OK – so how did I get into this? It’s Thursday evening, we have a group of people ranging in age from 19 – 89 years and to the outside eye the group’s work must look like mildly organised chaos. Welcome to a typical workshop session for SAVVY Theatre Company.
The group are currently mid-way through the rehearsal process for their next major production – Romeo & Juliet at Honeywood. In one corner of the room, Lewis the fight director is taking Mercutio & Tybalt through their paces, choreographing their impressive knife fight. In another corner assistant director John is working closely with Paris, unlocking Shakespeare’s text and helping the actor come to grips with the rhythm of the verse. The company’s Artistic Director Sheree is working with the puppeteers, helping our beautiful Romeo & Juliet stage a scene that reconciles the characters and sets up their need to flee the violence of their families. Michelle our costume designer is pulling the cast aside one by one to try on various pieces of apparel while Samia takes a moment to share her designs for transforming the museum into a spectacularly decorated party for the Capulet ball.
In only a few short weeks the entire company will be moving to Honeywood Museum, where design and fights and puppets and Shakespeare will collide into an incredible site-specific experience. This is the stuff that SAVVY is made of … vibrant, alive and full of spirit!
“My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite.” ― William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
