Xavier Leret: February 2007 Archives

SWING VLOG 5

We did some really useful work today. Useful work often means taking a scapel to the text. In this case the morning started with Ruth visiting sex worker John. Her relationship is breaking down, as Mark, her partner, is caught up in the underbelly of web-porn and cybersex. Tina and Mat had found a really beautiful and sensitive quality for the scene, the last time we look at it, but the writing was putting up real barriers, preventing them from re-finding this. There was a lot of superflous material which made the character of Ruth dance around her need for the encounter. It was padded writing, relating more to how I was feeling on the day that it was written than the truth of the scene, trying to be clever and funny, rather than gentle and soulful - so chop chop.

Here's the latest rehearsal VLOG. This is a snippet of the cyber sex scene between Mark and Janet, played by Nick Chambers and Nuala Walsh. Apologies in advance - we moved into the studio today and consequently the sound is a little unruly. You can choose to watch the vid in the brightcove window or, if this takes a while to download try clicking the link to the quicktime file here.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.

Posted by Xavier Leret at 8:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

SWING VLOG 4

That was a great week. Here is a snippet of Harry and Janet. Harry is played by Robin Browne and Janet by Nuala Walsh.

You can read a prose version of Harry's first scene with sex worker Helena here.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.

Posted by Xavier Leret at 12:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

SWING VLOG 3

Cracking day. Some lovely work was done.

I had a bit of strange start trying out some very new material. I need to write a last scene so I put together some new ideas with a piece of script from an early draft, a scene that I had deleted. It was terrible - the writing was awful. It's important to try stuff but oh dear! I began cringing after about the second line. It was so wrong. Back to the drawing board on that scene.

The rest of the day was perfect working on the Harry with Janet scene and the Janet with Mark scene. It was amazing. Tragic and then funny. It was a real pleasure working with everyone. The performances were really eye popping and heart stopping.

In this video the company discuss the process.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.

Posted by Xavier Leret at 9:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

SWING VLOG 2

Here are snippets from the second day of this RnD process.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.

Posted by Xavier Leret at 9:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

SWING VLOG 1

I've just started devlopment with actors on my new play SWING. Here is a vlog summary of yesterdays work. I am working with actors Mat Fraser, Lisa Hammond, Robin Browne, Nuala Walsh, Nick Chambers and Tina Barnes, designer Nicolai Hart-Hansen and filmmaker Cristina Escoda. I'm using this week as an opportunity to really hone the text, cut out unecessary material etc.

I'm always nervous when I start a new project with actors, doubly so when it is my writing but I was quite terrified during the build up to this one. It is dark, sexually explicit material and often I was quite hesitant during my writing process. Early drafts shocked me as I was searching for the meaning of the work. Often the action was missing character, it was brutal because of its lack of meaning and/or purpose whereas the brutality needed to be existentially expressive. What I enjoyed yesterday, in the rehearsal room was the sense that I had found my way through.

Over the next few days I shall be publishing a series of VLOGS which will document the working process and if you are around in Battersea, London, next week please come along to a reading/performance.

Here is the blurb for the show.

Swing is an explicit new work by Xavier Leret. It examines a series of relationships grappling with the effects of our off and online addictions, fantasies and body image. A dysfunctional, shocking and sometimes tragic look at this post internet world of ours. SWING also marks the first collaboration between KAOS Theatre and disabled actor and activist Mat Fraser.

Swing follows a series of relationships. Harry, a man is his late fifties, sleeps with a young sex worker. Harry’s wife, Janet, is not what she was, her hip has gone and with it her self esteem. In an effort to re-light her sense of self worth Harry buys her some lingerie – it ‘s a mistake. Janet has an online sexual relationship with Mark. Mark has developed a serious addiction to cyber sex and porn. In a brutal scene Ruth his wife confronts him with it. In an effort to re-kindle her own wavering need for sex and her need for revenge Ruth visits sex worker John …

Performances take place FEB 27, 28, March 1 at BAC 8.30pm.

And here is todays VLOG. The video has been shot and edited by Cristina Escoda.

Copy the code and embed where you like.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.

Posted by Xavier Leret at 8:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Caring For Daisy Byatt Chapter 3 - Hereditory Poison

It's that time of the week again. Another chapter of Daisy Byatt is recorded and ready!

I've busy getting a new script ready this week. I go into development on SWING on the 19th. I'll be working for just over a week with a group of actors to create a scratch performance for public viewing on the 27th, 28th Feb and March 1st. So if you are in the Battersea are of London please come and check it out. We are performing at BAC at 8.30pm. As part of the process we will be releasing a daily VLOG which you will be able to find at www.kaostheatre.com.

Until then please enjoy chapter 3 of Caring For Daisy Byatt. I've given up on the Odeo player as it does terrible things with the sound, so you will just have to click download!

Download MP3.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.

Posted by Xavier Leret at 6:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)