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drinks Monday 1 September 08 Edinburgh Reunion in London
Topping And Butch Hit Leicester Square 26-27 September 08
Interview - Sue Hastie & Gavin Huscroft
Gavin Huscroft directs Sue Hastie in Pisspots And Portraits at Edinburgh 06. They’ve both done a year on Arts Council England’s InterACT. They talk to Peter Andrews.
by Peter Andrews
Pisspots And Portraits is a lively romp through the history of art - Great Plague to Tracey Emin's bed – from actors Steven Bews, Sue Hastie, Dominic Hughes, Elena Miller, Claire Stanley. It’s Gavin Huscroft’s first Edinburgh as a director, but he’s been before in Murder In The Cathedral at St Giles. For Sue Hastie, it’s her first time.
Gavin Huscroft (GH) and Sue Hastie (SH) have just done a year with Arts Council England’s training programme InterACT. It’s managed by Northumberland Theatre Company Touring Theatre Company (NTC), whose artistic director is Gillian Hambleton.
The course crosses the bridge from education to working in theatre. It aims to produce employable theatre professionals for the Arts Council’s Northern Region. Trainees take active placements with professional theatre companies, and attend masterclasses with experienced practitioners. InterACT is fully accredited, covering acting, directing, design and stage management.
What did you expect?
(GH) Very exciting and a bit mad – a great place to be able to showcase work and build a bigger audience. (SH) The atmosphere really – I was looking forward to being in amongst it all and seeing some of the other shows.
Up to expectations?
(GH) We’ve done three previews and the houses were really good. Among the comments are ‘intrigued’, ‘interesting’ and other quite positive ones. We’re getting audiences that have knowledge of art and they’re enjoying it. I’ve been going into art galleries and they’ve been very helpful. All the flyers we’ve left have gone. We’re going to check back in a week to see if people have responded and come and seen us. (SH) I didn’t realise just how competitive it would be. There’s so many people on the Royal Mile flyering and promoting their shows.
(GH) A plus is the opportunity to put yourself up against so many other companies. I suppose it’s all down to the number of people and companies you get to know with the potential for future work. Minuses – we have a good venue but there are all those other venues and performers out there. There seems to be an emphasis on comedy – adding to the competition. (SH) Pluses – as an actor to see so many other shows in a short time and make contact with many other theatre companies.
What about InterACT?
(GH) There are very few courses for directing. To be able to go from company to company has provided some great experience. It’s ideal that you’re shadowing and assisting different directors with many years of practice. Also the master classes have been aimed at things we specifically wanted to do. (SH) It has allowed me to work back-to-back with different companies for a year. Now I’ve got a wonderful CV that would take most actors at least 2-3 years to accumulate.
Essential knowledge before Edinburgh?
(GH) You won’t make any money – even if you’ve got the best show in the world. You still have to promote it every day with flyering and everything else. It’s not a holiday; it’s work. Come and see other productions and venues the year before you bring anything up. Some venues fine you if you’re too slow getting in or getting out. People bring shows where they’ve got to make the money to pay the venue. This is not a good idea. You must treat the whole thing as a proper serious venture. I’d start planning for the next one the minute this one finishes. All the information you’ll need will be there and it’ll still be fresh. Work at getting good contacts for the following year. (SH) Start rehearsing as early as possible. With a devised piece like ours the sooner you get onto it the better. There’s often lots of rewriting and re-editing.
What next?
(GH) I’ve got to put myself out as a freelance actor/director. I’m trying to start a company with two people in the cast and a friend I now work with quite regularly. We’ll start with the arduous task of applying for funding. I would like to stay in the North East – that was the whole point of the course - and so would expect some support. (SH) I’ve been writing to lots of theatre companies and I’ve got some auditions lined up in September. I’ll continue getting in touch with as many people as possible. I’d like to stay in the North East but I’ll go where the work is.
5 years time?
(GH) It’s double-edged. On the one hand I’d love to have a company, making money, doing what I’m doing – enjoying theatre. At the other end of the scale I’d like to make it big as a director in London. But as long as I can make a living, I’d be happy with that. Also I’d like to work with Val McLane again (they worked together on Women In My Past (www.biscuitpublishing.com) and Tom Hadaway’s The Prison Plays). (SH) I’d like to keep working as a professional actor getting as much experience as possible in theatre and television. I’d also like to work for Northumberland Theatre Company, as I’ve seen a number of their productions and know what sort of work they do.
(c) Peter Andrews 1 September 06
Peter Andrews reviewed Pisspots And Portraits at Alnwick Playhouse, Northumberland on at 27 July 06. Gavin Huscroft and Sue Hastie talked to him in Edinburgh on Wednesday 9 August 2006. Pisspots And Portraits is at Roman Eagle Lodge - 4-27 Aug 06 - 18.00 (1 hr)
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2008
