Hello all. This term I am lucky enough to be directing Love's Labour's Lost for RHUL Shakespeare Society, and being increasingly forgetful I've decided to blog through the entire 10-week process so that I can look back and see what was good, what was bad, and whether the experience was so traumatic that I would never direct again! I'm sure this won't be the case, however, as I've got a fantastic cast to work with. This blog will also act as a way for friends who aren't at Royal Holloway to follow the process and see snapshots from rehearsals etc. All photos are credited to my marvellous publicity officer Joseph Howse unless stated otherwise.

So, Week 1. I fully expected casting to be the most exciting part of the process because I've been on audition panels before and loved it. But I have to say, for my own show it was more stressful and mentally draining than I ever anticipated. Firstly, there is the constant worry that not enough boys will audition, and secondly, the standard at Royal Holloway is very high and it is horrible knowing that even though someone is a great actor, there is no part suited to them in the play and you have to turn them down, or even worse, the part they are suited to is much smaller than they deserve. Add to that the tension between production teams fighting over which actors are in which shows and you have a real headache on your hands. Despite the high anxiety/exhaustion levels, I did enjoy auditions; everyone that steps into the room interprets the text differently, and there's nothing more satisfying than knowing you've got a great cast to work with at the end of it. 

Today was the first read-through of the entire play. Despite a few actors being missing, it ran well and was the length I was aiming for...which is helpful as I've cut almost half of the dialogue! Although a lot of work needs to be done on the text, I absolutely can't wait to start blocking and actually directing. One of the most exciting parts of this play for me is the original music that my beautiful composer, Ruby Biscoe-Taylor, is writing specially for the show. I genuinely get really hyped up just thinking about it. I am 100% certain that Ruby's music will make what is essentially a play quite lacking in action into the poignant, dreamlike romance I can envision in my head.

One of my actors today asked me to actually explain my concept, which is my least favourite question! I'm not good at putting a set 'director's concept' into words because I can just picture the final product in my head; it's more about the design than the concept and as much as I can try to explain what I'm aiming for, it won't really ever be completely clarified until the audience walk into the theatre - it's completely about their experience rather than the intellect behind it. I feel that this is either ingenious or completely and ridiculously unhelpful to everyone. As long as people want to be a part of the play, I must be doing something right. 

The best part about the first rehearsal is getting a chance to see the cast in a room together for the first time. Directing at uni is unsurpassable in a way because you're bringing together a group of students who might not necessarily know each other at all, and yet by the end of it you're almost always guaranteed to have built such strong friendships up in the rehearsal room. I've experienced this several times now, from acting and choreographing at school, assistant directing for Heritage Opera, producing in first year to now directing my own play - each time I have met and befriended brilliant people and it's a privilege that I think actors and directors often take for granted. Theatre might seem bitchy but it's all just one big bonding experience; you either end up loving or hating the people you work with, but at the end of the day being forced to spend a huge amount of time together is a good thing.