This afternoon I had the unique opportunity to attend a taping of Caesar and Cleopatra for free at the Stratford Festival. Of course, I did not get to see the whole play, only select scenes were filmed. From my understanding, the Friday night show was taped in its entirety, while this morning and afternoon select scenes were chosen to re-shoot in order to get closeups and different camera angles. There was less than one hundred people in the theatre this afternoon, and some groups of people were moved around the theatre to make it appear the actors were playing to a full house. Luckily, I was not one of those people who have to get up between select scenes. My sister and I were seated in the second row right in front of the stage. Not only did we have an incredible view we could listen to the actors and production team in between takes, occasionally joining in on the conversation (and sometimes interrupting scenes because blackout sheets were catching on fire). Esteemed Canadian actor Christopher Plummer, playing the role of Caesar, and current Stratford artistic director and director of the play Des McAnuff were there. Between takes members of the company cracked jokes, reblocked scene, and occassionally swore when a line was messed up. What was remarkable was everybodies ability to just start in the middle of a scence or speech with complete concentration and professionalism despite numerous takes and interruptions, making it a memorable afternoon at the theatre unlike any other I have ever experienced. It gave one a sense of all the hard, frustrating work it must take to "put on a show."
My family tries to attend the Stratford Festival every season. Some of my favourite plays have been Alice Through the Looking Glass (which starred Sarah Polley), Anne Frank, Sound of Music, Macbeth, and King Lear (which also featured Christopher Plummer in the title role). So many notable actors, Canadian or otherwise, have appeared over the years in Stratford productions. It is incredible to think that this institution, which now consists of four theatres, had its beginnings in a large tent. I feel that the Festival has done an excellent job of showcasing its incredible history.
In the Festival Theatre, there were numerous displays documenting costumes and costume design. On one wall there were costume sketches from various productions staged over the years. Some of my favourites featured costumes from Caberet, My Fair Lady, and Hamlet. Decorating the staircase that led to the balcony were actual costumes worn by mannequins. Behind the costumes were pictures of them worn in productions. Some might find the sets of Stratford productions sparse, but no one can deny that no expense is spared when creating elaborate costumes. Sitting so close to the stage, I definitely noticed the detailed and spectacular costumes that are in Caesar and Cleopatra. From what I have seen, I think Cleopatra had a different costume and wig for every scene that was shot this afternoon.
I do not know this, but I hope that the Festival has other artifacts and archival material displayed in their other theatres. It is a wonderful way to show the history of the theatre (and probably frees up room in storage). It also helps to show how much thought and work is put into each production.
In case you are interested, we were told that Caesar and Cleopatra will be shown in Cineplex theatres, and hopefully in March on Bravo. You might see a familiar face in the audience (psst, I was wearing a red t-shirt and glasses).
For more information about the history of the Stratford Festival click here. The CBC archive has some great radio and video clips, some even featuring Mr. Plummer.
*picture courtesy of www.stratfordfestival.ca
No comments:
Post a Comment