It is a family show with plenty to keep everyone enthralled, from swashbuckling sword fights choreographed by renowned fight director Amed Hashimi and amazing acting from a hugely experienced cast of actors - Kevin Kemp who played our Hamlet is the main man Robin, Friar Tuck is played by Oddsocks favourite Andy McGillan, Joseph Maudsley who was a fantastic Mark Anthony for Oddsocks last summer as Little John, Oddsocks Director Andy Barrow giving his worst as the baddy Sheriff and introducing the beautiful and talented Louisa Farrant as a fiesty Maid Marion.

Topping it all of is the fantastic original music created for the play by BBC folk award winner Lucy Ward.

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WOW!!! Sorry about the delayed blog… These first few weeks have been crazy… So much hard work. Not only the show… But the get in’s and get out’s even the get up’s… Not to mention the travelling. It’s great tho, loving every second, and feel very lucky to be a part of this team. We arrive at a venue about 5/6 hours before the performance begins… To meet the organisers and find the perfect spot for the wagon… the very, very heavy wagon. We then unload the vehicles and begin the ‘get in’. Building up the stage… setting props, preparing costumes… Fixing anything that may have broke in the drive or the previous show… This takes approximately 2 hours… at a steady non rushed pace… Then its coffee o’clock and a bite to eat… maybe a quick wander around the town/city/village we’re in, or maybe even a nap or work out… really depends on the day and how you’re feeling. Then with an hour before the show, its focus preparation time… Individual warm ups (I’ll try and get some clips of different actors warm ups) could be interesting… also a fight call (Blocking through the fights, so we have no losses of heads during the performance.) We also block through any ideas or changes we have… Which is great. Constantly developing character and ideas… rehearsing and talking them through before the show… then trying them out in the show… It’s a constant creative process… And a fantastic way to work. After the show it’s pack down time and the get out begins… everything has it’s place, otherwise it doesn’t fit in the vans, and everyone has their own roles… (Again, I’ll try and get some clips.) This takes about an hour… Then it’s in the vans… and off the the accommodation… Hotel/B&B/Pub… Bite to eat… and chill. Before you know, it’s late o’clock and you have to sleep, to be ready for the long drive to the next town/city/village… And the process begins again. I’ve settled into this routine now, and will be able to Blog more freely from this day forth… If WiFi if present. Every location is different, as are the shows and audience response.. It’s amazing. When you make it to a show… Come introduce yourself, would be great to meet as many of you as humanly possible.
Blog you later,

Joseph ‘Mark Antony Blogs You’ Maudsley

Sorry if this blog seems surreal… It has been a loooooooong day of saying many of Williams words… And Lawrence makes me feel weird.

Have a cracking Bank Holiday…

Blog you later,

Joseph (Antony)

So, it 2.45, and we’ve just finished blocking the entire show. A rough skeleton of the show you will be seeing. It’s crazy that in just 5 days, we have an idea of how the show will play out. At the same time it’s a scary thought that we only have 3 full days of rehearsals remaining, before travelling down to Peterborough for our first show.

Definitely a well earned lunch break, and time for a quick blog, before a run of the entire show this afternoon. Bring it on.

Take it easy,

Joseph

Allow me to introduce myself and my little blogging situation. My name is Joseph Maudsley, a Derby born actor. I have been employed by the wonderful Oddsocks Productions to play the role of Mark Anthony in their upcoming tour of Julius Caesar. And I cannot bloody wait.

Ok, so now onto my blogging situation. I am going to be blogging throughout the rehearsal and touring process to allow you good readers to have an insight as to what happens on and off the stage during our UK and channel island tour.

I hope you will enjoy the blogs… Cleverly and punningly named Joe Blogs (ooo… It’s a funny one.)

Also, if you have any questions for myself or the other cast members… Fire away, and we will endeavour to answer your questions.

30/05/12
Day 3 in the Julius Caesar house… we all arrived at the Laughter House, Derby (home to Oddsocks Productions) for a 9.30 start… for those who arrive before 9.30, a coffee and a chin wag are in order. I arrive at exactly 9.30. Rehearsals… Ready… Go!!! Previous to today, on day one and two, we read through the script, scene by scene, discussing plot meaning and character motivations… And then moved onto the blocking. It’s a great working environment, where any and every idea is thrown about freely. By the end of day 3, we’ve blocked (which means adding all the movements and staging) upto page 9 of the 36 page script. It’s hilarious working through the script with the team, bouncing ideas around, and trying out various gags. We’ve already got some corkers… and after the first performance we’ll find out whether they are actually funny… or whether the rehearsal process is sending us all a little doolally.

Right… this is all for my first blog… ever… onto line learning and sleep… ready for day 4 of rehearsals.

Thanks for reading,

Joseph (Joe Blogs) Maudsley