RSC Open Stages

Bridgnorth Players' bid to be part of the Royal Shakespeare Company's "RSC Open Stages" project for amateur theatre has been accepted and the group have a training slot at Stratford in early 2012 to learn more about the nationwide project and theatre skills.

Liz Fisher, who submitted the application to the RSC, said, “Our biggest challenge is that most of us have never done Shakespeare since school, so find it daunting to have confidence in putting it across to audiences who will also be unfamiliar with it. That is where we really would love to learn from the RSC anything and everything that amateurs can learn from professionals. If we can pull this together and take it to our local communities, we will have done our bit towards bringing Shakespeare into the 21st century.”

April showers

April shower
The Crown is not in my good books. They peed on us from a great height, not only double booking us, but not having the courtesy to phone to let us know, nor, once we'd bought our drinks and settled in, to apologise, nor even offer another space in the pub. "The poker group takes priority" was all the manger could say. Fortunately, the Shakespeare fitted us in and everyone decided it was a much nicer venue.

NODA Award
We'll be meeting at the Shakespeare next month too and the area NODA rep, Jean Beard, will be a guest. She will be presenting us with the winner's award for Best Drama Production for District 07 for our production of "When We Are Married". Liz, as chairman and Maureen as director were booked to go to the awards ceremony, but a massive blockage on the motorway scuppered their plans. Having Jean coming to our May meeting is a bonus and a consolation.

Lighting purchased
Starlight delivered our lighting kit on Thursday. Stands, lanterns and flight boxes. All we need now are the dimmers, control desk and cables and we'll be flying. Well done everyone for raising the funds. It takes us to the next level.

Funds for Bridgnorth - a new accessible theatre?
I see that the Town Council are considering a visitor centre on Severn Park as there is a dire need for loos and a cafe. They suggest an exhibition space too, but I wonder if they could think big and have a performance space - nice and accessible? The Market Towns Initiative (MTI) has funds for Bridgnorth, which the TC hopes will be available for their project. There is a special meeting in the Castle Hall this Wednesday 20th to explain the MTI to the Bridgnorth populace so perhaps I'll pop along and throw this suggestion into the pot. Anyone else feel like adding their ha'porth?

Theatre review
Richard has been a theatre trooper this week and raved about the Belfry's "Neville's Island" in the pub last eve. The best play he's seen in years and years. "Hotel Paradiso" by the Nonentities at The Rose got an honourable mention too. West End - eat your heart out.