Keith's blog

Having dedicated most of my very first blog to the culmination of the understudy process, and a little of my last one to the beginning, I hereby promise that I won't go on at length on the subject of the U word for any of my subsequent blogs, however ... having been buried in my script for almost every free hour, minute, nanosecond of my free time over the last week I beg your indulgence one last time!
 

I've found myself getting into a bit of a panic re Claudius which, as I write this, I've spent longer studying than my principal role Marcellus. The thing is, quite apart from the contractual requirement to be word-perfect by the first preview, 24th July what if Patrick is - heaven forbid - incapacitated, or his car breaks down, or whatever on that fateful night? I'LL BE ON THAT'S WHAT! In front of 1000 paying members of the public, whose expectations will be very high indeed; I've really got to be on the money for this one. Learning lines when you're actually playing the part is much easier than understudying it for several reasons. Obviously you have hours of rehearsal to get to grips with it, as opposed to whatever time the assistant director (Cressida Brown) can grab from the main schedule. But also when rehearsing you get to associate physical actions and moves with the lines which help them to fuse with the cerebral cortex. As an understudy, lines are learnt in isolation, the actor alone with his script, at home or on the way to work, in shops or the Post Office, or wandering the streets (sound of violins etc, etc). To that end it's a question of repetition, repetition, repetition of small chunks of speeches, then on to whole speeches, then whole scenes one by one until the whole play is, sort of, incrementally in ones head, then back to the beginning again, then again, then again, then again ... I think you get the idea. Although the language is difficult, Shakespeare's verse helps in several ways. The rhythm of the iambic pentameter itself (de-DUM de-DUM de-DUM de-DUM de-DUM) can act as a hook to catch those elusive words. Also whatever internal rhymes or alliterations can be found help too, basically magpie-like you steal whatever tool you can to burn the lines into the synapses. At some point, you think ‘phew, its all in there' BUT in rehearsals on your feet, even this mild performance pressure often means that what's been rock solid in your bonce whilst on your own in the comfort of your armchair with your beverage of choice, turns to complete slush in front of your fellow understudies, the lines melt like snowballs in the sun or the hell of your own paranoia as you conclude that THEY'LL NEVER SINK IN! Of course eventually they do but boy oh boy sometimes it feels like they just won't.

So bloggees all, it remains for my to offer my sincere apologies for the subject matter of this blog and I can assure you that I intend that it'll never ever happen again and also to reassure you that if you see a bald man answering my description wandering the streets of Stratford or its environs in an apparent state of agitation muttering under his breath about ambition, poison or murder worry not ... it's probably me.

Yours faithfully,

K

   Respond to Keith's blog

Responses to Keith's blog

"Hi Keith, just wanted to thank you for sharing your blogs with us. As someone who used to be addicted to the smell of greasepaint but, sadly, never had the guts to pursue it as a career, your blogs have been a welcome insight into theatre life. Keep up the good work, and I look forward to seeing you in Hamlet."

Kelly

"Hi Keith, these blogs are fascinating for someone who has only ever sat in a theatre audience and not really contemplated what outstanding energy and effort goes into making those performances so special. I am looking forward even more now to seeing you and the whole ensemble in Hamlet and indeed Love's Labour's Lost. I hope you will continue to entertain us with your wit and insight into the life backstage. 'Break a leg!' for the 24th July and beyond."

Janine

Latest blog posts

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About blogger Keith

         

Likes: Music, cycling, food, theoretical physics

Dislikes: Queuing, flying, mice (and creatures of similar size), smoking

Keith plays Marcellus in Hamlet, Egeus in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Marcade in Love's Labour's Lost as part of the ensemble.