Regular Cast and Crew Contributions - Jennifer Innes

All Consuming - Jennifer Innes

There are certain plays that can be all consuming if you let them – and it’s not an entirely unpleasant feeling.  In fact there’s an extra edge to life when you have your teeth stuck into a meaty project – and Closer is nothing if not meaty.  In fact it’s pretty much raw, bleeding and hanging off the bone (how can something so funny that it wins an Evening Standard Award for Best Comedy of the Year be so gut-wrenching at the same time?? Bloody brilliant).  When we’re not kissing, yelling or generally insulting each other at rehearsals (or drinking well-earned post-rehearsal beers to recover) we’re working on other aspects of the show.  Whether it be op-shopping for costumes (quite an effort on my part because I do so hate to shop) or setting up a strip tease event to raise funds (with drinks provided for courage, of course), this is an all-consuming project in the best possible way.  Now if I could only learn to cartwheel…       

Regular Cast and Crew Contributions - Dylan Lloyd

Blog Virgin - Dylan Lloyd

Well my first blog ever (yes I’m a blog virgin). Since being offered the part of Larry it’s been a rollercoaster ride, jumping into an established ensemble is always an interesting affair. The director Paul and the rest of the cast have been outstanding in their openness and courage with this work and their ability to let me feel instantly part of the ensemble. In the first week we’ve fallen love, broken up, been mislead in a chat room and enjoyed a strip club. Enjoy might not be the right word but what a first week. We’re into the second week and I’ve found out that chocolate and beer are very important to my fellow thespians. Everything is a Version of Something Else. Quoting my own character I know it’s vulgar but someone has to do it. Now I’m Para-phrasing my own character. What have I become!!!!

Regular Cast and Crew Contributions - Brenda McKinty

Anna's Shoes - Brenda McKinty

The prospect of stepping into Anna’s shoes is daunting. She is beautiful, successful, independently wealthy, intelligent, has a good sense of humour (sounds perfect in a personal ad) – all the traits of a highly desired and desirable woman. But something’s missing – the way she allows herself to be drawn from one relationship to another shows a lack of control over her own desires, and her inability to confront or voice her choices is confusing. Why is she so weak in her resolve? What can make a woman of such magnitude so passive? After three rehearsals, it’s exciting and incredibly challenging to be looking so deeply into a character’s psyche so early in the process. The discussions we’ve had about all the characters, their connection to each other, their traits and flaws, has been rewarding for all of us (although a strong need to distinguish ourselves from our characters prevails – “Dan’s like that, not Luke!!”). 

Patrick Marber has set a tremendous challenge – to present a series of connections and break-ups without all the stuff in between. We don’t get the lives of these people – we get their screw-ups, their inadequacies, the fall-out from their indiscretions. It’s raw and dirty and ugly in its truth. And it’s so fascinating to explore…

Regular Cast and Crew Contributions - Luke Lennox

Every week this page will bring you regular updates and information from cast and crew regarding the progress of rehearsals for Closer.