30th January, 2009 - 10 Things I Love about the Theatre #7

The seventh thing I love about the theatre is problem solving at high speed. Just about the only skill that you really need to have if you direct plays is an ability to make decisions at high speed in technical and dress rehearsals.

It doesn’t matter how organised you have been in rehearsals and in your discussions with the crew, when you actually get into your venue everything changes. The set doesn’t fit. The extension cable for the pyros isn’t long enough. The actors can’t see backstage. And so on and so forth.

These are the times when the director has to prove his worth by making the calls. Hopefully you get them right. But the important thing is to make the call and then move on to the next one.

In fact, it’s the same for all the technical team. The lighting manager needs to improvise with the equipment he has. The stage manager needs to beg borrow and steal some essential prop that has somehow escaped everybody’s notice. There are lots of expert hands on the ship’s rigging, all making last minute adjustments. But the deadline for departure is fixed and must be met.