29th August 2016
And so it’s over…the Edinburgh adventure.
Bit blue today, but greatly cheered by the comment below posted on my website – all the more meaningful as it comes from an ex-serviceman…
“Mr Mears, I saw your show yesterday, (28th), and found it extremely enjoyable, (although I don’t think enjoyable is an appropriate word for such a serious subject matter!) Certainly, it was thought provoking and led to a long discussion between my 16 yr old daughter and I afterwards.
August 23rd
So, here I am in the final week of Edinburgh…and audiences for This Evil Thing are slowly building, but with over 3,000 (yes, three thousand) shows to choose from, it’s not easy persuading folk to see my show rather than the other 2,999.
In the first week, the List (Scotland’s version of Time Out) reviewed the play and it was a glowing review with not one bad thing to say – but it only received three stars. The star system is, alas, so important in Edinburgh – one star more or less can make the difference between someone deciding to see a show or not.
Monday 8th August
So, I have opened THIS EVIL THING at New Town Theatre, Edinburgh, with the help of my brilliant team, director Ros Hutt and sound designer Mark Noble. Various teething problems with lighting boards and so on, but the incredibly mature and experienced Mark (aged 24) has dealt with them all.
First two performances last week went very well, including the two who travelled down from Dunblane and were very moved by the whole experience.
First two previews gone very well! One audience member who travelled down from Dunblane was very emotional at the end.
Also a nice interview here with some background to the piece.
Tickets for THIS EVIL THING now on sale here.
Flyer for THIS EVIL THING below
MICHAEL MEARS Flyer for THIS EVIL THING
Michael Mears
So, we have completed our two London previews of THIS EVIL THING to small invited audiences in our rehearsal space at Room One – without stage lighting but with all the set, sound and costume.
And phew! they seemed to go down well. And I already seem to have a lost a bit of weight. Will need to up my carb intake etc etc in order to perform this piece – and make sure I stay hydrated.
I have strategically-placed sips of water available during the play (in a tea- cup, a sherry glass, a whisky tumbler, and a period bottle), but they are just sips. The serious drinking has to be done well in advance. A voice coach told me you need to start drinking water four hours before you perform to give it time to be fully absorbed by the body.
It’s been an incredible experience, feeling the piece come together with the help of such a brilliant team, Ros, Jane, Zoe and the two Marks…and without wishing to sound too mystical, I really feel the COs themselves are behind the project. I have a large copy of a photograph at home of Bert Brocklesby, the main CO in the play, given to me by his granddaughter Jill Gibbon. Now it may just be fanciful thinking on my part, but when I got home after the first preview I could have sworn that he was smiling ever so slightly – as if to say – ‘Hey up, lad – that were grand…’
His photograph will be coming with me to Edinburgh on August 1st along with photos of the other significant people in the play – safely stowed in an enormous suitcase with everything I might need for my month north of the border. Keep smiling on us, Bert…
Michael Mears 