The Final Turn

Crikey, is it the end of November already.

Yes, it has been almost a month since the curtain went down on our October offering. Halloween is very much in the past, Christmas approaches with extraordinary speed and all eyes in The Matchbox turn to the December play. This week sees the opening of ‘The Railway Children’, hot off of the West End stage it comes to the  St. Francis church hall for three nights only. Having had a sample of its ambition at the technical rehearsal last night I can tell you it is going to be something special and certainly one not to be missed.

More to come in the next couple of days. However, as you know we had a little something extra this year in the shape of our Halloween entertainment. With Jeffrey Hatcher’s marvellous two handed reworking of the Henry James classic ‘The Turn of the Screw’ at its heart, the evening was foregrounded with readings from myself, Annie and Gill and all feedback seemed to suggest it served as a delightful and atmospheric way to spend either the Friday or Saturday of the All Hallows weekend. I know we certainly enjoyed it and, as I have stated before, it provided some of the best work I have seen from both K and James in a career of top class work with the Matchbox. I know that all of us who were ‘The Screw Crew’ (terribly trite I know) were delighted with how it came off and have missed it terribly since- talks of a tour are on-going. 🙂

But there are the memories and the photos, some of which are shared here. And that is that, the rest is darkness.

But from that darkness, a warm haze of light and sound and steam…

More tomorrow.

Mx

Advertisement

For the love of blog…

There is a scene in ‘The Innocents’, the 1962 film based on ‘Turn of the Screw’, when the malevolent Peter Quint, wreathed in darkness appears behind a window as if emerging from the depths of his enforced limbo and hungrily eyeing the world, eager to possess  his vessel the young Miles. Hungry to return he glares longingly, so close…but his intentions are thwarted by the intervening of the Governess.

I know what he feels like!

Or that girl from ‘Poltergeist’ who gets pulled into the television and her parents have to bring her back from the other side. ‘They’re heeeeere.’

Okay, that’s some pretty elastic analogy stretching but the fact of the matter is that I have neglected the blog (my vessel so to speak)  and that cannot stand!

So, here is the customary return announcement, albeit composed on a mobile phone on a 358 bus. There’s lots to catch up on- photos from ‘The Screw’ and updates from the imminent ‘The Railway Children’, opening next week, as well as the announcement of next year’s spring production and audition details.  Exciting times ahead, starting with the age of steam. Keep an eye on the blog over the next few days,  there will be much to come. To misquote:

‘I’m heeeeeerrre’.