Yo assmonkeys! Another week begins and another blog is entered from yourstruly. This is going to be short and sweet. We did the Scratch performance last wednesday and it went really well but since then have rehearsed only once due to stupidity, disorganisation and illness. Our hearts, minds, bodies, souls and brains go out to the gallant Andrew Dawson who has been taken severely ill, we think with bowel AIDS. Get well soon Andy!
Past this stuff nothing has happened. We're on Bath FM at some point this week plugging Mate though. Exciting times. Equally the Bison from the last post hasn't made it into the show just to disappoint all you bison followers out there.
I'm off to watch a little more tennis then record the radio bits then possibly rehearse later in the week and maybe perform the show? Who knows. You Decide.
Rhymenoseros
Josh Blogolga
x
Monday, 30 June 2008
Saturday, 28 June 2008
Fearg on Fridays V
Shut up! I know it's not Friday, but I'm still the only one to keep my promise and post once a week, even if I do occasionally post it on Saturday morning. So screw you, you naysayers. Why is this post late I hear you scream? Well I shall tell you my vociferous friend, I have been 'Natural'ing. What's Naturaling? I hear you once more strain your larynx in an effort to be heard. Well Naturaling is my verb for the work I do for the Natural theatre company. The Natural theatre company before you yell, are a professional theatre company who specialize in comic street performance. Tonight I was an ensign (red shirt) in a Star Trek spoof, a conehead scientist, and a silver pensioner. It was a bit of a giggle, and good pay too. Not to be sniffed at. So that's why the post is late. Ok?
Right. On to the serious business of comedy blogs. Buggerit. Um... I've got a picture or two? Like this vaguely arty-blur-effect one of me in my Mate T-shirt during our first ever run in front of people. Yes, I almost forgot about that. We did a run. Not a fun run, or a marathon or anything of that ilk. But a runthrough of the play in front of other people. Not New Old Friends people, just old friends and relatives to be honest. It was good. Believe me there have been times during this that I didn't think I'd be saying that, but I can now. Without guilt or qualification; this play is a good play. It is a comedy that will make you laugh. It's the comic equivalent of Ronseal that, it does exactly what it says on the tin. Except it doesn't come in a tin. But in your eyes and ears. Not sexual coming though, its more of a visual and aural coming situation respectively really.
So yes, that was good. People said nice things. Nice things about the play, rather than just listing nice things such as cake, or chocolates, or a kiss on the cheek when you're sleepy. They didn't say any of those things, but they did say things like "I'll book that show if it goes on tour" Or "You should definitely get some producers to watch it, it has BBC3 sitcom all over it." Which are very nice things to hear if you have written a comedy play. Which we have.
Here is another photogram, (His Dark Materials reference for y'all there). This photo is from Black Sunday, sorry PC police I mean IC2 Sunday. The photo shows Andy (Wes) in the front row Josh (Toni) in the light and Fearg (Will) in the hat. If you study the angle on Fearg's (Fearg who is me, and shall henceforth be described as such, or I, myself, mine, various other first-person participles), so anyway, if one were to study the angle of my shoulders one would clearly see the dejection that had crept in. Dejection coupled with doubt as to the play's merits. These dejected doubts deserved destruction and duly delivered dere destined decision. Dat's right bitches, I got alliterative on your ass. But basically the doubts were crushed by the twin goodness of Marc's arrival as guest director and the scratch performance at the delightful Rondo.
Right. On to the serious business of comedy blogs. Buggerit. Um... I've got a picture or two? Like this vaguely arty-blur-effect one of me in my Mate T-shirt during our first ever run in front of people. Yes, I almost forgot about that. We did a run. Not a fun run, or a marathon or anything of that ilk. But a runthrough of the play in front of other people. Not New Old Friends people, just old friends and relatives to be honest. It was good. Believe me there have been times during this that I didn't think I'd be saying that, but I can now. Without guilt or qualification; this play is a good play. It is a comedy that will make you laugh. It's the comic equivalent of Ronseal that, it does exactly what it says on the tin. Except it doesn't come in a tin. But in your eyes and ears. Not sexual coming though, its more of a visual and aural coming situation respectively really.
So yes, that was good. People said nice things. Nice things about the play, rather than just listing nice things such as cake, or chocolates, or a kiss on the cheek when you're sleepy. They didn't say any of those things, but they did say things like "I'll book that show if it goes on tour" Or "You should definitely get some producers to watch it, it has BBC3 sitcom all over it." Which are very nice things to hear if you have written a comedy play. Which we have.
Here is another photogram, (His Dark Materials reference for y'all there). This photo is from Black Sunday, sorry PC police I mean IC2 Sunday. The photo shows Andy (Wes) in the front row Josh (Toni) in the light and Fearg (Will) in the hat. If you study the angle on Fearg's (Fearg who is me, and shall henceforth be described as such, or I, myself, mine, various other first-person participles), so anyway, if one were to study the angle of my shoulders one would clearly see the dejection that had crept in. Dejection coupled with doubt as to the play's merits. These dejected doubts deserved destruction and duly delivered dere destined decision. Dat's right bitches, I got alliterative on your ass. But basically the doubts were crushed by the twin goodness of Marc's arrival as guest director and the scratch performance at the delightful Rondo.
For my final picture I will show thee Marc. He is the one sat down. With the beer. It is about 1 o'clock. That's his second. Good man. The other guy is Josh. But you should know that by now. Check out the title page on Josh's script...Mate? Sounds like and incredible comedy. Oh wait it is!
And here ends my late, but fifth blog. Which is three more than anyone else in the company. Possibly. I do have to bow down the Josh Blogolga though. That was pretty impressive. I've not really got an answer except for the lame Dunloplogalotta which sounds like something that would fight Pikachu on some Japanese schoolboy's portable games console.
And here ends my late, but fifth blog. Which is three more than anyone else in the company. Possibly. I do have to bow down the Josh Blogolga though. That was pretty impressive. I've not really got an answer except for the lame Dunloplogalotta which sounds like something that would fight Pikachu on some Japanese schoolboy's portable games console.
Either way, much love. Stay classy San Diego.
xx
xx
Monday, 23 June 2008
You're more of a blog than a blog
This Bison may or may not be in the show. You decide.
Yes yes y'all. It's that blog of the week again for times. Or possibly that time if the week again for blogs....or other variations. Joshblogolga!!! ( In other news - I amaze myself sometimes).
It's Monday, as usual after the weekend finishes, only last weekend we rehearsed on Sunday. It went well. Andy Dawson now IS Wes, I've got something character like for Toni and Fearg's freakishly tall.
We've also managed, mainly due to the beautious talents of 'Breasts' (Amy), to team up with the wonderful people at Domino's Pizza to bring you....well....Pizza. Basically because we know that you [fans] are a ravenous bunch we've organised a deal with Domino's to provide free, yes you heard me, FREE PIZZA after the show. We are also in the process of possibly donating the Pizza left after the show to shanty towns in South Africa, but this is still in the preliminary stages so don't quote us on that yet.
Other than Sunday's grrrrrrrreat rehearsal nothing of real note has happened. Marc and I played golf on Saturday before he got the bus back to London. Fearg, Amy and I went to Opa! for some greek fun, and we were supposed to play football today but that's been cancelled. Oh well.
On a lighter note I was walking through town yesterday and heard an African lady exclaim; "NO! Leave that bird alone." Which I found funny.
Hope all's good with you [fans] and either i'll see you at the show or i'll see you a few days later with a machete. Have fun.
Josh
xxx
Friday, 20 June 2008
Fearg on Fridays IV
Woop de woop racial slur what!
S'up my theatrical gangstas. Yeah, I know, I'll drop my Dre-isms. For now, but they'll be back. This week has been a roller-coaster with ups downs, everything bar the scouts vomiting while they eat their lunch. (It's a UK classic TV reference all those of you in the US).
This picture MAY be in your newspaper tomorrow. We don't know. -
Sunday was probably the worst day yet for the company, we were in the brand-spanking-new £1.5 million Ustinov studio, so the day couldn't be that bad. But it tried. Oh how it tried. We ran the 90 minute play from start to finish in around 2 hours 3o. Speedy. Then we had a bit of a state of the union talk, lines needed to be learnt, jokes needed to be slicked, the play just needed polishing.
Then Monday, Marc (our guest director) arrived and reaped the benefits of our cataclysmic Sunday, because we were super focused and motivated. It went great, we ran it worked on bits, changed bits, put them back, changed them again. It were reet good I tell thee. We basically started playing again. It's not a finished article yet, but throughout this week we've been busting all kinds of grooves everywhere.
I think that the play is still a little slow, we speed ran it today and I think we can probably be faster than we speed ran. But it is freaking hilarious. You'll chuckle along most of the way, then there are a few genuine belly-laughs. I'm very proud as I'm sure Josh is too. Also, today we started recording our radio bits which had us shouting "F*CK!!!" Very loudly underneath a cafe chock full of little babies. It was incongruous to say the least. Sounds very funny though. I should point out that the swearing is in context, it is not meaningless and gratuitous.
Right, well this hasn't really been funny. I'm sorry. I prostrate myself upon the altar of your forgiveness, I offer you my prostate to alter in forgiveness? What? Too vulgar? Maybe so...but not bad nonetheless I may steal it. Is it stealing if it's from yourself? Can I think of a fifth question? Yes, yes I can. Ha.
Good day to you sir.
Much love.
xxx
Monday, 16 June 2008
Josh's slightly darker skinned blog
Yes yes y'all! (and we don't stop, in the winter or the summer - time. Gettin' jiggy with it....)
Word up to all you New Old Friendizzles out there. This is the illusive first REAL blog from the slightly darker side of the company, namely me (Josh).
I hope you've all had a great few days since the last thrilling instalment of the ultimate gangster blog by Feargy D.
While all you happy readers have been sunning your martymcfly-selves in the great weather Mate has been rollercoastering (not a real word) through the ups and downs of even more ghetto rehearsals.
Posters have been posted in various poster places in the pristine vending premisies in Bath so you can now see both Will and Toni's gorgeous faces all around town. BRRRAAAAP! Love to the streets! (And thank you to those people who were nice enough to let us put up a poster.)
Sunday's rehearsal was not good. That's all I'm going to say about it.
Today's rehearsal was however quite the opposite. The injection of Golf Director/Facist Dictator Marc E. Brown's expertise has added a further dimension of incredibility (as in good stuff, not a lack of creditability) to the already piping hot - theatrical wet dream fantasy that is MATE!
Apologies for my tardiness in Blogging but i'll try to be better in the future....honest.
Much love from the New Old Friends urban outreach programme.
Switch to the slightly darker (more tanned) side,
Josh
(Desperado)
P.S - Josh has declared himself "Captain" of New Old Freinds.
xxx
Word up to all you New Old Friendizzles out there. This is the illusive first REAL blog from the slightly darker side of the company, namely me (Josh).
I hope you've all had a great few days since the last thrilling instalment of the ultimate gangster blog by Feargy D.
While all you happy readers have been sunning your martymcfly-selves in the great weather Mate has been rollercoastering (not a real word) through the ups and downs of even more ghetto rehearsals.
Posters have been posted in various poster places in the pristine vending premisies in Bath so you can now see both Will and Toni's gorgeous faces all around town. BRRRAAAAP! Love to the streets! (And thank you to those people who were nice enough to let us put up a poster.)
Sunday's rehearsal was not good. That's all I'm going to say about it.
Today's rehearsal was however quite the opposite. The injection of Golf Director/Facist Dictator Marc E. Brown's expertise has added a further dimension of incredibility (as in good stuff, not a lack of creditability) to the already piping hot - theatrical wet dream fantasy that is MATE!
Apologies for my tardiness in Blogging but i'll try to be better in the future....honest.
Much love from the New Old Friends urban outreach programme.
Switch to the slightly darker (more tanned) side,
Josh
(Desperado)
P.S - Josh has declared himself "Captain" of New Old Freinds.
xxx
Saturday, 14 June 2008
Fearg on Fridays III
Hello blogosphere!
You may have noticed that it is not Friday, that does not make you Columbo. Or Sherlock Holmes. Or any other fictional detective. It makes you a person with command of the weekly day-rota. That could be phrased better. But I can't be arseholed to rephrase it for comedy gold. But trust me there is comedy gold in there, you just have to polish that little phrase to make it shine yourself.
Check the random photo - Fearg,Amy,Andy,Josh
Either way it is Saturday and for this lapse I apolololologise. Although I think it's possibly still Friday somewhere, maybe. Forgive me? Go on, forgive me. I do a great line in puppy-dog eyes, so imagine me doing said puppy dogs and now forgive me. I crave forgiveness, maybe I should take this up with my shrink. I don't have a shrink but if I did I would now have to talk to him about the cyber rejection you are foisting on me.
SO, should probably get on with some news action about now. Um...what in the ass happened last week? Rehearsals hit a little bump with Monday AND Tuesday being called off for space issues, which sucked man breast. But then on Wednesday we rocked the proverbial Kazbaar, we fiddled with a scene that wasn't working and inadvertently created the an increfdible (that's a brilliant typo I'm keeping it, in fact it's not a brilliant typo it's an increfdible typo!) anyhoo the increfdible was leading to rap. Yes, you read that correctly we created an increfdible comedy rap. Poison Skin. It's a man mantra baby, it's a manantra! Yeah that's right, "You wanna run around talking bout puns like I ain't got none?"
Ok, I think there is at least one funny but in this blog. Promise from last week delivered. Promise for this week, my blog WILL be on a Friday & funny. Also, Josh may actually write a blog, but he is a little bitch so may not. While we're briefly talking about the others, monster respect to Amy's sign off...Although she is so much more to us than the one with the breasts, she has a butt that won't quit too.
Fearg - the one developing breasts. MOOOOBS!
You may have noticed that it is not Friday, that does not make you Columbo. Or Sherlock Holmes. Or any other fictional detective. It makes you a person with command of the weekly day-rota. That could be phrased better. But I can't be arseholed to rephrase it for comedy gold. But trust me there is comedy gold in there, you just have to polish that little phrase to make it shine yourself.
Check the random photo - Fearg,Amy,Andy,Josh
SO, should probably get on with some news action about now. Um...what in the ass happened last week? Rehearsals hit a little bump with Monday AND Tuesday being called off for space issues, which sucked man breast. But then on Wednesday we rocked the proverbial Kazbaar, we fiddled with a scene that wasn't working and inadvertently created the an increfdible (that's a brilliant typo I'm keeping it, in fact it's not a brilliant typo it's an increfdible typo!) anyhoo the increfdible was leading to rap. Yes, you read that correctly we created an increfdible comedy rap. Poison Skin. It's a man mantra baby, it's a manantra! Yeah that's right, "You wanna run around talking bout puns like I ain't got none?"
Ok, I think there is at least one funny but in this blog. Promise from last week delivered. Promise for this week, my blog WILL be on a Friday & funny. Also, Josh may actually write a blog, but he is a little bitch so may not. While we're briefly talking about the others, monster respect to Amy's sign off...Although she is so much more to us than the one with the breasts, she has a butt that won't quit too.
Fearg - the one developing breasts. MOOOOBS!
Wednesday, 11 June 2008
Amy's Second Words
Hello again!
Have just realised no one has yet blogged about the events of last week so I will take it upon myself to do so! Thursday was a good day – well it started off ok. We were rehearsing in the egg theatre, all was going well, and then we were kicked out because HTV wanted to film something in there about Camilla Parker Bowles. Don’t ask. Anyhoo, we went into the Ustinov foyer which works perfectly well as a foyer but we have decided the fung shui is entirely wrong for any sort of creativity. So, no more rehearsals could be done. This was ok though because Dave The Photographer arrived and took some great pictures of the cast (the boys) and the company (the boys plus me) outside the theatre where ‘THEATRE’ was written very large on the wall. The pics were really good. Dave should do that for a living. Oh, wait, I see…
The reason for the pics was that we have wangled a double page spread in the Bath Life magazine, coming out on the 20th June! Awesome! We then went to the Cork and Bottle, ate some delicious nachos, drank some beer, and recorded an interview on Fearg’s phone which was used to provide quotes for the article that we wrote later for Bath Life. I knocked up a loose 500 words, the boys tweaked it and added stuff, and Bath Life thought it was, quote ‘great’ unquote. On our way to stardom!
Off to see the boys soon, they’re rehearsing again today. I might go along and interrupt, get in the way, that sort of thing. BUY YOUR TICKETS!!!! Thursday has a post show talk about how to write comedy and starting your own theatre company – a must see event!
Best wishes, The One With The Breasts
Have just realised no one has yet blogged about the events of last week so I will take it upon myself to do so! Thursday was a good day – well it started off ok. We were rehearsing in the egg theatre, all was going well, and then we were kicked out because HTV wanted to film something in there about Camilla Parker Bowles. Don’t ask. Anyhoo, we went into the Ustinov foyer which works perfectly well as a foyer but we have decided the fung shui is entirely wrong for any sort of creativity. So, no more rehearsals could be done. This was ok though because Dave The Photographer arrived and took some great pictures of the cast (the boys) and the company (the boys plus me) outside the theatre where ‘THEATRE’ was written very large on the wall. The pics were really good. Dave should do that for a living. Oh, wait, I see…
The reason for the pics was that we have wangled a double page spread in the Bath Life magazine, coming out on the 20th June! Awesome! We then went to the Cork and Bottle, ate some delicious nachos, drank some beer, and recorded an interview on Fearg’s phone which was used to provide quotes for the article that we wrote later for Bath Life. I knocked up a loose 500 words, the boys tweaked it and added stuff, and Bath Life thought it was, quote ‘great’ unquote. On our way to stardom!
Off to see the boys soon, they’re rehearsing again today. I might go along and interrupt, get in the way, that sort of thing. BUY YOUR TICKETS!!!! Thursday has a post show talk about how to write comedy and starting your own theatre company – a must see event!
Best wishes, The One With The Breasts
Friday, 6 June 2008
Fearg on Fridays II
Hello all,
It's still Friday this counts! It's twenty to twelve, but that's still Friday. Ok, so this week rehearsals started and it's very exciting. We're flying along with the show now, we've provisionally blocked the entire play. The play itself has undertaken something of a transformation too, it's now a two-acter with an interval. Which is nice, it means you can have a beer just over half way through. I may join you.
Possibly the most exciting part of the week has been getting the posters printed. My face is on them, so's Josh's. You've got to admit it's a pretty special day when you see your own face blown up to A3 size, as an advert for a play that you've written with one of your best mates, that you are STARRING in with one of your best mates. That's a good day.
You can see the poster on the site; www.newoldfriends.co.uk in either the gallery or the Mate section of Projects.
In other news, unrelated news actually, should I talk of things that aren't strictly New Old Friendly? Well I'm going to, hang the consequences, I'm a maverick I do not to follow the rules your society has imposed on me. Ok, that's a direct rip of Daniel Kitson, but in fairness he's very funny so I think he'd be ok with me stealing his quip. I'm also much bigger than he is, so...let's just say we've not evolved past the big bloke with the club getting his own way. Right, off of the tangent Fearg, the news. I am auditioning for Romeo & Juliet on the West End on Sunday. If you've not read my bio on the site (www.newoldfriends.co.uk) shame on you, but to enlighten you I am a Shakespeare geek so it's a pretty big deal for me.
It's not as big a deal as Mate though. It really is freaking hilarious. I realise that this blog isn't exactly side-splitting, but in my defence (take note of the c Americans, c not s) it is very late on a Friday evening. I promise you good people of the interweb that next Friday I will deliver an hilarious (note the an grammar fans) instalment. Before then you'll be treated to Josh's first personal blog on Monday when he'll tell you of his exciting trip to Leeds amongst other things.
Much love
xxx
It's still Friday this counts! It's twenty to twelve, but that's still Friday. Ok, so this week rehearsals started and it's very exciting. We're flying along with the show now, we've provisionally blocked the entire play. The play itself has undertaken something of a transformation too, it's now a two-acter with an interval. Which is nice, it means you can have a beer just over half way through. I may join you.
Possibly the most exciting part of the week has been getting the posters printed. My face is on them, so's Josh's. You've got to admit it's a pretty special day when you see your own face blown up to A3 size, as an advert for a play that you've written with one of your best mates, that you are STARRING in with one of your best mates. That's a good day.
You can see the poster on the site; www.newoldfriends.co.uk in either the gallery or the Mate section of Projects.
In other news, unrelated news actually, should I talk of things that aren't strictly New Old Friendly? Well I'm going to, hang the consequences, I'm a maverick I do not to follow the rules your society has imposed on me. Ok, that's a direct rip of Daniel Kitson, but in fairness he's very funny so I think he'd be ok with me stealing his quip. I'm also much bigger than he is, so...let's just say we've not evolved past the big bloke with the club getting his own way. Right, off of the tangent Fearg, the news. I am auditioning for Romeo & Juliet on the West End on Sunday. If you've not read my bio on the site (www.newoldfriends.co.uk) shame on you, but to enlighten you I am a Shakespeare geek so it's a pretty big deal for me.
It's not as big a deal as Mate though. It really is freaking hilarious. I realise that this blog isn't exactly side-splitting, but in my defence (take note of the c Americans, c not s) it is very late on a Friday evening. I promise you good people of the interweb that next Friday I will deliver an hilarious (note the an grammar fans) instalment. Before then you'll be treated to Josh's first personal blog on Monday when he'll tell you of his exciting trip to Leeds amongst other things.
Much love
xxx
Wednesday, 4 June 2008
Amy's First Words!
Hey hey new old friends! Tis Amy’s first official blog so a clear sign that MATE is well and truly underway! I joined the boys at their second rehearsal today and picked up the final, official, finished (until they think of some more funny lines) script.
I was their audience for the first run through of act one. Wasn’t really fair on the guys – they were trying to act with me sitting in a very undignified position (it was a beanbag, I was wearing a short skirt, you understand) snottily squeaking with laughter (trying not to distract) with my face covered in running mascara. Soz.
There were some really good new bits and the scenes I had read quite a few times (auditions etc) seemed suddenly fresh and new once, well, acted. The guys are becoming very comfortable with their lines now so the characters are really developing.
Seeing the play that I’ve so far just seen on page being presented after just two days rehearsal was brilliant. It makes me realise that although MATE will clearly have some laugh out loud comedy with witty dialogue, there are subtleties in the characters that are just as good, if not better.
Well done lads! They probably noticed that I’ve been elusive on this website so far. I’m afraid I just told you I was busy – actually I just didn’t think it was very good. I’m happy to put my name to it now. Joke. Sorry, clearly the play would not be as funny if I had written it. And if you’re reading this and you haven’t yet bought tickets SHAME ON YOU!!! www.theatreroyal.org.uk – you snooze, you lose! Until next time I’ll be the undercover voice of femininity in a male dominated rehearsal room – wish me luck!
I was their audience for the first run through of act one. Wasn’t really fair on the guys – they were trying to act with me sitting in a very undignified position (it was a beanbag, I was wearing a short skirt, you understand) snottily squeaking with laughter (trying not to distract) with my face covered in running mascara. Soz.
There were some really good new bits and the scenes I had read quite a few times (auditions etc) seemed suddenly fresh and new once, well, acted. The guys are becoming very comfortable with their lines now so the characters are really developing.
Seeing the play that I’ve so far just seen on page being presented after just two days rehearsal was brilliant. It makes me realise that although MATE will clearly have some laugh out loud comedy with witty dialogue, there are subtleties in the characters that are just as good, if not better.
Well done lads! They probably noticed that I’ve been elusive on this website so far. I’m afraid I just told you I was busy – actually I just didn’t think it was very good. I’m happy to put my name to it now. Joke. Sorry, clearly the play would not be as funny if I had written it. And if you’re reading this and you haven’t yet bought tickets SHAME ON YOU!!! www.theatreroyal.org.uk – you snooze, you lose! Until next time I’ll be the undercover voice of femininity in a male dominated rehearsal room – wish me luck!
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