Previews are such an interesting time…
We'd been holed up in a bunker in East London looking at the show in intricate detail for such a long time and then we turned the show over to the technical departments in the theatre and our work schedule was dictated by their requirements. Suddenly we have time to breathe and consider the show as a whole again and share it with people who haven't been part of our process. As changes are considered and numbers tightened up, a whole new show emerges and necessary work becomes apparent. Some extraordinary moments also begin to emerge which land with more ferociousness and clarity every night. I spend a lot of the day distributing notes to the cast and technical departments - even the smallest change in the script or a piece of staging requires me to run around the theatre telling each and every department so that we are all on the same page. In the evening I sit in the auditorium and listen to the audience, their reactions and how they relate to our intentions. I also have to take note of anything that happens that isn't in keeping with the structure or requirements of the show. A special mention must go to our composer, Stuart Brayson, who is like a kid at Christmas every night and brings a real sense of how unusual and special an event it is to bring a new musical to the West End - he keeps us all in good spirits and lifted when the tasks in front of us seem insurmountable, reminding us that nothing is impossible and identifying our successes.
Posted by Stephen Whitson (Associate Director) on 03/10/2013 @ 15:30hrs