Is am-dram the “real national theatre”? asks the Guardian

by Site Admin on Wednesday, May 30, 2007
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National, Newspapers

An article in the Guardian’s performing arts pages today asks if amateur dramatics is “our real national theatre”. The article begins:

Most of us will have a favourite - ie, most excruciating - amateur dramatics memory.

But it goes on:

Gavin Stride is the chair of the Independent Theatre Council, and he says: “There’s something in the air, a homespun, amateur aesthetic coming out of the professional world, a desire not to go down the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Â£10m-set road, but to tell stories in an unsophisticated way.”

(The full article is here.)

Local woman pleads: “Come on! Let’s go to the theatre”

by Site Admin on Saturday, May 26, 2007
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In response to STAC’s April production of The Dresser, a letter appeared in the Worcester News which lauded “an absolutely classic play, played brilliantly by the amateur company” and praised long-time STAC member Frank Wellbourne for “the most outstanding performance he has ever given”, which was “portrayed with as much sensitivity and skill as you will see in any West End production.” High praise!

However the writer was sad that “there was practically nobody in the audience” and asks “What has happened to the audiences in Worcester? Where has the support for our wonderful theatre gone?” She concludes encouragingly “Come on Worcester, let’s support these productions in future.”

(The text of the letter follows. Or it can be found here at the Worcester Standard.)
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The fake Empire cover

by Site Admin on Saturday, May 26, 2007
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Production, STAC productions

STAC’s summer season show, Popcorn (26th-30th June) has been in rehearsals for a number of weeks now. With little over four weeks left until performance, production is ramping up. The lighting designer, Emma Fawson, is at work on the complicated lighting plot, our stage manager, Chris Harper, is juggling all manner of props, from an Oscar statuette to a pair of pink furry handcuffs. And there’s still lots of work to be done: the show involves plenty of special effects and live video footage relayed to the stage (fortunately director Marc Dugmore has years of professional technical experience!)

Here is just one example of the level of detail that production design can get down to…

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