Behind the Scenes of The Web

Amanda Woodhams - Susan

The Web is your first mainstage production for Black Swan. What are you looking forward to about this production? The strength of Kate Mulvany’s script excites me greatly, she has drawn a lot from of her own experiences living in rural WA and it lends the show an Aussie authenticity. I am so pleased by how touching, thrilling, haunting, funny and above all human the play is and the fact that I will be one of the first actors to work on it and share it with an audience is pretty special.

In a very simple level I am looking forward to touring The Web to Albury-Wodonga for the HotHouse Theatre season. I’ve never been to Albury before and it should prove a fun adventure! When we come back to Perth we will be performing at the Playhouse Theatre, which will be the biggest venue I will have performed in to date, a good challenge in itself.

At this early stage in the rehearsals for The Web I am loving the sense of discovery while we work through each scene. It is a lot of fun working with director Marcelle Schmitz, she has created a rehearsal space that is fun, relaxed and focused at the same time. Our cast and creatives, who have come from all over Australia to work on this show are skilled, passionate, batty and very fun.

Explain your role in The Web and what your process is when developing a character. I like to sit in on as much of the rehearsal process as possible. I find it imperative to track how a play is shaping up so I can assess where to pitch my character? For example do I need to make a character lighter to make her demise more tragic? Or do I need to make my performance more cynical to help the audience side with another actor? Do I need to make myself sweeter so another character is justified in his love for me? etc. How my character is formed is based around how I can enhance the story the cast and creatives are trying to tell.

Chris Isaacs - Stage Manager

You have worked as Assistant Stage Manager for Black Swan for a number of productions. Which of these was your most memorable and why? Each show has its moments to remember. It’s difficult to suggest one more memorable than the other. I remember some shows for good reasons, and others for not so good reasons.  I look at each show as an experience, from which I learn more about my craft, and more about the creation of theatre. The most enjoyable show I have worked on under Black Swan would probably be Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (2008). It was a wonderful experience to work on such an eminent modern play with great cast, crew and creatives.

The Web is your first mainstage production for Black Swan in the role of Stage Manager. Can you explain what differences there are between Stage Manager and Assistant Stage Manager? It varies from show to show. Generally the stage manager is responsible for any action or occurrences on or around the stage. They need to be constantly in rehearsals making notes, distributing information to all relevant parties, and keeping a close eye on proceedings.  An assistant stage manager is there to assist the stage manager, usually sources materials and props needed for the performance and the rehearsal room. Often the assistant stage manager becomes the small props manager, but these terms are not exclusively used in relation to each other.

The Web is a co-production between Black Swan and HotHouse Theatre in Albury. The play is rehearsing in Perth, travelling to Albury to open and then returning to Perth for its own season here. What are the benefits and difficulties of this arrangement from a stage management point of view? Benefits:  Travelling.  You get to share art with an audience you may not necessarily be familiar with, which is an exciting process. I also enjoy working with new people.

Difficulties:  Travelling. Distance means time, and time is precious in the making of theatre. This means a lot of things need to be sorted and prioritised before rehearsals have even started.  Plus there’s always the fear that we’d show up to the theatre to do a show and I left behind a vital prop or costume piece. Putting things in transit is always terrifyingly scary.