Village Squire, 1980-05, Page 13Shakespearean content required for the
Festival, their charter does demand that
their major concentration be on Shake-
speare's plays.
Since performers appear in more than
one play at a time, careful scheduling is
required to avoid conflicts in actors'
timetables. One might imagine using a
computer for the task, but instead there's a
large chart in the artistic director's office,
where he and the production manager slate
the order of the performances. Actors
appear in an average of three productions
at a time, and the final scheduling of a
season depends on whether the performers
accept parts in the plays offered to them. If
an actor has a preference for a part in one
of the plays not in his or her contract, an
attempt is made to accommodate the
request whenever reasonably possible.
REHEARSALS
This year "The Beggar's Opera" was
begun first and given priority rehearsals
for a time. There is a special problem with
this play, not only because a musical
requires more hours of practice, but also
because the Stratford Youth Choir, who
appears in the production, will not be free
to rehearse until May. At that time the play
will once again resume a priority standing
so that the Youth Choir and the Festival
Company can rehearse together.
The hours of rehearsal for each play
culminate in technical dress rehearsals in
which all aspects of the production are
assimilated. "Henry V" had its technical
dress rehearsals on March 25 and 26, and
then, after a final dress rehearsal, concen-
tration is transferred to another of the eight
shows.
Members of the Company work an eight
hour day, six days a week, a schedule
which continues once the season begins.
Even though an actor might appear in only
one performance during a day, there are
particular class or individual work with the
voice coach.
The technical aspects of a production are
begun as early as casting decisions.
Sketches for costumes and sets are usually
submitted before the previous season is
over. Fittings begin on the first day of
rehearsal, and every effort is made to
recycle parts of the costumes from earlier
shows, such as the military uniforms in
"Measure for Measure," which appeared
again last year in "Love's Labour's Lost"
after receiving new trim. The Festival
prefers to use fine grade materials, a
choice justified not only by the more
professional on-stage effect which is
achieved, but also because a higher quality
will last longer and stand up to use for
several seasons. For instance, the white
kid battle shields in "Julius Caesar" were
re -used later in the same season for "Titus
Andronicus," and will be utilized again
this year for the revival of that production.
The same approach is taken with sets and
properties, although it takes an experi-
enced eye to detect a piece of furniture
which may have appeared in a number of
plays.
COSTUMES AND SETS
The only costumes which are not
recycled are those of lead performers.
Items such as Maggie Smith's gowns or
Brian Bedford's cape from "Richard III"
are too easily remembered by audiences to
be re -used, and are also frequently kept for
costume plays. The public will have an
opportunity to view some of these pieces at
closer range this summer at the Gallery
Stratford, where a show entitled "The
Trappings of Kings and Queens" will be
presented from June until September. One
of the items on view will be the marvellous
metal armoured horses which so impressed
audiences during the 1979 production of
"Richard II."
A number of original costume sketches
Stratford
rehearsals for later productions to be
worked into their timetable. In addition to
rehearsal hours, performers attend classes
in voice and movement every day and some
of the classes are compulsory. All members
of the acting company must take classes,
whether they have been with the Festival
for several months or many years. If
someone is having special problems with a
part the director may recommend a
are offered for sale each year. Large
photographs of the drawings are displayed
in the lobbies of the theatres, and anyone
interested in making a purchase may do so
through the Festival Archives, a theatre
research facility located on the top floor of
the Perth Insurance Building on Water
Sreet. Sketches of the leads' costumes are
frequently kept by the designer or present-
ed to the performer, but many excellent
designs are offered for sale, providing an
opportunity to collect an original work of
art and make a contribution to the theatre
at the same time.
Another important aspect of production
is lighting. Lighting cues are determined
by the director and the lighting master,
and lights for each production are hung
during the last two weeks of rehearsal. An
experienced lighting designer learns to
co-ordinate cues for several different plays
to lessen the time required to re -hang
lights between an afternoon and an
evening performance. The Avon, the
Festival, and the Third Stage each have
their own production staff, which work
independently for the most part, although
there is occasional overlapping. All scenery
and costumes are created within the
Festival shop complex because the other
theatres have less space, but props and
wigs are supplied separately by each stage.
Advertising for the Festival appears in
all major Canadian newspapers and in
magazines such as "Saturday Night" and
"MacLean's."
In the United States coverage spreads
west to Chicago and south to Cleveland,
once again concentrating on newspapers
and magazines. People from all ten
provinces and 50 states are on the theatre's
mailing list. School groups attend from as
far away as Kansas and Kentucky and
press coverage extends to Los Angeles and
San Francisco. About thirty-eight to forty
per cent of total audiences are American, a
figure which did not alter last year, even
with the threat of gasoline shortages.
Interestingly, the fuel problems had more
of an effect on Canadian theatre -goers.
OPENING WEEK
The atmosphere of festivity which per-
vades opening week is experienced by the
Company as well as the audience. At the
end of the week a large party is given for
the cast and crew, often the last chance
some people have to see one another until
the end of the season. Performers and
production staff may work on different
plays all summer, which greatly reduces
the opportunities for socializing with one
another.
The 1980 season holds every indication
of being especially busy, as the Company
undertakes new challenges such as the
filming of "The Importance of Being
Earnest."
Negotiations are also under way for a
projected tour to London, England this fall
with Peter Ustinov in "King Lear." The
Company has been to Chichester and to the
Edinborough Drama Festival in the past,
but this will be their first London
appearance. However. because talent and
innovation are combined with a great deal
of work and plannint;,the Stratford Festival
will continue to represent fine theatre
wherever they perform.
VILLAGE Sr1UIREIMAY 1980 PG. 11