Whispers from the Wings

This is a diary of our productions, explaining what's happening through the rehearsal process.

Andrew French

Andrew French  is playing Decius Brutus and Titinius in our production of Julius Caesar. This is his first production with the RSC. A company that he has waited a long time to play for.

James Hayes

James Hayes  is an actor in David Edgar's Written On The Heart. The production is moving into The Duchess Theatre, London, around the corner from the Lyceum Theatre where, in 1964, James washed dishes to pay his way through drama school.

Sophie Ivatts

Sophie Ivatts  is the Assistant Director on Maria Aberg's production of King John, playing in the Swan Theatre from April to September as part of the World Shakespeare Festival.

Kimberley Sykes

Kimberley Sykes  is the Assistant Director for Much Ado About Nothing directed by Iqbal Khan and starring Meera Syal as Beatrice. As part of The World Shakespeare Festival, the production is revealed through a contemporary Delhi context.

The run begins

May 15, 2012
thumb

Monday, a wet April day. Texts from our new Company Stage Manager Alex Constantin. She has arranged temporary membership for us to a number of clubs - The Groucho, The Ivy and Century.

by James Hayes  |  No comments yet  |  Read this entry

Dress rehearsal

May 15, 2012

Wednesday we tech the whole show. Greg is unavailable, as he is directing his African Julius Caesar.

by James Hayes  |  No comments yet  |  Read this entry

Death - not as painful as you think

May 11, 2012
thumbnail

Sorry sorry sorry. Have been filming and desperately trying to learn lines. And failing. So will catch up you all up with what's been happening.

by Andrew French  |  No comments yet  |  Read this entry

Moving to the Duchess

May 11, 2012

Tuesday we move to the Duchess, one of the youngest and smallest of the West End theatres, to tech the show. We will do our first preview on Thursday.

by James Hayes  |  No comments yet  |  Read this entry

Cakes and congratulations

May 11, 2012

Monday 16th April we gather at the RSC rehearsal rooms back in Clapham where we started work on Written over eight months before.

by James Hayes  |  No comments yet  |  Read this entry

Whispers from the Duchess

May 4, 2012
thumb

I want to now move forward and write about the move from the Swan to the Duchess. On the 16th February 2012 before a performance of Written we were called to a meeting in the Swan with Greg Doran and West End producer Thelma Holt.

by James Hayes  |  1 comment  |  Read this entry

Going to town

May 4, 2012

At the after-show party Thelma Holt, both a highly respected West End Producer and an RSC Associate Producer is extremely enthusiastic about the play and says she wants to 'Take it into Town'.

by James Hayes  |  No comments yet  |  Read this entry

Press Night

May 4, 2012

Unlike no other night in the run Press Night is nearly always edgy. Nerves emerge. Big displacement activities are put in motion to assuage them. Usually a speech from the director exhorting us to forget/ignore the press - 'don't read the notices'!

by James Hayes  |  No comments yet  |  Read this entry

The tech

May 1, 2012

I don't enjoy techs. Some actors say they love them. We go over entrances, exits, technical business, again and again and again. We can spend an hour changing from one scene to another.

by James Hayes  |  No comments yet  |  Read this entry

Moving to Stratford

April 27, 2012

On the 23rd of October we moved to Stratford, which would now be our homes until 10th March the following year. I rent a small Victorian cottage from the RSC which is a mere six minutes walk from the theatre.

by James Hayes  |  No comments yet  |  Read this entry

Page 1 of 3
Showing 1-10 of 30 entries

 1    2    3    »  

Email newsletter

Sign up to email updates for the latest RSC news:

RSC Members

Already an RSC Member or Supporter? Sign in here.

Support us

The RSC is a registered charity (no. 212481). Find out how you can make a difference

Transformation