Day Thirty

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Let me just preface this by saying that I know what you’re going to say: “Oh my god, Megan, you spent all that money and went all the way to Ireland and you sat in a theatre just like you do at home?” And the short answer to that…is yes. Yes, I did. The longer answer, however:

Abbie had talked to Caoilfhionn about getting involved in something technical for the Galway Arts Festival and I had sort of latched myself on to that. She made some calls and somehow got us hooked up with a company named Propeller who were producing the all-male productions of Merchant of Venice and Midsummer. Though we weren’t going to be doing anything crazy like helping out backstage, they invited us to come watch the turnover from one show to another (they were performing them in rep).

And honestly, even if it meant being at the theatre at 9 a.m., we were going to do it. Because that’s just something you don’t pass up. We arrived bright and early at the theatre, meeting up with Kevin, who was the liaison between the Town Hall Theatre in Galway and Propeller. He introduced us to the crew (a few guys standing around with cups of coffee) and told us to just take a seat in the audience. We did so, and looked at the massive set on stage.

The three walls completely boxed in the performing area of the stage and stretched as high as the proscenium arch. Since this was the set from Midsummer, it was covered in this white, crepe paper-like material. There were Victorian style garden chairs attached in a line to what we would later learn was a second level and were a good eight feet or so above the floor (the actors could actually walk/crawl on them).

So Abbie and I watched them change over the set, which meant getting rid of said chairs and white covering, revealing the gritty looking bars of the jail set for Merchant (yes, it was set in a jail). Some of the electricians removed a damaged moving light from above the proscenium using the time-tested method of lowering it by a rope.

So, basically, I watched exactly what I do in Chico.

But it was so much cooler because this was an actual professional company. Based in Britain (though without an actual definite location), Propeller is known for their all-male Shakespeare productions. These two shows in particular, the TD later told me when I got to talking with him, had been touring the world for eight months. Galway was, in fact, their second-to-last stop. He also told me that they had two separate sets, one for Europe and one for USA/Japan…and told me an interesting story of how the company when to Japan, but their set, which they had put on a boat from New York…went to China.

As soon as they brought out the light board to begin adjusting the moving lights, Abbie naturally edged her way over there and actually got to mess around with the controls while Richard, the lighting realizer (i.e. he just duplicates what the designer did in each space they go) checked things on stage.

As the afternoon progressed, we got more familiar with Richard and the TD (whose name I unfortunately don’t remember), sitting back at the light board and joking around. After a quick lunch break at Supermac’s, Abbie and I returned to watch a tech rehearsal with the actors. And by “tech rehearsal”, I mean the actors just kind of stumbled through their places while mumbling something resembling their lines while anyone not in the immediate focus of action usually passed gas and caused anyone near them to choke and collapse in laughter (yes, professional actors…they ARE men…and have been doing this for eight months).

We eventually had to leave because I had to go to my dreaded music class, but we promised to catch them later when we saw the show that evening. And let me tell you, the show was AMAZING. Each actor, despite whatever they had done at the “tech” earlier, was completely on and in character…and seeing the all-male approach was outstanding. They didn’t try to hide the fact that they were male…there was no stuffing or padding or wigs…the actors merely wore feminine clothing and heels.

After the show, Abbie and I went upstairs to the bar and had a drink while the cast and crew slowly trickled in. We talked to one actor named John who played the “jailor” (who I think was really a servant in Shakespeare, but whose character name I don’t know…yes I’m a terrible person, I know.) We also talked to the actor who played a brilliant Antonio (and later Bottom, but I’ll get to that in another entry) and was just about the sweetest guy there could be. We caught up with Richard and some of the other crew before saying our goodbyes and heading home for sleep after our long day.