Planning a full-scale MED Theatre Community Play

Composer and choreographer in discussion
|
Back in 1982, when playwright Mark Beeson wrote his first community
play The Hedge, he had to go to great lengths to find a cast
in order for the play to be performed. Over twenty years and many
plays later, it is difficult to say whether a cast is found to perform
a newly-written play, or whether a play is written to satisfy the
community's need to perform and be involved in a new production.
|

Director watches a dress rehearsal of the Forest on the Hill

Teenagers and music
|
The process of putting together a new production is project-based
- a project may cover a three year period and involve a number of
productions - and often involves a collaboration between a number
of local artists to enable the overall creative vision to be expressed
and interpreted through music, choreography, set and costume design,
and lighting, as well as through the writing. Core members of MED
Theatre's back-stage creative team have included composers Gillian
Webster and Phil Oliver, artists Olivia Young and Dickon Fell, costume
designers Fiona Avis and Alison Hastie, choreographers Oona Beeson
and Ruth Way, and directors Deborah Marsh, Sarah Boothby and Tom
Greeves.
Rehearsals again emphasise the importance of the process, not just
the final performance, as they provide an opportunity rarely seen
in modern life for people from all parts of the community to work
together towards a common goal. Adults, teenagers and children rehearse
together (valuable in itself as they can all learn from each other)
or are involved with stage management, publicity, technical assistance
and general supervision.
|

Monkey rock
|
By the time the performance dates arrive, many people have invested
a great deal of their time and energy into the production, and are
able to share the fruits of their labours with family, friends and
visitors from further afield. As anyone who has been involved in
any theatrical production will know, the sense of achievement and
teamwork is incomparable. In MED Theatre this is enhanced by the
knowledge that the participants are performing new work for the
first time.
|