Angels in America!

[DzigaVertov]

Just wanted to commend the cast and particularly the crew of Angels in America! I've seen 4 years of good shows let down by the inadequacies of Venue 1. This is by far the best utilisation of the venue. Use of lights (though they often came up long before the actors got in place and the actors had a few difficulties finding them) were otherwise beautiful. Sound and music, a wonderful touch--never heard anything better in Venue 1. But most of all, use of the stage (extending it out with nevoes) and then bringing seating forward. What an impressive way to make a sterile, depressing, cold space (WHEN WILL WE GET A REAL THEATRE?) into an intimate setting.

Performances, on the whole were good. Particular praises are due to Austin Ellis (Prior), Harry Giles (Louis) and Oliver Mills (Roy). However, the length of the show began to show with small slip-ups, particularly at the beginning of the 2nd half. Don't loose your concentration, guys! And the beginning of the 1st Act took a little while to get warmed up with some stiff performances, but the ice thawed in the scene with Prior in drag and Harper (Ali Rosen) crawling on stage--masterfully done.

If you haven't seen it yet, get a ticket before they sell out on Thursday!

[flarewearer]

Quoting DzigaVertov from 01:31, 9th Feb 2006 What an impressive way to make a sterile, depressing, cold space (WHEN WILL WE GET A REAL THEATRE?) into an intimate setting.

Isn't it called "The Byre"?

I'd agree with you though that Venue 1 is silly, it tries to be everything, and ends up being nothing (apart from a school gym hall painted black)

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[Oli]

You want more? It'll cost more. The Students' Association can't fund a new theatre.
If you want better facilities, find out what really needs to be done, how much it will cost, and then campaign for more money from the University to fund drama!

[richey]

I saw the play last night too and it was throughly enjoyable. I was a bit apprehensive about my attention wondering during a 4 hour play, but it never did at all. Exellent!

[David Bean]

Well, I haven't seen Angels (and won't be able to because of other committments - sorry, guys!), but I have to say I thought the staging of Into the Woods was excellent, and on the whole I think Venue 1 is pretty succesful at versatility.

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Psalm 91:7

[hmmmhaveabanana]

What do you do when someone really important to you appears to have forgotten your birthday?

[Guest]

I live with Austin (Prior). I'm so proud of him! Go Austin!

[thespian]

It's great.

The SA gives money to
\/
Mermaids
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Funds productions, encouraged to use
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Venue One
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The Union
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The SA

Like if your parents gave you pocket money and then get most of it back from you paying to live in your room.

[DrAlex]

Yeah, speaking as a man who sat in on his first Mermaids meeting today (the only other time I've been that far out of my league was when I took a philosophy module), there seems to be very little profit making.

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[AR]

Whoa, whoa, whoa-

I am offended by anyone saying "there seems to be very little profit making." Mermaids has made a profit this year and the only thing holding us back is the UNION. For example: THE CHRISTMAS BALL, which the union did everything to try and stop happening.
Mermaids this year is up in profits due to various productions MAKING MONEY and the ball. We make the absolute most from our resources except we can't because the union won't work with us. It took a hell of a lot for the union to even let us use Venue 1- since it takes away from their all important bop revenue. The lighting board crashed and no one came in to fix it. Theatre clearly doesn't matter to the union, no matter how many students love it and are involved. So telling us to start a campaign for a theatre is pretty useless considering that the only group in question here that's in debt is the UNION itself (which did not happen under Bonnie)

That being said, as a member of Angels in America - thank you for all the great comments. Its very encouraging and I hope this thread can be continued as a dialogue for what was right and what was wrong with the play. It's great to hear people's opinions on it. Sorry for the tirade, this stuff just gets to me.
Anyway, back to Angels!

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"Well la de dah... la de dah"
--annie hall

[fran]

I saw the first show and I wasn't quite sure about the Hebrew bits... Seemed like Louis forgot most of it. What really started to be quite silly was Roy's hair- the powder that just went everywhere. Wig would have been better. Also: I had no clue who Roy Cohn was historically and knowing that he was part of McCarthy's posse (McCarthy also was gay) would have helped. Apart from that: Loved it. 15 min break a bit short though if you've got to watch 4 hours- and I don't even want to know what it feels like to act for 4 hours!

[DrAlex]

Quoting AR from 12:19, 10th Feb 2006
Whoa, whoa, whoa-

I am offended by anyone saying "there seems to be very little profit making."

My bad, I wasn't really paying attention in the meeting except to this blonde girl.

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[Midget]

I was there too DrAlex sat in the corner on the desk. Funny meeting, noone had much idea about how much money they wanted but I'd hardly say I got the idea that Mermaids was unprofitable.

Anyway the point of Mermaids is to encourage shows not make a profit, so by that standard they are doing superbly, 12+ this semester and last semester had loads for 1st semester.

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IMAGE:img9.imgspot.com/u/04/241/18/160019.jpg Too far.

[David Bean]

Quoting AR from 12:19, 10th Feb 2006
I am offended by anyone saying "there seems to be very little profit making." Mermaids has made a profit this year and the only thing holding us back is the UNION. For example: THE CHRISTMAS BALL, which the union did everything to try and stop happening.

Well, Ali, that's manifestly untrue considering that the most we could have done to stop the ball from happening would have been to, er, stop it happening, and I think it's rather early days to start talking about the Mermaids end-of-year accounts, don't you? Moreover, in what way is the Association holding Mermaids back? I managed to get it an increase in its grant this year, which is (balls aside) where it gets the money from that it lends out to fund productions in the first place, and I haven't heard any expressions of dissatisfaction from Michael as to the way we've been working together - in fact on a number of occasions (the loan contract and the Anthony Tudour Fund spring immediately to mind) I think he'd agree that the relationship has been quite profitably symbiotic.

Mermaids this year is up in profits due to various productions MAKING MONEY and the ball. We make the absolute most from our resources except we can't because the union won't work with us.

I find it hard to understand how any group does something it can't do, but aside from that, what do you perceive to be the problem and, more importantly, why haven't you raised any of this in a Mermaids committee meeting?

It took a hell of a lot for the union to even let us use Venue 1- since it takes away from their all important bop revenue. The lighting board crashed and no one came in to fix it. Theatre clearly doesn't matter to the union, no matter how many students love it and are involved.

Okay, so the Association is being attacked on one side for encouraging groups to use the Association, and on the other for discouraging it. Am I the only one for whom the words "devil" and "deep blue sea" are starting to assume a new resonance?

So telling us to start a campaign for a theatre is pretty useless considering that the only group in question here that's in debt is the UNION itself (which did not happen under Bonnie)

The Students' Association is in debt? That's news to me!

Just in case anyone is interested, the reason why the Association would prefer groups to use its facilities (and this goes for societies as well as theatrical performances) is not just because it makes more commercial sense to have the money come back into the pot from which it can be given back out to societies in a nice circular-flow-esque fashion, but also because funding pursuits that take place in our competitors' establishments which could just as easily take place here would constitute ultra vires expenditure and thus breach charity law. QED.

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Psalm 91:7

[Cain]

Quoting Midget from 18:35, 10th Feb 2006
Anyway the point of Mermaids is to encourage shows not make a profit...

I hope we're missing a comma in here

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I hold an element of surprise

[Guest]

Quoting oli from 10:01, 9th Feb 2006
You want more? It'll cost more. The Students' Association can't fund a new theatre.

How do you work that one out? A new theatre was included as a part of the planned expansion to the building that Dana Green came up with that they never put through. The Union's sitting on a hugh pile of (ethically invested) cash which is just waiting to be spent.

[BM]

I couldn't agree more with the criticism of the Union and Association. Venue no 1 would be a strong candidate for worst dramatic space in Scotland.

I personally thought Angels in America was fantastic: some of the best amateur performances and direction I have ever seen. I know there are others who will disagree, but drama appears to be the ONLY art at St Andrews about which more than a handful of people are passionate; surely we can't let it die, too...

[Anon.]

Quoting from 16:43, 11th Feb 2006
The Union's sitting on a hugh pile of (ethically invested) cash which is just waiting to be spent.

They've probably squandered it on things like employing four sabbaticals to do the job of three.

[etc]

The sabbaticals were elected by the student body.
It wouldn't surprise me if the union didn't want to "employ" four people, considering that only three of them actually work.

[DrAlex]

Yes, well presumably these are two different issues. The Student's Association pay for the Sabbs, whereas the University would foot the bill for a new theatre, right?



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