Two weeks ago my friend and I were fortunate enough to be given the chance to co-produce and co-direct a Nottingham New Theatre UNCUT play. The catch? ‘We’re giving you the first slot of the Semester which means you have three weeks to turn a play around in’. I was ecstatic and petrified all at the same time.

So while my life has been auditioning actors, arranging rehearsals and screaming at my cast to be stars (I joke, they’re the best), I’ve miraculously found time to see some other fantastic theatre both on and off campus (oh my poor degree …)

Firstly, last Thursday night I went along to the Nottingham Arts Theatre in Lace Market and saw the  brilliant musical ‘Jekyll and Hyde’. My housemate and I were the definition of keenos sitting in the front row. We were entertained from start to finish by a brilliant cast who had evidently put everything they had into this show. I have to take my hat off to Robert LeventHall who played Dr. Jekyll/Mr.Hyde. How his voice held up is mind boggling and he did an awesome job! Shout out to the director Lauren Burkardt and the rest of your crew, you guys sure know how to put on a brilliant show!

The following night (for once I wasn’t in Ocean) I went to see a moving and hilarious rendition of the Vagina Monologues, which was held by the Women’s Network. It was a stripped back show focusing on the actors ability to portray emotive, funny and informative monologues that remind you of the threats women all over the world still face on a daily basis.  The show was a great success and in the name of a fantastic cause:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl2AO-7Vlzk

Roll on Saturday and I’m determined to stay in and do some work, however the temptation of seeing the highly praised performance of ‘Red’ by Josh Logan was too overwhelming (it was the final performance I had to!). With a play about an artist (Mark Rothko) and his assistant, there is the fear that you will be subjected to an hour and a half art history lecture. I’m happy to say this was anything but. Ajay Stevenson and Jono Lake delivered extraordinary and professional performances which kept the audience engaged from start to finish. I was so glad I got to see it, it was one of the best shows I’ve seen at the Nottingham New Theatre.

Three shows in three nights. All different, all incredibly entertaining. Isn’t Uni just great! I’ll leave you with a shameless plug for my show next week, which is called ‘The Last of the Haussmans’ by Stephen Beresford. It’s on for two nights only (11th and 12th March) so come down and check it out if you fancy humour and drama in equal measure! Also, be sure to check out Stags and Hens which is on at the New Theatre this week!

Posted in 2012 ShaneUncategorized