It all started with a tweet from my colleague @jfourgeaud.
Will be heading this evening for a workshop to join the "Southwark Mysteries" cast. Gonna be fun! http://bit.ly/bQGnPSThis I thought sounded very interesting, so I followed the link to the site.
On the site was a link "Be In It" and an email address to request a place on this evenings introductory workshop. So after a quick call to my wife, I sent an email, got one back and here is what happened.
On first arriving at the South Bank University, I ticked off my name then headed to the rehearsal room, which the university had very kindly given to the Southwark Mysteries to use to practice and rehearse for the play.
Everyone was very welcoming when I arrived and we were warned in advance that a "name game" was coming later so we should take the opportunity to introduce ourselves to each other and learn a few names.
There were some people that had done this type of thing before and they seemed impressed that I had only decided earlier on that day on the spur of the moment to attend.
We started off with the writer and producer of the "Southwark Mysteries" John Constable, giving us an introduction and some background on the play.
John asked us all to say our name and a word or two to give people an idea about ourselves, he started then turned to his right. Hold on that's me, I wasn't ready so the first word I thought of popped out "Passion".
We then discussed the community cast contract, covering some principle and behaviours we would like to see from ourselves and others during the next 7 weeks.
A very large & long roll of paper was placed on the floor, for the ideas to be added. These included : take direction, respect, honesty, enjoy yourself, be non judgemental and one of my favourites "be brave", as well as many others. These words and phrases were all very positive gave me a real sense of what it going to be like working on this community project.
During the workshop we also did some physical exercises to help us become more aware of others and get some understanding of what it might be like to be on a stage with lots of other people moving around. This turned out to be quite an interesting observation of human nature and behavior.
We also did some reading, which got very interesting when we had to just read a line when we felt like it, but not interrupt each other while agreeing non verbally who was going to say the line.
There was also a song to learn which I enjoyed immensely.
We started how we finished with a word and mine was "enlightened".
My eyes were starting to be opened into a world I knew nothing about but was starting to look very interesting and enjoyable.
All in all one of the best evenings out I have had in ages and certainly the most spontaneous in the last few years, leading to my first blog right after an event.
So as a new member of the community cast of "Southwark Mysteries" I look forward to next Monday for more social interaction, learning and enlightenment.
Also a final thank you to Julian for giving my spontaneous side an opportunity.
