930 Explore the backstage
“It completely met all my expectations. Personally, it even exceeded them. It was really a surprise.！”
“Wonderful, completely wonderful! Renly Hall is definitely one of the most outstanding young actors in Generation Y. There is no doubt about it. God, I still can’t get over it now. Several performances are so worth remembering..”
“Yes, I'm really looking forward to the second half now. Tired? One thing is that three hours is indeed an extremely long time; but in fact, now I am more excited than tired. It has been a long time since I felt the charm of drama again..”
“for me? I like the Almeida Theater version. I know it's not for popular taste because it's really too long, but the Queen's Theater version is still extremely good; it's just that, personally, the Almeida Theater version presents the original work The grand picture of the story, you can really appreciate the details.”
“Drama is always drama, and you need to sit and watch it in person to appreciate the true meaning. Renly Hall is indeed outstanding. Now I can finally understand why so many people have been praising him..”
……
Bustling and endless, after the first half of the performance, 550 spectators rushed out. The entrance of the Almeida Theater was enveloped in a boiling warm current. It was full of people and lively..
Journalists are eager to obtain first-hand information, hoping to get a glimpse of the tip of the iceberg of this play; while other audiences can’t wait to communicate, hoping to feel the live atmosphere of this play through a few words. Of course, those who are asking for tickets The audience still held up the sign tirelessly, but they were destined to be disappointed..
As the most popular show in May, tickets for the opening night of "Les Misérables" are always priced at a high price. The original price of a regular ticket is 120 pounds, first it was speculated to 3,500 pounds, and then it was speculated to 5,000 pounds. ——An audience member could not resist the temptation and chose to sell it, and the transaction was indeed completed for 5,000 pounds..
On the eve of the premiere, the price of tickets reached a new high on the black market, further rising to 6,000 pounds. However, no one sold it..
However, people have always persevered. Since this "Les Misérables" is divided into two halves, and tickets for the two halves can be purchased separately, it is conceivable that if the quality is not as good after the first half, If it is not satisfactory, or it is far below expectations, then a large number of tickets for the second half will be released.——
Even if it is not six thousand pounds, just six hundred pounds, or even three hundred pounds, this is a good deal..
As a result, a large number of speculators gathered at the entrance of the Almeida Theater, including ticket scalpers waiting for opportunities, loyal fans full of desire, and opportunistic middlemen... However, they were all disappointed, and they all agreed. , rave reviews and booming word-of-mouth, the expectations have not only not dropped, but also continue to rise..
“The second half is even more exciting.”
It sounds a little weird. A six-hour performance in 2012 is like having "non-literary and young artists please stay away" clearly written on the forehead; however, the first half of the three-hour performance After the performance, the three-hour second half of the performance has become the expectation of every audience——
Five hundred and fifty, each one. Literally. Maybe... Elf Hall is the only exception. Her thoughts are unknown..
Unimaginably, the popularity of tickets for the second half of "Les Misérables" has increased on the black market. Someone has offered a high price of 8,000 pounds, which can be called crazy. Maybe this is just a joke price; maybe , it is destined to be impossible to buy tickets, but behind this number is revealed the popularity of this show, as well as Renly’s strong appeal.
There are still two and a half hours before the second half kicks off, but the craze in London's West End has not stopped, climbing to new heights bit by bit. This is definitely one of the craziest events in London in 2012, even if "one" is removed. no problem.
The excitement and excitement outside slowly seeped into every corner of the Almeida Theatre. The flowers, laughter, and busy scene all revealed a sense of warmth and excitement. The warm and cold weather in London seemed to have ended at this moment. Smelling the breath of midsummer makes people feel happy involuntarily.
Ned Mullan's mood became slightly tense.
Yes, nervous. After realizing his nervousness, Ned himself laughed out loud..
As a senior reporter for "Empire" magazine, Ned has naturally seen countless storms; more importantly, at the Berlin Film Festival not long ago, Ned interviewed Renly face-to-face, and the two had a very pleasant conversation. But today, thinking that he was about to see Renly again, the sweat on his palms and the anxious heartbeat still revealed his true emotions..
Noticing Ned's smile, theater manager Emma Fitting turned her head and said, "What's wrong?？”
Ned chuckled, "Would you believe me if I said I'm a little nervous now?？”
Emma did not laugh at Ned, but lowered her jaw in realization, "Believe me, I am very nervous now. It is not a small thing to interrupt the actor's performance rhythm during the first and second half breaks. In order to My job prospects and my emotions are very tense right now..”
Such a response made Ned smile..
Accompanied by the theater manager, Ned entered the backstage of the Almeida Theater. There are not many secrets in the backstage of the theater in London's West End, but it is far more complicated than imagined. In a seemingly simple building, Including rehearsal room, prop room, lift platform, side stage waiting area, actor waiting room, etc..
These theaters located in the West End of London have a long history. The oldest ones were established at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Their names often come from the palace, or the history and founder of the neighborhood. These old buildings passed by After a century of precipitation, traces of time can be seen in every corner and every detail..
The Almeida Theater is just a medium-sized theater, and the backstage space is a bit narrow..
At this time, the staff were carrying all kinds of giant props. In the second half of the performance, the stage background props suddenly began to increase, such as the mansion of Jean Valjean after he became a businessman, such as Marius The neighborhood where Enjolras and others discuss major matters, and the fortress of street war..
Experimental plays in the first and second halves are inherently severe challenges; and in modern times, six-hour experimental plays are often art plays that require the use of large-scale props. "Les Misérables" is obviously an exception. .On the one hand, preparations for the second half have become cumbersome; on the other hand, costs have also risen, which naturally leads to greater risks..
Now, the staff on the channel are coming and going, arranging all the props in an orderly manner; at the same time, the props team, costume team, and makeup team staff who are coming in and out are also preparing for the second half of the performance. On the contrary, the actors Missing.
As a representative of "Empire" magazine, Ned was the only reporter who was able to enter the backstage of the theater during the intermission on the opening night. The only one, mainly due to the personal relationship between "Empire" magazine and the Almeida Theater. Otherwise, countless media would come after me. Even if "Empire" magazine is among the top in the UK, it is definitely not that simple to get interview opportunities..
Because all the media and all reporters know that, nominally, this is the halftime interview for the entire cast of "Les Misérables"; but at the same time, this is Renly's first interview since the Oscar. No one wants to miss it..
Thinking of this, Ned's palms began to sweat again..
“Why was this play only performed for three months? Ned and Emma talked first, "With such a huge investment, if the response is excellent, it will take at least six to nine months to perform, otherwise the audience will not agree.".”
“The premiere hasn't ended yet, so I don't want to judge prematurely." Emma still expressed modesty, but the joy between her eyebrows did not hide it..
Before the show ended, Emma had a brief exchange with several senior theater critics, and the results were gratifying. "But the fact is that we hope to perform it for a longer time, but this play is really too long, six hours. It's a burden for any actor.”
Emma said sincerely, "This is a challenge for the actors, the theater, and even the audience. Three months is a relatively safe choice. What's more, Renly is an extremely busy actor. I I don’t want to keep him here for too long, otherwise the fans will definitely be disappointed..”
Compared with movies, the influence of theaters is still limited. In the West End, that is, in London, not every movie fan has the conditions and ability to come to London to watch a play; even if the crew goes to Broadway for a tour, the same is true..
“We signed a three-month contract with Renly, but the other young actors kept it open. After three months, we can see the performance and decide whether to continue the show in the future. If necessary, we can change a new actor. Approve the actors and rehearse." Emma simply outlined the future of the play..
Six hours a day, six performances a week. This is too much for any actor, so the theater has prepared two lineups to perform alternately. If it continues after three months, the theater will inevitably need to train The other two sets of actors are rotated.
“However, Renly and I talked about this matter privately. He said that even if it is three months later, if there is a chance, he would still be very happy to return to London's West End and participate in the show again." Emma's steady eyebrows were flying. It was rare for a theater manager who had experienced many battles, "I don't know if you've ever talked to Renly face to face, but when he stepped on the stage, his eyes were really different. He is a born actor.”
“I know." Ned nodded to confirm. As he spoke, they had already arrived at the waiting room, where the sound of laughter and laughter could be heard. Even before the door was opened, you could feel the cheerful atmosphere..
Comments