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Multiple casting. The same scene could be played at he same time, but in four or five different locations throughout the fair. More people would see the scene and since each scene would be played at the same time, people wouldn't see the same thing twice, but instead would see another part of the story later, somewhere else.
Could be done for Christmas Carol, or, if that is too sacred, some other Christmas tale.
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Re: A Radical idea
Sun, September 9, 2007 - 2:27 AM
Good idea. However, one problem immediately comes to mind.
Telegrams. -
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Re: A Radical idea
Sun, September 9, 2007 - 2:31 AMOK, explain, please. I don't get the problem re: telegrams. -
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Re: A Radical idea
Sun, September 9, 2007 - 3:18 AM
Customer: I'd like to send a telegram to Scrooge.
Clerk: Which one?
Customer: There's more than one?
Clerk: Yes. Where did you see the one you want to send the message to? What was he wearing?
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Telegram boy: TELEGRAM FOR EBENEEZER SCROOGE!
Scrooge #1: Is that for me?
Scrooge #2: Is that for me? (In unison with #1)
Telegram boy: Erm...
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It's a bit confusing. And customers really do send telegrams to characters they've only seen once. -
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Re: A Radical idea
Sun, September 9, 2007 - 5:16 AMand try to tell Martin Harris he is not THE only Scrooge. LOL
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Re: A Radical idea
Sun, September 9, 2007 - 9:29 AMJust have the same actors do the same scene several times in several locations in rapid succession. A few patrons *might* see it twice but MANY more would be seeing it for the first time. Walk opposite the flow of traffic.
This would resolve the small cast problem, and the telegram problem. It wouldn't work for really long scenes and/or really busy actors but it would work for the small street scenes with less busy actors. It could take the place of some of the "walking scenery" activities.
In brief: Do more acting. -
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Re: A Radical idea
Sun, September 9, 2007 - 1:57 PMTelegrams are frankly the least of my worries. Aside from the logistical nightmares of casting, costuming and scheduling, the 400 stone gorilla is the fact that we have an insufficient acting pool to do the work that we need done as it is. It doesn't help that the casting pool is continually diminished by all the other things that are going on at Fair, and each year there are new casts forming that deplete those resources even further.
This year Other Books will be working on developing multiple performances of key scenes throughout the fair. However, there is simply no way that one could make a multiple cast approach work with the current resources and size of the fair, even if this were desirable. -
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Re: A Radical idea
Sun, September 9, 2007 - 4:02 PMYeesh! Thinning the herd anybody? ( Not to be down-putting. )
You also run into other problems,for example,if you're playing a scene based around a time of day. It's 5.00pm and you're playing a breakfast scene! ( A bit excentric,even by Victorian standards. ).
The general idea works if we were a walk-through sort of Disneyland exhibit,where you pass through a linear story telling premise. But what I believe truely works at our little festival,is that patrons relise that time is passing,our characters are moving on in "somewhat" real time. No one could possibly witness every scene of every cast,in a one day visit,as well as take in stage shows,dancing,shopping and eating.
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Re: A Radical idea
Sun, September 9, 2007 - 8:05 AM<<Could be done for Christmas Carol, or, if that is too sacred . . . . . . <<
Lets see we'd need at least 80 people.
We don't have enough for one cast of about 20, we're missing children as well as a few adults.
Are there 80 members of just Other Books? The idea sounds fun, but we just don't have the people to man such an endeavor.
Judith
Aka: Mrs. Cratchit -
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Re: A Radical idea
Thu, September 13, 2007 - 9:21 AMI thought we had at least 300 people.
I memtioned this because my friends, who know us and others at Fair, keep telling me they never saw us all day, or a single scene being played, even though they were looking for them. (I'm not counting Otherbooks stage -they know where that is) But Scrooge scenes, "Oliver" scenes. -
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Re: A Radical idea
Thu, September 13, 2007 - 9:42 AM300, in all of the groups? Are you counting Boothies too?
I know that our stage “Carol”, has a schedule posted on the side of our stage. So that people wishing to view what’s going on can do so.
Is there a printed schedule in the pamphlet they hand out at gate? Is this even possible? Do we have a grand plan to what’s going on, when and where? Can it be posted back stage as well as out front? -
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Re: A Radical idea
Thu, September 13, 2007 - 10:37 AMIf we're doing our jobs well, the streets should be chock full of interesting, interactive characters randomly hitting up members of the crowd. No schedule necessary. Folks shouldn't be able to walk 20 feet without coming across SOMEBODY. We really need to step up the action a bit if people say they don't notice. -
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Re: A Radical idea
Thu, September 13, 2007 - 11:13 AMWell, as long as we're sharing radical ideas, what are the logistics of some of the street scenes being performed at a different location on different days? Keep the times the same for the story's continuity, but move them around so those of us confined to a limited area do not hear the exact same thing at the exact same time every day of fair?
(For a couple of years, the excellent scene of Sykes searching for Nancy went by at the same time, every day, and my blood would literally boil in anger. It was VERY convincing, and I wanted to either confront Sykes--with a baseball bat or team of constables--or find Nancy and hustle her off to a women's shelter.)
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Re: A Radical idea
Thu, September 13, 2007 - 11:34 AMWe had about 600 performers last year, but they're all off doing their individual gigs: Fezziwig's, stage shows, caroling, etc. Some of them are already cast in multiple shows (ask me when I'm pulling my hair out trying to do the stage schedules. Each week (because they change) I create schedules for the stages that are handing out with the main programs at the front gate. They contain a few of the street bits as well - generally the larger flashy ones, which is all I had room for on the schedule. -
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Re: A Radical idea
Thu, September 13, 2007 - 12:21 PMAddendum - No matter how many performers we have that are interested in doing book characters, we have to find the ones that are right for each character, Are they the right age, sex and basic look? Are they the right temperament ? Can they really inhabit the character so the audience believes they are that person? Are they even interested in playing the character that we would like them to play? How many kids can play Tiny Tim or Oliver Twist? How many young men can play David Copperfield or Nicholas Nickelby? How many young women can play Estella or Kate Nickelby? How many adults can play Betsy Trotwood or Uriah Heep?
I like the idea of extending some of the scenes so that they inhabit more of the fair at more times. The Twist cast has been been doing that with some of their scenes, especially the pickpocket scene, which is brilliant. Some scenes play very well to the audience, even if they're not the most pivotal scene in a book. Witness the Mantalini suicide scene, which was so loud and successful, we had to move it away from the booths who were losing their customers.
And just a reminder, the vendors are an integral part of our fair. This is not a Christmas Crafts Fair, nor is it a strictly acting fair, but it is a symbiosis between all of us, and the more we can remember that, the better the whole event will be. -
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Re: A Radical idea
Thu, September 13, 2007 - 12:58 PMSounds like people are really hung up on the idea of all the theatre happening as specific scenes.
While the more recognizable parts of Xmas Carol should be well presented and accessible, since it is the theme of the event, most of what happens in the streets is not scheduled to any particular place or time. It's impovisational, random and free-flowing. Presenting scripted scenes creates a kind of proscenium/barrier between the performers and the audience that makes them spectators rather than part of the world we create.
People "looking" for the theatre may be missing it because it DOESN'T have a flashing light over it saying WATCH THIS. They missed Nicholas Nickleby asking if they knew where he could find a job, or Mulberry Hawk shaking them down for gambling debts, or Mrs. Finching babbling on about her late husband. They missed the holiday revelers wishing them "Happy Christmas" or the Fezziwig girls giggling about some passing beau.
If folks want to go see something scripted and rehearsed while they passively sit back and take it in, they can go to Sal's or the Music Hall, or even stay home and watch a DVD of Alastair Sim. -
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Re: A Radical idea
Thu, September 13, 2007 - 2:47 PM<<No matter how many performers we have that are interested in doing book characters, we have to find the ones that are right for each character, Are they the right age, sex and basic look? Are they the right temperament ? Can they really inhabit the character so the audience believes they are that person? Are they even interested in playing the character that we would like them to play? How many kids can play Tiny Tim or Oliver Twist? How many young men can play David Copperfield or Nicholas Nickelby? How many young women can play Estella or Kate Nickelby? How many adults can play Betsy Trotwood or Uriah Heep?>>
This is what Other Books tries so hard to do. We want people to inhabit their characters so much they can't help but spill over into the streets. We really want to foster that organic interface of person and character that fuels interactivity.
However, book characters aside, each and every one of us working Dickens should be "onstage" whenever we're in the streets. What helps create the immersion environment is the sense that the inhabitants of Dickens London permeate the environment. Making eye contact and saying Happy Christmas to customers, even if no other interaction occurs, raises the festivity level. If you are working any part of Dickens Fair, this is the bare minimum of what you should be doing to help create and sustain the mood.
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Re: A Radical idea
Thu, September 13, 2007 - 2:51 PMYou make an excellent point, Rydell. The beauty of DCF (as opposed to Yet Another Scrooge On Stage) is the immersion.
The problem has become that, when the customers out number the actors by 100:1 (or seem to at any rate), the fact that that was Oliver that just ran past gets lost because it was just another body jostling for space. Or that crowd of people is just another obstacle to move around and you did not know that Scrooge was crying at his grave stone. -
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Re: A Radical idea
Thu, September 13, 2007 - 8:33 PMI think another problem is that none of us can wear a flashing sign saying "(Insert Dickens Character Name Her )",with an arrow pointing to us. For example,I've watched Ace work his ass off as Fagin...and have customers walk right by him asking, "Where's Fagin?" We can't have cheerleaders walking about going, "Oooh Oooh...THAT is Mr.Fagin!". ( Admittedly Jeffey as Mr.Jingle does sort of do that...but he can't be everywhere. )
Or on the otherhand...take my character...Mr.Monks. Vital to the "Oliver Twist" story,but not so easily remembered. ( Believe me,I've had "Twistheads" run down the whole story and then eventually say, "Oh yeah...I forgot about him!" ). Or...as I tend to work the whole fair over...they don't remember me as "Monks",but as "Horrific man in black whom scared Grandmother and the children". It's difficult enough being a forgotten "secondary" character,I can't imagine being an even less known character and trying to make yourself known.
We can't educate the audience with a "Who's Who" spotters guide,or go around continuously declaring our characters. I think a lot of us make impacts,people just forget the names,or it's sensory overload. And in some cases - "Oliver Twist" in mind - we just have too many scenes to repeat them.
Just me thoughts... -
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Re: A Radical idea
Thu, September 13, 2007 - 10:10 PMI've pointed characters out to customers too, maybe we should do it more. -
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This is the maximum depth. Additional responses will not be threaded.
Re: A Radical idea
Thu, September 13, 2007 - 11:08 PMAt one point, the idea of a PlayBill was bandied about. Is this just too infeasible? -
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Re: A Radical idea
Fri, September 14, 2007 - 9:47 AM<<At one point, the idea of a PlayBill was bandied about. Is this just too infeasible?>>
There are two problems, well, three sort of. Everything costs money, including printing, and then there's the dual time aspect. Many things at the fair are in flux time-wise and keeping up with it for the stages is crazy enough. There's the time it takes to research and create the schedules as well as the running around getting them copied. As it is I create and fetch the (several thousand) stage schedule copies each week, on top of missives, entertainment stuff and my two businesses. Hence the signboards at the stages.
And the craziness of this time of year has already begun... -
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Re: A Radical idea
Fri, September 14, 2007 - 9:56 AMI was just thinking for identifying the Dickens Characters
Chracter Name ... Picture ... Summary of Character in one short paragraph.
This might help cut down on the number of people who need to run around saying "That was Mrs. Finching. You don't know who she is? Why let me tell you ..."
I wasn't talking about the stages at all, much less ANYTHING about the schedules.
And I suspect that you might find that people are willing to help and donate their time and effort to make this happen. -
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Re: A Radical idea
Fri, September 14, 2007 - 10:31 AMThis is actually something that I have wanted to have posted at the front gate as there are so many characters, any sort of printed material would be quite huge. Been trying to make this happen for years... -
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Re: A Radical idea
Fri, September 14, 2007 - 10:38 AMThat was why I was thinking PlayBill. People are used to that folded booklet style.
If I can help, let me know.
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Re: A Radical idea
Fri, September 14, 2007 - 10:42 AM>"And I suspect that you might find that people are willing to help and donate their time and effort to make this happen."<
One would think, Karsten...but it has proven to be better said than done. Numerous attempts have been made to create something like this...but no one seems to just step up to the plate and actually DO it. In theory it's a great suggestion...but everyone seems ready to make suggestions, but they just seem to be content merely issuing suggestions but never actually acting on it. Anyone out there...maybe someone...anyone... making the actual suggestions (ahem)...willing to do this? It is a lot of work.
Anyone willing to take the pictures?
Anyone willing to catalog ALL of our character actors in the 70+ days we have left to opening of DF?
Anyone willing to write, edit, proofread, and assemble the biographies?
Anyone willing to design and layout the photos with bios?
Anyone willing to front the cash to print each week's worth of pamphlets? (I know someone who prints the schedules out of her own pocket each month...and still gets a little too much grief each year that there isn't enough available...)
Anyone willing to make sure that the people selling/distributing said pamphlets will be having enough to hand out for the unknown numbers of people visiting Dickens each day we're open?
Honestly- all the above is what this entails. If anyone wants to do it ... then step up to the plate and do it.
All that being said...As much as it would be cool to see ourselves in print...I look at it this way - If WE, as ACTORS, need to have a dossier for people to reference, like a field guide of characters...then, frankly, we're not doing our jobs as actors. If we're doing our job right, we don't need signs...we don't need dossiers...we would be our own field guide.
I have had complete strangers (audience members...of ALL AGES, mind you) come up to me in the street and say "Good day to you, Mr. Heep!" or "Shouldn't you be home beating little David, Mr. Murdstone?" These people, in particular, get who I am without my introducing myself because I do what Rydell and Therese have been professing in their workshops - I present myself as a "larger than life" portrayal of whatever character I'm performing. We are (or should be) caricatures of people in Victorian society...so even if they can't figure out what our name is, they know who we are. Be big. Project. Cheat out. Find that one thing that makes the character unique, and amp it up. With my characterization of Heep, it was slimy body postures and hand washing...with Murdstone it was the hideous elvis wig and boot smacking with a riding crop...with Tadger it was the silly jungle outfit.
If an audience member doesn't know who you are, take the time to immerse them in this theatrical experience. Have a conversation with them as that character. Paula teaches "Meet and Greet" for a reason - it works. Her lessons are simple and effective exercises that can help us be better street characters. Amy and I (as the Murdstones) had a blast last year as we went from family to family and offered to employ their children with our usual brand of cheeriness. If they didn't know the Murdstones before we met, Amy and I made sure they would never forget who we were.
>"This might help cut down on the number of people who need to run around saying "That was Mrs. Finching. You don't know who she is? Why let me tell you ..." <
WHY should we avoid telling people about other characters? You mean, we SHOULDN'T be engaging our audience? Isn't that the point? We're not on stage for a reason...we are immersion theater. We talk TO our audience - not AT them. If you don't know what character your fellow actor is portraying, then tell the audience member "I don't know who that is. Perhaps you should introduce yourself. Why don't we find out together?" Make a bit out of it.
In 2005, I worked hard to make my Heep so memorable to some people. It worked! A family from Salinas used a picture of me in front of the Christmas tree near Scrooge and Marley as their family Christmas card image! Then they went out of their way in 2006 to find Mr. Heep, and give him a copy of the card, and wish him a Merry Christmas. This happens when you AMP up your character's unique qualities, ENGAGE the audience, and be more than just someone in a costume. -
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Re: A Radical idea
Fri, September 14, 2007 - 10:43 AMBTW - Karsten - It's really COOL that you just offered to help! That is exactly what I was talking about.
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Re: A Radical idea
Fri, September 14, 2007 - 10:52 AM<<A family from Salinas used a picture of me in front of the Christmas tree near Scrooge and Marley as their family Christmas card image!>>
Wow, a pirate poster boy and a Christmas card? Will wonders never cease?
But I digress... back to our discussion.
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Re: A Radical idea
Fri, September 14, 2007 - 11:06 AM>WHY should we avoid telling people about other characters? You mean, we SHOULDN'T be engaging our audience? Isn't that the point?
No, Pete, I have actually made the point in the past (or tried to, anyway) that we SHOULD be doing that, but when Scrooge walks by (having to push his way through the crowd) and customers ask "Who was that rude man?" (and that HAS happened, I got to explain it to them) ... well, my point is that I only caught three out of who knows how many. We, the participants (boothies as well as actors), are out numbered. If ALL participants contributed to the focus of the Fair, it could be TRULY AWESOME instead of the Amazingly Great that it is today.
Giving the customers a visual Who's Who to the characters shouldn't replace anything.
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Re: A Radical idea
Thu, September 13, 2007 - 11:47 AMSharon, yours is not the first voice I have heard say this. I heard from some customers, this past year, that they loved the overall show, but could/did not see the street acting bits. (I explained the street acting to them, especially the Scrooge bits, and they will be back this year just to look for it.) Also, I was in normal clothing with my toddler and some people from our mommy group at sever points this past year. Even when I was on the look out, knowing when and where the bits would happen, I had a hard time finding them, and, when I did find them, I had a hard time hearing or seeing them, if the crowd was more than a few people deep. -
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Re: A Radical idea
Thu, September 13, 2007 - 12:06 PMI suppose we could put tall flags on the actor's heads that say Dickens' scene going on here...
Seriously, if you talk to people who would really like to see more of the street scenes, suggest they come earlier in the run, before it gets too crowded. If it's like the last weekend was last year, there's only so much any of us can do. -
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Re: A Radical idea
Thu, September 13, 2007 - 2:41 PMOooooooo ... can I wear the hat with the flag on it? That would be SOOO cool! :-D
...but, seriously, Yes, it is hard. And that last weekend, while great for the take at the gate, was horrendously crowded.
I have made that suggestion, and already started reminding people about when the fair starts. -
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Re: A Radical idea
Fri, September 14, 2007 - 2:38 PMMy original response was in specific answer to "How to make Fair more Christmas-y" Therefore, I'm not advocating doing ALL scenes many times over, but only the ones that have a lot of "touchy, feely, warm and squishy Christmas feelings" in them. Spread the Christmas around more. Much smaller job, I think. -
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Re: A Radical idea
Fri, September 14, 2007 - 2:55 PMYes, but most of those scenes use our biggest characters, which are the hardest to cast.... -
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"would you like a spring of holly with that, sir?"
Fri, September 14, 2007 - 3:22 PMWe were batting around some ideas, and we came up with groups of folk doing "Christmas Blitzkriegs" (we even had an idea of a "flaming" pudding with those battery powered tealights). Imagine a gaggle of gaily chattering participants swarming around a lamp post, or a patron, or Scrooge, and indulging in a frenzy of decorating/singing/festivity. Then - as suddenly as they appear, they move off to some other needy space/object/person leaving bewildered merriment in their wake. A mobile Christmas bomb!
And I iterate again - we should ALL of us be meeting, greeting and spreading seasonal cheer! Not just "characters."
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This is the maximum depth. Additional responses will not be threaded.
Re: "would you like a spring of holly with that, sir?"
Fri, September 14, 2007 - 3:44 PMLOL! I can see us building a giant...steaming Christmas pudding that can be carried around fair by a bunch of the Cratchit family. "Out of the way! She's gonna blow!" -
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Re: "would you like a spring of holly with that, sir?"
Fri, September 14, 2007 - 3:49 PMJust as a thought, what about resurrecting the Boar's Head parade?
Also, as a small point that EVERYONE can do, regardless of job (actor, front gate worker, vendor, boothie, etc.) instead of saying "Good day" or "Hello" or "Greetings" say "HAPPY CHRISTMAS." If you say nothing else to anyone all day, wish them "Happy Christmas." Walk around and wish everyone you see "Happy Christmas." You can be the meekest person on the planet and terrified of interacting with strangers, but by uttering those two simple words you can convey that
A) It's Christmas
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B) We must not be in Kansas anymore (because nobody's saying "Merry"). -
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Re: "would you like a spring of holly with that, sir?"
Fri, September 14, 2007 - 4:10 PMLast year was grueling and overcommitted, and by the time I was suited up as Flora - usually mid to late afternoon - I had mouldy oatmeal for brains. So I would just spend awhile (sometimes hours, depending on the layer of mould to overcome) wandering the Fair making eye contact and wishing customers "Happy Christmas." It usually got my energy and spirits up sufficiently to be more Finching-Like.
Now then - if you give Mrs Finching a piece of mistletoe there is literally no telling what might happen...
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Re: "would you like a spring of holly with that, sir?"
Fri, September 14, 2007 - 4:12 PM<< can see us building a giant...steaming Christmas pudding that can be carried around fair by a bunch of the Cratchit family. "Out of the way! She's gonna blow!" >>
oooh - I like that! And it could be pursued by a giant turkey being chased by a small boy! -
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Re: "would you like a spring of holly with that, sir?"
Fri, September 14, 2007 - 4:32 PM<instead of saying "Good day" or "Hello" or "Greetings" say "HAPPY CHRISTMAS.">
On my shift at the front gate we do say "Happy Christmas" Then if somebody corrects us with "Merry Christmas" we explain that here in England it's Happy Christmas. Or sometime they will ask why we say "Happy Christmas"
Then they go off saying Happy Christmas to folks and feel that they are part of the fair.
We also tell the kiddies to make sure that they see Father Christmas.
Little things like this can help patrons feel like they are a part of the fair expereince
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Re: "would you like a spring of holly with that, sir?"
Fri, September 14, 2007 - 4:44 PMNICE!
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