Blog - Aunty Jen Productions

ROMEO AND JULIET – by Abi Thompson

The Shakespeare play we all think we know… but AJP do it best! Jen and her incredible Shakespeare knowledge plus a cast of the loveliest, most hardworking people who never take themselves too seriously was the perfect team to be surrounded by going into this. I felt so supported and impressed at the many coats and blankets provided by fellow cast members to save me getting bitten or wet during the scenes in which I Iie on the floor dead!

Coming into rehearsals was so exciting and yet nerve-wracking, but needless to say any fear didn’t last long. We rehearsed in the beautiful grounds of Coughton Court, and it was such an honour to rehearse this historical play in a place that was so rich in history itself. We got stuck in there with a read through then got it up on its feet- there is no time for dilly-dallying in AJP! As always with this team, I felt so included and supported every step of the way.

One of the important things we wanted to do with this show was make it accessible to all audiences. Shakespeare can be enjoyed by children and not a classroom bore! We had a brilliant time making the first half of the show comedic, so that the tragedy was more powerful. We performed in primary schools, GCSE classes and public shows for all ages, and it seemed as if everyone was having just as much fun as us (until things took a turn…)

We were so lucky to have the amazing Rhea on hand, who I am convinced can conjure up ANYTHING within an evening, providing us with heart shaped poison bottles etc. Plus the brilliant front of house team and the fabulous Craig to help with tech and moving props in and out of vans and we were sorted!

I loved every second of this show! A powerful team and a dream role mixed with some absolutely brilliant venues made this the perfect tour. With every ‘the show must go on moment’ (flying blankets in the wind was my favourite) I was reminded of the beauty of live theatre. This show will stay in my heart for a long time!

“Talking chess pieces? Whoever heard of such a thing!” by Bethan Dixon

This summer, Aunty Jen Productions presented Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’.

It was five years since we had performed ‘Alice in Wonderland’ on the back of a trailer (featuring a giant inflatable flamingo!). So, it felt like the right time to revive another wonderfully wacky tale.

Adapted by our Martin Conway, the story follows Alice on her adventures through the ‘mirror-world’, playing a giant game of chess. Logic runs backwards, words are the wrong way round, and you ought to keep your voice down in the gardens – the flowers might have something to say back!

But, we knew ‘Through the Looking Glass’ was an ambitious project before the actors’ read-through had even started. Why? Well, there were six actors in the show… and over twenty different parts!

Multi-rolling is an exciting word in the theatre world. It involves an actor playing more than one character in a show – often featuring speedy costume changes. It takes a lot of skill to switch quickly and clearly from one character to the next. With usual AJP spirit, our team was definitely up for this challenge!

AJP is proud to have such a dedicated team of volunteers, which undoubtably made the multi-rolling process run as smoothly as it did! With flower heads, unicorn horns and a 40cm hat, Rhea’s prop-making was an extraordinary feat. Each item was made with care and precision, which helped the actors to step into their different characters.

And what crazy characters they were! From talking insects to Mad Hatters, rehearsals were filled with as much fun, joy and laughter as the show itself. It was an especially funny moment when I hadn’t noticed Humpty Dumpty falling off the wall, leaving poor Kaz wobbling backwards for a good 30 seconds!

Playing Alice was like stepping back into my childhood. I’m about to enter my twenties (spoiler alert, I’m not actually ‘seven years and six months’ old!). So, it was so joyful to discover the mirror-world with such open, playful, child-like curiosity. I hope it encouraged our audiences to do the same.

We were lucky enough to perform to our audiences in stunning outdoor venues, including our first summer performances at Coughton and Fairfield Courts. Our team completed three public shows and two private bookings, not to mention our two hugely successful theatre academies!

The theatre academies were rife with all sorts of fun and mischief. The children enjoyed their chessboard sandwiches at the Mad Hatter’s tea party, showed their strength and teamwork in the Red Queen’s tournament, and even learned all the songs from the show, ready to join us onstage at the end of the week!

These songs were such a joyful addition to the story. Some were sung a cappella, others were accompanied by a live cello, flute, ukulele and even kazoos! The songs helped create the show’s whimsical atmosphere, and definitely put our lyric memories to the test in the new version of ‘The Can-Can’. In fact, one cast member enjoyed ‘Ordinary Girl’ so much, he even sang it during our lunch breaks!

Ten days of rehearsals, seven performances and many plum cake slices later, we took our final bow at The Lawns Care Home. It was time to draw the AJP season to a close. A big thank you to our entire team of volunteers, who worked tirelessly to help this show come to life. This wouldn’t have been possible without you.

As put so beautifully by Aunty Jen, we hope our audiences will be curious like Alice, brave like the Lion, and a bit silly like the Mad Hatter. But more importantly, in this difficult world we’re all having to navigate, we hope we gave you the opportunity to sit back, relax, and smile.

See you next time!

Alice xxx