Tech Run

Today was a day we had been building to for a while- a run in costume, a run in the space, a run with our props- today was our tech run. It felt so cool to be in the space in costume with hair and make-up, in my heels, in my red dress; the cast were brimming with excitement and it felt really special.

I was able to see the set in the plot, but for some people this was the first time they'd seen the set in it's full glory and to see everyone's faces was something that filled me with such joy. I described it as being a 'kid in a candy store' and we had gone and described all we'd seen to the cast, but had no visual evidence to show them, so to see all those fantasies and expectations be realised and brought to life was beautiful. I felt a shift in the whole cast; a belief flooded through us all which had come from the set something that had boosted this world in the stratosphere. Our world had expanded and evolved to epic proportions. Plus this is the first time that I had seen the whole cast in there costume. We were able to see some costume in the costume parade, but to see the whole cast stood in the space suited and booted, looking like icons of 90s business was a surreal experience- we've painted this wondrous picture and now we have to get it to stand out in the gallery.

To tech a play is a long process, but it was really important to figure out all the things that needed to be done so we could make this whole piece as slick as possible because I believe that is what is standing between us being good and great. I think as a whole one of the main things I got from today was that this set has to feel like my home, my work place of 15 years; I know all corridors, floors, cupboards, basements- it is my dominion. Therefore when I'm working I need to make use of the set and not let it work against me, but lift me and guide my choices in the moment. I think today because things were changing and we were being interrupted and moved around it was difficult to focus on forming a relationship with the set and yet I believe that this is imperative to do before our performance next week. The scale of this is set is grander than grand so it is easy to get lost in it. If I want to stand my ground within it, I need to feel comfortable with my surroundings and understand my journey within it.

I loved being on the balcony in this run. In rehearsals we've all just been imagining the height of the platform and the difference it will make to our scenes, but actually being up there makes you feel like you are in a top floor office or on a rooftop with a view of the city and it makes my experience throughout the play take on another dimension. When I'm working with someone on a different level I can create strong choices about how to position myself in relation to them and how to use the height to assert power and dominance or contrasting that being lost and isolated. To have this key detail finally there to play around with and experience was really great.

The scene that didn't work today was the E Trader scene. In all honesty there wasn't any element of this scene that landed and we were all over the place. Such a strong run began to crumble because of this scene. We have spent so much time making sure we have built a world and characters that are self assured and confident and yet there was an atmosphere in the room that indicated to everyone onstage that we had no clue what we were doing. In some ways I'm glad the issue was raised in the tech in the hope that we can resolve it before the next show.

Some important things I am going to take from today's tech run are:

• I need to be very careful on the stairs. Because of the material they are constructed from my heel is thin enough to slip through the gaps which happened in the run today and it could both look bad and throw me off. I just need to remember to walk on my toes so I don't lose a shoe midway through the show. 
• I need to time my costume changes well and make sure everything is where I need it to be. However perhaps more importantly than this I need to help the other girls when I'm not needed onstage. For a large proportion of the second half I am offstage, but some of the other girls have some quick changes and if I can I need to be there to assist them in getting changed. 
• Make sure I know where all my props are and map out my journey with them in the play so nothing is left onstage when I need it for the next scene. 
• Volume- you always forget how much you need to project in a theatre, let alone when you have an audience on three sides so I need to make sure that intimate moments do not happen at the expense of my projection. 
• My posture needs to replicate that of confident 40 year old with status and power and maintained throughout.
• I need to find my light at all times. I need to have the awareness to understand where the light is and isn't hitting my face and move into it if need be.