Last week was the first  week of Zoom-based rehearsals (rehearsals 2 & 3)  for our production of Shakespeare's Henry V. 
The actors are already doing brilliantly, with characterisations, and action already starting to show through, and while of course this is the earliest days of the rehearsal process, and there is everything to yet work on, there is some strong work already coming through. As a director I am loving the expression in the tones. 
As part of our planned upgrade to blogging our shows, and including an education pack for each show from this production onwards, we are going to be sharing a lot of behind-the-scenes clips from rehearsals and interviews, as we work through the process. 

One of the challenges with performing in this way, is that very often, the actors are limited by constrained space at home, and while, later, green-screens will allow for production backdrops (we are working on the acting side of things first), the actors are expressing the majority of the action, expression and reactions/ interactions, theough head to chest images on zoom, and entering/ leaving the frame. They are also able to react to stimuli that their characters may percieve around them, off camera (which we will see in future videos). 
Therefore, in many ways. the acting, being closer to the camera, and therefore to the percieved view of the audience. 

The text and modern translation from the No Fear Shakespeare website HERE
​Follow the other updates for this production HERE

It has been a long few days deciding on the show castings for Henry V. The show needs a large cast, even with doubling of roles, and the standard of the auditions were, without fail, exceptional. 
After several days of soul-searching, we have finalised the casting for this show. With digital shows coming up in the summer and live performances later in the autumn, this is is going to be a thrilling new project for everyone. 
We are delighted to welcome the cast: 


Actor 1: Chorus, Duke of York, Sir Thomas Erpingham, Jamy, French Soldier, French Court Attendant – Allison Abbott

Actor 2: King Henry V – Rich Sandford

Actor 3: Humphrey of Gloucester, Sir Thomas Grey – Eve Germaine (may be asked to understudy Katherine as well, for Sarah)

Actor 4: John of Bedford, Williams, Duke of Britain, Duke of Berri – Christophe Monplaisir

Actor 5: Thomas of Clarence, Dauphin – Jamie Hoskin

Actor 6: Duke of Exeter, Rambures – Sarah Gregori

Actor 7: Earl of Westmorland, Fluellen, - Samuel Swaffield

Actor 8: Earl of Warwick, Bates, Bardolph, Constable of France – Jenny Coverack

Actor 9: Archbishop of Canterbury, Richard of Cambridge, Macmorris, King Charles of France, Duke of Bourbon, Grandpré – Anthony Webster

Actor 10: Earl of Salisbury, Bishop of Ely, Lord Scroop, – Laura Jury

M Actor 11: Pistol, Ambassador of France, English Herald, Duke of Orleans – Ben Butler

Actor 12: Williams, Nym, Duke of Brugundy, Governor of Harfleur, Montjoy – Alex Stewart

Actor 13: Boy, French Messenger – Lily Elliott

Actor 13: Gower -Sadhbh Saoirse

Actor 14: Alice, Hostess – Parascovia Everett

Actor 15: Katherine – Sarah Hobbs

Today, the UK government released a road map of how they feel the UK will be able to emerge from lockdown and the Covid-19 pandemic. 

According to this roadmap, and if all works towards the planned dates, theatres across the UK should be able to open in May. At this point, theatres will still require social distancing and when you are using smaller venues and relying soley on the ticket sales to pay the actors and crew, we feel it would not be viable. 
Additionally, before we return to the stage, we need to rehearse in person together. 

With the governments pledge for all adults to be offered their first vaccination by the end of July 2021, and noting that the government hopes to lift all social restrictions in late June 2021, we hope that by the end of July, or early August, we should be able to safely return to our rehearsal space in full, and also to take our shows on the road again. Before then, a one-or-two person return to the rehearsal hall will take place in order to sort out our costumes and equipment which have been in storage there, and to prepare. 

Therefore, our intention is to continue creating digital work, until July 2021, when we will be able to return to physical rehearsals, and performances. Live performances will only take place after a minimum of 4 weeks live rehearsal. 
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Not all venues will open at once. As the government have said; the dates they gave for the lifting of restrictions are provisional and "at the earliest". Any further outbreaks or rises in infections may delay matters. 
We are committed to keeping the team safe and well, therefore we would rather take a cautious approach,, than risk everyones health and wellbeing. 
There may still be some additional safety/ cleanliness procedures which are either legally required, or which we keep in place voluntarily, for a while, when we do return, and, when we know for definite what the date is when we return;  we will be encouraging conversations with all cast and crew in which we discuss ways to not only keep extra safe, but also support everyone's peace of mind in a safe, positive and happy (to put it mildly!) return. 


Last but not least: 
In further exciting news, we have also been contacted by an external company which uses professional actors for corporate training. The external company is pitching for a contract supplying training in social care, diversity and child protection, and if that contract goes through, will be supplying frequent work opportunities; for which those actors who work frequently with our company will be priorotised for this work, after the lockdowns end. 


​Laura and Ric (Company directors) 

We heard this evening at 8pm, that our broadcast technician has fallen seriously ill, and will be unable to run the live-streamed show tomorrow. 

Therefore, as the rest of us in the team lack those specific broadcast skills and equipment, we are unavoidably having to prepare the show in a different way which will mean that ticket buyers will still get the same quality experience, but it will take us an extra couple of days to achieve this. 

Therefore, we are releasing the play online as quickly as possible, from 7.30pm on Monday Feb 8th. Due to the inconvenience for our viewers, the play will therefore remain online until 11pm on Sunday Feb 15th, allowing all viewers to catch up at their own convenience. 

The same link sent out to ticket buyers will remain the viewing link. 

We apologise profusely for this inconvenience and last-minute re-schedule. 
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email us directly on southdevonpplayers@gmail.com, (please be aware that from 6pm on Saturday evening, replies may be slower, as all of us in  the cast and remaining crew will be working on the production for you behind the scenes) and we will respond as quickly as possible. 

Laura (director) 

This production is working from the original text. As it is a longer play, we have made some cuts, and it tells of the events in and around King Henry V's triumph at the Battle of Agincourt. With drama, humour and a wonderful range of characters, this is going to be a fantastic project to work on. You can read the original uncut text for the play for free on Project Gutenberg HERE 
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Ages. genders, etc at a glance. 
As with all our Shakespeare projects, we tend to cast the majority of roles as gender-blind - this means that any gender can audition for the same roles. Shakespeare's plays were notoriously male-heavy, originally, but that does not always fit a 21st Century way of working. People of all ethnicities are welcome to audition for any role. We are also very flexible on ages. While we are not casting children (under 18s) in this show, we do not have strictly preconcieved notions of characters ages, other than ensuring that any family groupings reflect a relevant range of ages. What is most important is that we select the strongest actors for the roles. 

As we come ever closer to the show for this amazing script, we are now rehearsing with the digital backdrops and most of the costumes for the final performance. We thought you woulld like a look behind the scenes, showing that digital theatre, can be great fun! (oh, and if you want tickets, our box office is over at ​https://www.southdevonplayers.com/box-office.html) The show itself is online for 48 hours from first broadcast to allow people all around the world to access the show at a time convenient for them.