Intriguing news from the Royal Court who've announced much loved actor and former Dr Who, Matt Smith will appear in a new play that hasn't actually been written yet!
At the helm is maverick writer and director Anthony Neilson who when I knew him, back on the London fringe, was often terrifying producers by only finishing his plays at the last moment. The fact that the results are always stunning has rightly won a lot of tolerance for his uncompromising approach to making theatre. However, as far as I'm aware this will be the first time he's actually started rehearsals without a finished text.
What he must have are some very clear ideas, powerful enough to get a top-notch cast to sign up on the expectation that the piece will take shape in rehearsals. Joining Matt Smith are Amanda Drew, Tamara Lawrance, Jonjo O’neill & Richard Pyros.
At this stage the Royal Court are telling us enigmatically that it'll all be inspired by the following sentence:
“A film director on an obsessive quest to capture the perfect light”
You can discover how things are shaping up by regularly logging on to unreachabletheplay.com, where we're promised, the ideas the company come up with will be posted.
We're told the intention is to "build a collection of references that will offer audiences an insight into the process of devising work, and the themes and images that will shape the finished production"
Collaborating with the actors will be filmmaker Michael Hewson and he's already produced a trailer you can watch on the website.
If you'd like to know more you can ask the director, cast and film maker about the process at a post-show conversation with Anthony Neilson and his actors to take place on 20 July at The Royal Court as part of the Big Idea.
The Royal Court will also provide Educational Insight Workshops for any schools attending this production.
It's unclear quite what form the devising rehearsal will take. The various directors who use this method employ differing techniques but typically it involves everyone reaching a consensus through experimenting. The director needs an iron grip to stop discussions getting out of hand and at least one member of this cast has an infamously hot temper so I don't envy Neilson the job of keeping everything on track, particularly when there will be conflicting egos fighting for stage time.
It's rare, in my experience that great theatre comes from devising, if only because a consensus needs to be reached and the path of least resistance usually wins out rather the most interesting idea.
The exception to this is the work of multi-award winning screen and stage director Mike Leigh who is able to craft great work through shaping actors improvisations. The difference is that he dedicates months to it. The Royal Court crew have a little over 4 weeks!
Let's hope everyone's done plenty of prep.
As I write there’s thunder and lightning outside my window so it seems strange to be thinking about Summer Theatre however I’m very intrigued by the main show that’s just been announced for the Southbank’s eccentric LONDON WONDERGROUND on the South Bank by the London eye. A fun space where you can drink and party alongside watching lively new cabaret based productions in elaborately tented venues.