Sunday 05 December marked a major milestone in our Not Such Stuff journey: the first read-through of the script with the final cast, in person! 10 women in a room reading this incredible play, with writer Chris Wind, the 11th member of our all-female team, dialling in from Canada. It was a magical day.
In the run-up to the read-through we worked one-on-one on character and text to deep-dive into motivations, intentions, and meaning behind the words and in between the lines. It was amazing to see these characters take shape and come alive, and to hear their voices. But we found a whole 'nother level of that when we all got together.
Their voices became amplified by each other, they supported and lifted each other up, and they created an almost feedback loop of honesty and truth and empathy. Chris' writing is so clever and allows for echoes to emphasise and highlight, and moments of introspection and processing. It's a moving, provocative text that holds up a mirror to the audience and asks them to consider other points of view on theirs, on some very poignant and tough topics. It was wonderful to hear these words performed by these amazing actors, even so early in the rehearsal process.
A read-through with the full cast also helps the actors understand the other characters. An actor will imagine how other characters might deliver certain lines and what their motivations and intentions might be, but there's nothing like hearing it directly from the other actors. There were many moments of surprise and a-ha! where things suddenly clicked. It's always a very satisfying thing to witness the actors become a cast with a shared understanding and purpose.
We are only 7 weeks away from the premiere, eek! The excitement is high and we are all extremely keen to get this play on its feet. Tickets are on sale now - it's going to be a very special night so get them now!
