Oleanna

#Oleanna Theatreworld Review

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 16:15:13 +0100

Theatreworld Review

Wednesday 13 April

We’re almost 20 years on from the first production in Cambridge, Massachusetts of David Mamet’s controversial play, Oleanna, inspired by the legal battle between Anita Hill, a university law professor, and her former colleague and supervisor, Justice Clarence Thomas. The charge of sexual harrassment and abuse of power brought then is brought once again by Carol, Mamet’s initially diffident and tongue tied student, against John, her professor and tutor. Times have changed but the power of the drama, particularly within this university theatre in Nottingham, remains fully charged.

Always good to grab your audience from the onset as Matt Aston, director, and designer, Laura McEwen, do from the word go. The action on stage has begun by the time we enter the auditorium. Carol (Clare Foster) sits silently and nervously. John (Alistair McGowen), her teacher, fully engrossed on the phone, ignores her. The set, John’s study, reduces the stage area by half, creating a strong focus on the actors, ironically so near physically and yet so far apart in understanding, empathy and communication. The physical claustrophobia suggests we’ll be going nowhere fast.

In 90 minutes, three scenes, and no interval we follow the story of the student who comes for help with her course work, of the teacher who attempts ineptly, condescendingly and inappropriately to do so and of the charges and subsequent demise of one/ both of them in the process. It’s a very clever play in which every word, spoken and unspoken, is vital. Mamet gives us a variety of possibilities from which we can judge. Is this student really ‘so stupid’? Is her teacher so unaware? Is the situation a set up? Why is neither of them capable of listening? Undoubtedly these are traps that both parties would be much more aware of guarding against today. Think of assessments for teaching competence, the need for observers in vulnerable situations, not to mention training sessions to guard against discrimination. But you can’t risk proof life and human nature so that Mamet’s essential drama keeps its full relevance.

It’s a big ask of the two actors. Alistair McGowen describes the role as ‘ genuinely the hardest thing I’ve done’. He says that he and Clare feel nervous before every performance. The lines are complicated, often truncated, making little sense and not easily memorable, their main purpose being to show a lack of communication. Small movement is important. I liked Foster’s portrayal of the nervous student – facial expression and bodily twitchings, McGowen likewise, with his powerful spreading gestures indicating supremacy and control, and then, of course, Mamet’s all action twist at the end, leaving the audience stunned. Indeed the audience were incredibly focused – not a cough or sigh, so totally bound up in the situation were they and listening intently to every nuance and word. Damian Coldwell’s forboding music and sounds only confirmed the sense of doom.

So here’s a chance for Nottingham audiences to catch what can be described as one of Mamet’s most controversial plays, extremely well acted and produced and also well supported by what Lakeside describes as ‘contextualising events’ – 4 free discussion/lecture sessions to further explore the play. See www.lakesidearts.org.uk for more information

Elaine Peel

LEARNING UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT - #Oleanna

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 16:13:02 +0100

LEARNING UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT - #Oleanna:

Blog I spotted via Twitter - Adrian Reynolds discusses Oleanna and learning - including comments about our show.

#Oleanna - Nottingham Post Review by Alan Geary

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:41:19 +0100

#Oleanna - Nottingham Post Review by Alan Geary

Podcast Interview about Oleanna with Alistair McGowan &...

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 13:40:57 +0100

Podcast Interview about Oleanna with Alistair McGowan & Clare Foster by NottmUniversity

Link to More Production Shots of Oleanna

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 16:13:41 +0100

Link to More Production Shots of Oleanna

Production Shots of Oleanna, taken by Alan Fletcher

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 13:25:00 +0100

Production Shots of Oleanna, taken by Alan Fletcher

Yesterday I set up a time lapse to film the installation of the...

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 15:48:15 +0100

Yesterday I set up a time lapse to film the installation of the set for Oleanna - so check it out if you want a sneaky peek at what’s in store on stage.
Design by Laura McEwen
(by LakesideArtsCentre)

Director - Matt Aston - against the better judgment of many - is doing the London Marathon. Again!

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 13:30:10 +0100

Director - Matt Aston - against the better judgment of many - is doing the London Marathon. Again!:

Director of #Oleanna Matt Aston has taken the plunge yet AGAIN by taking on the London Marathon this year.

Matt took part in and completed the 2010 London Marathon (6 hours 19 minutes 21 seconds…) and raised over £1,000 for The Actor’s Charitable Trust and this year he has been given the chance to take part in the 2011 race where he will again be running / walking quickly on behalf of TACT.

So if you feel in the giving mood I’m sure Matt would be thrilled to top his £1,000 target again.

More photos of the #Oleanna set dressing and lighting. Isaac...

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 13:16:00 +0100

More photos of the #Oleanna set dressing and lighting. Isaac Tendler, who is helping us out, makes a good model on stage in place of Alistair and Clare!

English Student Tasha Louise's Blog - Political Correctness for Teenagers

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 17:13:03 +0100

English Student Tasha Louise's Blog - Political Correctness for Teenagers:

Found Tasha’s blog via Hootsuite for Twitter, very funny, political correctness gone mad! #Oleanna

All Hands on deck! Shelves are being installed and painted and...

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 10:59:25 +0100

Some tunes to work to

All Hands on deck! Shelves are being installed and painted and the flooring is nearly ready to be stuck down on the platform.

The #Oleanna set starts to take shape…a square shape!

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:03:54 +0100

The #Oleanna set starts to take shape…a square shape!

Photographs of Oleanna Cast by David Baird

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:01:07 +0100

Photographs of Oleanna Cast by David Baird:

Photographer David Baird came to Lakeside on 17 March to take some shots for the Left Lion interview. Obviously they can’t print them all, and these are too good to be missed, so check them all out at the link. There are some of Director Matt Aston too.

Interview with Alistair in Left Lion

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 14:07:00 +0100

Interview with Alistair in Left Lion:

“Alistair McGowan is best known for his work as an impersonator on prime-time TV shows like The Big Impression and Spitting Image. But as well as being able to turn his tongue to just about anyone, he’s also an experienced actor and writer, having been awarded a BAFTA and nominated for an Olivier. So what’s he doing spending the best part of April performing a David Mamet play in Notts you might wonder…?”

See page 9 for the interview.

Words: Jared Wilson
Photo: David Baird

Listen again - Alistair McGowan on BBC Radio Nottingham

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 14:01:09 +0100

Listen again - Alistair McGowan on BBC Radio Nottingham:

Alistair McGowan was on BBC Radio Nottingham this morning with Frances Finn talking about Oleanna, his work for the environment and football amongst other things. Frances, bless, got a bit confused and though I (Debs Storey - Lakeside’s Marketing Assistant) was starring alongside Alistair in Oleanna - but of course it’s the lovely Clare Foster! We had a good giggle about it, I think that will be the closest I ever get to fame!

Interview with Alistair starts 1 hour 7 minutes into the show.

Enjoy!

Today - start with the lighting and painting of the shelves for...

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 13:30:00 +0100

Today - start with the lighting and painting of the shelves for the set…later set goes in!

Check this out! Waterstone’s and Blackwell’s card...

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 13:24:35 +0100

Check this out! Waterstone’s and Blackwell’s card holders get a 2 for 1 ticket deal on Oleanna preview nights: Friday 8, Saturday 9 and Monday 11 April 8pm. This photo was taken in Waterstone’s in Nottingham. If you’re a card holder why not grab some tickets! Call the Box Office on 0115 846 7777 to book, quote ‘Blackwell’s Offer’ or ‘Waterstone’s Offer’. You must present your card when you collect your tickets.

Press, Hospitals and Unwanted Furniture

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:57:19 +0100

Monday 28 March

Freelance journalist Moira Petty came up from London to interview Alistair McGowan for a long piece in the Daily Mail which should be published in the Saturday 9 April issue – so keep your eyes peeled.

Tuesday 29 March

Today Alistair and Clare did their first stagger through of all three acts. It was great to see everything together and to get a feeling for the whole piece. The dramatic arc for both characters is really starting to take shape.

After rehearsals Kev Castle from Nottingham Hospitals Radio came to interview Clare Foster. Hopefully you won’t find yourself in hospital to hear it but Kev asked Clare for her top 6 songs and chatted to her about previous theatre shows she has been in as well as what’s in store in Oleanna.

Wednesday 30 March

Director Paul Benzing came in this afternoon to work on some of the more physical parts of the play. It was very useful to get a new perspective of these scenes from someone who has an eye for movement.

Designer Laura McEwen and Production and Design Assistant Dean Sudron went on the search for EVEN MORE books and office furniture. Their fantastic negotiating skills have resulted in several boxes of library books – many thanks West Bridgford Library – and some great furniture that was destined for the skip! We can always make use of things other people are getting rid of!

Friday 25 March - Pastries and WD40!

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 17:26:33 +0000

A splendid start to the day – breakfast pastries from The Dorchester in London where Alistair had a charity engagement last night! Thanks Alistair, what a treat!

In my previous blog post ‘Dogs, Books and the 400 Metres’ I mentioned that during the play a number of phone calls are received by John and that we only hear his side of that conversation on stage. Well…after drafting the other side of the conversation (approximately 2000 words) on Tuesday the team took this morning out to record the other side of the telephone conversations down a telephone line to the sound designer Damian Coldwell, in London! These will be used to help with learning the phone calls and may also be used in the show – but we can’t tell you about that yet!

The VERY squeaky office chair, which will be used in the show, got a lot of attention from a can of WD40 but it hasn’t made an ounce of difference! Maybe it will soak in over night? We can but hope!

Today I papped Alistair and Clare in their afternoon rehearsals

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 16:17:20 +0000

Alistair McGowan and Clare Foster

Alistair McGowan and Clare Foster

Alistair McGowan and Clare Foster

Alistair McGowan and Clare Foster

Alistair McGowan and Clare Foster

Today I papped Alistair and Clare in their afternoon rehearsals