Embryo 6!

An exciting evening with acting, art and music talented artists at Groundlings Theatre. World wide famous “Mamma Mia” and “It’s raining men” sung by 13 young pupils, the Voices. Then came on the stage Charlotte Kenna with her energetic voice, the hilarious Jays Band, the brilliant comedian Gareth Turpie, Megan Linford with her acoustic guitar and then the comedy drag act of Lexxa and Texxa. There were other special guests: in the Green Room the Diana Goss’ photos exhibition and among the public in the hall Los Dave, who painted live inspired on the acting show.

You can be the next!

Keep in touch for Embryo 7!!

What you see behind the singers is the jungle set for the show is going on: Lord of the Flies By William Golding. Absolutley unmissable!

Only two shows more!

Cheers

Francesca x

Wonderland in a room

Hello! Ciao!

This is Francesca.

On Friday night I borrowed something from our Groundlings Theatre Wardrobe. You should come and visit it…it’s like a museum, guys, it’s amazing! There are Victorian, Greek, Roman costumes,… There are 40s, 50s and Contemporary dresses and lots of accessiories: hand-bags, hats, masks… and tiger costumes, swords, shields. Almost everything you can imagine for parties or performances can be found in there! Last night I didn’t need a golden princess costume to go to Albert Road, anyway I asked Freya (she’s the wardrobe mistress) for some accessories to get a concession tiket for a cabaret show… guess what! I wore this:

 

I was a 20s lady with a seriuous grey boa and Alessandra borrowed an eccentric huge pink feather boa that made her win awards and applause on the stage.

Before leaving Groundlings Theatre I have to try all the dresses of the Wardrobe, it’s my challenge! Will I succeed in it?

Keep in touch!

Francesca

The italian job – Part 3

Hello everyone! Here is Francesca.

Let me tell you how amazing the Brothers Most Grimm Show was. Alessandra and I spent a few days making all the props needed. We incredibly made a vivid tree, a huge realistic pair of scissors, a frame for an invisible mirror and what else? We picked up four bags of leaves from the avenue and we looked crazy, because every morning a man collects all of them from the pavements of Curzon Howe Road!

So the set was full of leaves and in the middle of this circle surrounded by the seats there was a tree, a chair, a fireplace, some mushrooms. Pieces of cheese, baskets, apples, invitations, guns.. for three of the most famous tales of the world. If I tell you that in the first scene the actors used apples and an invisible mirror can you guess the tale? Snow White, of course! Later some mice-actors appeared eating Cheddar, then two ugly sisters, one pumpkin for.. Peter Pan? No. For Hansel and Gretel? No. For Cinderella, sure! And the show didn’t finish. Later in the complete darkness a red cap actress came with a basket in her arm, then a wolf that in the end died came.. and well, can I stay here to tell the entire story? I’m adding only that it was a great show.

Next time you will see splendid photos by Diana Goss!

Speak to you soon for the next event!

Bye! Francesca x

Max is On

Hello bloggers! My name is Massimiliano! I’m an Italian guy and I arrived in Portsmouth two weeks ago with nine other Italian mates! We’re going to stay here until December because we’re taking part in a project known as “LLP Leonardo da Vinci” which allows us to have a useful and unforgettable work experience in one of the European countries! Portsmouth is a fantastic city and I’m really having a good time here! Here I’m working at the Groundlings Theatre… I’m at the Box Office and at the same time I’m making the historical guide of the Theatre which will be ready by mid-November!
I’ll bring you up-to-date though!
Have a good weekend!

Sun-Day

Hi everybody. Here is Francesca.

Yes, it’s Monday… so I wish you a good week!

Yesterday was a sunny and warm Sunday, wasn’t it? Well, I worked here at the theatre so I enjoyed the sun only after 5pm. The Groundlings was crowded of volunteers, kids, guys, actors, photographers,…

The drama school was rehearsing the Grimm Brothers’ show in the theatre, the photographers were taking pictures of a Victorian scene with dressed actors in the Green Room, all the volunteers had a meeting in the office, lots of costumers were eating in the restaurant, everywhere Greek dressed actors were waiting for their photoshoot… and what about me?

I was on the trot for the entire day: upstairs and downstairs, upstairs and downstairs, finishing my candy board, finishing my candy frame, finishing my “golden ticket”, … three clues in one day: my mysterious work was to create the little set for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!

Always on the move, here at Groundlings theatre.

Cheers!

I’m back again

Hello! How cold is this morning, don’t you think?

Last morning I didn’t work at the office but I had to buy… sweets! Candies, lollies, gums, all-sorts liquorice, marshmallow, … for what? An amazing task that I can’t reveal! I’ll give you some clues day by day until.. Sunday!

#1: All these sweets will be put up on a pink board, which will stay on the wall for a while.

So, while I was coming back to the Groundlings with two bags full of candies, I saw Ralph, Alessandra and Max on a car near Commercial Road who were looking for me… and my day was twisted. Leafleting in the nearby of Portsmouth is a great experience, with the right company! We also visited, very quickly, wonderful places such as the Portchester Castle and at the end we had a great view of Portsmouth, the Isle of Wight and all over the sea. We stopped next to some strange buildings of a weather station. To me these structures seemed like a set of a science-fiction film!

  Keep in touch, bye!

Alessandra’s trip

When Yesterday morning I arrived at Groundlings Theatre my tutor Ralph told me that we wouldn’t work in the office, but we would go out for leafleating…a new adventure! We immediately  got into the car and travelled through Port Solent, Portchester and Fareham handing out flyers advertising many shows such as Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Brothers Most Grimm, Ghost Tours and Peter Pan; and we had the chance to see beautiful landscapes and also the Portchester Castle. It was a sunny day and we really enjoyed the trip.

Bye bye.

This is Alessandra speaking

Hi, I’m Alessandra, a young Italian Architect. I’ve been here in Portsmouth for about three weeks and last Tuesday I started working at Groundlings Theatre. I immediately found a friendly atmosphere and I felt like home. Wonderful!

On Wednesday Ralph, my tutor here at Groundlings,  gave me some tasks. The most important one was to detect measures of all the theatre and then to prepare a project to renovate it. It’s a very hard task, but I’ll try to do my best.

I started with the first floor, with the theatre and the stage! It’s a lovely historic building and it should be renovated. It would be a shame if no one did anything. I hope to give some input with my ideas even if I never planned a theatre up to now. A new challenge for me!   

When I walked into the theatre a magical painted ceiling appeared to me. This one, together with Georgian fire places and the Victorian School Room make this a fascinating venue that is steeped in history and tradition; actually every venue of Groundlings Theatre can be hired for wedding receptions, christenings and memorials.   

See you soon

Bye

My Weekend

Hello, Hope you have had a nice weekend as I have.

On my day off I went to the Groundlings Theatre! To have a look at how the 1^st Portsea Island Beer Festival was going on Friday!

It was a strange weekend because I also worked on Sunday. I arrived at the theatre in the morning and Richard -the boss- told me that the goal was to tidy up the Tech-room… What a mess!! I spent all the day moving costumes, hats, chairs, Halloween objects, decorations, Christmas lights and then hammers, screws, wires, … Into this chaos I found out what useful props we have for one of our next shows: some little little basket and a few balloons for… the goriest, most fantastical stories that the Groundlings drama school is going to perform! The Brothers Most Grimm will be premiered Thursday 27^th at 7.30pm, Friday 28^th at 7.30pm and Saturday 29^th at 2pm.

Back to my work: at the end of my Sunday I was exhausted, but the shelves were tidy and the floor was empty… ready to be filled up with new things. We will see! Fortunately my two house-mates met me at Groundlings and took me out for a beer and I tasted your British delicacy… onion rings: lovely!

Ciao! x

Groundlings says benvenuto to our new blogger Francesca!

Hello! I’m Francesca and I’ve been working here at Groundlings Theatre for 3 days! From today I will bring you a taste of Italian flavour!! Yesterday was hard work to move the stage from the theatre to the restaurant!! Always on the move, here at Groundlings! Search on Google “always on the move” and you’ll discover the region where I come from. We don’t like staying still and I think this is the right place for me! I’m in Portsmouth with other Italian guys and two of them are working at Groundlings Theatre too! I’m going to stay here for 3 months, working on set design, making props and of course to improve my English! We’re preparing the theatre for the Beer Festival that will be here on Friday 14^th and Saturday 15^th. There will be lots of entertainment including local legend Shep Woolley who will be performing Friday evening, also there will be over 50 kind of ale beer and cider to try from local breweries Irving&Co brewing, Gosport’s Oakleaf Brewery and The Havant Brewery! On arrival guests will be welcomed by actors dressed as ghosts.. so enjoy it!!

Tickets can be booked on 023 9273 7370