Dramatic Endeavours

 For my birthday, I received an SLR camera. I love it. I'm not a great photographer by any stretch of the imagination but I'm enjoying picking up some skills as one might say. There's a cemetery (a deceptively big cemetery actually) at the bottom of my road so last weekend me and Beaton (my camera) went for a bit of a stroll round there. I only had 50 minutes before it closed so I plan to return at some point  for longer, more than once I hope. It'd be nice to take some people with me one time actually. Anyway, I ramble. Here's some examples of what I took last weekend.

I’m feeling pretty cynical this Valentine’s Day but, however much I try to deny it, I am an old romantic at heart. So I’m going to share a couple of my favourite romantic poems. But, not feeling as warm to love as I normally do, I should warn you that you may find these poems a little depressing. Lamplight We planned to shake the world together, you and I. Being young, and very wise; Now in the light of the green shaded lamp Almost I see your eyes Light with the old gay laughter; you and I Dreamed greatly of an Empire in those days, Setting our feet upon laborious ways, And all you asked of fame Was crossed swords in the Army List; My Dear, against your name. We planned a great Empire together, you and I, Bound only by the sea; Now in the quiet of a chill Winter's night Your voice comes hushed to me Full of forgotten memories: you and I Dreamed great dreams of our future in those days, Setting our feet on undiscovered ways, And all I asked of fame A scarlet cr...

The Lion in Winter , Director- Trevor Nunn, Theatre Royal Haymarket I saw this shortly before Christmas and even though it’s over now, I thought I’d still add my thoughts on it to this review blog. The Lion in Winter (James Goldman) centres on Henry II’s relationship with his three (remaining) sons and his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, focusing on a Christmas they spend together close to the end of his reign. I know quite a bit about the British monarchy and I’ve read a couple of books (fact and fiction) on the marriage of Henry and Eleanor so I enjoyed the subject of the play. What I did find quite hard to deal with was the large amount of historical inaccuracy. For instance, a small point, they had a Christmas tree on stage. Christmas trees weren’t introduced, in England at any rate, until the Victorian times, 800 years later. Other inaccuracies were much larger and harder not to focus on and though they are admitted to in the programme (ignored for the sake of ‘artistic license’) it ...

Some poorly written musings on my time spent directing: Before Christmas, I put on a play I’d written with my university’s drama society. I’ve been an active part of the society since I started at Uni and acted in four plays the previous academic year as well as in some shorts alongside them (including one I’d written and directed) however directing a full length play was a new experience for me. I’ve written other plays but not felt the need to direct them but this one, perhaps because it was based on my family’s experiences, I was desperate to direct. However, first and foremost I am an actor so, I was convinced that at some point during the rehearsal period, I would get bored of directing and want to be acting myself. Yet, this wasn’t the case. At least, not at first. Having been directed by a variety of directors with a variety of directing styles, it was very refreshing to be able to put into practice the theories I had on what a director should and shouldn’t do. I decided to dir...