The ASM Diaries

This time last week, INK Festival was in full swing. Left: The Cut main entrance Right: queue for the Kiln Room This year was also the first time the festival was held for three days instead of two in previous years, with over forty short plays being performed. There was also the addition of two new performing spaces including the Kings Theatre, held at the Volvo Car Garage and the Museum Theatre. Creative writing workshops were led by Greg Mosse, Robin Brooks, and Simon Nelson. Lady of Jazz    Invisible Irene It was an early start on Friday morning. Dacre, Kitty, Elena, Felix and I arrived at The Cut at 9am to do final checks and hoover the stage in the Studio before we opened with the first show at 10am with The Ties That Bind Us. For all the shows we opened the house 5-10 minutes before the play began for the audience to take their seats, usually depending on how long the queue was going up the stairs. Kitty would be backstage ready to stand by the actors wh

Rehearsals have been in full swing now. For the last four days, Kitty, Dacre, Felix, Elena and I have been in technical rehearsals in The Studio. For each play we have been going through the lighting and sound que’s, marking the stage with where the furniture is on set. This year I had to go through a Health and Safety orientation of The Studio and dressing room with the casts and directors from each show, explaining about what needs to be done in the event of a fire and what to do if anyone is in need of first aid. The photos below are from Bus Stop, After Prospero and Boom Busters. It’s been a lot of work for the past four days with the festival kicking off tomorrow. Hope to see you there! .

In one week, INK Festival will be in full swing! Although INK is only three days this year, there was still tons of preparation to do beforehand. For the past couple of day's, we have been setting up at The Cut in Halesworth for this year's outing. On Friday the main focus was the get-in for The Studio Space where I will be working this year Stage Managing The Ties That Bind , Invisible Irene , After Prospero , Boomer Busters , Lady of Jazz and Bus Stop . The main task we had to do was set up the stage and seating for the venue. We had to unload the staging from the van and carry it upstairs, it was made of steel, so as you can imagine it was very heavy. An aluminum scaffold had to be assembled as well for The Ties That Bind, thankfully not so heavy. After the Staging was assembled, we unloaded the seating from the van and carried that too upstairs to The Studio. Again that was very heavy. The day after we all were feeling very stiff. It took hours to asse

Hi guys! I'm back for another blog post. Six months have passed since I finished my work with Suffolk Summer Theatres and I am now about to start work with Ink Festival which I have been involved with for the past five years. Ink Festival, for those who do not know, is a new writing festival for emerging talent in East Anglia to have their work performed as either a play or film with the possibility to be developed. Throughout the year workshops are held for writers to learn how to hone their craft and develop scripts they have written lead by professionals in television, film, theatre and radio. Ink has been based at  The Cut  in Halesworth since the festival began five years ago and will be returning there again on April 12th, 13th, and 14th. Plays that have been performed at Ink have gone on tour at venues across East Anglia, the Pleasance Theatre in Islington, London, and have even been published. Before that though, there was a competition on February 24th that I w

We’ve just completed the final gets outs at both venues bringing a close to this years season at Southwold and Aldeburgh. Tuesday 4th Miri drove India and I to Aldeburgh on Tuesday morning at 9:15. When we arrived at Jubilee Hall the first task we had to do was dismantle the marquee in the courtyard. Hannah, Kitty and India had to leave early as they had to get ready for the 2:30 matinee in Southwold. Folding up the marquee. Loading the vans with our equipment. We then walked around the corner for lunch at the Cross Keys. Afterwards we continued to clear our equipment out of the hall. Erin and I untapped the wing runners stage left and right and folded them up. Mark was up a ladder sorting out the lighting rig in the auditorium. Unloading the vans at Brampton. We then drive over to Brampton to unload one of the vans into the warehouse where props, furniture and scenery are stored. Rebecca, Erin said bye while Mark drive me to Southwold in the van to unload the o

Well guys this is it. The final week of Funny Money in Aldeburgh has come to an end as well as my duties as an ASM for this years season. Every day during the week happened more or less the same, we arrived at 6:30 to do pre set and ironing, Rebecca would give her calls, the half, quarter, five and beginners, then the show would go up at 8pm. On Tuesday Simon Snashall, an actor who had worked with us before in previous seasons, came to the show with Rosanna. Friday we were visited by the plays writer Ray Cooney and his wife Linda. After the show the cast and crew met them at Ye Olde Cross Keys where we all had a drink with them to talk about the show and learn a bit about Ray's acting career. Saturday was our final two shows. Unfortunately the suitcases didn't make it through to the end as the handles broke off so we had to gaffer one of them for the last show. When the show ended and after saying goodbye to the cast Rebecca, Charlotte and I began packing away props and mo