By Saturday night I was just about recovered enough from my epic malaise to manage Front-of-House duties at the Cornerhouse for the Stepping Out production of Diary of a Madman which Nevertheless Pub Theatre hosted for two nights. Gogol's account of paranoia and the treatment of madness remains a classic dark comedy piece, and Anthony Hoskins held a full house gripped. Feedback forms enthused: Great acting and writing, very moving, disturbing, real... Absolutely convincing and powerful descent into madness ~ and we had facebook accolades too: Great pub theatre again. Love those evenings.... So cool to have quality pub theatre here in Frome!
After the hectic clash of weekend productions life has quietened, though feedback is still coming through for both ~ my favourite Muffin Man email verdict read: "funny, astute, truthful, witty, beautifully structured, and a lovely playfulness about it that had the audience beaming with joy."
Creative life in Frome never quietens, of course. Sunday night at the Westway cinema celebrated some of the work of local independent film makers, including Greenspin, a clever video-poem by Helen Moore animated by Howard Vause which recently won an award at the Liberated Words festival at the Arnolfini. This event, musically hosted by Sara Coffield, also included the official screening of Tales of the Tunnels which was filmed during Frome Festival under the tunnels of the town while watched by an audience paddled in by the Canoe Club. Andrew Shackleton, of Recondite Spaces site-specific production company, had the concept of a mythical version of a medieval morality play about man's disconnection with nature and the option of return to harmony, and asked Frome Scriptwriters to create the dialogue. The result was one of the sell-out successes of the summer: a combination of unique setting, great musicality and fantastic costumes all adding to the lyrical, sometimes comical, thought-provoking symbolism of the script, and the movie captures it all.
After the hectic clash of weekend productions life has quietened, though feedback is still coming through for both ~ my favourite Muffin Man email verdict read: "funny, astute, truthful, witty, beautifully structured, and a lovely playfulness about it that had the audience beaming with joy."
Creative life in Frome never quietens, of course. Sunday night at the Westway cinema celebrated some of the work of local independent film makers, including Greenspin, a clever video-poem by Helen Moore animated by Howard Vause which recently won an award at the Liberated Words festival at the Arnolfini. This event, musically hosted by Sara Coffield, also included the official screening of Tales of the Tunnels which was filmed during Frome Festival under the tunnels of the town while watched by an audience paddled in by the Canoe Club. Andrew Shackleton, of Recondite Spaces site-specific production company, had the concept of a mythical version of a medieval morality play about man's disconnection with nature and the option of return to harmony, and asked Frome Scriptwriters to create the dialogue. The result was one of the sell-out successes of the summer: a combination of unique setting, great musicality and fantastic costumes all adding to the lyrical, sometimes comical, thought-provoking symbolism of the script, and the movie captures it all.
