Author: Bob Christer

So this is Veteran Director/Virgin Blogger/Patron Saint Of The Y Theatre and Christer Award Winning Artist Charlotte Bond, checking in after the #14/48:Takeover meeting.

I have my script in my sticky little mitts and no one will be reading it until 7:45am tomorrow… Yes, you heard me. We have to be at The Y for 7:45am. A.M!

Carefully crafted by young people, the scripts have been formulated over the last week in a series of workshops with some rather spiffing writers. (One of whom had a Sold-Out show at Curve!)

Mine is dark, cryptic, mysterious and features a rope swing… I can’t tell you who is in it yet, as I get my actors at 8am tomorrow… But I can promise it will be darker than a bar of Bournville. Not sure about The Pixies for a soundtrack at this stage though…

The meeting was just as good as any we’ve ever had, although there are quite a few people in debt to the Swear Jar.. here are the scores so far:

M.J Bamford 12

Alison 1

Claire 1

Pedkins 1

Shockingly.. Bobble – 2!

And even more shockingly.. Daisy with just 1?!

Now, the swearing isn’t the only thing that’s had to go for this family version of our beloved festival..

Also #TheKeg. 🙁

We *did* have a Pinãta but Doug Deans soon “fixed” that. And by “fixed” I mean.. killed. Smashed it not just out of the park but also out of LE1.

So a happy bunch of people scraped up the Haribo from the floor and left The Y with a slightly more informed insight into what to expect for tomorrow.. But with only four design crew and at least one play set In Space!! They will have the hardest job of all tomorrow..

Well, that and Martyn Pole trying to get me a rope swing… A weight-bearing rope swing… #SweetSmile #PuppyDogEyes #ItIsIntegralToThePiece #SureICanDoWithoutIt #BarkWithTheBigDogs!

And after missing the last one, it sure is good to be home!

Love from Charlotte x

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Following on from a week of frenetic script writing by a crack team of Leicestershire’s best young writing talent (thirteen 8-14 year olds to be more precise) under the expert guidance of two seasoned professionals; the finalised scripts were handed over to the professionals.

There was much intense discussion between all parties in preparation for the work ahead, four brand new plays will be brought into being over the course of Saturday (the 7:45 call time was met by a chorus of groans!) and then performed to a paying audience (including the young playwrights) on Saturday Evening.

The directors, actors, musicians and designers will reconvene at an inhumane hour to undertake the herculean task of creating and performing four completely new and original pieces of theatre in twelve hours!!

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Our plays are reacing that crucial stage. It’s Saturday tech time, everyone’s tired, having been in festival mode for around 40+ hours now… Actors particularly might be starting to flag, having performed twice last night, and spending the last 6 hours rehearsing a new play, cramming new lines into their brains, and wanting to up the ante on the first day’s experience.

It’s the danger zone… the adrenaline is running low, the fatigue is running high, and you’re in desperate need of that final push to the Saturday 8pm performance, and the buzz created by that live experience.

Here at 14/48, we offer some simple advice: “If you’re feeling tired… Raise the m******f***ing stakes!”

I’m currently witnessing this in action in rehearsals for play 6, The Fire Queen, as actor James Kerr is going ‘full goblin’, treading the fine line between raising the stakes, and preserving his physical health for the performances this evening. I personally am starting to worry for the safety of his trousers…

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It’s amazing how random events can throw up similarities, moments of synchronisity that seem to contradict the expected patterns of randomness. Here at 14/48, we attribute this to “The 14/48 Gods”, who can indeed be a cruel bunch; matching writers with the director that they really hope they won’t work with all weekend, putting a virgin actor in the 2 hand play on the first night… those kinds of cruel twists of fate that just don’t seem to fit with our perceived idea of randomness.

Today has produced several of these moments already; actors working with each other on both the Friday and Saturday, directors pulling the same actors out of the ‘Shaun’ and ‘Judy’ bags, and weirdest of all… two 3 hand plays, rehearsing next door to each other in Soft Touch Arts new building, both written for the theme ‘Fireworks’, each with a character named ‘Rodney’… it’s almost like a call and response between the two casts in here, both trying to out-Rodney each other…. sounds painful…

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Naomi calling in…
I was really amazed by the end of yesterday, I couldn’t fault any of the plays! I still can’t believe that the actors had less than one day to rehearse, the performance level was so high throughout the show! Really impressed – the hard work from the directors, actors, musicians and design team was projected through the performance.

Day 2
10.30AM

Smiles are beaming across actors faces as they finish their read through. I’m watching a group around a table…the writer and director have exchanged hugs.

Writer: I’m really excited
Director: I’m going to have fun!!

I wonder what the difference is between the director and writer with regards to their imagination when the script is being read aloud. It seems that most writers are pleased with their directors and cast, although I can imagine how nerve racking it would be to hand your play over and wait for the final production. I have just heard two writers comment that they need breakfast…I wonder how many hours sleep everyone has had! Day 2 excitement has only just begun…

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So our 7 plays on the theme of ‘Fireworks’ all made it safely in for our 8am deadline, and our directors now have their randomly selected scripts in hand. There is a copious amount of note-scribbling going on, as our directors try to pull out every morcel of detail from the page… deciding how much they’re going to need to call on the band or the design team to create the vision of the play forming in their minds.

Any fireworks in the room?… It’s all quite casual so far to be honest… we even had 5 of our directors strolling in just after the 9am call time…. What’s wrong with them?!? 

Thinks are starting to heat up a little though… veteran director Paul Rogers is walking through his blocking alongside veteran writer Louis Singleton… Looks like he’s considering some kind of Matrix-esque bullet time sequence…

 Overheard so far:

“If I chop anything, it’s not going to be a lot…”

“Somebody’s playing a Catherine Wheel…”

“I’ve already told the door, the mirror and my overnight bag to f*** off this morning…”

“I just want some actors now!” 

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3PM

I’m currently in the sports hall where not one but two plays are being rehearsed! My focus is shifting between the two diverse, exciting plays and I’m eager to keep hopping to either side of the curtain to view both of them – I’ll leave the excitement until later!

Actors have to use their imagination with regards to where they are, the props they use, the sounds (if there are any) they can hear and have to visualize the stage they will be performing on twice later today! The actors are really involved in their plays and it’s really inspiring to watch. So far the rehearsals are portraying lots of energy through strong performance. The development is EXTREMELY impressive, to think that I’m watching plays that have had less than 6 hour rehearsal time and they’re coming across brilliantly!

The rehearsals have really got me excited and I can’t wait for the performances later on!

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Love it!

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So the writers have writ, directors chosen, actors pulled out of the Judy & Sean receptacles.
The theme is Double Bluff.
Tonight we see 7 brand new world premiere plays on the theme all written, cast, produced, scored, teched & performed in 24 hours.
The beautiful band are rehearsing right now. And I can tell you it sounds GOOD!

Come along for the 8 o’clock or 10.30 shows!

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9.30AM
The theatre is extremely quiet compared to last night as the directors are studying their plays. The stage is dark and some of the directors are walking around the space using their imagination. The directors have one hour to overlook their scripts and start planning before rehearsals start. I wonder …what are their thought processes? An empty glass has been raised! Already in the am! This means one thing…a virgin needs to refill it with the keg. The Sean and Judy bags are staring at me from the stage and the room. Everything so far has caught my interest, it feels like I’m in a small creative bubble surrounded by talent – I love it!
10AM
I feel the excitement for the actors as they are waiting for their names to be pulled out of the bags…what plays will they be in? Who are will be their director? Everybody is still wooping and cheering, the energy is infectious!
10.30AM
And they’re off! There are two groups that have stayed behind in the theatre for their script read through and there are others in the bar area. The design team are currently making a HUGE list of props and the musicians are also setting up on their platform. Aside from the participators, the artist liaisons are at their table organising wonderfully! It’s really interesting to observe the different discussions happening for the various areas in the festival. Ooo..a musician has just arrived on his scooter! The creativity keeps surprising me!

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