The First Week

Claire Chambers - Rose Mortmain

It is the end of the first week of the workshop, and it does seem as if we have achieved a lot but there is still a long way to go before next Friday afternoon.

Everyone in the cast knows their songs and have been rehearsed and rehearsed with Steve and our consultant MD Cathy Jayes.  We have all collaborated on the setting of the songs, cutting and rewriting dialogue leading up to and away from songs.  Brigid Larmour, the director has also  made some really interesting and clever comments on the delivery of some songs.  Listening to our wonderful cast singing I feel completely transported.  The new harmonies Steve has written are unbelievably wonderful, as is all his music.

We have a new tighter version of the libretto.  I've especially worked at the scenes with Leda, because she has had to change from the male character Swann.

Today I telescoped the whole libretto to get it closer to the one hour we need for the showcase.  I still need to go further but it is beginning to emerge.  The interesting thing was that some of those cuts feel really good and may possibly be kept in the final libretto - others felt painful and won't.

It is always difficult to present vicious cuts to actors once they have become fond of their character.  There were cries of pain but I listened to the loudest and am thinking again on one or two scenes but in return others will have to go.  It is tough but we have to get that hour.

Working on the libretto alone today I missed the songs and am looking forward to the moment I have completed the moulding and they can come back.

Above is a picture of Claire Chambers - our lovely Rose.  I first met Claire singing for writers at the BML workshop while she was still at Central.  I saw her again playing Meg  in Little Women and thought she would be a good Rose if we got Suzanna Kempner - we did, and she is a fabulous Rose!