Act two under our belt

Just ran the first 2 acts very successfully.....so slick and extremely emotional....the performances are growing everyday.
Pete Watkins came in. It was great to have him in the room and to get his endorsement. Without Pete we wouldn't be doing this play. He seemed to really get it and was visibly moved. If we can perform for him, we can perform for anyone!
Worked out the music for the end of act two today. It's perfect! Here are the actors getting to grips with it!


Are these my favourite rehearsals ever?????


Act three tomorrow....onwards!

Week 2

Fab day rehearsing! Wonderful actors! I'm very lucky to be working with this cast.
Really cracked Act 1. Just the scary bit to sort tomorrow.
My mate Cathy came in. She's a retired health visitor and expert on all things to do with child birth and its effects and was an immense help, particularly with two of the characters.
Also my research collaborator Julie Garton came in into rehearsals.... She loved it.... Said the layers were working really well and had nothing but praise for the actors.... ( well they are brilliant!)
Well, onwards tomorrow! Act two..... ( which does actually contain a song and dance number!) hurray!
I'm SO proud that the show is selling so well....really want to make it something to remember.

Day 2

Amazing day! Got right through the play....sketching it all out together....
The wonderful Gordon Morris came in the afternoon and the cast were completely enthralled by what he had to say.
The next few days will be dedicated to in depth work, finding authentic voices for the characters.
Here are some photos from today:


Some mop hilarity.




Working it all out.


Warm up game.

On another note, our football team won 6-4 tonight! Here they are:


More tomorrow....

First day of rehearsals

It's been an amazing day....lovely gentle atmosphere in rehearsals. Embarked on a journey to understand this play...keep wondering what the author meant, then remembering it's me and I'm the one who's supposed to know!
We got right through Act one and half way through Act two, on it's feet....actors really going for it. Some really strong and moving moments already. The story telling is the thing and it's the sort of play where you've got to get it right in action rather than on paper. I think tomorrow it's going to be about getting to the heart of the story and in a way to the simplicity of it. A young woman is being assessed in a mental hospital, while she is waiting for the doctors, she meets spirits from the past of the "asylum" who through the action of the play tell their stories and teach her things.....I'm excited about tomorrow, but ready to forget about it all for a few hours first...
I'll take some photos in rehearsal tomorrow....forgot today, what with it being day 1 and all.

Rehearsals Start on Monday

Rehearsals start on Monday for my new play Different Buttons, about the history of St. Clements Mental Hospital in Ipswich.
After a casting re-jig....it's been decided that Jimmy Grimes will play the part of Bobby. I'm really excited about this. Jimmy is an incredible actor and my long term collaborator (and adopted son).
All week, the actors having been emailing me great questions about the script...it's a very emotional play and it's going to be a big challenge for everyone...I'll write a bit about each day's rehearsal here and hope some people will find it interesting. I'll also post some photos....

Welcome to the 'Different Buttons' blog!

Different Buttons is our brand new play commemorating the history of St Clement’s Hospital in Ipswich, Suffolk. Writer/Director Joanna Carrick will be updating this blog as often as she can, offering an insight into the process of bringing the story to life.