Balham Fringe Preview
Soap - Promo Shot
Sunday 31 July 2011
God said "Let there be light"....so I flicked the switch.
Date:31/07/11
Author: Lloyd
Author: Lloyd
Artists impression....
I’m Lloyd Morgan.
I’m Welsh.
I’m the stage manager for Killing Bill Gates.
I’m a dragon.
I’m a firm believer in the assassination proposed in aforementioned play.
I’m a staunch supporter of Stevie’s views on cat-kind.
I’m the fifth son of the infamous Moon-Warrior Jal’eq.
I’m very much looking forward to the Edinburgh-ian adventure that lies before Mechanical Tiger.
I’m not particularly comfortable with self-indulgence via prose.
I’m totally calm about the whole KBG situation; it’s called confidence.
I’m a fan of the whole brevity thing.
I’m sure some of you will realise that not all of the above statements are true.
I’m not going to tell you which ones.
L.
Mentioned in The Scotsman
Date: 31/07/11
Author: The Mechanical Tiger himself
The Scotsman (that famous ol' national newspaper) thinks we're a 'stand out title'. Brilliant!
You can read the full article here
Kinda makes you want to burst into song, no?
Author: The Mechanical Tiger himself
The Scotsman (that famous ol' national newspaper) thinks we're a 'stand out title'. Brilliant!
You can read the full article here
Kinda makes you want to burst into song, no?
Saturday 30 July 2011
Thank Hazell for the Music...
Date: 30/07/2011
Author: Sophie
Only after a rather comical, and thankfully abrupt technical hitch at the end of the show last night, did I really come to see just how important and fully incorporated music and sound has become to Killing Bill Gates.
Our wonderful composer, Scott Hazell has blogged about his music and his part in the play so do read about it here.
The show felt spectacular last night. Of course it is always difficult in the heat of the moment, as a performer, to look in any way objectively at the events that transpired but, as Peter mentioned before, there were people, they were laughing, and we felt good.
What's more important to me is never so much the laughing as the general engagement of our crowd. Now that may sound all very new media and thigh-snappingly douchey but with a play, even if it is a comedy play, an audience handles it in a manner that is completely alien to the way a crowd may handle a sketch-show or a stand-up comedian. It may be as funny as anything, or it may not be funny at all, but the strength of your story should nevertheless carry a crowd through. So, like a film, you can come out saying 'wow that was interesting/funny/intense/strange/disgusting/crap' etc and everybody's reaction is different because the nature of a 'narrative' means that anybody can take what they like from it. It does not live or die by reaction to what can effectively be boiled down to as 'gags'.
That's what I love about performing Killing Bill Gates, to me (and I can say this, I didn't write it), it is very funny. It is knowing, biting, at times completely, brilliantly disgusting and at others incredibly subtle and politicised. But the comedy is part of the overall story, which at times becomes incredibly intense and at one point, violent. The test is the audience's reaction to this transition. We all know an unnatural or jarring leap from comedic to violent (especially onstage violence) can often be painful to watch or cringe worthy because something about it doesn't feel right. But I believe....and really, truly hope...that we have that balance right. I say this...we might get a review saying our 'tone was all over the place' but, hey ho...I wouldn't want to be in something I didn't believe in and boy oh boy I believe in this play. Regardless of what anyone else may think or write.
But yeah, I didn't mean to go on and on like an English teacher. Brevity isn't my strong suit. But essentially it went very well. So incredibly thrilling to perform and an inexplicable amount of joy felt at realising that a group of 50+ people, only ten of whom we actually knew, were thoroughly enjoying what we were giving them. This is a London crowd too. Discerning culture vultures compared to most 'locales'.
Bring on Edinburgh. Don't think that can be said enough.
Author: Sophie
Only after a rather comical, and thankfully abrupt technical hitch at the end of the show last night, did I really come to see just how important and fully incorporated music and sound has become to Killing Bill Gates.
Our wonderful composer, Scott Hazell has blogged about his music and his part in the play so do read about it here.
The show felt spectacular last night. Of course it is always difficult in the heat of the moment, as a performer, to look in any way objectively at the events that transpired but, as Peter mentioned before, there were people, they were laughing, and we felt good.
What's more important to me is never so much the laughing as the general engagement of our crowd. Now that may sound all very new media and thigh-snappingly douchey but with a play, even if it is a comedy play, an audience handles it in a manner that is completely alien to the way a crowd may handle a sketch-show or a stand-up comedian. It may be as funny as anything, or it may not be funny at all, but the strength of your story should nevertheless carry a crowd through. So, like a film, you can come out saying 'wow that was interesting/funny/intense/strange/disgusting/crap' etc and everybody's reaction is different because the nature of a 'narrative' means that anybody can take what they like from it. It does not live or die by reaction to what can effectively be boiled down to as 'gags'.
That's what I love about performing Killing Bill Gates, to me (and I can say this, I didn't write it), it is very funny. It is knowing, biting, at times completely, brilliantly disgusting and at others incredibly subtle and politicised. But the comedy is part of the overall story, which at times becomes incredibly intense and at one point, violent. The test is the audience's reaction to this transition. We all know an unnatural or jarring leap from comedic to violent (especially onstage violence) can often be painful to watch or cringe worthy because something about it doesn't feel right. But I believe....and really, truly hope...that we have that balance right. I say this...we might get a review saying our 'tone was all over the place' but, hey ho...I wouldn't want to be in something I didn't believe in and boy oh boy I believe in this play. Regardless of what anyone else may think or write.
But yeah, I didn't mean to go on and on like an English teacher. Brevity isn't my strong suit. But essentially it went very well. So incredibly thrilling to perform and an inexplicable amount of joy felt at realising that a group of 50+ people, only ten of whom we actually knew, were thoroughly enjoying what we were giving them. This is a London crowd too. Discerning culture vultures compared to most 'locales'.
Bring on Edinburgh. Don't think that can be said enough.
That play wot we did.
Date: 30/07/11
Author: Peter
Yesterday: At half three in the afternoon I found myself standing outside Balham station, being stared at by an angry looking young man sucking nervously from a cigarette. After a second glance up I realised the man was in fact our producer, Matt Lavender.
‘Alright?’
‘Yeah, bit nervous about the whole play thing to be honest….’
‘Mmm, same. Pub?’
And so, we went to the pub.
Good old pub.
The pub happened to be ‘The Bedford’, where we were due to perform our play ‘Killing Bill Gates’ in just a few hours. We took our over priced diet cokes (not beer. We’re professional innit) and took a seat out front, to wait for the others.
Ten minutes passed before the Chuckle Brothers stumbled up to us arguing about a missing Oyster card whilst juggling several bags and a large flip-chart. Turns out, the Laurel and Hardy standing before us were actually Chris and Lloyd.
Joining us at the table, it wasn’t long before Josh and Tom also appeared, and an hour or so later, Sam and Sophie.
Thursday had seen me getting my head pretty much shaved by a grumpy Romanian hairdresser, who decided to rant at me about how his home country was far superior to nearby(?) Croatia. I’d also made the mistake of, when asked why I wanted my hair so short, blurting ‘I’m an actor, it’s for a part!’, which earned me a disapproving series of angry glances from the heavily tattooed football-lad types waiting behind me. Along with a dodgy nights sleep it all resulted in me looking like a crackhead, just in time for our first proper performance in front of, well, strangers. It was probably also the reason Matt frowned at me outside the Tube....
We watched MJ Hibbitt’s show ‘Moonhorse’, which was a pretty good laugh (You can read about that here), and then decided to sit outside Sainsbury’s and nervously discuss a variety of random subjects, including a remake of ‘Trainspotting’ featuring Star Wars characters (‘We all knew it was Chewey’s baby….’). It’d be a good adaption, believe me.
Then, at 9pm, we were on.
If I’m honest, I don’t really remember the actual performance. A mixture of nerves and adrenalin took care of that, but I remember a fairly busy room, laughter, and feeling a collective buzz from the group of us afterwards.
Hopefully it went well. I guess we’ll find out if/when we get a review.
I’d like to quickly thank the rest of the cast and crew, as well as everyone we knew who came to see us (My old housemate Crosby and his girlfriend Nyah, Craig Batty, Ema and Dom, and my uncle Rob, who I wasn’t expecting to see there at all!)
And so, to Edinburgh!
Cheers!
Author: Peter
Yesterday: At half three in the afternoon I found myself standing outside Balham station, being stared at by an angry looking young man sucking nervously from a cigarette. After a second glance up I realised the man was in fact our producer, Matt Lavender.
‘Alright?’
‘Yeah, bit nervous about the whole play thing to be honest….’
‘Mmm, same. Pub?’
And so, we went to the pub.
Good old pub.
The pub happened to be ‘The Bedford’, where we were due to perform our play ‘Killing Bill Gates’ in just a few hours. We took our over priced diet cokes (not beer. We’re professional innit) and took a seat out front, to wait for the others.
Ten minutes passed before the Chuckle Brothers stumbled up to us arguing about a missing Oyster card whilst juggling several bags and a large flip-chart. Turns out, the Laurel and Hardy standing before us were actually Chris and Lloyd.
Joining us at the table, it wasn’t long before Josh and Tom also appeared, and an hour or so later, Sam and Sophie.
Thursday had seen me getting my head pretty much shaved by a grumpy Romanian hairdresser, who decided to rant at me about how his home country was far superior to nearby(?) Croatia. I’d also made the mistake of, when asked why I wanted my hair so short, blurting ‘I’m an actor, it’s for a part!’, which earned me a disapproving series of angry glances from the heavily tattooed football-lad types waiting behind me. Along with a dodgy nights sleep it all resulted in me looking like a crackhead, just in time for our first proper performance in front of, well, strangers. It was probably also the reason Matt frowned at me outside the Tube....
We watched MJ Hibbitt’s show ‘Moonhorse’, which was a pretty good laugh (You can read about that here), and then decided to sit outside Sainsbury’s and nervously discuss a variety of random subjects, including a remake of ‘Trainspotting’ featuring Star Wars characters (‘We all knew it was Chewey’s baby….’). It’d be a good adaption, believe me.
Then, at 9pm, we were on.
If I’m honest, I don’t really remember the actual performance. A mixture of nerves and adrenalin took care of that, but I remember a fairly busy room, laughter, and feeling a collective buzz from the group of us afterwards.
Hopefully it went well. I guess we’ll find out if/when we get a review.
I’d like to quickly thank the rest of the cast and crew, as well as everyone we knew who came to see us (My old housemate Crosby and his girlfriend Nyah, Craig Batty, Ema and Dom, and my uncle Rob, who I wasn’t expecting to see there at all!)
And so, to Edinburgh!
Cheers!
Well, that went well
Date:30/7/11
Author: Josh
Annoyingly, I should be watching the Horrible Histories prom right now, I tried to get tickets but failed miserably by logging onto the website one minute after tickets went onsale. I was saddened by this, I really wanted to see it and it was free. Sorry to start on a negative note but I feel the blog post needs some balance...
Because the cast absolutely brought it yesterday in the preview. We played to an unexpectedly large crowd (52 by my count) and the play went down really well. Crucially, it was an audience who hadn't paid (and so had no obligation to stay), had the choice of three other simultaneous shows, and hadn't come especially for us. Basically, it was a mini Edinburgh. If we get 50 people in just once in Edinburgh it would be an incredible achievement.
It was a perfect jumping off point. The guys adapted to a tiny stage relative to the one we've been rehearsing on (and will be performing on in Edinburgh), and really worked the crowd - "Prospectus of lies" being my personal favourite moment - increasing the tempo and volume when it needed a lift and sustaining laughs well beyond the script. A lot of jokes absolutely killed yesterday, a few naturally fell slightly short of what we would have liked, but the thing that I was most pleased with was the audience: they were engaged for the entire play. I saw people leaning forward, reacting with laughter, sqeamishness (always a good sign they are actually listening) and horror at various points.
The audience were VERY close for a certain, uncomfortable scene yesterday, and I can only apologise because Peter took that opportunity to pull an astounding move of Sophie-based acrobatics a foot away from them. It was incredible. It was lucky her shoes were on properly.
Lloyd thinks you can tell everything about that night's audience based on if they laugh at one specific joke, very close to the beginning, and I'll be eager to see how true that piece of Morgan Wisdom turns out to be when we get to Scotland. I'll keep you posted. It certainly rang true last night.
So, we're perfectly poised to head up to Edinburgh. In the next few days on here we'll have the rest of the profiles up. Still to come are; Chris, Sam, Lloyd, Douglas and The I.T guy. Hopefully naming and shaming them will make them feel guilty enough to write the posts.
And finally, if you haven't seen the show, I don't suppose you'd have thought we'd have a dance number in there, but by God we managed to shoehorn one in anyway. Sam's face pretty much sums up how we're feeling this morning.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to listen to the Charles II rap from Horrible Histories and pretend I'm there.
Author: Josh
Annoyingly, I should be watching the Horrible Histories prom right now, I tried to get tickets but failed miserably by logging onto the website one minute after tickets went onsale. I was saddened by this, I really wanted to see it and it was free. Sorry to start on a negative note but I feel the blog post needs some balance...
Because the cast absolutely brought it yesterday in the preview. We played to an unexpectedly large crowd (52 by my count) and the play went down really well. Crucially, it was an audience who hadn't paid (and so had no obligation to stay), had the choice of three other simultaneous shows, and hadn't come especially for us. Basically, it was a mini Edinburgh. If we get 50 people in just once in Edinburgh it would be an incredible achievement.
It was a perfect jumping off point. The guys adapted to a tiny stage relative to the one we've been rehearsing on (and will be performing on in Edinburgh), and really worked the crowd - "Prospectus of lies" being my personal favourite moment - increasing the tempo and volume when it needed a lift and sustaining laughs well beyond the script. A lot of jokes absolutely killed yesterday, a few naturally fell slightly short of what we would have liked, but the thing that I was most pleased with was the audience: they were engaged for the entire play. I saw people leaning forward, reacting with laughter, sqeamishness (always a good sign they are actually listening) and horror at various points.
The audience were VERY close for a certain, uncomfortable scene yesterday, and I can only apologise because Peter took that opportunity to pull an astounding move of Sophie-based acrobatics a foot away from them. It was incredible. It was lucky her shoes were on properly.
Lloyd thinks you can tell everything about that night's audience based on if they laugh at one specific joke, very close to the beginning, and I'll be eager to see how true that piece of Morgan Wisdom turns out to be when we get to Scotland. I'll keep you posted. It certainly rang true last night.
So, we're perfectly poised to head up to Edinburgh. In the next few days on here we'll have the rest of the profiles up. Still to come are; Chris, Sam, Lloyd, Douglas and The I.T guy. Hopefully naming and shaming them will make them feel guilty enough to write the posts.
And finally, if you haven't seen the show, I don't suppose you'd have thought we'd have a dance number in there, but by God we managed to shoehorn one in anyway. Sam's face pretty much sums up how we're feeling this morning.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to listen to the Charles II rap from Horrible Histories and pretend I'm there.
Friday 29 July 2011
Meet the Tom
Hello all, I’m Tom.
Blogging here is going to be a strange experience for me, considering I’ve failed to maintain several blogs that I’ve written independently, neglecting them to the point in which they look like the internet equivalent of the crumbling city from Inception. But that’s all in the past now, and as all victims of spousal abuse/sufferers of Post Traumatic Stress disorder are taught, it’s important to look towards the future (then let the boiling over trauma explode in a moment of dangerous psychosis against something unrelated to whoever or whatever it was wronged you). A somewhat macabre example there, but you get my point... I hope...
So yeah... Where to begin? As previously stated, I’m Tom, and as I’m awful at self promotion, here are some random facts about me you’re probably not interested in:
- I was born and raised in Brighton, a city famed for acceptance of homosexuality and multiculturalism, and yet also for teenagers in suits and leather jackets throwing deckchairs at each other. Also a stick of sugar with a word inside it. Woot.
- I’m socially awkward and not very good with first impressions, which I’m sure won’t hinder my professional life in any way at all.
- I tend to over-reference popular/internet culture, which is great if you understand what I’m talking about, but tends to make it sound like I’m speaking another language to people unversed in the wonders of Nyan Cat, Star Trek and Goatse (Google ‘em... Except maybe the last one, google that at own risk.)
- I’ve had a passion for writing since a young age, where I would invent characters, locations and stories to amuse myself, and distract from the pain and isolation of being a round faced, bespectacled child with a whiny voice and punchable puppy fat... I wish more of that sentence had been fabricated, really...
Right, blathering out of the way, I’ll try and log something relevant. I co-wrote Killing Bill Gates alongside Mechanical Tiger members Peter Fellows and Sam Hutchinson. I also feature as a moonlighting IT specialist/pizza delivery guy, Sam. This is the first play I’ve ever been properly involved in (aside from a long history of being too ugly to get any significant part in the school nativity performances), and for something that I have contributed to the writing process of to make it to the Edinburgh fringe festival is a privilege, however I try not to allow myself to get too theatrical in my praise (get it? Yeah, sometimes I disgust even myself). The fact that tonight’s preview in London will be essentially the first time the show is judged unobjectively by randomers is both thrilling and terrifying. 11th hour nerves are yet to kick in, but rest assured sometime within the next few hours I’ll probably reduce myself to a sweaty, shaky mess. I believe we’ve made it far enough to say without worthless ego that we’ve got something worth exhibiting, I just hope the audiences agree. Oh well, at least like so many conscripted young men going over the top at the Somme, or leaping out of a plane at Market Garden I’ll be potentially getting ripped to pieces alongside some of my dearest friends...
Peace,
- Tom x
The preview is today.
Date: 29/7/11
Author: Josh
If you're anywhere near London, come along to Balham, on the Northern Line. Head east from the tube station to a lovely venue called The Bedford Inn. The address is:
77 Bedford Hill, London, SW12 9HD
View Larger Map
We are Time Out London's critic's choice for today, and as well as us, there are lots of other amazing free shows that are going to the fringe. The festival itself starts at 6pm today and runs all weekend, so get down there early to avoid disappointment. The full programme can be found by clicking this link.
So here we are. If you're heading along, tweet us at @M_T_Productions and we can take care of you once you get to the venue and help you if you get lost on the way.
Once again: Tonight. 9pm. The Bedford Inn, Balham. Or Stevie will be very very angry.
Author: Josh
If you're anywhere near London, come along to Balham, on the Northern Line. Head east from the tube station to a lovely venue called The Bedford Inn. The address is:
77 Bedford Hill, London, SW12 9HD
View Larger Map
We are Time Out London's critic's choice for today, and as well as us, there are lots of other amazing free shows that are going to the fringe. The festival itself starts at 6pm today and runs all weekend, so get down there early to avoid disappointment. The full programme can be found by clicking this link.
So here we are. If you're heading along, tweet us at @M_T_Productions and we can take care of you once you get to the venue and help you if you get lost on the way.
Once again: Tonight. 9pm. The Bedford Inn, Balham. Or Stevie will be very very angry.
Thursday 28 July 2011
Like a virgin, judged for the very first time.
Date: 28/07/11
Author: Josh
First: A picture.
I know, right? I'm such a tease. An Arnie reference, in a play about Bill Gates. Whodathunkit?
Now onto the blog.
Through a variety of depressing factors I was unable to get any sleep last night. You know, like that faithless song? Yeah, that's right, the one about weapons of mass destruction.
So I had an extra seven hours to think about stuff, which naturally turned to the play you might have heard about. It's called Killing Bill Gates and it's playing at the Bedford in Balham tomorrow at 9pm. Come see it. *plug over*
I began to think what a unique position we are in as a group. Slowly you'll come to learn that some members of our company have already achieved amazing success, but the rest of us (myself definitely included) are pretty much standing at a precipice. This summer, tomorrow to be exact, marks the first time our work will be publicly judged, in writing, by strangers who have no vested interest in our careers and emotional stability. I'm talking, of course, about critics. Those little rascals that are paid to share an informed opinion on your work. This will be the first time our little baby will be thrown to the wolves, and frankly, I'm scared.
I'm not scared because I don't think what we have is 'good' enough. On the contrary, I think it's a great play and every aspect deserves due credit. Instead, I'm more scared about how it will affect me. I have no real idea if a negative (or very positive) review will change my thinking on my own skill or the skill of those around me. It's not something I've ever experienced before. I can imagine it's very easy - especially for people at the start of their careers like us - to let press affect you and change your view of yourself and your practise.
Get a negative review: Lose faith in the project or yourself and go jump off a cliff.
Get a glowing review: Become a big, pig headed twonk and get pushed off a cliff.
I guess the method of coping is that you have to trust your instincts. Ricky Gervais has a wonderful quote (which I'm about to mangle) about art being Darwinistic. Either I'm right and I'll be allowed to carry on, or I'm wrong and I fall away. Any principle that leads someone to The Office is worth considering. I can only hope that everyone else involved trusts their instincts, too. If it was bad we would definitely have had some sort of drug fuelled suicide pact by now anyway, guys.
Personally, I don't do what I do to make critics love me. I have some strong views (for another post) on their place in my field, but there's no denying that they exist, and for a reason. I'm fascinated to see how they react to me and how I react to them in turn. And if we don't get reviewed? I can't work out whether that would be a good or bad thing.
There is no real 'point' to this post, I just felt it might be interesting to write down the fine line I'm treading between jumping off a cliff and being pushed. Also, I can't get no sleep.
Author: Josh
First: A picture.
Now onto the blog.
Through a variety of depressing factors I was unable to get any sleep last night. You know, like that faithless song? Yeah, that's right, the one about weapons of mass destruction.
So I had an extra seven hours to think about stuff, which naturally turned to the play you might have heard about. It's called Killing Bill Gates and it's playing at the Bedford in Balham tomorrow at 9pm. Come see it. *plug over*
I began to think what a unique position we are in as a group. Slowly you'll come to learn that some members of our company have already achieved amazing success, but the rest of us (myself definitely included) are pretty much standing at a precipice. This summer, tomorrow to be exact, marks the first time our work will be publicly judged, in writing, by strangers who have no vested interest in our careers and emotional stability. I'm talking, of course, about critics. Those little rascals that are paid to share an informed opinion on your work. This will be the first time our little baby will be thrown to the wolves, and frankly, I'm scared.
I'm not scared because I don't think what we have is 'good' enough. On the contrary, I think it's a great play and every aspect deserves due credit. Instead, I'm more scared about how it will affect me. I have no real idea if a negative (or very positive) review will change my thinking on my own skill or the skill of those around me. It's not something I've ever experienced before. I can imagine it's very easy - especially for people at the start of their careers like us - to let press affect you and change your view of yourself and your practise.
Get a negative review: Lose faith in the project or yourself and go jump off a cliff.
Get a glowing review: Become a big, pig headed twonk and get pushed off a cliff.
I guess the method of coping is that you have to trust your instincts. Ricky Gervais has a wonderful quote (which I'm about to mangle) about art being Darwinistic. Either I'm right and I'll be allowed to carry on, or I'm wrong and I fall away. Any principle that leads someone to The Office is worth considering. I can only hope that everyone else involved trusts their instincts, too. If it was bad we would definitely have had some sort of drug fuelled suicide pact by now anyway, guys.
Personally, I don't do what I do to make critics love me. I have some strong views (for another post) on their place in my field, but there's no denying that they exist, and for a reason. I'm fascinated to see how they react to me and how I react to them in turn. And if we don't get reviewed? I can't work out whether that would be a good or bad thing.
There is no real 'point' to this post, I just felt it might be interesting to write down the fine line I'm treading between jumping off a cliff and being pushed. Also, I can't get no sleep.
Who Am I? Classic Jackie Chan movie, to be fair. Still, not as good as ‘Rush Hour’.
Date: 28/07/11
Author: Peter Fellows
Today I finally left Southcote Road for the last time ever. I can’t say I’ll miss the ropey crack whores, broken glass, or hate crimes of Bournemouth’s infamous red light district. I should probably clarify now that I wasn’t simply visiting to sample the local delicacy and am now a reformed sex addict; I‘ve actually lived in the area for two years (and my terrible affliction is far from reformed). However, now that we’ve reached our final rehearsal I can finally kiss the grim old place behind. Maybe not kiss actually. That’d be unhygienic.
There’s very little of interest that I can share with you about myself I’m afraid. Obviously there are the basic facts, but those are no fun. Essential on a CV or Linkedin or something, but there’s a time and a place. And unless I’ve majorly misjudged the flavour of this blog, this isn’t one of those times. So here are five fascinating(ish) facts(ish) about me-
Author: Peter Fellows
Today I finally left Southcote Road for the last time ever. I can’t say I’ll miss the ropey crack whores, broken glass, or hate crimes of Bournemouth’s infamous red light district. I should probably clarify now that I wasn’t simply visiting to sample the local delicacy and am now a reformed sex addict; I‘ve actually lived in the area for two years (and my terrible affliction is far from reformed). However, now that we’ve reached our final rehearsal I can finally kiss the grim old place behind. Maybe not kiss actually. That’d be unhygienic.
I should probably introduce myself. I realize that I rudely stumbled straight into my first blog entry earlier this week without even a basic ‘Hi there, my name’s Peter’. Well, hi there, my name’s Peter.
There’s very little of interest that I can share with you about myself I’m afraid. Obviously there are the basic facts, but those are no fun. Essential on a CV or Linkedin or something, but there’s a time and a place. And unless I’ve majorly misjudged the flavour of this blog, this isn’t one of those times. So here are five fascinating(ish) facts(ish) about me-
1. As a child I was convinced one of my grandfather’s was Popeye, whilst I secretly assumed the other was Sid James. Never told anyone that before. Now all 3 of you readers out there know.
2. One reason I decided to look into studying down south in Bournemouth was because I saw video footage of a local hero called ‘Gordon The Tramp’, who can mysteriously tell the time without a watch, as if by magic….
3. An idiot in the bank mistook me for Jack Whitehall last week. Stupidly, I attempted to incorporate this story into my stand up routine and it bombed worse than Hiroshima.
4. I have a Yorkshire Terrier called ‘YumYum’. Walkies are fun; I’m the mentalist you see standing in an empty field shouting ‘YumYum!! YumYum!! Come here YumYum!!!!’ on your way to work every morning.
FUN FACT- I’m not the only member of MT with a Yorkie. A prize will be given to the person who guesses the other name. The prize being one whole ‘Yorkie’ chocolate bar (or similar alternative, T&C’s apply).
5. I could probably win mastermind if the topic was Judge Dredd.
Oh yeah, also, I play Stevie (the psychopathic sleaze bag. Typecast) in ‘Killing Bill Gates’.
I’m terrified of Edinburgh.
That’s about all for now, I think. Just glad to be out of The Southcote.
Cheers!
P.S. Rush Hour 3 is the best one. Unless you're talking classic *classic* Jackie Chan, in which case my vote goes to 'Police Story'.
Wednesday 27 July 2011
Produce this *pulls out a mysterious chemical previously unknown to man*. That’s right, you can’t.
Date: 27/07/11
Author: Matt Lavender
Author: Matt Lavender
Hello, I like to compare myself to Matthew Broderick for three reasons:
1. I’m playing a producer.
2. My name is Matthew.
3. I know very little about acting.
Reasons 1 and 3 are linked as I thought I’d stay away from the acting side of things in order to save the show from becoming a mockery. In a way, I’m a hero. But seriously, I thought I’d have a stab at producing because up until now I’d never done so. Also because if it was a success, I would be one step closer to becoming a polymath.
Producing essentially boils down to solving various problems and the first problem I encountered was that I didn't know this or anything about producing. Luckily, everyone else involved did and once I’d been educated on the basics, producing activities such as raising money, arranging rehearsals, buying props and the like gradually ran pretty smoothly.
Like Josh, or an alien visitor who has come to earth to teach mankind to respect their planet, my work here is essentially done, which means I will be filling this here blog with intriguing tales of our adventure in the city of Edinburgh. Sort of like an old sea captain who has found land after being away for so long and has subsequently rediscovered a sense of wonderment about the land dwelling customs.
So you have that to look forward to.
Come and check out the show and if you can make the London preview at The Bedford in Balham on Friday, I highly recommend it.
Matt.
P.S. If I ever meet Matthew Broderick in person I will apologise for insulting his acting abilities but will gently reprimand him on his career choices.
Over and Out Bournemouth...
Date: 27/07/2011
Author: Sophie Petzal
Well, today marked the end of one era and the birth of another. At 1pm this afternoon Mechanical Tiger culminated its last ever full tech and dress rehearsal and our baby 'Killing Bill Gates' is now (as those theatre-types we saw once on youtube said) 'Locked'.
We now have what is rumoured to be known as 'a day off'. While for many of us this will entail packing bags and moving items from one building to another, it will be a nice opportunity for a little respite before the London Preview (click here for information) and, of course, Edinburgh!
So we shall see you on the other side kids! Wish us luck! Don't forget to keep an eye on this blog for future updates. We shall be continuously adding to it and supplying you with some fantastic photos of rehearsals and performances every monday, wednesday and friday. Some fabulous staged and candid shots here so don't miss them!
The first of these 'special pictures' (not a euphemism) should be up in a little while. Watch this space!
It's been an intense few months. But Killing Bill Gates is prepared, polished, and waiting for an audience. So do come along to any and all of our shows! We're incredibly excited.
See you all soon!
Sophie x
Author: Sophie Petzal
Well, today marked the end of one era and the birth of another. At 1pm this afternoon Mechanical Tiger culminated its last ever full tech and dress rehearsal and our baby 'Killing Bill Gates' is now (as those theatre-types we saw once on youtube said) 'Locked'.
We now have what is rumoured to be known as 'a day off'. While for many of us this will entail packing bags and moving items from one building to another, it will be a nice opportunity for a little respite before the London Preview (click here for information) and, of course, Edinburgh!
So we shall see you on the other side kids! Wish us luck! Don't forget to keep an eye on this blog for future updates. We shall be continuously adding to it and supplying you with some fantastic photos of rehearsals and performances every monday, wednesday and friday. Some fabulous staged and candid shots here so don't miss them!
The first of these 'special pictures' (not a euphemism) should be up in a little while. Watch this space!
It's been an intense few months. But Killing Bill Gates is prepared, polished, and waiting for an audience. So do come along to any and all of our shows! We're incredibly excited.
See you all soon!
Sophie x
Meet The Tim
Date: 27/07/2011
Author: Timothy Basinger
M E M O R A N D U M
TO: All Minions Valued Members of the Bill Gates Family
DATE: 27/07/2011
FROM: Timothy Basinger
Welcome gentlemen/chicks to T.H.E. Charity. An organisation started by a group of young visionaries who had a simple goal: to make the world a better place. Well, those young visionaries may be older and less coherent, but our collective goal remains the same. If you’re reading this then that means you’ve passed the rigorous screening process and have been deemed worthy by me to further humanities’ pursuit of better-ness. However if this is not the case and you are in fact an unauthorized personnel, please return this Memo to the appropriate member of staff you stole it from and report to a security officer. They’re the guys with the night sticks and guns, can’t miss them.
If you have any problems/questions please report to me and I will do my level best to compensate for your incompetencey. Under no circumstance should you talk to someone higher up than me, one time somebody did it as a joke and it didn’t end too well. Jokes are funny, you know what isn’t funny? Me firing you, if you don’t believe me just ask the other guy… Oh wait you can’t, because no-one knows how to find him.
But missing persons cases with insufficient evidence aside, if we’re going to be working together * we should get to know each other a little better. Thanks to the wonders of overly invasive personnel files I already know you better than you, your parents or your illicit bastard love child ever will. With that in mind, here are a few things about myself:
- I’m tough but fair
- I don’t like liars, cads or scoundrels
- Maroon 5 are better than Mr and/or Mrs Joe and/or Josephine public give them credit for
Well, we can’t spend all day chin wagging via one way Memorandums now can we, you best get back to work. So from all of us here at T.H.E. Charity; welcome and have fun.
*I know I said “working together” but I should make it abundantly clear now that it’s working together in that way where if I tell you to do something, you do it, because I’m your boss, so… let’s just nip that in the bud now.
Dictated but not written by
Timothy “Iceman” Basinger
Tuesday 26 July 2011
I'm Hannah...
Date: 26/07/2011
Author: Hannah Reynolds
So, my name is Hannah (see above).
I'll try and keep this brief, as I'm off to the pub in a bit to catch up with my friend Doug. He has a 'proposition' for me apparently...(nothing like that) probably just another one of his many am-dram ventures, I assure you his 'sex-head' is concentrated elsewhere entirely. Sh though. I've been sworn to secrecy!
Anyway, I work for the same charity as Stevie Troost, whom I believe you have already heard from. You remember him surely, he has a mastery of language similar to that of a twelve week-old amphibian.
I don't have any qualifications to crow about, dropped out of University once the Gates Fund offered me work. I'm yet to figure out whether I'm the Bill Gates style drop-out or the Frenchie from Grease style drop-out. I'll let you know once someone lets me know.
But I'm doing alright. People can gloat all they like about the alphabet that accompanies their name but I'm the one with the wage, flat and Virgin Media subscription. Depends on how you define success I suppose.
I'll tell you one thing though, I can't stand the street-selling. It's one thing facing the grim reality of how ridiculously horrid the 'Great British Public' can truly be, but it is another thing entirely when facing that same grim reality with Pervie Stevie at your side. I think, as far as he's concerned, it's only a matter of days until he can get his end away. What worries me is that to men like him, 'no' isn't a whole world away from 'yes'...
The money flow isn't great, but it's there, if you know what I'm saying. You just have to be creative. I think of myself as a bit of a creative entrepreneur. It might seem strange to you, possibly even contradictory that a careerist can be floundering away in a charitable position but all I'm saying is there is big money to be had in giving money away. Especially when it's your rattling tin that draws in the crowds. I can't really say much more, that would be silly, but charity works for the middle man, make no bones about it. The Charity isn't all that big on letting the regional managers count up the tins, so who can blame us 'workers on the ground' from...'tipping ourselves', from time to time?
I don't intend to squander my talent away here forever though. This is purely temporary. I'm just waiting for my break. It's coming, I can tell. I just need the right moment...the right opportunity.
I have to run now. My phone's going wild. Doug no doubt freaking out over some strange looks in the pub. TTFN.
Hannah x
Author: Hannah Reynolds
So, my name is Hannah (see above).
I'll try and keep this brief, as I'm off to the pub in a bit to catch up with my friend Doug. He has a 'proposition' for me apparently...(nothing like that) probably just another one of his many am-dram ventures, I assure you his 'sex-head' is concentrated elsewhere entirely. Sh though. I've been sworn to secrecy!
Anyway, I work for the same charity as Stevie Troost, whom I believe you have already heard from. You remember him surely, he has a mastery of language similar to that of a twelve week-old amphibian.
I don't have any qualifications to crow about, dropped out of University once the Gates Fund offered me work. I'm yet to figure out whether I'm the Bill Gates style drop-out or the Frenchie from Grease style drop-out. I'll let you know once someone lets me know.
But I'm doing alright. People can gloat all they like about the alphabet that accompanies their name but I'm the one with the wage, flat and Virgin Media subscription. Depends on how you define success I suppose.
I'll tell you one thing though, I can't stand the street-selling. It's one thing facing the grim reality of how ridiculously horrid the 'Great British Public' can truly be, but it is another thing entirely when facing that same grim reality with Pervie Stevie at your side. I think, as far as he's concerned, it's only a matter of days until he can get his end away. What worries me is that to men like him, 'no' isn't a whole world away from 'yes'...
The money flow isn't great, but it's there, if you know what I'm saying. You just have to be creative. I think of myself as a bit of a creative entrepreneur. It might seem strange to you, possibly even contradictory that a careerist can be floundering away in a charitable position but all I'm saying is there is big money to be had in giving money away. Especially when it's your rattling tin that draws in the crowds. I can't really say much more, that would be silly, but charity works for the middle man, make no bones about it. The Charity isn't all that big on letting the regional managers count up the tins, so who can blame us 'workers on the ground' from...'tipping ourselves', from time to time?
I don't intend to squander my talent away here forever though. This is purely temporary. I'm just waiting for my break. It's coming, I can tell. I just need the right moment...the right opportunity.
I have to run now. My phone's going wild. Doug no doubt freaking out over some strange looks in the pub. TTFN.
Hannah x
Hopefully not like that Wombats song about killing a director.
Date: 26/07/2011
Author: Josh
Author: Josh
Hello, I'm Josh. I'm the dictator director of the play.
I don't particularly enjoy talking about myself at length, so I'll stick to the whole Brevity-thing. I'm passionate about films and plays and the way they can really hit you in the gut, knock you for six, score a home run, and many other lazy sporting metaphors I know very little about. This is my first year doing anything theatre related, and I'm finding it fascinating. During Edinburgh I will have the least to do, as technically all my work finishes as soon as we open, so I'll keep this blog updated with thoughts on the festival and our progress as we hopefully learn loads from our run and -There I go, rambling on again. Check back every day from now on for preview pictures and quotes from the play. And please come and see the show. Especially on Friday at The Bedford in Balham. It's free!
See you soon
Josh
I'm Stevie.
Date: 26/07/11
Author: Stevie Troost.
Author: Stevie Troost.
Alright. My name is Stevie, innit.
Wen I found out I had to write some s*** 4 the website, I f***** panicked. I’m not a writer. They said it’d be like bein back at school. I said ‘I didn’t go to f***** school’. I was out an’ about y’know. Makin’ the most of life, cotchin’, unlike those c*****. They said, write how you speak, So I am. They made me type it up. Spell check is an inspiration. That’s the rite word yeah?
Anyways, I work for this big computer guy, Bill Gates. You mite have heard of him; he did some s*** with a screen and a window or some ting. I stand on the street, in Shoreditch, and get people to give the charity money. I also hand out leaflets and s***. I work with dis proper fit bird, and I reckon I’m well in. She’s my type- she’s piking from the charity, but I don’t mind that. In fact I kinda like it.
Yeah, so it’s a charity. I don’t really get the connection, computers-charity, but whatever. Apparently, if BG gets merced, the charity gets his cash or somethin’.
I grew up all over. My mum and me lived in Langley, in 1 of the big towers you see when you drive up the M4 to the city. Knocked ‘em down now, I think. That was until about 2000. Then I ended up in Elephant and Castle, before goin’ up North for a bit, then over to Weston Super Mare. I heard it’s grim up north, but I think it’s more just s*** everywhere. This country is a s***hole. I went in2 the Marines for a bit, won some awards and was f***** great! Went back to London after that, an’ ended up here.
This is well boring. I can’t be a***** to do anymore. This is why I skipped school. Laters.
Monday 25 July 2011
Here's Sophie!
Date: 25/07/2011
Hometown: Bexhill, East Sussex (home town to Eddie Izzard and a lot of IV drips)
Favourite play/show: Enron & War Horse
Favourite Comedian: Ed Byrne
Oh hi cyberspace!
Favourite play/show: Enron & War Horse
Favourite Comedian: Ed Byrne
Oh hi cyberspace!
Seeing as it is the run-up to what will be one of the most intense, exciting and potentially arduous months of our lives, it feels only prudent that we ceremoniously open our blog with a series of the tried-and-tested 'about me's'. So who wants to go first...?...?...?....?
*Tumbleweed*
Oh, ok go on then I'll do it!
Yearp, so I'm Sophie, I'm co-producing Killing Bill Gates alongside Matt Lavender (you won't meet him because he's actually a figment of our imaginations). This isn't my first Edinburgh venture! I think I'm alone in the company when I say that? I think? If any of my cohorts have in fact performed there and I am actually ignorant enough not to have realised, then a thousand apologies, and I'm sure they will correct me in later posts!
But anyway, last year I was involved in a double-act sketch show which went pretty well. In terms of scale it is nothing like KBG. Taking two mates up to Edinburgh with sketches and boiler suits is one thing. Taking a company of eight with props, set-pieces, lighting and sound designs is a whole other beast entirely! But it's an amazing beast. One with pink fur. Or something...
I have a background in 'needs-must' producing (my way of saying, I do it because I am a control freak) mainly in theatrical productions from original plays at the Poole Lighthouse and Winchester Arts Pub to short films with the merry band of Mechanical Tiger. More recently, kind old Auntie BBC has offered me the opportunity to train to become an actual producer-type-thing for 18 months. So the two days off I have after Edinburgh will be spent upping all sticks and relocating to London! Exciting/terrifying!
Like the rest of the otriad, I'm a scriptwriter! Have a couple of credits on Cbeebies and had some success with BBC Writersroom.
I'm actually IN this show too...which is special! I've only really rediscovered the...'thespo thrill' if you like since being back at University. It's been such brilliant fun to flex those muscles again. Here's hoping all the work pays off!
Myself and the fellas will be keeping you all updated as the month dribbles by! Hopefully, to spew a much over-used phrase, entries will become a little more 'event-led' once the Edinburgh ball gets rolling! But for now do enjoy our naval-gazing and introductions!
Wish us luck!
Saturday 23 July 2011
Killing Bill Gates: The Writing Process; an incredibly brief breakdown.
Date: 23/07/11
Author: Peter Fellows
Author: Peter Fellows
In early October 2010, the eight of us got together in a large room at Christchurch house to discuss and pitch ideas for a stage play. We were kicked out of that room fairly promptly, but we managed to find another one (after a brief clash with a couple of business students) and I threw out my idea for a self contained one scene comedy following a group of charity workers planning to kill computer-dude Bill Gates, each for their own dark personal reasons.
I’d originally thought it might work as a sketch, but, as a being of limited creativity, I couldn’t actually think up another decent storyline to pitch to the others. So I went with this one.
Originally, we thought we’d be entering the Camden Fringe. Unrelated to the rest of this blog entry, but I thought I’d throw a fun-fact out there. Just because you don’t care doesn’t mean that it doesn’t matter. Ok, in this instance, it probably does mean exactly that actually. Ah.
As ‘the guy with the idea’, I was given permission to nominate two co-writers. This was a very difficult decision, firstly because the other seven are all great comic minds, and secondly because I felt it was important to find two people with a similar style/wavelength as myself.
So I chose Tom Harrison, whose every word is a nugget of comedy adimantium (or some other more valuable, less fictional item), and Sam Hutchinson, for his reliability, attention to detail, and to keep myself and Tom from just writing a huge monologue about paedo midget’s through history.
The other five have all shaped and improved the script since, in rehearsals and in-between drafts.
Five important things to remember about the writing process of ‘Killing Bill Gates’-
1. We were often inebriated.
2. We’re good friends, and spent an unnatural amount of time together during the process. Resulting in several ‘Top Gun’ jokes/references.
3. Some opinions voiced through the characters are definitely those of three male writers’ who (at the time) were single. One character even utters the words ‘women f*** up everything….’ So, basically, apologies to the female side of the race. We aren’t actually sexist, just very, very lonely.
4. Writing for specific actors, we had to be careful not to slip into comfort zones.
5. Preferring to separately write a scene each, we would come together to work on each other’s progress. This often meant staying up very late (and me sleeping on their sofa, resulting in a heinous back problem which will only become fully evident in about 2025).
The script was finished around January.
I hope this blog entry hasn’t been too self-indulgent. I’m looking forward to reading everyone else’s opinions of the writing process an’ that, and I hope you are too. Oh yeah, we already established that you don’t actually care. Oh well, that’s fine, if you’ve read this far the joke’s on you.
Cheers x
Welcome
Date: 23/07/11
Author: Josh.
Hello, and welcome to the Mechanical Tiger blog. Over the course of the coming months (and years?), the members of Mechanical Tiger will be blogging and vlogging (hate that word) about our experience taking our original play "Killing Bill Gates" to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and beyond.
First things first: All the details of the show - and the company - can be found over at our website.
Key things to know:
- It's a comedy play
- It's free
- It's original
- It's awesome
So, this blog will bring you pictures, videos, and thoughts from all eight of us involved with the play and you will be able to literally see us fall apart as we sleep on floors for a month.
Check back every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for more updates.
Thanks
Josh
Author: Josh.
Hello, and welcome to the Mechanical Tiger blog. Over the course of the coming months (and years?), the members of Mechanical Tiger will be blogging and vlogging (hate that word) about our experience taking our original play "Killing Bill Gates" to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and beyond.
First things first: All the details of the show - and the company - can be found over at our website.
Key things to know:
- It's a comedy play
- It's free
- It's original
- It's awesome
So, this blog will bring you pictures, videos, and thoughts from all eight of us involved with the play and you will be able to literally see us fall apart as we sleep on floors for a month.
Check back every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for more updates.
Thanks
Josh
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