Things to see...

For those of you not stranded somewhere far away, (and I hope most of you have not got stuck because of the ash), we have some exciting things for you to see at The Junction in Cambridge.

First up is Kursk. Kursk was created by our friends Sound&Fury. The Telegraph said "…the most brilliantly immersive piece of theatre I’ve seen all year… An unforgettable homage to the men of the Kursk, and all their kind." *****

If that hasn't sold it to you yet then...

August 2000. A British hunter-killer submarine is on patrol in the Arctic.
The crew drill, sleep, eat, long for word from home, and silently shadow their target.
Their lives are at once extraordinary and mundane – until a tragic event occurs that makes them question everything they are doing. As the tension mounts, the pressure they live under starts to take its toll.

Inspired by the Russian submarine disaster of August 2000, acclaimed theatre company Sound&Fury (The Watery Part of the World and Ether Frolics) join Bryony Lavery (Stockholm) to invoke the life of submariners, fathoms below the icy seas on the fraying front line of the Cold War.

Plus, if you call the box office on 01223 511 511 and quote 'Fuel' you can get tickets for a bargain-tastic £6 for tomorrow night's performance.

Also, don't forget that Hugh will be at The Junction on the 21st and 22nd May with In Rehearsal. You can get your tickets by ringing 01223 511 511 or to book online, click here.

TechnoTheatre

As the victim of many jokes regarding how technologically inept I am I have decided to dedicate this blog post to 'Theatre and Technology' in celebration of the fact that thanks to my time here at Hoipolloi I now know what Twitter is, can navigate Google Analytics and actually write a blog post. It really is miraculous that I haven't managed to break the blog yet.

Apart from the odd bit of 'multimedia' in productions, I had never given much thought to the role of technology in theatre. Apparently it is quite a big thing now. It has probably been a big deal for a while and I'm just being slow and finally cottoned on to the whole thing. Anyway it is all really rather intriguing.

The most exciting bit of 'techno-theatre' as I'm going to call it, is the RSC and Mudlark's 'Such Tweet Sorrow' (how much do you love what they've done there? It had me chuckling away for ages). Six RSC actors are improvising a drama based on Shakespeare's good old gem Romeo and Juliet. The 'show' will run for five weeks, with the actors posting tweets and YouTube videos throughout. Check it out at http://suchtweetsorrow.com/.

Now for many of you this will be old news, but I'm still intrigued by NT Live - live theatre broadcast to cinemas. I regrettably haven't made it to a screening yet, but I am dubious. Whenever I have watched recordings of live productions they have missed the mark. A lot. It seems that during the leap from stage to screen much of the magic is lost. But who am I to question the National. aybe I should just book myself a ticket for The Habit of Art which will be broadcast live on Aril 22nd. For more info click here.

I've got a funny feeling though that won't be ditching actually going to a theatre to see a show just yet. Perusing Twitter doesn't quite cut it for me when you can see real actors on a real set in a real theatre. In fact last night I saw Laura Wade's Posh at th Royal Court and thought it was magnificent. So if you'd like to stick to an old fashioned non techno theatre experience then I highly recommend a trip to Sloane Square. Or, there is of course Hugh Hughes in rehearsal at the Junction in Cambridge next month. It would be great to see you there.





Thanks to eurlief for the photo

Hugh Hughes In Rehearsal

Yes, at last, a joyful moment akin to the delights of the first signs of spring/a mouthful of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream/waking up and realising it is Saturday: here it is, the announcement that... Hugh is coming to a venue near you soon.

That is, it will be near if you live somewhere with a postcode beginning with a C and a B. Hugh is going to be at The Junction, Cambridge in May. So whatever you have planned on May 21st and/or 22nd, then rearrange and book tickets to see Hugh Hughes in Rehearsal.

Hugh Hughes in Rehearsal
The Junction, Cambridge
Friday 21 May: 6.30pm, 7.45pm and 9pm
Saturday 22 May: 3.30pm, 4.45pm and 6pm

Many of you will have seen Hugh's previous productions so you'll sort of know what to expect when you go to see a Hugh Hughes show. But here is where we throw a figurative spanner into the works.

There is no show.

This is Hugh Hughes in rehearsal, and it will do exactly what it says on the proverbial tin. Hugh hasn't made a new show for you. Instead, he would like to invite you into his rehearsal room to help uncover stories, people and places from his past.

Who knows where the adventure will end up...?

Come and be part of a major theatrical happening. Rarely, if ever, do audiences get to see inside the mysterious 'rehearsal room', but now's your chance.

Tickets cost just £5 for each individual session lasting an hour, or if you're really dedicated, you can pay £12 to stay for all three sessions on either day.

Tickets can be booked through The Junction's box office on 01223 511 511 or online via their website.

See you there!

Hugh Hughes' Rough Book

From January through till March, Hugh Hughes gave a glimpse into his studio by launching the Rough Book. Across 25 posts he uncovered previously hidden away sketches, photos, and thoughts, and many things in between in order to share his work in progress.

As a record of all this, we've gathered together the full set of links to the entries for you to peruse and enjoy at your leisure...

Red Bird
-Red Bird (i)
-Red Bird (ii)

Photos and thoughts
-No two sheep are the same
-Hanging fish and collisions in Hong Kong
-Real public art?
-Esperanto religion
-Snowdon Railway
-Helsinki Art Person
-Lady in a van
-Lost note

Drawings and thoughts
-Bigboot
-World people things
-Misunderstood hermit
-Dream
-Broken fence/fishing
-Edge of the world

Poems
-Roger McGough
-Doctor/patient
-Me and my father
-Gavin
-Ruth
-Dilys

Hugh hopes to share pages from his Rough Book once again in the future. We'll keep you posted!

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!