théâtre local.

My friend and neighbour Phillipe joined the local amateur theatre group in 2019 when he retired.  Its been going for almost 30 years.  A small committee within the group choose a pair of plays and assign the roles with the aim of producing a two play show on a stage erected in the village hall 6 months later. Rehearsals begin in September and each group meets two nights a week sculpting their play and roles towards public performance.

Show time is in March when they perform the play on 6 dates over two weekends.  As well as the actors each play's cast has a pair of prompter/substitutes and a dedicated wider team of local residents who help with the stage construction as well as a three man technical team who produce the sound and lighting effects.  

I was attracted by Philippe's passion and enthusiasm for the production.  with regular meetings only a few minutes away I thought it might be a good subject to sketch and so I asked If I could attend rehearsals to make drawings and paintings.  Over the next six months I made over 50 pictures witnessing the production come together.  

It was suggested I make an exhibition of the pictures over the public performance period.  It also then seemed appropriate to carry the picture making into the public performances and so I painted the show during the dress rehearsal, the council preview and both the Sunday matinee performances.  

Almost all of these paintings are now in the possession of the actors and their families.

This painting with the empty seats in the front row was the preview show for committee members etc. all the ticketed performances were 'sold out' and over a thousand people saw the show!