Mr Ashdown
Sunday 2nd September 2012 8:04pm
124 posts
Hello,
Kind and sexy people congregated in Totterdown, Bristol today to do Sitcom things, and a jolly time was had by all, not least by Kev F who bewilderingly and aggressively played a Scots woman in a script that really did call for Kev F to play a bewildered and aggressive Scots woman.
In attendance - some very lovely and talented Bristol Sitcom Trials Players, plus a scattering of anxious writers who grew to appreciate why we hold these afternoon meetings in a pub. We read and critiqued the top five scripts as voted by peer review, and a further discussion was held with the Halloween show's director, Alistair Hedderman, after he had won a furious battle with the bar staff to serve him something that seemed very suspiciously like beef and tomato cupasoup.
We took a vote, and the two scripts we absolutely intend to go into rehearsal for our next show are: "The Brides of Pete-enstein" and "Three in Tow". These two scripts garnered the most laughs and appreciation from the team, and any staging issues were worked out in discussion, leading us to believe that they will be performable, funny, and that they will work for an audience.
At the meeting we also discussed and decided upon a classic Trials script, which we also aim to perform, simply because it's a great script that really works. The final two scripts will come from the Bristol team, as we write and rewrite with considerable input from the cast. For me, the process of watching scripts blossom as the cast bring characters to life and give their input is truly magical. Yes, it demands lots of rewrites and time and effort, but the audience don't know that - as they sit there with their cupasoups they just see five funny sitcoms, and that's exactly how it should be. And the audiences for the Sitcom Trials, in London, Manchester and Bristol, have been fantastic.
A few exciting pieces of news for you -
- Thursday Night Bristol Sitcom Trials. From Thursday 13th September, the Bristol team will be reading sitcom scripts on stage at the Oxford pub, Oxford Street, Totterdown, just before bands take to rock the world in an open mic slot.
We're doing this for fun, and because the landlord at the Oxford - who has kindly let us meet on Sundays - has begged us to do it. It'll be free. It'll be from 7pm. It'll be fun. It'll be free (yes I know I said that already). We very much hope to get a good crowd, so please please come along. and please please bring all your friends, except the ones you don't like very much any more.
If it works, we'll read YOUR sitcoms to an audience at future Sitcom Trials Thursday nights, so please feel free to come along with scripts so we can take a look at them - as long as they don't need stage directions, we're keen to perform them. Actors, please get in touch should you wish to be involved - we guarantee a good time!.
Let's see what happens on THURSDAY 13th SEPTEMBER, and we'll take it from there. Could be a nice thing on a regular basis - it's up to you guys to come along and support us.
- The Radio Sitcom Trials. Still in the planning stages, but we're looking to perform 30 minute radio sitcom scripts live in front of an audience, then release them as fully-mixed professional shows. We'll hold open competitions to select scripts. All up in the air at the moment, but discussions are underway and we'll announce how it'll work before the end of the year, and it could be quite exciting.
So.. busy times!
Kind regards and very best wishes,
--Vince
