Festival Previews Video Blog

Today our spotlight falls on Erika Blaxland-de Lange from the Pericles Theatre Company. Erika will be performing The Infanta: User’s Guide at the Komedia Studio Bar starting on Saturday 24th to Monday 26th May.

The Infanta: User’s Guide was written by one of the most prominent Eastern European writers, Saviana Stănescu. It is a play that redefines the delicate margins between madness and sanity. Having performed in Germany the they are now in Brighton for three shows. In August, Erika will be taking The Infanta to the Edinburgh Fringe.

This play is quite a challenging role for a young actress but one which I am sure we will hear lots more of. So let’s hear from Erika as she prepares for her most interesting one-woman show….

1. What inspired you to become an actress?

I decided that the next big thing was to become an actress when I was about 15; right after wanting to be a circus performer, a carpenter and a writer (in that order!). I saw the RSC performing “All´s Well that Ends Well” in London and the actress who played Helena just blew me away. I decided to learn to act like that!

2. What is your show about and what should the public expect from your show?

The Infanta is lonely and slightly unhinged. She seeks the assurance of others to keep her grip on reality. But she is courageous in her attempt to come to terms with her own tragic history and she still knows how to laugh at herself…..

Infanta: User´s Guide is very post modern (fairly weird and wacky!). The character, a young woman, lives in a railway station and relates the stories, which the passing trains tell her to the occupants of the waiting room. Weaving her own tragic history into the pattern, you realise that she´s not as mad as she could be… It´s really vibrant, but moving at the same time.

3. What is your favourite festival or fringe?

The only fringe festival I´ve been to in the UK is Edinburgh. I´m performing there this year for the first time and I hope I won´t feel as lost as I did when I was just visiting… it´s huge!

I think my favourite festivals are in Germany. 100 Grad Berlin is quite small but very experimental, and Fusion is a fantastic music festival just north of Berlin.

4. What’s your best advice for aspiring performers on the festival circuit?

I´m not really qualified (yet) to answer that! Anyone got any advice for me?

5. What is your funniest experience and also your worst experience performing or attending a festival?

My worst experience was at Fusion where I put my tent up next to the Trance stage before the music started. When it did start, I realised why no one else had put themselves there…the music just didn´t stop from Thursday night until Monday morning and it was so loud that even sticking my socks in my ears didn´t help! It was still fantastic though…

I find it funny that Womad closes at 2am every night!

6. As you travel performing, where is your favourite place to vacation/chill out and why?

The sand dunes in Rye because it feels like another world.

7. Who is the person you most admire and why?

My dad. Because he´s amazing!

8. What is the best tip you have ever been given?

Trust your instincts!

9. What is the best book you have read and why do you like it?

Dostoyevsky’s Brothers Karamazov because it made me laugh and cry, and because it´s all true.

10. If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?

I don´t know…I think the world looks pretty wonderful from here! I suppose it probably sounds a bit corny to say that but I wish everyone else could have it that wonderful?…

Today our spotlight falls on a talented duo called afterspark. They are Cate Ferris who plays acoustic guitar and piano and Adam Staff who plays bass guitar, keyboards and piano. Cate has a beautifully haunting singing voice which lifts you spiritually. With musical influences such as the great Joni Mitchell , Nina Simone and Led Zeppelin their debut album sometimes we forget is a wonderful collection of subtle rhythms, sublime textures and soaring vocals which I have enjoyed listening to.

They are on at the Komedia Studio for one night only on Saturday 24th May at 8.20 pm and looks to be a great show. So let’s chat to this talented duo and learn more about them and their music…

1. What inspired you to become a performer and musician?

Cate: I suppose that it has always been. I grew up in a home that had music going on all the time and have played since I was five, that, coupled with the fact that I have always had unstinting support from my family and friends. I remember watching Sam Brown play at a workshop that our school put on when I was 13 and being completely blown away……I think that that was the point at which I stopped wanting to be a marine biologist and started writing songs.

Adam: My mum telling me I could do anything I put my mind to.

2. What is your show about and what should the public expect from your show?

Cate: “View from the Ground” which is the name of the night that we are doing for the Fringe is all about new songs, new sounds and new people joining us on stage. You should expect a hammer dulcimer, beautiful harmonies, looping, beats and possibly mirrorballs!

3. What is your favourite Festival or Fringe and why?

Cate: Hard to say…..I only started going to festivals about two years ago……The Big Green Gathering will always hold a really special place in my heart as it was my first. Last years Brighton Festival was great cos we all got to do a lot of dancing in one of the tents for free……and I was seriously skint!

4. What’s your best advice for aspiring performers and musicians on the Festival/Fringe circuit?

Cate: I hate to quote a clothing label but “just do it”…….book it, sort it and then worry about it.

Adam: It should be made widely known that successful people fail more than everybody else. I’m thinking: Reading, Writing and Rejection lessons in school.

5. What is your funniest experience and also your worst experience performing or attending a Fringe/Festival?

Adam: Funniest: The Hat’s impromptu rendition of ‘I’ve got a picture of your mother’ at the Firegathering Festival in 2006. Worst: The first and only time I didn’t take wellies to a festival, that same year.

Cate: Waking up at Glastonbury to Shirley Bassey belting out on the main stage and being handed a cup of Baileys Coffee for breakfast.

6. As you travel performing to different festivals/fringes, where is your favourite place to vacation/chill out and why?

Cate: Last year I was running around like a nutter playing in lots of festivals all over…..but my favourite place/time of all of it was without a doubt sitting on top of a cliff overlooking Sidmouth Folk Festival with a friend. We were only there for a couple of hours prior to playing a gig but I feel that I had about a weeks worth of holiday in that time……

Adam: Getting home is the most satisfying thing about travel. For all that we develop while we are away, our homes remain reassuringly unchanged, our beds reassuringly unmade.

7. Who is the person you most admire and why?

Cate: There are so many people that I admire……many of them are friends. On a bigger scale, the person who has inspired me musically the most in the last couple of years was Imogen Heap. She played a solo set at the Komedia a few years back and was utterly incredible.

Adam: Damon Albarn. He seems to be one of a rare few who can continue to write relevant songs while exploring the boundaries of music and being massively successful.

8. What is the best tip you have ever been given?

Cate: In the kitchen on the wall of one of my old houses there is a piece of writing by Goethe…..the last line of which is “Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it” - I think that this has kept me going. Also…..remember to breathe when you are on stage.

Adam: Play fewer notes.

9. What is the best book or books you have read and why do you like them?

Cate: I unfortunately don’t read very much at the moment and trying to pin point the best book is really tough. Adam bought me “House of Leaves” by Mark Danielewski and so I am currently having my mind and imagination blown in many different directions at the same time.

Adam: ‘House of Leaves’ by Mark Z. Danielwski is everything a piece of art should be: Overfull of what it is to be human.

10. If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?

Cate: Not to be too heavy, but I think that I would like to change humanity’s obsession with finding more and more beautifully devastating ways of wiping us all out.

Adam: Our powers to comprehend it.

Today we have great pleasure in interviewing Mark Andrew James, founder and Principal Conductor of the Sussex Symphony Orchestra. Mark will be conducting the SSO at the “Grand Opera Gala” which takes place on Saturday 24th May at 7.30 pm at St. Bartholomew’s Church, Ann Street in Brighton. He will be joined by four talented soloists from the National Opera Studio and the Gala evening will be hosted by Sally Taylor, presenter of BBC South Today.

Under the artistic direction of Mr James this is going to be a wonderful evening not to be missed!  So let’s put our 10 Questions to the talented Musical Director of the Sussex Symphony Orchestra and learn more about him…

1. What are the milestones in your life’s journey (both personal and professional) that have led you to be Principal Conductor of the Sussex Symphony Orchestra?

Firstly, winning two master class competitions that enabled me to study under two of the world’s most eminent and famous conductors, Zubin Mehta and Leonard Bernstein, both of whom gave me the confidence and expertise to hone my style and approach to conducting.

I have had terrific family support in my journey to where I am now in conducting, which has to date led me to conduct in the USA, Japan, all over the UK and Europe and Russia..

I actually founded the SSO as I realised that there wasn’t an orchestra of high calibre that was truly representative of the enormous amount of talent we have locally without the need to go elsewhere.

2. What are your musical influences?

I seem to always have a pictorial idea in my mind when interpreting music, the music suggests a scene or picture, I imagine myself in that picture then try to reproduce my emotions with the orchestra, this way I believe we can always give a truly personal and original account of the music, whilst keeping faithful to what I believe the composer wanted and imagined.

I am an unashamed romantic when it comes to music influences, I adore most things Russian as I find their music so passionate and stimulating, and having conducted in Russia many times, experiencing the ‘ownership’ the Russian orchestras have for their music gives me a great basis to approach that music with our orchestra.

3. What is the Opera Gala about and what should the Brighton public expect from your show at the Brighton Fringe?

This will be the 12th Opera Gala in the Festival we have performed and they are always hugely popular. We invite up and coming singing stars, who will soon be seen on many of the world’s greatest opera houses, we play many of the world’s most favourite and well loved moments from opera,(nothing you can’t hum along to!!) and we also have someone who will be narrating and setting the scene for each aria or moment in the concert, in short, a fantastic evening where you can come along and lose yourself in some of the world’s most beautiful music!

4. What is your favourite Festival/Fringe and why do you like them?

I think that the Fringe displays all the talent in so many genres we have regionally and is an unrivaled Festival in this regard, I do think more support from established venues could be given to local organisations. My favourite moments in both the Fringe and main Festival are many of the comedy productions, great to lose yourself for an evening! – some of the visiting journalists offer interesting moments and the many other smaller concerts and recitals that you get to hear about because of the publicity and advertising through the organisations.

5. What is your best advice for aspiring musicians?

This really depends on how far a musician wants to take their gift of music, some want to go all the way and become professional, some just want to keep it simple and do music in spare time, whatever your approach, it is essential that you enjoy it, otherwise it becomes a chore and then you don’t enjoy it and inevitably any resulting performance is not what it might be. The secret of all of this is PRACTICE! – We all hate scales, arpeggios and long notes, but, like it or not, these are the basis of any technique in any instrument, in essence then, an amateur practices until he doesn’t make mistakes, a professional practices until he can’t make mistakes!!

6. What has been your funniest experience conducting the Sussex Symphony Orchestra?

Over the years, I seem to have developed some phrases when rehearsing that always come up and one day, whilst rehearsing a particularly tricky work, I noticed that the orchestra was giving me rapt attention, more than usual! – When I had stopped for a moment, and said something, one of the Double Bass section shouted ‘BINGO’ – the orchestra collapsed laughing and then explained to me that each section of the orchestra had been given a card of different phrases I commonly used and the first section to tick all them won and so SSO ‘BINGO’ was born – hilarious!

7. As you travel worldwide, where is your favourite place to vacation and why do you like it there?

Depends on the time of year, I love Mexico, but only when it not too hot, I like exploring the pyramids and the history, the silver markets and meat with chocolate sauces! - I adore Cape Town in their summer, the air is so pure and clean, the scenery fantastic, terrific wines and all very cheap, I also love the Far East, with all its interesting smells, heat, different culture mixes and food.

I also love Spain, it is close by and has so much to offer, especially the cafe culture and laid back attitudes!

8. Who is the person you most admired and why?

This is hard, but I think this has to be Leonard Bernstein, as he was the most inspirational and charismatic man I have ever met and studied with. He would encourage you to form your own opinions and methods and as long as you could justify them, it was ok with him, his basic message was that no two performances need be the same.

9. What is the best tip you have ever been given?

I am assuming you don’t mean monetary! – apart from never eat yellow snow(!) I think that the best tip I have had is always try to be honest with yourself and others.

10. If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?

Having had the enormous privilege of travelling the world extensively, seen and experienced many cultures I have to say there is indeed a common thread and the one thing I would change is the attitude of man, the phrase ‘man’s inhumanity to man’ has never been so appropriate and I truly believe that it is simply this that is eroding so much of the world today.

Today our spotlight falls on James Seager, Producer of the hit show, The Terrible Infants. James was in contact recently to tell us about their most awesome news, so I immediately wanted to interview him and learn more about it for our series of 10 Questions.

Do go and see The Terrible Infants who are on at the Purple Cow, Udder Place at Old Stein Lawns on Sunday 18th May with two further shows on the 19th and 20th May commencing at 6.00 pm. So, let’s hear from James….

1. The Les Enfants Terribles Theatre Company has received backing and support from none other than, Dame Judi Dench. What has that meant for the show?

It’s great to have her backing, support and involvement and it has strengthened our belief in the show even more that someone as experienced as her thinks the show has so much potential that she wants to lend her name to it. It has obviously gained us more attention as well!

2. Oliver Lansley, writer of “The Terrible Infants” has just had a series commissioned by ITV which will begin filming at the end of the year. Do tell us more about this and who will be starring in the roles?

The sitcom is called FM and is about a DJ and his life at a radio station. It stars Chris O’Dowd form the IT Crowd, Kevin Bishop from Star Stories and Nina Sosanya from Nathan Barley. Oli also stars in it and is currently working on the scripts while performing in this show as well so he’s very busy at the moment.

3. The Terrible Infants won the much coveted Fringe Report, “Best Entertainment” for 2008. What are the qualities you feel your team have that have led you to achieve this prestigious award?

I think when you see the show you really feel that so much is going on with so many people doing so many things on stage. This is exactly how it’s been off stage as well with so many talented people being involved and working at the top of their game. It has been a real collaborative team effort with everyone working hard and bringing their area of expertise to the project. From our amazingly talented designer, Sam Wyer, who’s puppets should be seen to be believed, to our musicians Tom Gisby and Neil Townsend who scored the whole piece, to Oli’s writing and our fabulous cast of actors – this really is the most collaborative show I’ve been involved in that has resulted in a real “company” feel which works for this type of show. Coupled with that and our aim to create a piece of theatre that is just great fun resulted in the award.

4. What are the milestones in your life’s journey (both personal and professional) that have led you to be Producer of this very successful show?

The company has been running for the last six years and each show has grown and led directly on to the next show. Without the early days and the smaller shows we would not be here with this big show. On each production we have learnt things to implement in the next show whilst gaining bit by bit a good reputation and following. With this show we are working with people we have worked with for some time so that has also been important as we all know each other so well and know how we work. From a personal point of view I acted in a big show last year and managed to get a lot of important people who produced it to come and see The Terrible Infants to give me advice and tell me what they thought of it. Thankfully they all loved it and have all helped push the show further and further.

5. For the Brighton Fringe you will be performing a new extended version of “The Terrible Infants”. What should the public expect from your show at Brighton?

I think the show is just great fun. A lot of theatre can try a little too hard to “say something” which is either too worthy and / or depressing. Don’t get me wrong, I think there is a place for this but also a place for work that entertains and is worth forking out £10 for! We have live music, huge puppets, 5 short stories all interlinked, great writing and acting, the involvement of Judi Dench all resulting in a hugely entertaining night out. I personally feel that you can’t help be impressed by the versatility of our actors: one of whom plays nine different instruments throughout. It has been described as a cross between a “blend of the Brothers Grimm’s fantasy, a bit of Roald Dahl’s imagination and some of Tim Burton’s prose and visuals”; “deliciously dark”; “stunning and beautiful” which are all great compliments. If you like Tim Burton you’ll love this!

6. What has been your funniest experience producing “The Terrible Infants”?

We did the show before Christmas in Poland for a week and we had the crazy / stupid (delete where appropriate) idea for 3 of us to drive our van to Warsaw while the cast flew directly there. We have lots of props and instruments so the van was packed to bursting but the three of us turned the trip into a bit of a road trip across Europe which turned out to be amazing fun: From the organised pub crawl for 100 people in Berlin, to getting the key stuck in the ignition in Poznan, to having the van keys stolen from our pocket, to singing Karaoke in an all German bar in Hamburg; it was a very good trip!

7. What is your best advice for aspiring performers?

Just to get out there and do it really. We started small and grew and it has taken 6 years to get to where we are so stick by it, work with people you trust and believe in and do work that inspires and excites you.

8. Who is the person you most admire and why?

It’s a difficult question, as I admire various actors and directors but meeting Judi Dench and seeing her humility, dedication, support and friendliness has been a real highlight.

9. What are the best book or books you have read and why do you like them?

I like various but I’m a real fan of Haruki Murakami’s books (sounds quite pretentious but he’s great) and I liked “The God of Small Things” and “The Time Travellers Wife”. I think Murakami’s books are my favourite as they are very fantastical yet set in the real world – they are also written beautifully.

10. If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?

That’s a deep question where I could say something like world peace or an end to injustice and prejudice or global warming or the horrors of famine and drought all very worthy but I’m going to say more water parks with free milk. I love milk. And water parks. And milk!

For more information about this talented theatrical team, do check out our interviews with Oliver Lansley, Writer, Performer and Artistic Director of The Terrible Infants.

Today we have a real treat in the form of Daphne Peña whose show The Bellydance Diaries is on at the Komedia Studio on Sunday 18th May at 6.30 pm. Belly dancing is a wonderful fusion of many dance styles and all the more exciting when top Arabic musicians play live creating an exotic atmosphere. So let’s hear from Daphne how she became fascinated with one of the world’s oldest social dance forms….

1. What inspired you to become a Belly Dancer?

Lily Tomlin’s show “Search for signs of intelligent life….” inspired me to write a one-woman show. All the amazing dancers in Egypt inspired me to continue learning this amazing art form.

2. What is your show about and what should the public expect from your show?

I had such a wild time in Egypt that I wanted to write about what I experienced and involve others in the utter mayhem and wonder of it all. They should expect the unexpected.

3. What is your favourite Festival/Fringe and why?

I LOVED my first Edinburgh fringe in 2006. It blew my mind with wild artistic values. I saw as much as I could and tried to let everything I enjoyed sink in some way or another.

4. What’s your best advice for aspiring artists, performers and dancers on the Festival/Fringe circuit?

Keep an open mind and try and see shows and performances that you wouldn’t normally go to. Anything that inspires you will enhance your art in some way.

5. What is your funniest experience and also your worst experience performing or attending a Fringe/Festival?

Losing the top half of my costume during a performance. I got a standing ovation for managing to keep it on with my hands while dancing. I wondered what would happen if I just let it drop…..I think the mystery of it all worked better than the full monty, though!

6. As you travel performing at different festivals/fringes, where is your favourite place to vacation/chill out and why?

I love walking up to the top of Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh. It’s full of loonies, but very entertaining. All these vortexes are supposed to converge up there and people are singing and chanting. It sort of makes me feel grounded, and quite normal and boring compared to everyone else up there. Now that doesn’t happen often!

7. Who is the person you most admire and why?

Well, again, Lily Tomlin. She’s so clever, outspoken, funny and a really giving person. As a young drama student I waited outside the stage door to see her after a show. She didn’t have to give us nobodies the time of day, but she did. She talked to us, gave us advice and her manager’s phone number if we wanted to come and see the show again. I think I’ve seen her show about 10 times.

8. What is the best tip you have ever been given?

Always wear clean cotton underwear. See, at least the bottom half of my costume has never slipped off!!!

9. What are the best books you have read and why do you like them?

Louis De Berniers, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Politically romantic with fabulous, unexpected twists. Also Natalie Goldburg’s The Wild Mind. Zen in the Art of Writing, so cool.

10. If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?

That it would be possible to make a huge vacuum cleaner to suck up all those nasty greenhouse gases as well as all the ants in my kitchen!