So day three of Vox Pop and it already feels like week three. Whoever knew you could do so much in so little time? Makes me think I should become more productive in my day to day life...On Tuesday we met with the cast for the first time to read through the first draft of the script that Gabriel had written overnight on Monday (I love working with quick writers.) As the play heavily incorporates sound and Gwilym's music, it was difficult for the cast to fully comprehend how the script would work. Gwilym's music is entirely unique and difficult to describe but once the cast heard the different sounds that Gwilym had created I spotted several sighs of relief on their faces that had previously worn the look of 'one week, one week, one week, and what do you mean sounds come out of shoeboxes?!'
The thing that time gives you is it allows ideas to develop and for things to settle before the first performance. Though working to a one week turnover also has its own advantages...it means you have to work much more instinctively which is exciting and reminds you that
a) You do have instincts
b) You can trust them (mainly because you have to)
When we were given the trader story on Monday night, I was a little apprehensive as I am not too clued up on the topic and with only one week, I was well aware that I might very easily trip myself up. But once Gabriel and I talked through the story we found that what interested us both, was that it was essentially the tale of a man being surprisingly honest. And that this can be transferred and represented in many different scenarios and ways. So taking this, Gabriel has put this man into an abstract world which looks at trade exploiting basic human rights.
This suddenly all sounds very serious. I can promise you it is not. The characters are all representational of the different figures in the financial crisis they are big, bold, bizarre and the piece has a great sense of humour. I say all this like it is set in stone. Of course we are only on day 3 and looking at what we have already created in 3 days who knows what 4 more days could throw up? You could be watching aliens and cowboys by Monday night.
On a final and completely separate note in the small moments that I have not been thinking about the play or trying to find lots of shoeboxes (who knew shoeboxes would be such a hard find?!) I have been seriously considering a name change. Next to 'Gabriel Bisset-Smith' and 'Gwilym Gold' I sound like a right drag...maybe I should ask Nabokov to vox pop suggestions for that next...\
VOX POP
10 October 2011 // Time 7:45pm
Soho Theatre // Dean Street // London // W1D 3NE // Closest Tube: Tottenham Ct Rd / Leicester Sq.
Tickets // Price TBC // 020 7478 0100, www.sohotheatre.com
