Last week the tour of our latest production, The Glass Mountain, came to an end. It's funny but I can't help feeling a real sense of loss about this - after all the hard work (and sometimes even blood, sweat and tears) it has suddenly come to an end.
As Marketing Manager for Trestle, I'm involved from the very early stages of a production - working with Emily Gray our Artistic Director on the shows marketing materials, which often need to be ready far in advance of when the show itself has even been devised.
Trestle creates devised theatre and the cast always play an integral part in this process. If I feel attached to the production I can only imagine what the cast and crew must feel when they have been living and breathing the show from its development, during rehearsals and then once it goes on tour. Some of our cast and crew have been on this journey with us for over 12 months!
Of course the tour might have come to an end but The Glass Mountain will hopefully continue to live on in people's hearts and minds. And for the rest of us here at Trestle there's no time to wallow as work is already in full swing for our next touring production - Moon Fool - an inventive re-imagining of Shakespeare's well-loved play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. This is the first time in its 28 year history that Trestle has taken inspiration from Shakespeare and so we're all really excited about what this next adventure will bring.
By Gemma
18 Nov 2009
3 Nov 2009
Tibilisi International Theatre Festival
Oliver Jones, Trestle's Associate Director (Taking Part) talks about his recent visit to Georgia for the Tibilisi International Theatre Festival with fellow Arts Council East artists...
It's odd what you find out about people. Who would have thought that Ivan Cutting, Artistic Director of Eastern Angles, shares a passion for airline food as I do? And Turkish Airlines did not let us down, sating us with a plethora of Turkish delights as we made our way to the Tibilisi International Theatre Festival in Georgia.
Our trip was predominantly to savour the best in Georgian theatre. We also had time to discuss our recent work in our own region with fellow ACE artists, whilst also meeting producers, artists, and critics from around the globe.
The theatre we indulged in was as rich and varied as the plenteous banquets we were offered, some stunning, some, well, not so. A remarkable ‘Macbeth’ and a fantastic circus themed ‘Bierderman and the Fire Raisers’ directed by Robert Stura, was tempered by some unintelligible and rather dour affairs. There were plenty of puppets too, the best of which was a marionette and live action fusion of a Chekhov short story, that we hope may make its way to the UK.
Tibilisi itself was a fascinating mix of old soviet, and even older middle eastern architecture, and our hosts were incredibly welcoming, making our stay as well organised as they possibly could, which was very different to the traffic system which was as crazy as the man I encountered lighting a cigarette knee deep in a fountain.
Roger McCann of the Arts Council was more Georgian than the Georgians, toasting away during dinner like a man possessed, and Gavin Stride, of the Farnham Maltings shocked most with his choice of shirts.
This is the first year of the festival, and with Roger and the Tibilisi mayor behind it, I am sure it will go from strength to strength. Many fruitful relations were made with the Georgian theatre companies, and we hope that in the future collaborations will blossom. I very much look forward to Trestle being at the heart of these and that I will return to such an interesting, cultured, and friendly city.
By Oliver
It's odd what you find out about people. Who would have thought that Ivan Cutting, Artistic Director of Eastern Angles, shares a passion for airline food as I do? And Turkish Airlines did not let us down, sating us with a plethora of Turkish delights as we made our way to the Tibilisi International Theatre Festival in Georgia.
Our trip was predominantly to savour the best in Georgian theatre. We also had time to discuss our recent work in our own region with fellow ACE artists, whilst also meeting producers, artists, and critics from around the globe.
The theatre we indulged in was as rich and varied as the plenteous banquets we were offered, some stunning, some, well, not so. A remarkable ‘Macbeth’ and a fantastic circus themed ‘Bierderman and the Fire Raisers’ directed by Robert Stura, was tempered by some unintelligible and rather dour affairs. There were plenty of puppets too, the best of which was a marionette and live action fusion of a Chekhov short story, that we hope may make its way to the UK.
Tibilisi itself was a fascinating mix of old soviet, and even older middle eastern architecture, and our hosts were incredibly welcoming, making our stay as well organised as they possibly could, which was very different to the traffic system which was as crazy as the man I encountered lighting a cigarette knee deep in a fountain.
Roger McCann of the Arts Council was more Georgian than the Georgians, toasting away during dinner like a man possessed, and Gavin Stride, of the Farnham Maltings shocked most with his choice of shirts.
This is the first year of the festival, and with Roger and the Tibilisi mayor behind it, I am sure it will go from strength to strength. Many fruitful relations were made with the Georgian theatre companies, and we hope that in the future collaborations will blossom. I very much look forward to Trestle being at the heart of these and that I will return to such an interesting, cultured, and friendly city.
By Oliver
18 Oct 2009
The Idiot Colony at Trestle Arts Base
This week we had the fantastic Red Cape Theatre Company bring their award-winning show The Idiot Colony to Trestle Arts Base.
The Idiot Colony is based on real life accounts of the treatment and incarceration of young women in mental asylums during 1940s England. This might not appear to be the stuff of a fun night out at the theatre; yet despite the serious subject matter the show was funny, poignant and affecting, if at times quietly unnerving.
The Idiot Colony was created after two years of research and interviews with former patients, mental health workers including those who lived and worked at St. Margaret's Hospital, Great Barr - known locally as The Idiot Colony. Trestle Arts Base, Trestle's home in St Albans, is housed in the former chapel of Hill End Hospital, once itself a lunatic asylum. Trestle's Community Company produced a promenade performance earlier this year called Out of Sight Out of Mind, which offered a journey through the building and into the minds of the patients and staff who lived and worked at the hospital over a 100 year period. Out of Sight Out of Mind, like The Idiot Colony, told stories that were full of sadness and pity, but also full of great humour and courage.
The Idiot Colony is based on real life accounts of the treatment and incarceration of young women in mental asylums during 1940s England. This might not appear to be the stuff of a fun night out at the theatre; yet despite the serious subject matter the show was funny, poignant and affecting, if at times quietly unnerving.
The Idiot Colony was created after two years of research and interviews with former patients, mental health workers including those who lived and worked at St. Margaret's Hospital, Great Barr - known locally as The Idiot Colony. Trestle Arts Base, Trestle's home in St Albans, is housed in the former chapel of Hill End Hospital, once itself a lunatic asylum. Trestle's Community Company produced a promenade performance earlier this year called Out of Sight Out of Mind, which offered a journey through the building and into the minds of the patients and staff who lived and worked at the hospital over a 100 year period. Out of Sight Out of Mind, like The Idiot Colony, told stories that were full of sadness and pity, but also full of great humour and courage.
Unfortunately a lot of the acting took place on the floor and due to poor sight lines (which surely they've experienced in other venues and might have accommodated for?) most of the audience missed out on what were probably quite poignant and powerful moments.
The Idiot Colony has won a stack of awards at the 2008 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and has had great critical acclaim. The Times called it "...an affecting, humorous piece of physical theatre" and The Metro said is was "...endlessly inventive, thoroughly disquieting. It's stunning". The full house at Trestle Arts Base also seemed enamoured with the play. Definately one to look out for as it tours the UK. Click here for tour dates.
The Idiot Colony has won a stack of awards at the 2008 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and has had great critical acclaim. The Times called it "...an affecting, humorous piece of physical theatre" and The Metro said is was "...endlessly inventive, thoroughly disquieting. It's stunning". The full house at Trestle Arts Base also seemed enamoured with the play. Definately one to look out for as it tours the UK. Click here for tour dates.
By Gemma
15 Oct 2009
Turkish teens' Trestle taster!
Last week Trestle Arts Base was buzzing with the sound of Turkish teenagers, Uskudar International School were in the building!Embarking on an intensive theatre residency the eighth graders took a four day journey through Trestle's established mask techniques and into the unmasked physical storytelling that has characterised Trestle's work since 2004.
The work concluded with a sharing of favourite ideas that had been explored for each other, Trestle staff and colleagues.
"I don't have to rely on my voice" remarked student Tessa, on being asked what she would take with her from the project. "I know now that my body is powerful on stage."
Uskudar hope to return to Trestle next year for a similar experience, but meanwhile they will take back Trestle's unique Flamenco, Indian and Polish styles of working to inspire their colleagues and create a show in April.Trestle Taking Part works with schools, universities, professional and community organisations worldwide to devise and run workshops, residencies and projects.
By Anna.
13 Oct 2009
Looking for an MA in Drama and Education? Look no further...
Today is the first day of our inaugural MA in Education (Drama) which we are jointly running with Middlesex University. The three-year part time masters programme is designed for teachers and lecturers of Drama, Theatre Studies and Performing Arts and will be run at Trestle Arts Base, Trestle's home in St Albans, Hertfordshire.
There is a growing trend of educational institutions and theatre companies joining forces to deliver post-graduate programmes - Polish theatre company Teatr Pieśń Kozla (Song of the Goat) and Manchester Metropolitan University's joint MA springs to mind for instance. However, this is the only instance of a professional theatre company and university co-creating and delivering an education drama MA in Britain.
It's also great to be continuing our long relationship with Middlesex - Trestle's founding members were all performing arts students at the university back in the 1970s. Inspired by their course tutor, John Wright, the students set up the Company in 1981 and established Trestle as one of Britain’s leading theatre companies.
Oliver Jones, Trestle's Associate Director said, “All the hallmarks of Trestle’s work: physicality, storytelling, and devising, are now at the heart of the drama and theatre studies curriculum, and it is a perfect time to launch what we are hoping will be a very successful and sustainable MA degree”.
Interested? Contact Programme Leaders Kevin Morris (Middlesex) on 0208 411 4310 or Oliver Jones (Trestle) on 01727 850 950 or at takingpart@trestle.org.uk for more information.
By Gemma
There is a growing trend of educational institutions and theatre companies joining forces to deliver post-graduate programmes - Polish theatre company Teatr Pieśń Kozla (Song of the Goat) and Manchester Metropolitan University's joint MA springs to mind for instance. However, this is the only instance of a professional theatre company and university co-creating and delivering an education drama MA in Britain.
It's also great to be continuing our long relationship with Middlesex - Trestle's founding members were all performing arts students at the university back in the 1970s. Inspired by their course tutor, John Wright, the students set up the Company in 1981 and established Trestle as one of Britain’s leading theatre companies.
Oliver Jones, Trestle's Associate Director said, “All the hallmarks of Trestle’s work: physicality, storytelling, and devising, are now at the heart of the drama and theatre studies curriculum, and it is a perfect time to launch what we are hoping will be a very successful and sustainable MA degree”.
Interested? Contact Programme Leaders Kevin Morris (Middlesex) on 0208 411 4310 or Oliver Jones (Trestle) on 01727 850 950 or at takingpart@trestle.org.uk for more information.
By Gemma
2 Oct 2009
The Glass Mountain Press Night
We held a press night last week for our latest production, The Glass Mountain, at the Tobacco Factory Theatre in Bristol.We had a great turn out. The Bristol press came out in force and we were delighted to have members of the arts industry press, as well as theatre bloggers in attendance. We were also thrilled to have our friends from Radiowski BCfm (Polish community radio programme) who brought along the most amazing feast of Polish treats for us all to enjoy. Here are some photo's from the night...
The cast go through notes with Director, Emily Gray before the show opens
Emily and cast member Jacek after the show
Cast member Sean chats with Basia from Radiowski BCfm
The amazing Polish bread that was devoured on the night
Technical Stage Manager Becky and cast members Lenka and Jacek enjoy a well deserved drink
We've already had some great reviews come in. Check out this 4 star review from What's On Stage. The Glass Mountain continues its tour of the UK - this week we're heading up north to Pocklington and Scarborough and then onto the Unity Theatre in Liverpool. Click here for the full tour schedule.
By Gemma
23 Sept 2009
Sean Gets Physical...
Sean plays the role of the King in our new production The Glass Mountain, which starts its UK tour tomorrow. Of course we knew he was a great actor but had no idea he could pull such fine aerobics moves.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7OgOmVuVyo
If you want to see more of him... check out the tour schedule for a theatre near you.
By Gemma
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7OgOmVuVyo
If you want to see more of him... check out the tour schedule for a theatre near you.
By Gemma
11 Sept 2009
What would you do if you had your time on the Fourth Plinth?
One performed the Time Warp, another dre
ssed as a giant turd and one graduate even scored himself a job for his efforts. What do these people have in common? They have all had their one hour up on the Forth Plinth in Trafalgar Square.Since 6 July 2009, every hour, 24 hours a day, people from across the UK have been performing, demonstrating or simply just, well, standing there. The brainchild of sculptor Anthony Gormley, One and Other has turned the usually empty Fourth Plinth into a living monument and ‘a representation of the whole of humanity’. While some critics have debated its merit as a work of art, One and Other has certainly captured the publics imagination with 500,000 people having watched the live web stream and countless newspaper column inches been dedicated to the project.
This Sunday 13 September between 10 and 11am, Caroline McCarthy will have her hour up on the Plinth. Caroline has Systemic Lupus (lupus), which is an autoimmune disease. Like me you might not have not heard of lupus (apparently it has very similar side affects to ME and MS), which is I guess the very reason why Caroline is using her time up on the plinth to create awareness around this debilitating condition.
Caroline is 23 years old. She was diagnosed with lupus when she was at university doing a drama degree. It was during a university lecture that she had a blood clot caused by a secondary condition triggered by lupus. Unfortunately she had to pull out of her degree while she recovered but did manage to graduate some years later. Today, Caroline runs a successful drama school in Birmingham.
Up on the plinth, Caroline will be using the aid of masks (Trestle masks, in fact) to convey the emotions and feelings that she and fellow sufferers of lupus regularly endure. The masks, she told me, would 'allow her to demonstrate in a very visual way what lupus does to a person'.
If you can’t get down to Trafalgar Square you can watch the live web stream or follow the Plinthwatch Twitter feed.
By Gemma
10 Sept 2009
We may have only just packed up Lola’s bloomers, castanets and whip but rehearsals have already begun for our next production.The Glass Mountain tells the story of Olek, a Polish baker who boards a bus for England only to find himself on a much bigger journey than he bargained.
The impetus for the show came from Emily Gray, our Artistic Director's interest in finding a meeting point between the enormously respected theatre made by Grotowski influenced theatre companies in Poland (such as Song of the Goat and Gardzienice) and the struggles experienced by recent Polish immigrants to England.
Trestle is based in St Albans, Hertfordshire where there is a large Polish community. During the shows development we held a series of hertbatkas (Polish tea parties). While not based on any one persons account, the stories shared at these events helped inform the characterisation of Olek and gave us a greater understanding of the migrant experience.
Featuring a cast of four, The Glass Mountain fuses traditional Polish theatre techniques and Eastern European traditions of singing stories with Trestle's process of devising physical storytelling theatre. Traditionally, Polish theatre is an intensely dramatic theatrical experience, however we hope to balance this with the humour, empathy and playfulness that Trestle has become renowned.
The Glass Mountain is touring the UK from 24 September - 14 November including the Tobacco Factory in Bristol, Hat Factory in Luton, Unity Theatre in Liverpool and Theatre Royal Wakefield. Click here for the full tour schedule.
By Gemma
By Gemma
28 Aug 2009
Have you ever been to the theatre alone?
Last Friday I went to the cinema on my own. It's something I do every now and again - especially when my husband isn't up for viewing the latest "chick flick" (this time it was Coco Before Chanel). I must say I quite enjoy going solo - you can sit wherever you want (my preference is always in the middle and slighly right of screen) and you don't have to share the popcorn.Whilst waiting for the movie to start I was reminded of the SATC episode when Charlotte exclaims in horror "...but you can't go to the movies alone on date night" in response to Carrie's admission that she'd been to the movies on her own. Of course you can and many people do. Indeed I wasn't the only person there flying solo that night.
And so I got to thinking, would I ever go to the theatre on my own? I've never done so up until now. But why is that? Why is it any different to going to the movies sans friends? Is it because I feel that somehow theatre is more deserved of a bigger audience (and by that I mean myself and at least a plus one) or do I revel too much in the obligatory post show debate with friends?
It's ironic perhaps that for someone in marketing who is responsible for audience development that I can't even explain the logic (or lack there of) behind my own behaviour as a consumer. I guess that's is why major corporations pay the big bucks for extensive research into this very thing. So without a definative answer I think I will end this blog with the very question that inspired it... have you ever gone to the theatre alone?
By Gemma
17 Aug 2009
People are "dying" to get their show noticed at the Fringe
I spent alot of time on the Royal Mile while up in Edinburgh for the Fringe Festival. Like its name suggests, this is a pedestrian street exactly one mile long and at the heart of the Edinburgh Fringe.At all times of the day it is absolutely heaving with people promoting their shows; they cajole, coax, bribe, plead and beg people to come and see their show in favour of one of the other 2089 on offer at this years Festival.
People will do just about anything to get noticed. I've stepped over people playing dead in the middle of the street, had to duck under a clothes line lined with ladies underwear, and then there are the costumes...
It's fair to say that pretty much anything goes at the Edinburgh Fringe. I've even been told about a bar where people can plug their show to punters for free - just as long as they do it in the nude - and I hear there have been no shortage of people willing to do just that!!!
By Gemma
12 Aug 2009
Twinge-tastic!!!
I was excited and somewhat bemused to discover yesterday that Lola has been given a "karma" rating of 68 - indeed the top "karma" score for a physical and dance theatre show at the Edinburgh Fringe. Ironic really given that the woman herself didn't have the cleanest of conscience.
This "karma" rating comes courtesy of EdTwinge, "a real-time, Twitter-based review service". The site collects all the zillions of tweets sent about the festival and reveals who is getting the most "noise" on Twitter. It then generates a "karma" rating for each show ranking them in order of positivity.
The site states that it believes that lots of people saying the same thing is much more meaningful than just one or two. Indeed EdTwinge claims to let you "put your trust in the wisdom on the many" - the topic of much discussion yesterday with articles in both The Guardian and The Stage commenting on the ploriferation of audience based reviews as a direct result of social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter. Mark Shenton from The Stage stated in his blog "it will shortly be difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff". He does have a point of course but I for one am all for audience based reviews (probably because I write them). Although like every professional critics review they should be used as a guide only and read in conjunction with other commentary. But at the end of the day isn't it what you, the individual audience member, thinks of the show that really counts?
Alas our "karma" rating has taken a bit of a nose dive today with a rating of 49 (down to 6th spot). Come on Edinburgh - make some "noise" for Lola!!
By Gemma
This "karma" rating comes courtesy of EdTwinge, "a real-time, Twitter-based review service". The site collects all the zillions of tweets sent about the festival and reveals who is getting the most "noise" on Twitter. It then generates a "karma" rating for each show ranking them in order of positivity.
The site states that it believes that lots of people saying the same thing is much more meaningful than just one or two. Indeed EdTwinge claims to let you "put your trust in the wisdom on the many" - the topic of much discussion yesterday with articles in both The Guardian and The Stage commenting on the ploriferation of audience based reviews as a direct result of social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter. Mark Shenton from The Stage stated in his blog "it will shortly be difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff". He does have a point of course but I for one am all for audience based reviews (probably because I write them). Although like every professional critics review they should be used as a guide only and read in conjunction with other commentary. But at the end of the day isn't it what you, the individual audience member, thinks of the show that really counts?
Alas our "karma" rating has taken a bit of a nose dive today with a rating of 49 (down to 6th spot). Come on Edinburgh - make some "noise" for Lola!!
By Gemma
10 Aug 2009
Celebrity Spot (Part 1)
Two celebrity spots today at the Edinburgh Fringe although one was arguably more exciting and slightly more credible than the other.
Spot 1: The gorgeous Lauren Laverne filming for The Culture Show in the Pleasance Courtyard.
Spot 2: The actor that played the gay priest in Hollyoaks who recently died at the hands of the evil Nile (Myra McQueen's illigitimate son, not the river) queuing for tickets outside the Assembly Dome.
Speaking of celebrities, the infamous Spanish dancer and courtesan, Lola Montez, took to the stage for the first time last night at the New Town Theatre (Fringe Venue 7). It was a great show and the people of Edinburgh came out in their droves to see the most famous woman in the world tell the truth about her many lives and loves. Don't miss your chance to see the lady who shocked Europe! Until 30 August, 6.45pm, New Town Theatre, 96 George Street, Edinburgh
By Gemma
Spot 1: The gorgeous Lauren Laverne filming for The Culture Show in the Pleasance Courtyard.
Spot 2: The actor that played the gay priest in Hollyoaks who recently died at the hands of the evil Nile (Myra McQueen's illigitimate son, not the river) queuing for tickets outside the Assembly Dome.
Speaking of celebrities, the infamous Spanish dancer and courtesan, Lola Montez, took to the stage for the first time last night at the New Town Theatre (Fringe Venue 7). It was a great show and the people of Edinburgh came out in their droves to see the most famous woman in the world tell the truth about her many lives and loves. Don't miss your chance to see the lady who shocked Europe! Until 30 August, 6.45pm, New Town Theatre, 96 George Street, Edinburgh
By Gemma
9 Aug 2009
Tonight's the Night
The heavens have opened here in Edinburgh but nothing is going to dampen our spirits. Lola opens tonight at New Town Theatre (Fringe Venue 7) and we are champing at the bit to officially start our 2009 Edinburgh Fringe adventure. Preview ticket prices are available for tonight and tomorrow night's performances - tickets just £7 and available through www.edfringe.com, www.univeralartsfestival.com or at the door.
If Lola whets your appetite for more flamenco beats, stick around to see our good friend Ricardo Garcia in Flamenco Jazz Late Night also at the New Town Theatre every night throughout the festival at 11.10pm.
We hope to see you there!
By Gemma
If Lola whets your appetite for more flamenco beats, stick around to see our good friend Ricardo Garcia in Flamenco Jazz Late Night also at the New Town Theatre every night throughout the festival at 11.10pm.
We hope to see you there!
By Gemma
8 Aug 2009
A very good start to the day...
We were very excited this morning to read over our breakfasts that Lola has been recommended by ThreeWeeks as one of the their top three physical theatre shows at this years Edinburgh Fringe. Hoorah!!!
I'm taking 'Lola' to the Meet the Media event later this afternoon. I must admit I do fear for their safety... this is the woman who once horse whipped a journalist who dared publish a bad review of her famous spider dance. Edinburgh critics beware - Lola Montez has a whip and she ain't afraid to use it!
Don't miss your chance to meet 'the most famous woman in the world'. Lola: The Life of Lola Montez opens tomorrow at New Town Theatre (Fringe Venue 7). 9 - 30 Aug, 6.45pm. Box Office: 0844 477 1000.
By Gemma
I'm taking 'Lola' to the Meet the Media event later this afternoon. I must admit I do fear for their safety... this is the woman who once horse whipped a journalist who dared publish a bad review of her famous spider dance. Edinburgh critics beware - Lola Montez has a whip and she ain't afraid to use it!
Don't miss your chance to meet 'the most famous woman in the world'. Lola: The Life of Lola Montez opens tomorrow at New Town Theatre (Fringe Venue 7). 9 - 30 Aug, 6.45pm. Box Office: 0844 477 1000.
By Gemma
7 Aug 2009
Let the show begin...
We've arrived in Edinburgh for the Fringe and the sun is shining down on us; a good omen surely especially as we've heard it's bucketing down in London (who would have thought you had to come to Scotland for the good weather)!!
Our brand new tour van departed St Albans at 11am yesterday after much hilarity trying to fit everything in and only an hour behind schedule. After one false start having realised 5 minutes into our journey that we'd left a prop behind, we turned onto the M1 and there we stayed for the next 9 hours and 38 minutes.
Natalie our Administrative Producer took the helm behind the wheel with Emily (Artistic Director) and Fi (Miss Eliza Gilbert) up front and our lovely General Assistant Sam sandwiched between Georgie (the one and only Lola Montez) and I (Marketing Manager) in the back. A couple of pit stops and countless jelly babies later we made it to Edinburgh just before the sun set. After a quick run through with Neil our tech guru and with our bellies full of yummy pasta (thanks Nat!) we all stumbled into bed about midnight.
And so it is day 1 one of our Edinburgh adventure. Let the mayhem and madness of the Fringe begin...
By Gemma
Our brand new tour van departed St Albans at 11am yesterday after much hilarity trying to fit everything in and only an hour behind schedule. After one false start having realised 5 minutes into our journey that we'd left a prop behind, we turned onto the M1 and there we stayed for the next 9 hours and 38 minutes.
Natalie our Administrative Producer took the helm behind the wheel with Emily (Artistic Director) and Fi (Miss Eliza Gilbert) up front and our lovely General Assistant Sam sandwiched between Georgie (the one and only Lola Montez) and I (Marketing Manager) in the back. A couple of pit stops and countless jelly babies later we made it to Edinburgh just before the sun set. After a quick run through with Neil our tech guru and with our bellies full of yummy pasta (thanks Nat!) we all stumbled into bed about midnight.
And so it is day 1 one of our Edinburgh adventure. Let the mayhem and madness of the Fringe begin...
By Gemma
4 Aug 2009
Lola Montez continues to cause a scandal!
If you’ve seen the papers over the past few days, you’re likely to have come across the story of Madonna’s latest indiscretion. As featured in The Guardian - http://tiny.cc/ii3jF - love letters between Madonna and an old boyfriend have surfaced and are up for auction. What caught our attention here at Trestle is that Madonna used the pseudonym "Lola Montez" – the infamous 19th century dancer and courtesan and the subject of our latest production – Lola: The Life of Lola Montez.
Ironically our Artistic Director, Emily Gray, has often referred to Lola as the Madonna of her age. Like Madonna she was the queen of reinvention, someone who practised sexual liberation and created public dramas.
Lola Montez was one of the most infamous and mysterious figures of the 19th century. Born into humble Irish beginnings, Eliza Rosanna Gilbert spent her childhood in India but her “spoilt and half-wild ways” saw her sent back to Britain to boarding school. At 16 she eloped with her mother’s lover but soon divorced him and set her ambitions on a life upon the stage.
Reinventing herself as the Spanish dancer Lola Montez, she travelled the world performing her famous spider dance and seducing many powerful and influential men along the way. At times she was the most famous woman in the world: just as much for her personal antics as those on stage. This is the woman who once brought her pet bear to a court case, horse-whipped a journalist for writing a less than complimentary review of her show, and held the first ever press conference. And then there were her many ‘conquests’ - French novelist Alexandre Dumas, Hungarian composer and virtuoso pianist Franz Liszt and King Ludwig I of Bavaria, just to name a few. Lola died of syphilis in her late 30s, penniless and alone. Quite possibly the original tabloid celebrity you might say?
And so back to Madonna and her love letters. While Madonna might not be too pleased that she finds herself the centre of attention, we at Trestle are all secretly chuffed that Lola can continue to cause a scandal, even from the grave!!!
Don’t miss Lola at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival from 9 – 30 August at the New Town Theatre (Venue 7), Freemasons’ Hall, 96 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3DH. Box office: 0844 477 1000 or www.universalartsfestival.com.
By Gemma
Ironically our Artistic Director, Emily Gray, has often referred to Lola as the Madonna of her age. Like Madonna she was the queen of reinvention, someone who practised sexual liberation and created public dramas.
Lola Montez was one of the most infamous and mysterious figures of the 19th century. Born into humble Irish beginnings, Eliza Rosanna Gilbert spent her childhood in India but her “spoilt and half-wild ways” saw her sent back to Britain to boarding school. At 16 she eloped with her mother’s lover but soon divorced him and set her ambitions on a life upon the stage.
Reinventing herself as the Spanish dancer Lola Montez, she travelled the world performing her famous spider dance and seducing many powerful and influential men along the way. At times she was the most famous woman in the world: just as much for her personal antics as those on stage. This is the woman who once brought her pet bear to a court case, horse-whipped a journalist for writing a less than complimentary review of her show, and held the first ever press conference. And then there were her many ‘conquests’ - French novelist Alexandre Dumas, Hungarian composer and virtuoso pianist Franz Liszt and King Ludwig I of Bavaria, just to name a few. Lola died of syphilis in her late 30s, penniless and alone. Quite possibly the original tabloid celebrity you might say?
And so back to Madonna and her love letters. While Madonna might not be too pleased that she finds herself the centre of attention, we at Trestle are all secretly chuffed that Lola can continue to cause a scandal, even from the grave!!!
Don’t miss Lola at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival from 9 – 30 August at the New Town Theatre (Venue 7), Freemasons’ Hall, 96 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3DH. Box office: 0844 477 1000 or www.universalartsfestival.com.
By Gemma
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