (Natalie Ibu and Jodie Noble)

Panel Discussion- New Work / New Worlds (20mins)
with Rob Drummond, Laura Bissell and Suzi Simpson, chaired by David Overend

Supported by GilmorehillG12 and Culture & Sport Glasgow

Festival brochure 2008 now available!

With just four weeks to go to what is undoubtedly Glasgow's biggest and most wide-ranging festival, the "new look" West End Festival brochure can now be picked up from locations throughout Glasgow and the West End. The brochure this year is bigger than ever with over 400 events for you to get excited about!

Brochures can be obtained from:

Oran Mor
Your local library
Glasgow University Visitor Centre
Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
And many cafes,shops and bars throughout the West End and city centre

Great Music At Oran Mor!

Tickets are now on sale for our best ever contemporary music programme! Get your tickets quickly as some of the concerts have already sold out!

Fri 13: Orkestra Del Sol

Sat 14, Sun 15, Mon 16: Teenage Fanclub (sold out)

Tues 17: Hey Negrita

Thurs 19: Electric Honey (local record label) showcase with Wake The President and others

Fri 20: Karen Matheson (pictured)

Sat 21: The Eduardo Niebla Experience

Sun 22 to Mon 23: Kevin McDermott

Tues 24 to Wed 25: King Creosote

Thu 26: Michael McGoldrick

Fri 27: Lisa Mills, the Mississippi Blues woman

Sat 28 to Sun 29: Justin Currie (last few tickets)

Tickets available now from Tickets Scotland, 239 Argyle Street, 0870 220 1116 or www.tickets-scotland.com

New for 2008!

This year's Festival brings, amongst others, these two new additions to our ever expanding list of venues:

HUNTERIAN ART GALLERY - lunchtime concerts. Start 12.30pm (end 1.30pm)

Mon 16: Robert Irvine (cello) and Allan Neave (guitar). Renowned musicians who will join forces for this opening classical music concert.

Wed 18: Bellevue Rendezvous. An acoustic trio with a boadly European repertoire led by ace fiddle player Gavin Marwick.

Fri 20: Alexander Kudajcyk (Chopin piano recital).. He shot to fame in 2007 when his story of "Glasgow University Law dept cleaner is virtuoso piano player" went round the world!

Mon 23: Harmony Ensemble. Enjoy the music of Chinese folksong melodies, played on traditional instruments, with Scottish traditional musicians including Eddie McGuire.

Tues 24: Rostov Youth Jazz Ensemble. Young musicians from Russia's premier jazz academy in Rostov-on-Don, one of Glasgow's twin cities since 1988.

Wed 25: Da Capo Mandolin & Guitar Ensemble. Scotland's most successful guitar and mandolin orchestra play classical and folk..

Thu 26: Kaleidophone & Dance Ihayami. Infectious rhythms and melodies from Iran, India, Ghama, China and Scotland.

Fri 27: Scottish Toy Orkestra. Inventive use of musical toys, flea-market detritus and smorgasbord of strange instruments! Highly unusual and intriguing.

COLLEGE OF PIPING music series

Make sure you catch the scheduled evening and lunchtime concerts in the marvellous new College of Piping building in Otago Street at Kelvinbridge. Concerts cover the whole range of Scottish traditional music and include much more than piping! There is a variety of musical sounds from harp players, flute, electroharps and harmonica!

Back by Popular Demand!

Shakespeare's Globe from London return to WEF following last year's imaginative sold-out production of "Romeo and Juliet" which was extremely well received by the critics and audiences. This year they return with a sparkling new version of "The Winter's Tale", one of Shakespeare's most fascinating plays.

Don't miss this Festival highlight as there are only 6 shows - all in the splendour of the University's eastern Quadrangle.

Bring your own rugs, stools, food and drink and enjoy!

Where Do I get my tickets?

All tickets can be bought in advance from Tickets Scotland, 239 Argyle Street. Telephone 0870 220 1116. www.tickets-scotland.com

For Oran Mor concerts, tickets can be bought in advance from Tickets Scotland and Ticket Web on 08700 600 100 or www.ticketweb.co.uk.

Ankur Productions presents

SCOTLAND UNITED II BENEFIT GIG

Thursday 12th June
7.30pm until Midnight (Doors at 7pm)
The ARCHES, Glasgow

The world on your doorstep! Don't wait for the summer festivals – come to the ARCHES for a feast of music, dance, and comedy from around the world. Everything from hip hop, reggae and ska to Scottish Ceilidh music, from Capoeira and Afrobeat to Balkan fusion and Indo-Caledonian pop!

Featuring Moishe's Bagel, Tigerstyle & Dhol Infusion, Mungo's Hi Fi, Bigg Taj & Loki, Future Pilot AKA Vs Kim Edgar, Senzala Scotland Capoeira, Zuba BASSA Beat, Jenn Butterworth, Eilidh's Daily Ukulele Ceilidh and much much more….

Tickets £8 / £5

Box Office: 0141 565 1000

Proceeds to Refugee Survival Trust (Destitution Fund) and Scottish Detainee Visitors

Have a great time for some great causes!
www.myspace.com/scotlandunited

Gappad Polish / Scottish Theatre presents
AS YOU ALWAYS DO
Wed 21 - Sat 24 May, 7.30pm


This May, Gappad Theatre Company returns to the Tron following its sell-out success with RE-ID last year. In As You Always Do, the acclaimed Polish / Scottish ensemble explores themes of individual guilt and public judgment by focusing on the story of an anonymous young woman who mysteriously disappears.

This intense performance will take place in the intimacy of the Tron's Changing House and is performed in Polish and English. Don't miss this opportunity to catch one of Scotland's most fascinating and talented young performing groups.

for more info go to www.gappadtheatre.co.uk

You can book now by calling call 0141 552 4267