We’re already into week four of rehearsals for The Light Princess so, with two weeks to go until the show opens for Previews, we asked Richard Holt, our dashing prince, to tell us about what stage things have reached.
It’s all go now – on one table, character cut outs are being carefully trimmed to spec by our assistant director, Nel. On another, Jack is decorating a large sheet of acetate with a rolling labyrinth of stairs. And on another, some props are being mercilessly adapted to suit our needs by Phil – I hope he’s ok (see below)!
In amongst all of this we have had our first attempt at a stagger through. A stagger through is the point in rehearsals when we try to run the entire show with script-in-hand, hardly any props, and only a vague inkling of when and where to be on stage. If you’re thinking that doesn’t sound like much to look at then you’d be right, but it is invaluable for us. It gives us a sense of the overall story and the arcs that our characters have within that. It also serves to highlight the sections of the story that are working well and those that still need work. So now, we’ve heard all the music, the costumes are in their final adjustments, there is some set to walk on, and the props have started to appear… things are getting real.
My job is to play the part of a prince from another kingdom. He always does his duty, but inwardly he rails against the rules and traditions to which he must adhere. Last week, one of my more unusual princely duties was to spend an hour fully clothed in a swimming pool – why? – you’ll have to see the show.
Richard x
You can find out more about The Light Princess and book tickets on the show page here.
Posted on 11 November 2015