Cinema Admits All

You had to kill a dog. And that's why you're late?

04/03/2010
You had to kill a dog. And that's why you're late?

I've avidly read Paul's short, exploratory stageplays and was blown away by the performed reading given in London yesterday 3rd March 2010.

The plays (3 of them) are based around a feature script called 'Redhand' about the last days of an aging Irish Terrorist seeking redepmtion where there is none. A script which Paul himself has used the phrase 'highly stylised uber destruction' to describe it's ending.

The plays were written for Paul to explore the characters and their lives, long before we see them as old men in the film.

If you want to know more about the reading, see my previous post 'Pink Confetti' Reading in London.

Read on to see what I thought and view some photos.

The Stage is a Red Curtain, and All the World's to Become a Red Mist.

Halftank and Frank turn away in disgust.

I enjoyed the performance immensely. It wasn't simply being impressed (which I was), or it being damn good (it certainly is).

It was something much subtler and far more meaningful, I just enjoyed it and forgot myself for an hour in the lives of these young men. I wanted to watch it again (and I'd read the script countless times).

It's a feeling that's easy to miss, but it marks a point where Paul has crossed a threshold. He's engaged and entertained an audience for a significant amount of time. This is harder than it looks and takes real skill, work and dedication.

the Pink Confetti Audience

To hear an audience audibly gasp at tense moments, and see eyes rapt with attention when it's something a close friend has created is a fantastic experience.

Badger curses at Frank and Halftank

I take my hat off (literally, I do wear a hat) to the people who brought it to life from the page.

Stephen Cavanagh as FRANK 'REDHAND' ENNIS, Richard Carroll as BARNEY 'HALFTANK' MCGEE, Giles Maythan as the twisted but humerous BADGER and Kyle Ross as BOBBY DALTON. And also to Katherine Beresford for Producing, and Kat Gillett for Directing.

I watched the play twice, and the rehearsal was powerful, but by the time they got going in front of a small audience, they really let go.

I think they really felt the roots and bones of the characters, and even started to riff with each other and let little idiosyncratic gestures drift in.

The emotion in the climax was immense, and you could see how much they'd given to it after it ended.

FADE LIGHTS. WEEPING. LIGHTS OUT. CURTAIN. THE END?

Redhand points the gun at Bobby.

The producers behind the reading are actively looking to put on a full theatre production following the positive response.

I hope they get a chance to perform it on a stage as a fully backed play. If anyone can help with this, either financially or in terms of performance space, please contact: paul@spiderhouse.co.uk.

Here are some photo's from the night:

mike posted You had to kill a dog. And that's why you're late?

about 2 years ago

Categories

Other Blog Posts

  • 'The Horror, The Horror' ~ The Marojin Shoot Wraps
    29 March 10 Read more
  • A Film Begins To Develop ~ The 'Marojin' shoot continues
    20 March 10 Read more
  • First Marojin Footage in the Can
    15 March 10 Read more
  • You had to kill a dog. And that's why you're late?
    04 March 10 Read more
  • Stop! It's Scammertime
    26 February 10 Read more
  • 'Marojin' Roles Cast
    20 February 10 Read more
Spiderhouse Productions Ltd
Mike J Hadfield
Look and code by Volicol