Royal national theatre

1. Royal National Theatre
Stage Manager – AndrewSpeed
It a ‘facilitating’partof theatre
Rehearsals –
Be there anhour before togo throughany scenes,setitupand checkthat everyone isthere.
Scene breakdown –the playis brokendownintopartsto know exactlywhichactorsare needed.
SM are the conduit(communicationsare passedthrough).Aftereachrehearsal the SMisusedto
pass the informationontothe all departmentswithinthe production:costume,wigs,hairand make-
up,props,lighting,sound.
Quite oftenanythingtodowiththose departmentsare discoveredwithinthe rehearsal andit’sthe
SM jobto spreadthat reportaroundthe organisation.
Main show -
Whenthe rehearsal isfinishedyoubringitto the stage where youhave a dressand techrehearsal.
Anothermainrole asSM isto make sure eachindividualaudience memberisgettingthe bestoutof
it andthat the showhasn’t got‘stale or worn’.
Duringthe show,callingactorsbefore scene change,checkingthateveryone is‘dischargestheir
dutiescorrectly’.Thencall the lightsandfollow the actionsinthe book.
As a SM,
- Listen
- Be proactive notreactive
- Be onthe frontfootbut neverpushy
- Be prepared
- Be aware
- Organisational Skills
- People skills
Director (chiefexecutive) –Rufus Norris
The personresponsibleforthe programand artisticoutput
The developmentworktakesalotof time – The national theatre workisresourcedby
corporate/individual donors
Events–
Pressnight,preview.
‘It’sneverstraightforwardanditsnever boring’
‘Everyday at least3 or 4 timesa day somethingunexpectedwithcome up’

2. Rufushas takenan ‘unorthodox route of becomingdirectorof the theatre’ -
- Previouslywantedtotrainasan actor
- Got intodrama school after4 years
- While gettinganapprenticeshipasapainterand decorator
- Followedbyan‘shortandingloriouscareeras an actor’
- Askedtojoina theatre companybecause of hisabilitytoputup studwallsandput down
flooring
- Reada playbyhis friendandtookitto the theatre,looking fora director,theyaskRufusif
he woulddirectit – ‘like aboltout of the blue’.
- Realisedthatwaswhathe wantedto do.
- He isnowa freelance theatre director.
- He has alsostarteda filmcareer
‘It takesall the energythatyou’ve gotand isgoingto testyou inall sorts of ways’
Beinga director– ‘you’re justa conduitforotherpeople’sbrilliance’
What Rufusthinksthe Artsare about,
- Peoplespresence are worthwhile
- Self-empowerment
- Self-expression
- Creativity
Sound and VideoSupervisor– Jonas Roebuck
The theatre is unique because of theirsoundandvideo department
Wentto Central school of speechanddrama, studiedsounddesignandsoundproduction.
Wenton tour for a couple of yearsand endingupat the theatre
He facilitates the rehearsal processmakingsure they’vegotwhattheyneed. He maintainsthe
equipmentinthe theatre,make sure itworksandthenwill operate the show.Asthe operatoryou
are incharge of the mics‘fadingupand down’.Todo so he needsto know the show as well asthe
actors.
Advice aboutworkingintheatre:
- Personable
- Friendlyandnice
- Be able toget on withactors
You have to be comfortable withthe actorsand have a relationshipwiththembecauseyouhave to
go intotheirdressingrooms andchange theirmics.
Jonas,workingwiththe newtechnical equipmentanddealingwith theirtechnical challenges,is ‘a
fewsatisfyingthings’abouthisjob.
‘youhave to be willingtolearnandlearnnew things’