|
Introduction to the Project
by Alice Lawson
People in costumes shouting at the cast and
joining in with the play. Sound familiar? Been there, done
that?
Oh yes I hear you say. The Rocky Horror
Show ...
Well you would be wrong. I am talking
about Shakespeare's Richard III. Yes, I said Richard III.
Anyone who has read Jasper Fforde's The
Eyre Affair will know immediately what we are going to do.
For those who don't, well I suggest you could do worse
than read the book. I will not spoil the plot. I will only tell
you the bit that started off this project.
The Eyre Affair takes place in Swindon
in an alternate universe. In this Swindon Richard III has
been performed every Friday night in The Ritz theatre for
15 years. The audience turn up and are given parts, so you
have a different cast each week. There are all sorts of
fun things like the Battle of Bosworth in the auditorium
with all the audience involved.
Jasper Fforde has kindly given his
consent to us using his idea and staging the show. I say
given his consent, what I mean is he said, "Yes
please, Can I be Richard"...
"Can I play too?"
I hear you cry. Like any good project, we need volunteers.
We would like to put together a group of
people to write (or should I say cut) the play into a
manageable length. As good as it might be, I think three
to four hours is enough fun for anyone.
This group would also work on the script
for the audience. We have the opening lines:
Richard opened his mouth to speak and
the whole audience erupted in unison:
"When is the winter of our
discontent?"
"Now," replied Richard with a
cruel smile, "is the winter of our discontent ...
made glorious summer by this son of York ..."
On the word "summer" six
hundred people placed sunglasses on and looked up at an
imaginary sun.
(from The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde)
In the Swindon play, the parts are given
out on the night. Now this has taken 15 years to happen,
in a world where everyone quotes Shakespeare the way we
quote the parrot sketch. So for our play I think we need a
cast and some rehearsal. John Dowd has already taken dibs
on the part of The Viking. (A Norse, A Norse ... )
Who knows, if it takes off and other
conventions carry it forward, 15 conventions down the line
maybe it can be cast on the night ...
We will also need costumes, so it
follows we will need people to make them. You know who you
are!
So please volunteer for any area that
suits you, but remember ...
Even as just a member of the audience,
you have a part. There will be audience participation and
remember: we have a battle to fight!
If you want to know more please get in
touch with us. We will arrange script workshops and
rehearsal events during the next year.
| 
