Theatre Odyssey: The UK's Community Classical Arts Organisation
Update 12/06/2009
 
Hi all,


I have been remiss in my blogging of late so thought I'd best let you know how things are going with Theatre Odyssey.


The rehearsed readings of Grecologues were great fun, and highlighted some things we could go on working on. They were well received by the audience, who were a mixture of students and townsfolk from St Andrews. Huge thanks were due to Malia Appleford and her friends in Chicago who put together and recorded the Newsreader segments and sent them over to us in Scotland. This was a huge success and broadcasting these Grecologues made it clear that fighting to save Classics is a worldwide endeavour.


Other Grecologues also went well, and in particular I really was taken aback by Tiresias, played by Harry Gooch. I have decided on the back of this to do more with the Tiresias character, who was portrayed here as a hermaphroditical receptionist for a plastic surgeon's office. It sounds ridiculous and funny, and in many ways it was, but this prophetic character telling us his/her story while trying desperately NOT to drink from a water bottle, knowing that to do so will ultimately result in death, was deeply tragic, and that took my by surprise. We're looking at trying to adapt this into a one man play. More on this anon.


Before I do that though, I'm about to start working on a modernised adaptation of Oedipus Rex, set in an office environment. It will take a fair bit of work, but the intention is that we work on hosting an open reading of this by April, with a view to a full production happening in October 2010. Wish us luck!


JT
 
 

Hi all,

Just an update to let you know I've been rewriting the One Man Odyssey (I know I said I wouldn't but have decided to anyway) and am quite excited about doing it again. Especially for those of you who didn't see it eight years ago!!!
This production is going to reflect my view of the story more this time, and will have a folkier feel, including a little bit of live music now... fun fun fun!!!
There are also new dates as we're doing this show as part of the St Andrews Inside Out festival. I'll be performing the show from 30th July to 1st August (Acts 1 to 3 on consecutive days) at the Castle Sands in St Andrews.

JT x

 
 

We have just bought for Theatre Odyssey a brand new projector. But while surfing I managed find a video on googlevideos which shows just how great it is. I particularly like to comments on how it's a 'sexy' projector, with a 'slim body', and that it is 'just like a fish - you can imagine it swimming through the water'. Even the opening comment of the projector 'projecting you into the future' is brilliant and insightful! :-) Here it is - enjoy!!!!

 
StAnza 03/17/2009
 

You might not see me much this week as I am involved a lot in StAnza - Scotland's International Poetry Festival. It's huge and will involved such personalities as Simon Armitage, Carol Ann Duffy and Bill Manhire (New Zealand's Poet Laureate)
I have just found out today that we've secured Bill Manhire to come to St Leonards to do a workshop with my Y8 students, which is brilliant, and I am really looking forward to that.
StAnza is now on twitter so try following @stanzapoetry, @stanzapoetrywit or @stanzapoetrypress, or me at @theatreodyssey. Tag your tweets with #sta09.
The website was down today - sorry about that, but it seems Weebly was apparently doing some construction work. Their hard hats seem to be away now though, so hopefully that doesn't happen too often.
Join the FORUM or comment on this blog to say hi, so I know who you are! I have no idea who reads this and who doesn't!

 
 

I don't think I had quite fathomed how diverse the internet is. Through the new iGoogle desktop-style internet, I am encountering all sorts of fun!

While having a stinker of a cold, and having spent most of today laying on the sofa in front of the TV (apart from writing three sets of reports this evening), I have found some rather enjoyable blogs.

Try Stephen Fry, Ricky Gervais, and Boris Johnson's blogs, for instance, or tune into FRUK (Folk Radio UK at folkradio.co.uk). A veritable bunfight of enjoyment and fun await you there.

You can, of course, also click on the feed button to the right, to add this blog to your iGoogle, if you have it. Then you don't even need to log on to the website to see what ramblings I have going at the moment.

One more thing - if you're interested in Classics in any way, join our FORUM (link on the nav bar to left) - make a profile and get chatting.

And oh, yes, you can also RSS Feed the forum to your iGoogle!

Enough brambling (blog-rambling?) for tonight...

JT x