Phil Faiers and Maggie Crane as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern on Opening Night.
Well, in fact there was no curtain.
For twenty minutes as the audience arrived both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were on stage playing cards, reading books, eating apples, tossing coins and conversing — all the while ignoring the audience. As the start time approached they took their positions and as the house lights dimmed the play began. But it had not been without worry! After weeks and weeks of rehearsals a last-minute hiccup nearly put a spanner in the works when Maggie Crane (Rosencrantz) tore a calf muscle during the technical rehearsal and could not put any weight on her leg, let alone walk. A wheelchair came to the rescue and for both performances at Lectoure she wheeled herself about the stage.
Lines were added or modified to take into account her new-found mode of transport and many of the audience said how they felt the wheelchair had actually added to the performance. Both the Lectoure performances were very well received and we have had so many warm and generous comments, both in individual emails to the Company and as comments on our Facebook page. Two members of the audience had seen the much acclaimed Old Vic production starring Daniel Radcliffe and Josh McGuire and they referred to our performance as more intimate and every bit as entertaining. Humbling praise indeed.
We have two more performances at the bijou Sept Chandelles theatre in Maubourguet this coming weekend and the whole cast and crew are looking forward to putting on a good show again.
The above photograph of the eponymous characters was taken by our friend Matthew Weinreb on the opening night. For more photographs see the Gallery page.
For twenty minutes as the audience arrived both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were on stage playing cards, reading books, eating apples, tossing coins and conversing — all the while ignoring the audience. As the start time approached they took their positions and as the house lights dimmed the play began. But it had not been without worry! After weeks and weeks of rehearsals a last-minute hiccup nearly put a spanner in the works when Maggie Crane (Rosencrantz) tore a calf muscle during the technical rehearsal and could not put any weight on her leg, let alone walk. A wheelchair came to the rescue and for both performances at Lectoure she wheeled herself about the stage.
Lines were added or modified to take into account her new-found mode of transport and many of the audience said how they felt the wheelchair had actually added to the performance. Both the Lectoure performances were very well received and we have had so many warm and generous comments, both in individual emails to the Company and as comments on our Facebook page. Two members of the audience had seen the much acclaimed Old Vic production starring Daniel Radcliffe and Josh McGuire and they referred to our performance as more intimate and every bit as entertaining. Humbling praise indeed.
We have two more performances at the bijou Sept Chandelles theatre in Maubourguet this coming weekend and the whole cast and crew are looking forward to putting on a good show again.
The above photograph of the eponymous characters was taken by our friend Matthew Weinreb on the opening night. For more photographs see the Gallery page.