Shakespeare in the Park returns for the eighth time at Fort Canning Park, featuring The Tempest from 29th April to 25th May 2015!
Organised by the Singapore Repertory Theatre, Shakespeare in the Park is an annual event that stages the English playwright’s plays outdoors. Over the years, these have included Othello, Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
We chat with Ms Charlotte Nors, Executive Director at the Singapore Repertory Theatre, to find out more about the play.
Why is The Tempest the choice for this year’s play?
The Tempest lends itself very well to the outdoor setting and furthermore, is a text that is still studied in many schools. It is simply a great play.
(About the play: Some critics believe The Tempest to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote alone. Set on a remote island, an usurped duke plots to have his daughter reinstated to her rightful place with his magic. Opportunity strikes as his foes pass nearby, and he conjures a storm — the Tempest, forcing them over to the island where the major part of the story begins.)
It seems that the set design takes on a different sort of theme every year. What can the audience expect to see this time?
A magical look and feel – and an insanely huge set. You just have to come and see it for yourself!
How long is the cast taking to prepare for their roles?
We have a six week rehearsal period, but many of our actors will start rehearsing their lines much earlier so they are off book (have memorised the script) by the time rehearsals start.
In your opinion, what is most interesting about watching Shakespeare in the Park?
By taking a play out of the theatre, you give it a different layer of accessibility. This is the biggest picnic of the year and it is wonderful to see three generations come with their food and drinks for an evening of theatre. It’s less formal and indeed, very enjoyable – even for non-Shakespeare fans.
What were some of the difficulties the cast and crew faced during production?
You have to be fit and ready to work outdoors in the heat. As an actor, you also have to be very aware of the surrounding sounds and the large scale. Basically, you need to project very differently compared to indoor theatre.
We know that theatre is hard work – Julie Wee (who will be playing Miranda) shares with us her daily routine when she’s performing.
“When a show is up and running, if I’m lucky I’ll sleep in [in the morning], as shows end at about 10.30pm. So by the time we change out, get home and wind down, it ends up being pretty late. So it’s either a lazy day of rest or a day filled with other work like shoots or voice overs.
For Shakespeare in the Park, our call time is a lot earlier than a usual indoor theatre show – 4pm as opposed to 6 or 6.30pm.
First, we make our way to the dressing rooms (which is an air-conditioned tent in the park). We settle in, have a chat with the rest of the team, maybe receive notes from the director. Then we go on stage to rehearse our fight sequences, dances or complicated parts of the play that need work, depending on the play.
Next up is usually a group physical and vocal warm-up so that we’re ready to perform and also to connect as a team. At some point before the show, we have dinner too. Make-up, hair and costumes follow. I’m always jealous of the males because they aren’t usually involved in this process, so they can just chill out while we women spend up to an hour in the chair!
I always try to find some quiet time before the show to gather my thoughts. We get our half-hour call before the show, then the 15-minute call. We should be waiting backstage at the five-minute call at the latest, and ready and waiting just off-stage at the ‘standby’ call. Then show time!
Depending on our roles, we may or may not get to go back to the dressing room tent while the show is on. I remember in The Merchant of Venice last year I had about six costume and five wig changes, so much of my time offstage was spent getting ready for the next scene! Though, at interval we all take cover in the dressing rooms to cool down, hydrate and catch a breather.
Then we finish the show, take our bows and head home to rest up and recharge before we take the stage again the next night.
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More information about The Tempest can be found at http://www.sistic.com.sg/events/park0515
And specially for you student readers out there:
20% discount for full-time students!
* Through SISTIC Authorised Agents Only. Valid student pass has to be presented upon purchase tickets at the counter for a maximum purchase of 2 tickets. This discount is only valid for picnic tickets, and is not applicable for Saturday shows and the 1st May show.