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Rehearsal Space started life in 2013’s Manchester Fringe Festival, having been inspired by a visit to a science fiction convention in deepest-darkest north Wales.
Writer Rylan Cavell says, ‘The same old celebs were wheeled out, telling the same stories to a room of starry-eyed devotees. But what was going on behind those practiced smiles and rehearsed anecdotes? How did the fame and ‘cult’ status their shows enjoyed effect the people involved?’
Thus Rehearsal Space was born.
The show takes place over 30 years, following the cast and crew behind the scenes of a fictional 70s show called Professor Calamity. ‘Expect love, loss, lust, LSD and lots of homosexuality,’ says Rylan.
Leaping from the early 70s to the mid 80s, and then to the early 00s, Rehearsal Space charts the rise and fall of the cast and crew.
Rehearsal Space is an homage to classic British TV shows, the shoestring budget they operated on, and the long-suffering stars that cannot escape them.
How many references to these classic shows will you be able to spot? There may be a prize for the most vigilant (but there probably won’t be). Vada Magazine is heading down to watch on 31 May, so wear your finery and expect to be papped on the red carpet (erm, Canal Street cobbles).
This will be the third time the show has taken to the stage, and is also the third version. Each time it has been performed many subtle (and not so subtle) changes have been made. The production team guarantee you’ll never see quite the same show twice.
On both 31 May and 1 June, Rehearsal Space comes to life in Taurus’ underground function room. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 7.30pm. Tickets available on the door are £7 / £4 concessions. Limited seating is available for these intimate shows, so early arrival is recommended.
The show is written and directed by Rylan Cavell (Original Fiction Editor for Starburst Magazine and host of The Gay Agenda radio show on Fab Radio International), and features the talented cast of Christopher Burton, Misha Fekri, Paul Mackay, Rebecca Derrick, Anne-Louise Fortune, Andrew Marsden and Andrew Mason.
An audio-play rendering of the first version is available to download from Amazon and iTunes.
