Day 8: Miners Photoshoot

We braved the torrential rain and thunder that Kilkenny has had all day long to take to the Castle Park earlier this evening (while still raining) to get some outdoor shots we can use for the press, press packs and web site. It was nice to get the night off rehearsals and tackle something totally different as the six miners organised initial costumes loaded into Ken’s van (Swan) and Thompson’s car (Packer) and made a beeline for the park, getting in amongst the tourists, dog walkers, joggers and anyone silly enough to brave the rain. What looked like a cross between a cowboy wedding and a scene out of Deadwood or Back To The Future 3 marked a crazy evening in the Cannibal rehearsal calendar.

The following is an extract from Ross’s staff blog (Ross plays Frank Miller) on KilkennyMusic.com.

This evening we were fitted with our various costumes to do the first of many Cannibal promo shoots. The six hopeless miners pictured above; Niamh Moroney, Ken McGuire, Stephen Colfer, Dave Thompson, myself and John Morton headed to the Castle Park with Paddy Dunne and Kevin Mooney to do the shoot. It was far from a “shpadoinkle day” with the rain pouring down but that didn’t stop us.

You wouldn’t believe the looks we got from tourists, passers-by and park security when the six us walked up the parade looking like extras from Deadwood.As we posed for various different shots in the park a large group of men were jogging around, we think they might have been a soccer team training. As they passed, we smiled, tweaked our cowboy hats and said “howdy.” We were met with nothing but frowns and curious looks. I’m sorry but even though we were dressed as cowboys, I still think it’s weirder for 20 guys to put on really small shorts and go run around together in the rain!?

All of the promo shots will now be worked on by Mr Paddy Dunne before becoming part of the ’severed hand’ packs. There’s still plenty more shoots to come aswell with the whores and the trappers plus the Cannibal poster.

Get the low down on tonight’s activity in full and see what else Ross, Niamh, Kevin and Thompson have been up to in preparation for Cannibal by reading Ross’ staff blog.

Tomorrow, day 9, we run all of Act 2. Great to be running full acts at this point of rehearsals.

Day 7: Teaching The Trappers To Dance

So, day 7 of rehearsals has passed us by and we finally got to work with Sean (as Crazy Old Ralph) and do a little more work on the blocking of interations between the miners and whores precamp and at the camp.

A highlight of a slightly rushed night would be the start of a dance routine for Loutzenheiser and Nutter. While we got to spend some extra time on the Trappers song tonight, including some fight choreography, you couldn’t help but smile in the rehearsal hall as you watch the two trappers twist, jump, sing and chime in behind Paddy Dunne (as Frenchy Cabazon).

We had been hoping to work in some of the music with our MD Kevin Reade tonight but its not to be as he’s away in London for the week but we’ll get to that next week. As it is, we’ve got a photoshoot scheduled for tomorrow evening (Tuesday) where hopefully the rain will hold up and allow us the time to shoot some material for the press packs we’re releasing. It brings a whole new meaning to the phrase “handle with care”

Until tomorrow,

Adieu.

Day 5: Packer, Polly, Mills Again

So last night saw the second of the Packer-Polly-Mills rehearsals involving the interactions in the courtroom for the beginning of Act 1, the second scene of Act 1 and the beginning of Act 2. The emphasis here was certainly more on blocking and getting the best movements out of Mills as a character. Now happily rehearsing in the Barnstorm Theatre space we’ve much more freedom to move around.

Polly’s song is flying along sans music, Amy certainly no problems in that regard, and while organising the exchanges between Mills and Polly took a little bit of work all in all those respective scenes (3) are looking sharp. Hell, scripts are already being dropped for these scenes so that can only be a good thing.

Tonight, the sixth full night of rehearsals, is a full run through the first act of the show, breaking it down scene for scene in the larger rehearsal space and we’ll have a chance to properly block out the exchanges at the whore camp (yes, we said “whores” – the word will be dropped quite a bit in the show) which was made trickier on Monday night with four of the cast out of action. Dropping like flies they were!

Anyway, onwards towards tonight and the first of the “big nights in” together. Don’t forget, in case you’ve missed it earlier, but we’re having a fundraiser gig in Kilkenny with four acts on July 21st in Cleere’s Theatre. Three of the cast of Cannibal! feature on the bill (Ken McGuire, Jack O’Leary and David Thompson) while Supernova Scotia will be topping the night out. Admission a mere €5 for four acts, you can’t beat that for value!

A Devious Theatre Special Event

On Saturday July 21st, us Devious Folk take to the stage once again at Cleeres Theatre in Parliament St., Kilkenny. However, this time we shan’t be flaunting our theatrical wares but rather displaying a showcase of musical talent set to thrill and delight. The event will act as a fundraiser and will hopefully help create an awareness of who we are and what we do. It’ll also be a chance to catch some of the most exciting music acts this little marble city of ours has to offer.

First up on the night, will be Devious Theatre member, and no stranger to an acoustical set, Ken McGuire. Ken will be kicking the night off for us by grabbing a guitar, taking to a barstool and playing tracks from his successful band, The Happy Medium.

The next act of the night is one to be sure to keep an eye out for. Jack O’Leary’s brand of music is one that avoids pigeonholing. He’s sure to delight the fans and enrapture the uninitiated.

40 Love may be familiar to gig goers in Kilkenny, but not under that current title. Dave Thompson headlines the act which had until recently played under the moniker of “Thompson” supporting such bands as Digital Circus and Nina Hynes and The Husbands. The band will offer a nice juxtaposition against the rest of the acts with their folk rock sound and perhaps some interesting takes on some classics too.

Rounding out the night will be the unmissable sound of Supernova Scotia. Formed in 2006 , Dave Sheenan and co. offers us a sound like no other. Like the lost child of Wayne Coyne, Kieran Hebden and both of the robots from Daft Punk, Supernova Scotia have influences so wide and varied it would be difficult to begin to list them all here. The unique electronic sound will be brought to a live audience for the fist time this summer and is guaranteed to raise a few eyebrows, get some toes tapping and some arses on the dancefloor.

Admission on the night is a paltry five euro and proceeds go toward furthering the development of our theatrical troupe.

We hope to see you all there.

The Devious Theatre Company

Day 2: Trappers & Miners

Continuing in the vein of keeping a blog of rehearsals, last night saw us invade the Brennan Residence for a few hours to get some action going on between the miners and the trappers with a little early work done on ‘The Trapper Song’ itself. We’re tight on space this week until we move into ‘The Barn’ (Barnstorm Theatre space) this coming Monday so plenty of cups of tea and plates of biscuits were had in Eddie’s (playing Loutzenheiser) kitchen before moving the tables back and setting the scene, running the store scene (sans Crazy Old Ralph), on to the trapper song at the whore camp (we don’t have Indians so we’re opting for whores, or a ‘travelling burlesque’ camp if you’re to put a polite but devious twist on things), and some later confrontations between Packer (Dave Thompson) and Frenchy (Paddy Dunne) upon entering Saguache.

Each of the scenes were run through a few times, the trapper song itself getting the most work in an effort to have the timing bang-on.

Back at the ranch (and by ‘back at the ranch’ I mean over by the kettle) pre and post rehearsal we discussed all our promotional options, seeing how far we can push things without being legally challenged or winding up performing Cannibal! The Musical from the comfort of a prison cell somewhere in the country. We’re not that devious…. honestly.

It was good to get the trappers and miners together, some more great dialogue between them, nobody holding back in terms of their characters or delivery. Plenty of stage notes taken as we move on to the third day of rehearsals tonight which should have us look at all the interactions between Polly and Packer, Packer and Frenchy and the Sheriff characters as well (Lake City and Saguache).

Next week things really kick off when we move into ‘The Barn’ with the entirety of Act One already on the cards but thats for another week!

Cannibal Rehearsals In Full Swing

Its only been four days since Heart Shaped Vinyl closed and already we’re in full swing for rehearsals. We’re going to be keeping tabs on the Cannibal development through the site here, running it as a good ole fashioned blog to keep you folks up to date.

Its myself (Ken) and Kevin directing the show and it was great to see things kick off last night. Sure enough, we had a full cast meeting and initial read-through before Heart Shaped Vinyl took to the stage but last night was the first proper rehearsal for the show and it wasn’t too bad at all. We managed to bag Cleere’s for a rehearsal (we’re hopping between any venue we can for a week or two) and the six of us playing the miners (myself, David Thompson, John Morton, Stephen Colfer, Ross Costigan and Niamh Moroney) enjoyed a read through of ten scenes or so, before taking to the stage and plotting out some early blocking.

Notes were taken, rushed stage diagrams jotted down but the buzz and laughter between the six of us (and Kevin) was great, so natural. I think the energy is carrying over well from Heart Shaped Vinyl, creating a non-stop summer of theatre for us and hopefully it will lead right through Cannibal.

Rehearsals continue this week with the miners and trappers meeting tonight while all other characters meet on Thursday for the last of this week’s rehearsals. Cannibal! The Musical itself will run in The Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny, from August 22nd to August 25th. Tickets are available now by phoning the box office on +353 56 7761674

Curtain Falls On Heart Shaped Vinyl

So it is, the curtain has fallen on the 2007 run of Heart Shaped Vinyl by The Devious Theatre Company. While we might be late in getting around to posting the finale (given it was Saturday), the lateness is well justified with the entire cast and crew having celebrated four consecutive sold-out nights and even bigger ticket demand well into the early and subsequent late hours of Sunday.

We’ve said it during the week but I don’t think any of us could have anticipated the demand and resulting feedback from the show this year. The cast came out each night and gave it 110% to a wide ranging audience from young teenagers right along the line to grandparents and beyond. Even the wettest June on record in Kilkenny couldn’t put off people attending the show and we’re delighted to see that a lot of the audience were completely new to the theatre experience, testament to our goal of creating theatre enjoyable by all ages and placing theatre back as a genuine alternative to sitting in the pub or the cinema.

We do have a number of people to thank and would like to heap thanks to Johnny Holden and Cleere’s Theatre, Mary Butler, Niamh Finn and all at the Arts Office in Kilkenny, the Arts Council of Ireland, The Kilkenny People, The Kilkenny Advertiser, The Kilkenny Voice, John Cleere, Edwina Grace, John Cleary, Andrew McGuinness, all at The Coffee Club on Rose Inn St (who put up with us EVERY Sunday morning), KilkennyMusic.com, Paddy Dunne, Eddie Brennan, Alan Dawson, Michael Keogh, Lombardis (some serious post-show dinner!), Mobile Connections (giving us a nice deal on the printing costs for the show), Stephen ‘Pip’ Colfer, Ruth Calder Potts, Kate St. John, Mike Kelly and all at Young Irish Film Makers, all who came along to the show and supported original theatre and of course, the cast of Heart Shaped Vinyl without whom the show would most certainly not be possible.

We hope to begin publishing shots from Heart Shaped Vinyl to a new gallery on DeviousTheatre.com starting this week. There’s no time for us to slow down however as we empty the theatre (Cleere’s) this evening and commence full rehearsals for Cannibal! The Musical tomorrow (Tuesday).

Once again, thank you for supporting The Devious Theatre Company and we hope that you enjoyed our four night run of Heart Shaped Vinyl because we certainly enjoyed bringing it to you.