Guest Blog: "Do You Mind If I Hit You With A Lobster?"

Lauryn Redding

'I can't climb the tree then, I’m changing into a weasel', 'Do I smash the ukulele now or later?' and 'Do you mind if I hit you with the lobster?' These are just some examples of sentences that I have uttered in a rehearsal room. I've heard MANY sentences in these rooms that out of context sound completely ludicrous and the first day in the 'Barmy Britain Part Two' rehearsal room I was looking forward to hearing many more, and of course I wasn't disappointed. 'Lauryn...Can I cling film your head?' was one that particularly stood out. 

Day one. We read through the play, along with the creatives. We also saw the wonderful costume and set designs presented to us by our designer Jackie Trousdale. The first few days on a new job can be a little unsettled and basically about saying 'hello' to lots of people and drinking tea... but before I knew it, we were 8 pages down, 2 songs taught and my French accent had stretched it legs. I don't want to spoil anything for you, but it was already apparent that some unusual and hilarious sound effects were going to feature, along with enough accents to shake your stick at. For those who don't know the concept of 'Barmy Britain Part Two' it is a two hander, which means there are only two people in it. Myself and the lovely Anthony Spargo are in this production. It is an hour long romp with elaborate costumes, original songs and even a talking crow. Between Anthony and myself we play about 30 characters. As you can imagine, it will be pretty chaotic and currently makes for a very sweaty rehearsal room!

Lauryn Redding & Anthony Spargo

We are in the middle of the rehearsal process at the moment and every day is jam packed. As well as going through the play with our director Neal Foster, we are adding sound effects, along with singing rehearsals, choreography, costume fittings and sessions with the designers and prop makers to distinguish exactly what we need. It is a truly barmy but creative, generous process where everyone’s voice is heard and taken into consideration.

I genuinely look forward to heading into rehearsals in the morning. It's a bit like play time; being allowed to create, experiment and be a bit silly... focused, but silly, with our director Neal playing along too. Throw in some severed limbs, a Victorian rap and some vomit inducing sound effects, it makes for a deliciously gruesome rehearsal process. 

The best thing about this play for me is the richness of the stories we are telling. In some cases they are horrible and shocking - in others, hilarious and ridiculous... but the best thing about ALL the stories is that they are true. I have to remind myself constantly that these events, these people and these stories actually happened, and the importance of 'telling the story' is something that Neal drills into us daily. 

Lauryn Redding & Anthony Spargo

There have been evenings this week when I have arrived home after a rehearsal and found myself, script in hand, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Whether it be the amount of lines to learn, the variety of accents or the classic question 'where the hell am I in this scene?!' But this is all part and parcel of the job, and I look forward to what the next few weeks will bring.

I feel very privileged to be part of Barmy Britain – Part Two! - it's not every day as an actor you get given the chance to play such incredible people from history; Boudicca and Queen Victoria to name but a few! I've also learnt a lot more about British History, which I thought I'd left in my dusty history books from school. If only Horrible Histories was so prevalent in my youth! It is also a joy to work with people who love what they do, get on with the job, and do everything in their power to make the show as brilliant as possible... from the costume makers, to the people in the Birmingham Stage Company and everyone in between. They all care and I believe this is why Barmy Britain - Part Two! is going to be so fantastic... it is created with love and humour embedded at its core. 

Lauryn Redding

contact@westendframe.com

Lauryn trained at Rose Bruford College. Her theatre credits include:  The Enough Project (The Lowry, Manchester/Theatre In The Mill, Bradford/The Carriageworks, Leeds/Dept Arts), Numb (Arcola Theatre), Wind In The Willows (West Yorkshire Playhouse), King Lear And Different Buttons (Red Rose Chain), The Comedy Of Errors (Shakespeare's Globe), Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain (Garrick Theatre, London), Horrible Histories (UK Tour/Hong Kong/Singapore/Regents Park/Hyde Park), Shhh (Theatre 503), Tall Tales (Theatr Clwyd, Cymru), Country Music (Cockpit Theatre), Other People's Music (Battersea Arts Centre).

TV and Radio credits include: Somewhere Between The News Clippings and the Gossip Pages (BBC/Slunglow), Lee Nelsons Well Good Show (Bbc Three), Covent Garden (Urban Scrawl Radio), Carlton Hobbs Representative 2009 (BBC Radio 4).

Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain Part 2 runs at the Garrick Theatre between 26th September 2013 and 5th January 2014. Click here to book tickets.

Photo Credit: Jane Hobson

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