Notes - Second Weekend

Okay.

One of the things that kills me about the Saturday show is that there were about 100 people who didn't see us at our best, namely several people whose opinion I value greatly. It disappoints me because ALL of the mistakes were avoidable. For most of them, we're not going to get a second chance to show them what a great show this is. That's VERY frustrating.

Sunday was a real eye-opener for me. The show started out great, but lost steam after the first scene of Act 1, and REALLY belly-flopped in Act 2. Yeah, there were some GREAT parts, but what became blatantly obvious is that there is a SERIOUS problem with consistency among most people involved.

Here are the notes. We'll talk before this Saturday's show, but I want you to think SERIOUSLY about these. They are mostly notes that have been given before (VERY FRUSTRATING), which should NEVER be the case.

Jeff - Pick up the volume in the beginning. A few lines were lost.

Tami - Wow. Thank you. The energy was very good, and you brushed just up against the "too much" end of the spectrum. Don't go quite that far, but it was VERY solid. I LOVE the interactions between you and Rogers, but don't go too far.

Linda - I love what you're doing, but I can't hear you many times. Louder. Project. Please.

John - Surprisingly, I couldn't hear you several times, particularly in the second act.

All - The air conditioning is a new aspect to be reckoned with. It is adding even more "white noise" to the theatre, and will likely be a problem for the rest of the run. Speak LOUDER.

Helene - Please project more. When you're sitting DL, cheat your face out more to sneak a bit more volume out. When you speak directly SR or upstage, we can't hear you.

Mark - Can't hear about 80% of what you say. More volume. Be careful/mindful of your upstage lines. Either say them louder or cheat out to deliver them. The air conditioning is killing you.

Shawn - Louder on the speaking part of the gramophone. There is a TON of exposition there that the audience can't hear. With the air conditioning, it was still too soft on Sunday.

Jack - Blore's playing of the "Davis" role is drifting too far into the laughable. There's a subtlety there that Blore, as a detective, still maintains, even though he's not as good at is as some people. I saw Jack playing two distinct characters: Davis and then Blore. They should both be Blore. For example, you're "trying" to fumble the Brazil lines. Don't let that happen. Blore's NOT an idiot, and you as an actor cannot ever believe that, or he's no fun to watch.

Leland - Your "Good." reaction to Emily's "I have nothing to say." was NOT what we rehearsed. It was self-indulgent and played for laughs rather than what we established from the very beginning: the honest, off-the-cuff response of a self-centered fop. You looked at her, added a beat, then sneered a long, nasty "Goooood." Do it the way we rehearsed, please.

Leland - The kissy face to Emily is fine, but it's getting too big.

Leland - Despite what you felt, the "drunkenness" didn't seem peak too early. It was fine. If you felt like it did, ease into it a bit more, but it wasn't bad.

Leland - The vomit scene works fine without the bag. Thanks for adapting. Looks good.

Jack - I just want to say thank you for keeping your delivery consistent, yet fresh. For example, your "Actually, he choked, vomited on Mr. Lombard, and then died..." has been consistently GREAT and has never gotten bigger than it should. Keep it up and continue to keep it understated.

Howard - Pull it back. Please. You're tipping your hand too early. He's back in Dandy-land. The GREAT, solid performance you gave last week has turned back into a series of mannerisms that point, unmistakeably at the notion that it is Wargrave. In particular "EXACTLY!" at the end 1-2 is TOO big again. Pull it back and don't let it slide ever again.

Aaron - Yesterday was a REALLY good show for you. Please keep up the great work. Solid.

Howard - When you give the can of nuts back to Blore, what was with that slapstick reaction to them being taken away? Don't do that. It looks ridiculous.

Jerry - Several key plot points were lost along with the missing lines on Sunday. Run them again with Linda before Saturday's show, please.

All - Rediscovering the role doesn't mean REINTERPRETING your role to suit your mood that performance.

Jack - Wow. That was a total beef on the "Lizzie Bordon" line. Whatever caused it, let's figure a way to avoid it in the future.

Howard & Helene - The coffee lines at the beginning of 2-1 are WAY too big. Howard, you're making a bit too much of the "Allow me, Miss Claythorne..." and the "Just cooling it for you..." These should be delivered more like asides. Focus the energy more on the more plot-centric lines where the action is with Vera's reveal that it's Armstrong she suspects. Helene, too much with the "Bitter!" lines. Everyone gets it. They need to be more subtle.

Howard - A bit more subtle on the "I'll take it up..." for Armstrong's coffee. As with the previous note, it's too obvious.

Howard & Armstrong - Too long of a conversation in the hallway. It should be a QUICK aside, not a treatise on sociopathic criminology. Wargrave needs to get off stage to whack Rogers. Armstrong can still linger afterwards in the hallway and listen to the Blore and Lombard conversation.

Howard - You came back in WAY too early. Not enough time to have whacked Rogers. You should come in ONLY just before Armstrong says "We must get out of here!", followed by your "The one thing we must NOT do..." as you walk into the room.

Jenn - If you're going to be on stage changing things in front of an audience between scenes, I need you to wear dark-colored clothing and act professionally. You look like you're bored/confused/tired, and light-colored clothes draw attention to that. If you MUST be seen by the audience, make yourself as unobtrusive as possible, and move with a purpose.

Jenn & Aaron - We need to have a fresh rag/towel on the bar for Lombard to use to wipe off excess blood after Blore's death.

Shawn & Amanda - Please, get control of that dimmer for the dark scene. I know it's not the best design for that spotlight, but it's what we've got. Keep the spot steady.

Jack, Mark, Linda, John, Howard - The "dark" scene was REALLY good. You're handling the candles and other props EXPERTLY! Thanks!

Jack, Linda, Mark - Several important lines got lost in the "dark" scene. Project.

Howard - Where did half of the final monologue go? Too many important lines lost.

Howard - You're "acting" crazy again in the end. You start pulling your hair and looking wildly left and right. Stop it, and get back to the legitimate work you did last week.

Howard - FACE DOWN LEFT IN YOUR MONOLOGUE, PLEASE! It was obvious that you saw Lombard, and it killed the scene.

John - You're working into the final few lines really well. They're becoming more natural. Don't let them grow too much.

Linda & John - It's okay to hit him harder after the "Oh, wait..." in the end.

Linda & John - House Left can't enjoy your exit lines. Find a way to either cheat out or deliver them slightly differently.

Linda - Now that Lombard's not making a move on Vera, you're going to need to take the "Let's just go find the boat, Philip..." a little more dryly. Start it turned away from him, if you need, and then do a slow burn/turn to him to deliver it slightly more frustrated.

See you on Saturday to discuss.

- Sean