Where are they now?

If you're a regular reader of this blog, particularly anyone who has been a visitor here since we launched this space all the way back in the 2007, you'll know that over that period, we've offered internships to four talented individuals at the start of their arts careers.

We're really proud of what Sara, David, Marieke and Richard achieved during their time with us and I thought this might be an opportune moment to share with you what they are up to now!

Sara

This blogpost flashed into my mind when onto my Twitter stream popped the following video, with a very recognisable face staring back. After Sara left Hoipolloi she studied acting at Central School of Speech and Drama and is now working with friends to create these little vignette's once a month...


 There's more information on Mono Pops and what they're up to right here

David

When David left Hoipolloi he headed off for two years at the Lecoq School in Paris (following in Shon and Steffi's footsteps). When he graduated last year, he started up his own company called Let Slip and can now be found up at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe with a show called Machines for Living

Machines for Living is now running at the Zoo until 27 August at 3.30pm. More info here.

Marieke

Marieke's path away from Hoipolloi lead her to Birkbeck's Theatre Directing course, which she'll be finishing in September. As part of the course, she spent eight months working with the lovely folks up at Sheffield Theatres (assisting Daniel Evans, Richard Wilson and Lyndsey Turner) and has recently produced and directed a production of Terrance Rattigan's While the Sun Shines.

Richard

Our most recent intern Richard left us back in 2011 to return to Hull and the Merge Arts Festival that he co-founded and runs. This year he'll also be found at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe working with Awkward Cough and their show The Election: A Silent Comedy, running now at the Bedlam Theatre until 18 August at 6.30pm. More info here.

Oh, and while we're talking about shows to see at the Fringe, you might also be interested that Shon and Steffi's daughter (and Hoipolloi's finest Edinburgh flyerer) Josie also has a show at the festival this year. You can see her in Spaghetti Junction at the Bedlam Theatre from 13 to 18 August (at 12.30pm). More info here.

(by the way, that's Sara dressed as the Doubtful Guest for a photo shoot back in 2008!)

A new face and a new diary date

My first day working with Hoipolloi and I turned up drenched in a mixture of rain and sweat - not a great start. The rain had hit me getting off the train in Cambridge (not in Hull - a place you’d think would get more rain - when I set off in the morning), and the sweat was because it was warm rain. Mmm. By the way, I'm Richard – nice to meet you.

This Hoipolloi blog is usually written by producer Simon and the company’s intern, which - as of yesterday - is me. Hello. Over the next year or so I’m going to be getting stuck into how a real theatre company works, and it’s all very exciting. Even more exciting than today’s first task...searching through roughly 1,200 spam e-mails (who knew there were so many cheap and easy ways to improve your sex life, or that you could get a Masters degree just by phoning someone up?). But yesterday I did get to send letters to Kevin Spacey, Cate Blanchett and Lord Neil Kinnock, so that was good. Anyway, I'm/we're looking forward to giving you little insights into what Hoipolloi and Hugh Hughes are up to over the next few months. Hopefully I'll/we'll do it as well as Marieke did.

In other news...

For weeks now Simon’s been teasing us all by dangling in our faces the prospect of future performance dates for Hugh Hughes. He’s been drip-feeding details of upcoming performances in Canada (at Vancouver’s PuSH International Performing Arts Festival, in Victoria and the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto) and, of course, Hugh’s residency at London’s Barbican, in The Wonderful World of Hugh Hughes.

But now, there’s another exciting date. The lovely people over at the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival have announced their line-up for next year’s festival (you can find it here: http://bit.ly/bVfytm) - and it features our very own Hugh Hughes. Hugh will be performing all three of his shows in October, at the Smock Alley Theatre, and he’s really looking forward to it. So, if you happen to be in or near Dublin in October (or know someone who is), check out those shows (or tell those people to).

Posted by Richard (Marketing & Admin Assistant, Hoipolloi)

Thanks to Infomatique for this picture of a green(!) Irish postbox - it reminds me of Hull's white phone boxes

Marieke's Top of the RoBo

I know the title sort of implies a cross between Robot Wars and Top of the Pops, which could be very exciting indeed. (In fact I may have to ring the BBC asap to pitch the idea of a singing competition for homemade robots). But this is nothing of the kind. What we have here is a list of my favourite bits from Hugh's Rough Book.

In first place we have Broken Fence/Fishing. I've only been fishing once, and sadly I didn't catch anything. I like fish, but I'm clearly not a born angler. I do have a fence in my garden, although if it was broken I doubt I could fix it. Somehow my fishing and fence failures made me feel a special connection to this post. ..

2. The Red Bird photos are a close second. I have no particular reason for liking these, I just think they are brilliant. I also think they would make excellent postcards, donthcyathink? Maybe we should ask Hugh if he'd be interested in releasing a range of greetings cards.

3. In at number three is the Misunderstood Hermit. One of my favourite poems is The Ancient Mariner. I know the Ancient Mariner is not a hermit, but for a split second, seeing this entry made me think of Coleridge's fantastic poem, and as a reward for bringing me that moment of joy, the Hermit makes it into the list.

I hope you have enjoyed Hugh Hughes' Rough Book as much as I have. Remember all of the entries are over on Hugh's website, so if you missed any, do not fear, you can hunt them down on the index page by clicking here, or go straight to that website at www.hughhughes.me.

And one last thing before I leave you for now - we are still on the hunt for a new intern. CVs and cover letters to me (marieke@hoipolloi.org.uk) by April 7th if you are keen. Do also get in touch if you have any questions about the position. But basically it is great so do apply!

Wanted: Intern!

As much as it saddens me to say, my time here at Hoipolloi is coming to an end. They haven't got rid of me quite yet, but it is that time of year when we start our hunt for the next Hoipolloi intern. For anyone who is interested in the theatre, likes Cambridge (and fruit tea), and wants to be involved with a real live theatre company, the Hoipolloi internship is a great opportunity.

The post is extremely varied and can be tailored to suit the skills and interests of the individual. Some of the duties include writing the company’s blog, assisting with marketing campaigns, liaising with venues and writing press releases and copy for shows.

Previous interns have gone onto train at the Central School of Speech and Drama, L’Ecole Jacques LeCoq and the Theatre Directing MFA at Birkbeck, University of London.

The start date is flexible, but usually begins in September and lasts for about 10 months. It is an unpaid post, but as you only work in the office three days a week there is plenty of time for other employment alongside.

To apply for the position please send a CV and covering letter explaining why you are interested to marieke@hoipolloi.org.uk by Wednesday 7th April. Or if you have any questions about the internship, please feel free to get in touch.

Bye!

Posted by Sara Green (Marketing and Admin Assistant, Hoipolloi)

Well, as this is my last day with Hoipolloi it also means that this is my last blog entry. I know, how sad!



As my placement with Hoipolloi is coming to an end, (I have been doing a 10 month internship with the company as part of my gap year) I thought it would be a good idea to sum up my time here and try and think of a highlight of the year. The problem is that there are so many, so I have tried to be brief...

Before I started at Hoipolloi I had never worked in an office before, and that showed! I would ask stupid questions and generally embarrass myself, particularly in regard to my knowledge of photocopiers. But after a year(ish) I can honestly say that I have learnt so much not only about touring theatre but also office life, and now if I am given a job I don’t automatically go into panic mode. Well not often anyway.

So that is one thing that this year has been good for. Another thing that was amazing about this placement was the fact that I was able to see the development of a show from scratch. I remember the meeting back in September discussing a possible set design for The Doubtful Guest. Then in November I got to watch rehearsals for the show before witnessing it progress into a fantastic piece of theatre which opened in Watford Palace. I feel privileged to have been a part of this process and it made watching the show just that little bit more special.

When I try and think of one event that has made my year I would probably go for the time I had to dress up as the Doubtful Guest and wander the Barbican having my photograph taken. You know, as you do! As an aspiring actor that was a pretty special experience, which, although made me look rather stupid, was extremely fun and unique.

But I can’t stop there.

There are so many times that stick in my mind, for example the first time I met Hugh Hughes, seeing Story of a Rabbit for the first time and crying, the opening night of The Doubtful Guest, the end of tour in Newcastle and getting slightly inebriated with the cast, going to rehearsals and being stunned by the talent of the company, building a rehearsal room with Richard and being the only girl in a room of men who knew what they were doing, listening to Hugh run the show at 10 times the speed and laughing in hysterics, having a joke with Simon that I found funny and he didn’t, getting an electric shock every time I touched the filing cabinet, falling asleep in the company car on countless occasions, betting Steffi I could fit inside a box then proving my point, actually enjoying the filing day when everyone else was bored, stunning Steffi with my detailed knowledge of Fedex, doing yoga and stretching with Louise on the office floor, making masks from scratch, finding out about the aliens that Hugh thinks are in everyone’s brains, having my lack of geographical knowledge as a laughing point on a daily basis, missing a meeting in Liverpool because I got on the wrong train and ended up in Waterbeach....I could go on.

But I think one of the best times for me has been the last week in the Barbican, which not only was my childhood home but it is also one of my favourite venues and watching the show on Friday night was one of the most emotional yet uplifting experiences I’ve had in a long time. I felt so proud to have been part of Hoipolloi and had such a lovely night celebrating with them that I actually don’t want to leave!

So I am now off to drama school to try and learn how to do that ‘acting’ thing and experience theatre from a more creative side, however I owe so much to Hoipolloi for giving me a complete all round experience of life in this industry and I feel so much more equipped with this year behind me.
So thank you for reading my ramblings over the year and I leave you in the very capable hands of David who will be taking over my job and no doubt the blog.

Just before I go however, I will do one last bit of marketing and urge you all to keep seeing Hoipolloi’s work; it just keeps getting better and better!

Goodbye!