Gaiety Goddess

After Midnight -- Before Dawn... but only after Hamlet!

2011-03-13T01:23:00.002Z

So, what was next...

After Danse Macabre, it was November and I was wrecked tired. Fortunately, I got a nice little trip to New York that month and I got to see Hamlet performed by Jude Law at the Broadhurst Theatre, directed by Michael Grandage. I will admit, I was a bit prejudiced going in. I didn't think he was going to be any good. I thought it was going to be one of those occasions where they parachute in a barely literate 'celebrity' to put bums on seats. How very wrong I was. He was bloody fantastic and anytime he opened his mouth on stage I was utterly mesmerized. I've seen many performances of Hamlet, some abyssmal, some excellent but it's a testament to how much I love the play that I'll sit through anything just to see these words performed. Jude Law made it seem like I was watching it for the first time. I take my hat off to you sir, you're a fine performer.

(Here I am outside the theatre with my ticket. I really love Hamlet, I wanted evidence I was there and we going as a friend's birthday treat so it was extra nice!)

So, once I was home from New York and I'd had a rest over Christmas, 2010 rolled along and brought the snow with it on New Year's Eve. It was wasn' the best start to the year, but pretty soon there was work on the horizon. Keith Ward, one of the gang from Whiplash, had decided he wanted to have a go at directing, so he put together some actors he'd worked with before and produced a slightly adapted version of David Campton's After Midnigt -- Before Dawn in Smock Alley Studio under the banner of Silent Blade Productions. He directed us through a little Meisner technique and even added in a little snippet of Inuit throat singing at the opening of the show for a very atmospheric beginning. He was helped by Donncha O'Dea doing costumes, choreograhy and any else he could lend his deft hand to. It was one of the most interesting and enjoyable experiences I've had doing a show and I was delighted to come away with a lot of praise for my performance.

The photo above is of myself (seated) playing The Calm Woman in one of our dress rehearsals and Shannon Ryan playing The Neat Woman. The full cast included myself, Neil Fleming, Rob McDermott, Aoife Moore, Paul Nolan and Shannon Ryan.

Here's a link to a review of the piece and another one about half way down the page here which gives the following very complinmentary review of my performance. How nice to be called mesmerizing!

"The 6 actors onstage gave energetic if sometimes chaotic performances and with the level of activity onstage you really needed to be special to stand out. Nicole Elizabeth, as the devil worshipper who tempts the other characters, was mesmerizing, partly because she was the only stationary person onstage! She was very compelling and it was hard to pull your focus back to the other characters who were mostly running wildly around the stage muttering incoherently."

I've been bugging Keith to do this show again because we had a really minimalist set that could be brought anywhere, but he doesn't want to because he wants to be in it himself, rather than direct. Who could blame him, it was great fun to do!

Enjoy xxx
Nicole E

Danse Macabre...

2011-03-12T05:47:00.001Z

Hello again! Back so soon, I hear you say? Well, I did promise I was going to update more often, so I am. The next project I have to fill you in on is Danse Macabre.

After we'd finished doing Spartacus: Highway to Hell in the Dublin Fringe, it was on to doing Danse Macabre in The Boy's School space in Smock Alley Theatre. Paul Burke gathered together some of his Whiplash crew and we rocked the house, onstage for a week long run during the week of Halloween, and this was only just over a month after finishing Spartacus!

I'd been working on this for months on the production end, filling out forms and doing up budgets so it was wonderful to finally get to do it. We were all a bit wrecked from just having done Spartacus, but we pulled it together nonetheless!

The Boy's School has such an amazing old brick wall running right up the middle of with gothic arches and different levels. It was perfect for a bit gothic horror performance for Halloween.

Here's one of the promotional shots we took of the cast. This one ended up being the poster. Featured here is yours truly as Lucy with Stephen Lynch playing Harker. I'm trying to affect a bored pout... I think I got it. As a side note, I got to design the poster (no, I didn't choose the image!), flyers and programmes, which was very enjoyable. I do love doing the graphics. It's not the first show I've done the artwork for.

Believe it or not, this image isn't photoshopped, nor is it a mistake where one image was superimposed over another on film. Even weirder, I'M actually the one who isn't there. This is a lovely little trick called Pepper's Ghost which we used in the show. Here I'm back from the dead as Lucy trying to tempt my fiancée the Doctor, played by Jonathan East... the only thing he has in mind for me though, is a stake throught the heart!

Here's the cast lined up at the end of the show for our curtain call. The shot was taken by one of our lovely audience members, Danielle Hayes. Left to right we have Stephen Lynch as Harker, Shannon Ryan as Mina, Nicole Elizabeth as Lucy, Dave Farell as Renfield, Paul Burke as Goldaming, Anthony Morris as The Professor, Jonathan East as Doctor and Keith Ward as The Count.

And just for your entertainment here's the promotional video that Jonathan East made of the show. You get to see a little bit of the awesome tricks, stunts and sword fights that went on during show. Watch out for me doing Pepper's Ghost and levitating under the magical influence of the Count... with no strings or lifts, I swear!

Ah, reminiscing about this show brings back some lovely memories! I wish we could do it all again. I'll always remember it for some of the quickest full costume changes I've ever had to do, still pulling clothes, shoes, gloves and jewellry on as I run the length of a theatre, climb two flights of stairs and scramble up a backstage platform. Lucy Westenra leads an interesting life!

Enjoy xxx
Nicole E

Spartacus: Highway to Hell... after all this time, a few photos!

2011-03-10T04:46:00.006Z

Jaysus, I'm dreadful. You know what it's like when you have a job to do, but the longer you leave it the more the work piles up, so you keep putting it off? Procrastination is opportunity's natural assassin. Whatever it is, just do it today, you'll feel better. Anyway, time to start catching up on the last 18 months of work I've been doing, like I promised I would back in September last year, and lied through my teeth and didn't... because I'm so busy and important (not!). I'm very naughty for not updating, and very silly too because if I don't write it all down, how will I remember what I've been up to?

Anyway, WAY in back in the day, I did a little show called Spartacus: Highway to Hell and it was fantastic! Written by Gavin Kostick, music and lyrics by Paul Burke and also directed by him, it was epic. Spartacus: The Musical! It was hard work putting it together but the packed out crowd of hundreds that came to see us for our one night only show made it so worth while.

So, there's me on the left of that front group in the shiny silver leggings and we're singing our little hearts out. The photo was taken by the lovely Steve Wilson who's often on hand to take shots of Whiplash shows. what I love about this one is that you can see some of the people in the audience. There's a few smiley faces there and you get a sense of the size of the crowd that continues all the way around to the left and right.

Here's me as lonely little Flavia, having a pensive moment while Spartacus, the love of my life sings about how maybe one day we'll get to settle down, have babies and get away from all the fighting and violence... Except that never happens because we die. Sad :(

I have to say, I love this shot. It was taken by a friend of mine just after the show. You can see the aftermath of Flavia's horrible death at the hands of Crassus. Very 'Disco Zombie' as a friend of mine of commented. I can't deny I'd had a lot of fun doing the show!

Well, that's the low down on Spartacus. Better late than never! It was a large but fantastic cast crew and we have to say thanks to Mary Weir in Dublin City Council for helping us along as she always does and for the space in the Civic Office Amphitheatre.

That's all for now. I WILL be updating over the next wee while to catch up, this time I promise! And I think I might do a small re-design. I've already added the 'Link Within' at the bottom of each post to give you ideas on other things I've been up to and I've added a feed from my twitter account on the right! I should, if I'm sensible, go off now and make a proper list, IN ORDER, of all the things I want to post because it'll help me organise my thoughts better... we shall see if I prove to be sensible!

Anyway, 2011 bring you an infinitly better year than 2010 did! With a new government in place today, I already feel hopeful!

Enjoy!
Nicole E xxx

In which I catch up on old times...

2010-09-07T23:33:00.004+01:00

I am disgusted to see that I have not updated here in exactly one year and 7 seven days! It's not like there was nothing going on in that time. An awful lot has happened, but as always, in short burst of intensity and then suddenly nothing. I'm going to endeavour in the next few weeks to try and update you on a year's worth of work, but I may forget things. Oh well, that's what I get for neglecting my duties!

In the meantime, this is one the things I've been up to recently...

Here I am out at one of IFTA's In Conversation With... evenings where we had the pleasure of being entertained by Graham Linehan, creator of such well known and hilarious comedies as Father Ted and The It Crowd. Bill Tyson, on the left in this photo, Producer and Columnist for The Independent, invited me along as his guest. Unfortunately the two of us became so famished with hunger by the end of the evening that we didn't ask Graham any questions as it might delay us getting to the food!

More to follow soon!
Enjoy xxx
Nicole E

Fringe Festival

2009-08-30T12:40:00.010+01:00

Well good holy lord, I have been so busy that a) my brains are falling out my ears and b) I haven't had a spare moment to update since... *checks blog*... July 4th... oh dear.

Okay, film-wise... I now have copies of 'Orpheus', 'Bleeding Love', 'No Justice' and 'Tonight's Special in my hot little hands so as soon as I have a spare minute to edit, my showreel will emerge... as well as that, I can take a few stills from the videos and show you some photos up here.

In the end, I didn't get anything out of my audition for 'Your Highness', but Caroline Cassidy from my agency did, so that's some good news at least. Another casting director who might consider us in future! Paul Burke of Whiplash has been working on the movie though so I've been hearing cool things.

And speaking of Whiplash, I've been very, very busy working towards our latest show in the Absolut Dublin Fringe Festival. This year we're staging SPARTACUS: HIGHWAY TO HELL. It's been a lot of work organising and planning and unfortunately fundraising as cut backs have resulted in us having to come up with a substantial amount of money at the last minute, at that's with none of us getting paid a cent to do this and a cast of THIRTY FIVE! But we've been working hard and we're hopefully getting there! I've been working like a demon on the production end, as well as earning myself a part in it with all the rehearsal that entails, as well as day job and couple of harrowing personal issues this week, so you can imagine how knackered I already am! It pays off though, you get to participate in excellent theatre and that's its own reward. This show I'll be playing Flavia a gladiator and lover to Spartacus!

We had a photo shoot a few weeks back for the purpose of getting some promotional shots up and going for the Fringe Festival Program, as well as our own so here's a couple of the ones of me that I don't feel so cringey looking at!

This is just one of the shots we took on the day. Nothing more fun than playing with a whip! I look like a californian dominatrix... although slightly more rubenesque than your typical sylph-like cali girl.

Hmmmm.... fake weaponry and and a boiling, cloudy sky.... portentuous?

So basically, 13th September at 9pm at the Civic Offices Amphitheatre off Fishamble Street, a one-off show you DO NOT want to miss, Spartacus: Highway to Hell. Come and see us and revel in the madness! Afterall, it's FREE!

Enjoy xxx
Nicole E

Updates, updates, updates...

2009-07-04T13:28:00.003+01:00

Okay, busy busy bee...

'Kim', directed by Kathy Raftery was shown in The Galway Film Fleadh last week and I have been reliably informed that it was received very well. I'm really glad for Kathy, and it was such a pity I couldn't make it down to the festival myself. I've been stuck up in Dublin rehearsing and working and doing bits and bobs. The trailer for it is HERE if anyone wants to take a peek!

The pic above is a still from 'Kim'. Note my face-o-woe.

In other news, the screening of 'Tonight's Special' in Odessa on the 23rd of June went quite well. People laughed, which is the best bit and I have a copy of it now so it's there, ready and waiting for me to get my act together and make a showreel.

The good thing is, apparently there is some interest in the project, meetings have been had a whatnot. Again, all of it may come to nought, but I'd like to think that with all the effort that everyone put in, both cast and crew, that something will come of it. Got my copy of it on the day as well. I showed it to my family later, who got a good laugh out of it.

This is a pic that appeared in The Herald on 26th of June. On the left beside me is Aoibheann McCaul and behind the two of us are Robbie Sloan the director and Arthur Deeny, the writer. Nice to get one's face in the paper (even if it's tiny and right at the back!!).

Also, the screening of 'Bleeding Love' as part of the IADT showcase on the 30th June, in fact, the showcase in general, went very well. There's some serious talent in that class and they're very driven. We got to watch all the films in the wonderful surroundings of The Lighthouse cinema, which I had never been to before. Beautiful building, must go there again.

I received my copy of 'Bleeding Love' in the post so that's another film that I have my hands on for incorporating into a showreel. All I need now is a copy of 'Kim' and for 'No Justice' to be finished, although, if I could just get ahold of 'Kim', I think that would be MORE than enough, particularly added to what I already have.

Preparation has begun for Whiplash's next show in the Fringe Festival (as well as some prep for stuff coming WAY down the line). We did a photo shoot recently to get some promotional material together for the Fringe Festival website and brochure. I'll post up a couple of pics, not taken by the professional photographer, but those taken by a few of us mucking around on the day with various cameras and phones. I'll also post up a couple of stills from 'Bleeding Love' when I get myself organised.

Annnnnnd finally, the most exciting thing recently was travelling up to Belfast to audition for 'Your Highness'. I haven't heard a peep yet either way from my agent but it was great to get out there and finally get sent for something paid and professional by my agent. As a first outing for them it was quite an adventure, especially for all of us who had to come up from Dublin as there was a security alert and the border was closed... cue massive delays. Oh well, it was worth anyway!!

I think that's all for now!
Enjoy
Nicole E xxx

Short films a-go-go...

2009-06-13T16:16:00.006+01:00

Okay...

Well, I haven't been up to much in the last month... well, I have... oh nevermind! Most important thing, I turned 27! Had a fun birthday, shared it with Nora Stillman of TEAM Theatre Company, the lovely lady of Paul Burke, O-Captain-my-Captain of Whiplash and learnt the two of them are now engaged. Joy all around!

All of a sudden, all that work I put in a few months back doing back to back short films is now paying off... First up, the teaser trailer for 'No Justice' which is in post production.

I've also seen some rough footage of the stuff I've shot and listened to my VO for my newsreader bit... with the other parts of the film, it's looking brilliant already with an impressive cast including Don Baker, Honor Heffernan, Karl Shiels (and myself!) to name but a few. No ETA on when it'll be completed, but I await the news with baited breath.

Next up is the comedy pilot I shot, orginally titled 'The Cooks' and but now called 'Tonight's Special'. It's been completed and the private premier is being shown in The Odessa Club on the 23rd of June from 6.30pm. Anyone who wants to come along should contact robbie.icebubble@gmail.com.

Here's the teaser trailer for it, featuring yours truly, Aoibheann McCaul and Declan McGauran.

Also, on the 30th of June, IADT are having the screenings for their film school graduates, at which point I'll get to see 'Bleeding Love' up on the big screen, in the Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield at 6pm. I got to see some of it a couple of weeks ago when I got called back to do a little ADR. Looks very slick!

The short film, 'Kim', that I shot with Kathy Raftery (originally titled 'He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not') made it into The Galway Film Fleadh! Dates, times etc to follow eventually...

The music video I was part of that was directed last year by Michael Donnelly for the band 'Jaded Sun' is going to be shown as part of the Bray Music Video Festival next Saturday. I unfortunately will be working that day so I won't be able to come along to show my support.

And finally, I got a small part in a play that's running from 11th to 15th of August in the Teacher's Club in Dublin. It's called 'The Brothers!' and is based on Adelphoe by Roman playwright Terence. It's being done under the directorship Evelyn McGrory for Scarlet Cloak...

I had an audition over the weekend for a show in October in the Civic theatre. I didn't get it but I was offered a part in the next show they're doing around March/April of next year so that's a nice consolation prize. Also, there's some good news for funding for Whiplash on the horizon but mum's the word at the moment!!!

Enjoy!
Nicole xxx

Exciting News...

2009-05-16T01:45:00.005+01:00

Firstly, it is with much delight (sssshhh, I can't help myself!) that I announce that I finally have representation.

UFPI Talent Management, a new company, are now officially my agent. I'm very excited about this as I feel this is the next step. They're really enthusiastic, helpful and open. Already, they're lining me up to audition for stuff, which is fantastic. I just want to work, but, even if I don't get this, it's gonna be great to be seen out there, playing in the big leagues... Anyway, I'm delighted, and I've hit the ground running. Just because I have an agent now doesn't mean that I should stop looking for my own work! God, but I really love my job.

Nextly, last Thursday I helped Paul Burke get in another funding proposal to the Arts Council. The two of us nearly DIED. I exagerate not. A big fat drink was required afterwards to get over the horror of it all. Still, won't have to do one of them for a while, and imagine if we got funding? Oh, the shows we could do!!

I had an audition this day last week for a film installation, but since I haven't heard a peep and it's been a week, I'm going to take it that I didn't get it. Oh well! Might have been tasty, and potentially funded too...

Lastly, the writer who wrote 'The Cooks', the comedy pilot that I did back in March has completed the piece and he's going to show it in a couple of weeks. It's been tentatively/provisionally renamed as 'Tonight's Special'... I may have to alter a lot of CVs... but I have that to look forward to.

All, in all, it's been a good couple of weeks, though I still can't believe I survived them!

Enjoy
Nicole E xxx

Photos from Orpheus...

2009-04-28T03:17:00.002+01:00

Just a quick drive by to let you know what I'm up to...

I've completed filming on Orpheus and I was very glad to get out of that dress at the end of the last day, let me tell you! I came in that day to discover another actor I know, but had not yet worked with, Rory Mullen was on set to play Hades. Again, it's wonderful to have so many people you know around you for filming.

The last few scenes we filmed were at Monkstown castle, a charming ruin which, according to google maps, is 'the perfect place to go knacker drinker'... interesting piece of information that. I mention this because the look of the lights shining from different angles against the stones was quite beautiful so I look forward to seeing the finished product. Stills that were taken on the day were very striking.

The production crew have very kindly passed on a couple of shots they took of myself and Paul Burke. This shot was taken in a lap dancing club so that's the pole we're leaning on. Naturally, cast and crew all found themselves having a little go for the fun of it. A foolish idea on my part as I bruise very easily; my shins are a mess!

There haven't been anymore short film offers this week, but that's only normal. Six films in six weeks would be insane. I've been mostly working on funding proposals from Whiplash Productions to go into Dublin City Council. This would be in the hopes of getting funding to put on one of our derailed shows. DCC may redeem themselves and the Gods of funding may smile upon us yet! Anyway, the deadline is noon tomorrow so I've spent since Thursday writing this proposal, gathering together all the bits and pieces, meeting with the other Whiplashers and going blind from staring at computer screens. All of this is while I was trying to live my life and spend long hours in work (working hard for da money!). Family, friends and boyfriend have found me locked in a room with a laptop for hours on end, coming out only to forage for food, and go back to work! Producing may be oddly fun, but it's still damn hard work.

Enjoy xxx
Nicole E

Orpheus...

2009-04-20T23:43:00.005+01:00

So, I've finished the first day of filming on Orpheus... Written and directed by Frankie Shine.

I found out on Saturday that Paul Burke, O-Captain-My-Captain of Whiplash, is playing the Orpheus to my Eurydice and the two of us had a big laugh about it. Then on Sunday, I got text from Aoibheann McCaul, with whom I did The Cooks, to say that she was also in it and she told me that another actress called Carla, who I'd just fight directed in the Tabs Theatre Company show last week, was in it as well. So that's three of the four actors that I worked with today that I knew... which was lovely and we all had a giggle amongst ourselves...

However, I'm wearing the dress from hell... very strange cut on the thing that at once manages to be very baggy around the waist and ridiculously tight around the bust... A lot of safety pinning was required to make it look semi-decent and even at that I can barely breathe... Apparently it was meant for Aoibheann and she couldn't even get the zip up completely and it made her 'chest' look even worse than mine does... Good thing I have long hair! It's not the best creation in the world, but it's a student film so what are ya gonna do?!?! Hell, I got pretty shoes to go with it so my girl side is satisfied!

I'm still gobsmacked over the whole 5 shorts in one month... It's like going from 0-60 in terms of show reel material in NO time! Can't wait to get all these bits in so I can start editing.

Enjoy xxx
Nicole E

More short filming...

2009-04-18T02:08:00.003+01:00

Out of the blue today, I got a call from another film student offering me a part in his short film for IADT. He's a 3rd year this time, not a one of the graduating class.

I realise now I had sent my CV off to them because I was hoping to audition for another part entirely, but I was offered a different one and I'm totally cool with that!

It's a piece called Orpheus and is indeed based upon the Greek myth. I'll be appearing briefly as his wife (presumably Eurydice!) and, as in the myth, he travels to the underworld to retrieve her, only to lose her again at the last moment by looking back at her too soon.

There's no dialogue in the whole thing, the story will be told by movement. Sounds very interesting and I look forward to doing it.

Wow, that's 5 shorts in a month... holy cow!

Enjoy xxx
Nicole E

Working with the old gang...

2009-04-17T01:33:00.006+01:00

This month, I've been sending CV's like mad off to various peeps looking for actors. Not all successful, but them's the breaks... I've also been trying to gather in the last few bits and pieces of short films etc. that I've done recently so I can work on editing and finalising my showreel... at which point every agent/casting director/theatre company will be carpet bombed with my headshot, CV, and a DVD. It may get me nowhere, OR, it could get me more work, which would be lovely.

I've also been working on something for Whiplash... This time I'm not opening my mouth until it's all in the bag, but it's a producer role again. I'm liking this turn of events... I've been on the producing end of things a lot more in the last couple of months and I'm really enjoying it.

I might be getting a couple of days of work as purely an extra on the set of the film 'Leap Year' which is currently filming in Dublin and across Ireland starring Amy Adams from 'Enchanted' and Matthew Goode from 'Watchmen'. Good sized budget US production, and even though it's extra work and you can't put it on your CV, it would be better paid than a lot of the 'real' acting gigs I've been getting lately. Oh, the irony! It's not lost on me, trust me!

In the last couple of weeks, I've worked doing Fight Directing for Tabs Theatre Company's current production 'Never After' which is playing this week in Smock Alley Theatre. In a nutshell, it's about sex trafficking, but it's much more complex than that and it's based on true stories of women all around the world. If you're around until Saturday, go see it. Fight Directing was very enjoyable, another new thing I'm branching into. I also taught one beginners class in some of the basics of Stage Combat for one of the Directors of Tabs. Great craic! Loved it and would definitely consider doing it again.

I also filmed a short film for a director, Kathy Raftery of Cinnte Productions, whom I worked with last year doing 'Extremities'. It was nice to be back working with her again, and with Keith Ward, my co-star from that play. She's entering this short film into a Human Rights Film Competition for a chance to win a place on a three week workshop of film making for social change which will run alongside the Venice Film Festival. Kathy is really interested in making Humans Right films so this would be a dream oppurtunity for her.

Her piece is entitled 'Love Me, Love Not. In it, my character Kim is date raped by a guy who unfortunately did not take NO for an answer at the end of the night, and it's essentially about the fallout for her from this incident as the guy gets off scott free because he's an 'upstanding citizen', people saw them flirting at dinner and there were no witnesses to the actual rape. My interpretation of the crux of the film is, therefor, that the justice system in this country repeatedly fails the victims (and of course that a woman has a right not to be raped).

Difficult subject matter to perform, I won't lie, but it wasn't graphic and it was good to have a team of people around that I trusted. I just hope I did a good job for her and I look forward to watching it (bizarrely, because normally I HATE watching myself). Here's hoping Kathy does well in the competition!

Hopefully I'll have some more photos and clips from what I've been doing soon and I'll update when I do.

Enjoy xxx
Nicole

March Madness...

2009-03-24T12:31:00.005Z

Well, March has been an exceptionally busy month, with three separate things to film...

On top of the web series (which is now converted in to a full length TV pilot) and the student short film for IADT, I also worked on a short film called 'No Justice'.... I'll let that blog explain everything, but I was playing a news reporter so we got to shoot outside of Leinster House on Kildare Street in the glorious sunshine of the 18th of March.

Here's myself and John Phelan who's playing Senator David Norton in a more giggly moment before filming began. Could I get my tongue to work that day?... No! Embarrassingly, it took me until my third take to get my news reader spiel out correctly... The shame!! I pride myself on being able to say it perfectly on the first take, with second and third ones for safety only!... Ah well, we all have our days, and it was the day after Paddy's Day afterall!

I heard about it through Paul Burke, fight director extraordinaire and director of Whiplash Productions. Alan Walsh, 'No Justice''s director was looking for an actress to play the part of the reporter, (one of only two speaking parts in the whole thing strangely). I passed my details along to Alan via Paul and then I got the call. I was filming only two days after I'd wrapped on the student film. I think my brain melted. But it's good to be busy!

The web series that has now evolved into the TV pilot called 'The Cooks' was filmed on the 7th & 8th of March. I thought we got the whole thing done, but we're going back next week to do re-shoots, now that the writer and director have gotten ahold of the guy they originally wanted to play the landlord (the writer stepped in for the part during the original filming and naturally wasn't happy with himself!). I got to see some of the rushes on the day and it looked quite funny, and it was fun to do, considering my character spends most of her time drunk!

The IADT short film, 'Bleeding Love' written and directed by Ged Murray was a blast to work on. I do actually love working on student films because the enthusiam and love of their work is palpable... and they treat you so damn well, not that I've ever been treated anything other than exceptionally well on anything I've ever filmed, but you've just gotta love new people! Again, I got to watch some of the rushes one of the days we were filming and the stuff looks good. Can't wait to see the finished product... although I do actually hate looking at myself on film.

And finally, after all that sunshine, a little rain must fall... The Whiplash show we had planned for April, which we'd be asked to do by Dublin City Council, has been pulled. They decided they didn't want to spend the money in the current economic climate, not that they didn't have it, but that they didn't want to spend it. We are bummed and a little angry, naturally... particularly after all the hard work that went in. And I'm miffed because there was a couple of things I turned down because I thought this show was gauranteed... Guess I learnt my lesson, nothing is guaranteed in life, and certainly not in this business!

Enjoy
Nicole E xxx

Sudden update...!

2009-02-24T23:05:00.003Z

Good news!

I just got the word that I have the part in the student film, so that's two new things to add to the show reel, how lovely! It's called 'Bleeding Love' (unless they change the title) and I'm playing a nurse in a blood bank who is wooed by a shy charity worker who tries to win her heart and her attention by donating blood everyday.

Happy Days!
Nicole xxx

Oh February...

2009-02-24T20:03:00.007Z

I'm a very bad blogger... It's been well over a month since I last updated and I have actually been doing something, so it's about time I told you.

Back on the 9th of February, I performed in 'Shaking Up Bublin' as Flora the Fairy with Tabs Theatre Company. As I've previously mentioned, we've had this play previously rehearsed so we have it ready to bring to schools or tour around with it etc. This time around, we performed it in the children's museum, Imaginosity, in Dublin for two audiences of what turned out to be about a hundred children each. The first group were much better behaved then the second, and while easier to deal with, didn't give us much back in the way of energy. The second group quite frankly were a bunch of deliquents, who were quite happy to scream abuse at different characters, but they were a wonderful bunch and I felt so charged afterwards, it was nuts! I would definitely do it again, kids are mental, and the most honest critics. If they think it's crap, they'll tell you!

'The Last Leaf' is back on the cards again! I just got an email from the Director, Kathleen Weir to say it has been entered into The Downtown New York Short Film Festival. The fesitival runs annually in April and they get so many submissions they they do advance screenings of the shorts and let the audience watch and vote on which ones get to go forward to the main festival. If anyone is reading this and will be in New York on the 7th of March, go see my short film and vote for us! Details can be found on that website and tickets can be purchased there also!

Another good piece of news about 'The Last Leaf' is that it has been accepted to the Cinema du Paris Film Festival taking place in July.

The web series that I've been due to film FOREVER finally has a filming date. I'll be off on the 6th, 7th and 8th of March to film so I can't wait for that.

I was at an audition for a student film for IADT students today, which, if I got it, would be filming the week after I do the web series and would be another tasty little number to have on the show reel, but I don't know whether I've got it or not yet. I'll keep you posted nonetheless.

And, finally, things I still on the go for the Whiplash show in April, we've been getting proposals ready and forms filled out, trying to gather the cast together, soring our script and locations, getting a production crew in place for the filmed part of it... It's in 7 or 8 weeks so we'd better get our skates on! We've also been putting together a proposal for another show later in the year. Things aren't good with money from the Arts Council at the moment, economic climate and all that, but fingers crossed all the same that we get something!

That's it I think for now.
Enjoy!
Nicole E xxx

New year and work to do...

2009-01-12T23:22:00.002Z

Well, it's 2009, and this blog is a year old today!!! I've started this year with upcoming work on my plate, which is always a lovely thing to be able to say!

Tonight, I watched myself in on RTE 2 in 'Dublin Stories' for Project Ha Ha. This is the small little appearance I filmed back in November where I was playing poor little pregnant Denise.

Remember this? It's always very strange watching myself on screen... I sometimes don't believe it's me! I sometimes wish it wasn't me ;)

In the beginning of February I, along with the Tabs Theatre Co. crew, am doing a children's show in Imaginocity called 'Shaking Up Bublin'. We had rehearsed it back in October when we were doing the double bill shows of 'Epoch' and Three Sides so it's fairly ready to go with a couple of refresher rehearsals.

Also, even though the web series that I filmed the pitch for that was submitted for the Storyland project didn't get picked, the director still wants to go ahead and film it anyway, so that'll be on in February. That's really cool, because I wanted to do that show, and subsequently get more footage for my show reel, but I thought after they missed out on Storyland that it died on its feet. Aoibheann and I are delighted!

And finally, preparations will begin soon for the Whiplash show in April... and there are a couple of auditions for different things on the horizon... So far it's shaping up to be a good year!

Enjoy
Nicole E xxx

No Storyland for Christmas...

2008-12-15T22:01:00.003Z

Into each life a little rain must fall, and so must it be also with each acting career... We can't win 'em all!

The pitch I was involved in for Storyland was not shortlisted for production so Aoibheann and I are naturally a little disappointed. Oh well, hopefully I'll get to make the next one that comes around! Pity, this would have been a tasty little one to put on the showreel!

And, as a demonstration of just exactly the lengths an actor will go for cash, I've been flyering for someone else's show this week, dressed as a DONKEY. Oh the kiddies love me... and the teenaged boys are always trying to poke me... It's not always fun!

Anyway, work has wound down for this year, production is all set to go for Whiplash, if/when we get the funding. Next year is looking promising!

Happy Christmas
Nicole E xxx

The Last Leaf at last...

2008-11-25T04:43:00.002Z

Well, at last, The Last Leaf is finished and I got a copy of it last week. It was mad watching it after having filmed it nearly a year ago, but it looks really good. Now all we have to do is wait until poor Kathleen is less insanely busy so we can have an official screening and then she can market it for herself!

If you don't remember, the character I played was called Jonsy, short for Joanna. I spent most of this film being a very, very ill little Jonsy, lying in bed near death.

I like this shot. It's all gauzy and I don't look half bad, even though I'm still playing the near death sicky. It's the vaseline on the lens effect of shooting through the window!!

And suddenly, Jonsy is feeling sooo much better!

What is this you say? Is it the last leaf? Le Gasp! I think it is! Also featured in this shot is Niamh Daly who played Sudie. Anyway, it was nice to finally see it. And, I ran into Philip O'Sullivan who played the doctor and he was rather jealous that I'd got to have a look at it! :)

This week I have an audition for a student short film. The piece is a bit creepy and spooky and I have a feeling I'm not spooky enough looking, but I must audition nontheless. Also, Paul Burke as Whiplash Productions is putting in a proposal to Dublin City Countil for a show next year. I'm involved with helping to put the stuff together for it and eventually be part of the show. I'll let you know more when I'm allowed to say more. In the meantime, I set up the official Whiplash Productions Facebook page. If you're on it, join it!

Enjoy!
Nicole E xxx

Storyland Pitch & Dublin Stories

2008-11-19T02:34:00.008Z

Well, the Storyland pitch has been filmed... the process was hilariously good fun to do, and now I await, God knows how long, until we all hear whether we've been picked up or not. Might not be until January!

The audition I went to for Stags & Hens was a bust. Oh well, can't win 'em all. However, I'm sorta glad. It was sooo poorly organised, and we were only told on the day, despite plenty of time and emails back and forth, that they were setting it in Dublin and therefor no liverpool accent. Also, they auditioned us in groups and some people only got to read two or three lines... ONCE! How are you supposed to demonstrate your abilities from a few words. Not how I would have done it. But again, oh well! It would have messed up April for me anyway!... That's not sour grapes, I swear! :))

Nextly, the filming with Mike went well too. It was a show called Dublin Stories, directed by Alex Gill, based around a series of brief sketch shows created by the comedy group, The Diet of Worms. It's apparently going to be shown on RTE in January, date to be confirmed. Andrew Wilkinson, the Executive Producer of Jaded Sun was also onset as 2nd AD to Mike's 1st AD. A minor renunion was had! We filmed a crowd scene before the wrap party on the Thursday after the Sunday I had filmed, which resulted in me promptly breaking my liver!

No! I'm not pregnant! This is me dressed up in a pregnancy pad as Denise, the character I played in Dublin Stories. It was a very weird experience wearing that bump, let me tell you!! Mike took this shot because he was as weirded out as I was. You can tell by the look of amusement tinged with fear on my face!

Enjoy
Nicole E xxx

Storyland...

2008-11-05T00:02:00.004Z

Well, Epoch finished and both shows went rather well... and we had a lovely post show night out in The Church Bar on Saturday...

And speaking of Saturday, I had an audition for one of the pitches for Storyland and I got the part! Storyland is a competition to get new filmakers, directors, writers etc. to enter submissions to make a web-based drama series. All the submissions will be looked at and eventually ten will be picked to be made, except the audience is voting on them, so each week one less submission will go through, getting to make their next episode, until only one series will be completed. It's very new and exciting, closing dates for submissions is on the 17th November... and little old me got picked!

Now, there's no guarantee that the series I'm involved in will be picked to be made, but we had a meeting this evening, looked at more scripts and next week we're filming the pitch. I'd love it if our series got chosen, and I'll calling everyone to go have a look see and vote... but this is all in the New Year, nothing is definite and it may all come to naught!

Speaking of filming, busy as a bee I am. Mike Donnelly, my director for the Jaded Sun video is making something for RTE at the moment, and he invited me along to be a part of it, so I'm toddling along to pretend to be a pregnant woman tomorrow for a rehearsal, and we're filming it Sunday. More when I know exactly what I'm doing!

Also tomorrow, I have an audition for a play that runs for six weeks in the new year. I'm afraid it may encroach upon the two plays I promised to do in April, only because they have a set run planned but are thinking of extending and touring. I could commit to the six weeks and the rehearsal period in January but nothing further... but that's only if I got the part!! Anyway, it's Willy Russell's play, Stags & Hens... crack out the Liverpool accent... My head will be a bit wrecked tomorrow from staying up all night practising a Cork accent all last night... as it eventually turned out, unnecessarily... but still, now I know all I ever wanted to know about the Ó'hAilín brothers!

And now, since it's election night in the US, I'm going to glue myself to the news until 3am

Enjoy
Nicole E xxx

Epoch...

2008-10-31T15:30:00.004Z

I'm in a play at the moment called Epoch, the show with Tabs Theatre Company I previously mentioned I was doing. It's showing in T@36, the theatre in The Teachers' Club as part of a double bill of newly written one act plays.

I seems to be going well enough and we finish tomorrow. Tonight should be interesting, what with it being Halloween; we were seriously in doubt of getting an audience because everyone is too busy dressing up and pretending to be other people themselves... But it seems we have bookings afterall!

Paul Burke was in to watch last night so I had to make sure my stage combat skills were up to par. Can't let the side down!

I have an audition next week for a show on in January and there's the possibility that I might be in an ad, but absolutely nothing definite beyond the show I'm doing at the moment...

Having said that, without giving away anything, I seem to be double booked for April next year... but that's a long way away, with plenty of time to fill in in between. Must get cracking on getting more work!

KISS - The Flash Mob...

2008-10-10T20:01:00.004+01:00

Well, the secret show I was supposed to do, and actually did do, with The Performance Corporation for the Dublin Theatre Festival... it turned out to be a flash mob type performance, and also turned out to be an immense amount of fun! It was a public outbreak of couples kissing, and even some of the audience joined in spontaneously! We're spreading the love...

Watch out for me briefly appearing alongside Dermot Magennis, my co-star from War of the Roses III: Back in Black. The song that is playing over us in the background is called 'Llorando (crying)' and featured in Mulholland Drive.

Crave is here at last...

2008-10-02T04:47:00.006+01:00

Well, sooner than I expected, the music video is finished and ready to go. The official release date for the single and the video is October 10th, I think. At this point I shall have to text spam Night Shift so I can myself on the telly (ahahaha so exciting!)... BUT, until then, here is the video... Jaded Sun with their single Crave from their album Gypsy trip featuring yours truly...

Finally, I'm starting to gather together some decent show reel material... All I can do now is hope some more comes along and that The Last Leaf will be finished soon so I can get a copy.

Tabs Theatre & Fringe Festival Shows

2008-09-24T01:30:00.002+01:00

Well, it's been confirmed... I'm doing a show at the end of October with Tabs Theatre Company... in fact, two shows. During the day for a couple of days I'm doing a children's show called Shaking Up Bublin and in the evening, as part of a one act play double bill, I'm doing a two hander play called Epoch. I'm quite pleased about doing the two of them, it means I'll be nice and busy around that time... Well, I'll be quite busy for most of October... I'll keep you posted on how it's going closer to the time. As an aside, I'll also be doing some sort of 'surprise show' for The Performance Corporation. I don't know what it's going to involve... it's a mystery!!

As for my work in the Fringe Festival, it all went very well. War of the Roses III: Back in Black was a great success, even though it was performed outside, at night, in the PISSING rain. The Fringe Festival judges review that night was glowing and we received a five star review in The Irish Times (scroll down to read it). We were eventually nominated for Best Production in the Dublin Fringe Festival and though we didn't win it, the fun we had doing it more than made up for it.

Wolfgang Hoffman, the director of the Fringe Festival enjoyed the show so much that he offered free tickets for the entire cast to go see the La Clique show in Spiegel tent the next night. It was a fantastic show and if you ever get a chance to go see it, DO.

Wilde On was a mixed bag. I was happy with my performance, and I heard it back from an honest source that I was good and I could be heard at the edges of the Spiegel tent, which, for an essentially unmiked performance, makes me quite happy. However, the show itself went on FAR too long, to the point that they started cutting things midway through the second half... Three and half hours of a huge mix of music, performance and skits, with no overriding direction... It had the makings of a fantastic and varied experience, but it seriously needed some trimming and a firm hand on the reins keeping it going in one direction... the poor stage manager had his work cut out... Oh well, I got to perform in Spiegel Tent and that's something cool!

I also ran into Gavan from Jaded Sun at Spiegel tent on the night the cast went to see La Clique. He told me that he and the band had seen a few clips of the footage from the music video for Crave and he said it look good. I await with baited breath.

Nicole E
xxx

So what have I been doing...

2008-09-11T02:20:00.008+01:00

Well, a couple of weeks ago, I filmed a music video for the Irish band Jaded Sun... Their first full album, Gypsy Trip, was released earlier this year and they were making a video for one of the songs, "Crave". They're all lovely guys. John, Sean, Eorann, Damien and Gavan... great music too, just the sort of stuff I used to grow up on actually, classic rock. I'm a complete convert. Andy their producer, and his family were also lovely... As were Mike the video's director, and Adam the camera operator, with whom I spent the vast majority of the time over those three very long days! Let us not forget Dave, the video's producer.

I got the gig by one of those happy little circumstances where someone calls ME... I love it when that happens... I was sitting at home minding my own business when I get an email from the video's producer saying he and the director had seen my headshot on Irish Equity... The rest is history... and what fun history it was too... It essentially involved a three day road trip to Galway and back, filming in various locations along the way, and hanging out with the band. Immensely good fun! I was sad when it was all over... And now I await the 19th of September to see the advance screening... As soon as the video is up on Youtube, I'll post it here for all and sundry to see. :)

Meanwhile, the show I'm currently working on is a one off coming up this Sunday at 9pm in the Dublin Fringe Festival... 'War of the Roses III: Back In Black' for Whiplash Productions, directred by Paul Burke, the country's leading Fight Director and written by Gavin Kostick of Fishamble Theatre Company. It's an energetic retelling of Shakespeare's Henry VI part III and, as with the previous parts performed over the last couple of years, it's a stage combat extravaganza with sword fights, punch ups, sexy babes, gags and this year, a canon, musket fire, a snow storm... amongst the madness, you will find myself, playing Elizabeth Woodville, wife of King Edward IV... I come onstage singing, with two sisters, like the sirens in 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?'... I wish it ran longer than one show, because last year's one was such fun... and this one promises to be the best, the final hurrah of the War of the Roses trilogy. I'm so thrilled Paul and Gavin wanted me to be a part of it!

I'm also doing another one night show next week in the Fringe in Spiegel Tent. A night of Oscar Wilde related pieces interspersed between music inspired by his works. The show is called Wilde On. I'm performing an extract from 'De Profundis'. Should be interesting! My goodness, two shows in the Fringe! I love this time of year... and just a couple of weeks to the Dublin Theatre Festival. My little heart shall explode from culture

Nicole Elizabeth
xxx

Catch up on what I've been doing...

2008-09-08T21:46:00.003+01:00

Okay, here's a little more on what I've been up to in the last few months...

A few months back I auditioned for a part in Tabs Theatre Company's production of 'Bloody Actors'. I turned up on the day only to discover that I wouldn't be able to perform in it anyway because of scheduling conflicts with my commitment to do 'The Intruder', but I auditioned for them anyway and they seemed impressed and we left it at that.

Back in June, I got an email from them asking me to come in for an audition and it turned out they were doing a script development reading and they had me in mind to play one of the parts. So, that show is coming up at the end of October, and it looks like I'll be a part of it. Good thing I auditioned!

More recently, I went for an audition for a new TV series that is going to be produced by Timesnap productions... I'm proud to say that out of the hundreds of girls that applied, I got down to the final five for my character... even though the part required that you play guitar, which I didn't, up until the night before, when I learnt a song... That was hilarious!

Other than that, there's been a couple of auditions for short films etc. which I didn't get, but I'll fill you in later on the stuff I did get which I'm currently working on.

Finally, the last thing I heard was that 'The Last Leaf' was still in the editing process. I still await that with baited breath, and I healthy dose of cringey feelings about my performance.

Nicole E
xxx

Post Extremities low-down...

2008-09-02T22:20:00.004+01:00

I haven't posted in aaages. I'm sorry!

It's been a few months, so let me try and recall it all. Extremities went well. The audience found it shocking at times, but not gratuitous and we got some great numbers in to watch and some fantastic and encouraging feedback. I'd love to do it again, although perhaps I'm saying that with the benefit of months of a break away from it!!!

Okay, that's an exageration. It was very fulfilling doing it. Hard work, don't get me wrong, and it often required Keith and I, as well as Kathy our director and Sorcha and Fiona, to have long chats in the pub afterward, during both the rehearsal and performance periods. It's heavy stuff, but rewarding. I think it materially added to it that Keith and I developed a good and trusting working relationship. If there had been any weirdness there the play would have suffered and that rather intimate scene at the beginning would have been ruined.

Speaking of working together, I was immensely proud of the work Keith and I put in to the stage combat element of this play. The trust helped that, and in the end, I think the work spoke for itself... Although I was continuously covered in bruises, but that's nothing coz I bruise like a peach! It was quite important for the two of us to make the struggle/attempted rape scene realistic and violent without it being dangerous or, as I said before, too gratuitous for the audience. I think we struck the right balance. My Dad was able to watch it! My Mum didn't see this one though, and I'm glad she didn't... her friends recounted it for her. It might have been a bit too much for her!

Nicole E
xxx

We're all done with 'The Intruder'...

2008-04-01T02:26:00.009+01:00

... and now it's all go for 'Extremities'.

'The Intruder' did go fairly well, we had decent enough audiences most nights, we've made a little profit and we had some mixed reviews from The Irish Times, The Daily Mail on Friday, The Daily Mail on Sunday and The Metro. They were halfway between praise and not getting it, but it was pretty good in general considering we're dealing with experimental theatre.

I'm fairly lucky that even in one of the reviews, where the show was criticised, I was praised for 'carrying the performance'... I'll have to stick that one on my wall!! But, in all seriousness, I did get a lot of very positive feedback on my performance, so I'm all aglow about that.

But, now I'm really, really exhausted, because all the while the two week run of 'The Intruder' was running, I was still doing rehearsals for 'Extremities', even on the day after our last show!! You try rehearsing with a hangover, it's not fun, let me tell you. Tomorrow I get to enjoy the first day off I've had in over two weeks, including weekends... I think a big, fat lie-in is in order.

Anyway, here are some of the promo shots for Extremities...

This is myself and Keith Ward... creepy looking stuff!!! He's nice, I swear!

This is myself and Sorcha Kenny, she's playing Patricia, I'm playing Marjorie.

Here's Fiona Sheils, who's playing Terry, as well as Sorcha and myself.

Rehearsals ARE going well for Extremities... I think! The rape scene at the beginning is a lot of hard work. Keith and I are working hard to make the fighting look realistic, and brutal enough for Kathy's taste... we've both had stage combat training from Paul Burke and our reputations are at stake! But aside from that, it's just tiring... and I bruise like a peach, no matter how careful Keith is being. It's been very useful for us to rehearse in the space we'll eventually be performing, The International Bar, upstairs where the comedy club is held, because of the way we're using the space, we need to work out exactly how to do the fights there. It's the almost site specific nature of the way this space is being used; we need to be in there working out where we'll be moving quite precisely.

Still, now that my brain has stopped melting from Intruder, I can start learning my lines fully and properly for Extremities. We open in 4 weeks!

Nicole E
xxx

A follow up on the Extemities and short film/pilot auditions...

2008-03-01T01:25:00.004Z

Well, I went to the audition for the play, 'Extremities' on Monday and got a call back for yesterday... and what do you know, I got the part! I'm feeling a little smug about that now, but it'll pass. I'll be playing the part of Marjorie. It's quite a difficult piece because my character is assaulted and nearly raped in the opening minutes of the play, and it's not that it's too sexual, more that it's quite intimate. However, I'm very fortunate in that the part of my attacker, who I tie up eventually, is going to be played by a friend of mine, Keith Ward, so at least it's someone I'm comfortable with, someone who I can talk to if things get weird!

Anyway, I'm quite pleased about getting this part, primarily because I'm going to be writing off to agents and casting directors in the next week, asking them to come and see me, and it would be great to be able to say 'Come to see me in The Intruder and if you can't make it to that, come and see me in Extremities'... That's the best bit, more exposure and it looks like I'm a viable working actress who might be worth taking on their books.

As for the short film, I auditioned on Wednesday, and we're all going to hear on Monday. I was fairly convinced I'd done well in the play auditions, and while I don't think I did a bad audition for the short film, I think the fact that I'm a little too old for the part is going to work against me. I just hope my audition was so impressive they can't do without me!!! It would certainly be another great thing to stick in that letter!

Still, a partial victory for the moment!

Nicole E
xxx

Photos from Intruder and upcoming auditions...

2008-02-23T21:04:00.007Z

As promised, photos from reheasrsals of The Intruder....

This is us actually getting to use Smock Alley Theatre space in advance to rehearse and fine tune our blocking etc. Unfortunately, it was so incredibly cold that day, that I had to wear my clothes underneath my costume, and even at that my fingers and toes nearly fell off from frostbite! In this photo, as well as myself you can see Erica and Lorna who play my character Ursula's sisters, Genevieve and Gertrude and Tom who plays our Grandfather.

Here's another shot of rehearsals from another day. Again, Tom is with me in this shot... We always seem to look so depressed! But, I suppose that's sort of the mood of the play, it just worries me that in every photo, we have exactly the same facial expression!

Coming up next week I have two auditions... One for a part in a play that'll be on from the end of April to the beginning of May for a week. It's called 'Extremities' by William Mastrosimone. I'll be auditioning for the parts of one of the three women onviously. I'm also auditioning for a comedy short film that is being made as a pilot for a series. Either one or both would be nice! I'll let you know how I do with them.

In the meantime, I'd better start writing letters to casting directors and and agents inviting them along to see me in Intruder. I'm still on the eternal search for an agent and more professional, and PAID work.

Nicole Elizabeth
xxx

Bloody Actors! audition follow up...

2008-02-13T23:51:00.003Z

Well, I didn't get a part... I'm not surprised though. Not my best work and I hardly expect them to move the moon for me, even if I had been that good, which I wasn't.

Still, they are apparently doing a couple more shows this year, so I'll keep an eye out for them, and audition the next time around. I know Vivienne Evers from my class at The Gaiety School of Acting, and another actor I know were in their last production.

Better luck next time, hopefully!

Nicole E xxx

Bloody Actors! audition...

2008-02-12T00:56:00.001Z

Last week I auditioned for a newly written play called Bloody Actors! which will be produced by Tabs Theatre Company, a newly emerging Irish theatre company.

Unfortunately, even with the rigmarole surrounding getting an audition in the first place, I turned up to find their rehearsals will be on while I'll be right in the middle of performing The Intruder... I was a bit bummed about that to be honest; it would have been nice to have that lined for April after I'm done with The Intruder in March... I've already had to turn down a part in another play in June because I'll be away on holidays in Mauritius with my Dad and brother (although that's hardly a punishment!!! :D)

Still, I got to audition for them, and they seemed fairly happy with my work (although I wasn't by any means satisfied, let me tell you! I thought I was ill prepared and shit). They made noises about possibly moving rehearsal times, although that certainly wasn't a concrete "we have to have you" offer of a part.... Still, they have me in mind for their next production, so I can only hope that when that comes around that I won't be in Mauritius and that I'll actually impress them this time in my audition

Nicole E xxx

The Intruder

2008-02-10T23:41:00.001Z

So, I'm currently working on a play called The Intruder by Maurice Maeterlinck. I'm doing it with a new theatre company that's just beginning to establish itself called Company D. They're interested in the works of Antonin Artaud and more stylised forms of European theatre, moving away from Naturalism and Realism. It's directed by David Scott, who has workshopped and written the three previous Company D productions.

The Intruder (or L'Intruse as written by Maeterlinck who was Belgian), written in 1890, is a quirky symbollist play and we're doing it in a very interesting mix of styles. The language is quite poetical and we're attempting to speak it in a naturalistic manner, but conversely, our physicality is very stylised and slow, trying to tap into Maeterlinck's idea of actors being like marionettes and his idea of static theatre.

Physically, it's quite difficult because I'm standing still, and very upright for the entirity of the play. Who'd have thought that standing still could be so exhausting!!

We'll be performing it in Smock Alley Theatre for two weeks from March 18th. I'm playing the part of Ursula, the eldest daughter. I'll post some pics from rehearsals soon, when I have them.

Nicole E xxx

The Last Leaf... the follow up

2008-02-09T11:32:00.000Z

Well, filming for the last leaf wrapped up a couple of weeks ago... What a fantastic experience! Niamh my co-star was so wonderful, the whole crew were wonderful, and I just received a lovely card from Kathleen Weir, our director, thanking me for my work (and praising me!! She's lovely!!) and keeping up to date on how the editing was going

In the end, my character's name was changed back to Joanna, known as Johnsy... She was supposed to be Irish in Kathleen's version, but she was changed back to American.... so, a day before we begin filming, I had to master a New York/Long Island accent... Scary stuff!

I can't wait to see the film at the screening, I didn't get to see any of the footage during filming because I was in bed all the time... yes, that was actually what was required for the part, not me being a lazy so-and-so... although, I always get nervous and cringey when I see myself on screen because it is a bit embarassing!

Nicole E xxx

The Last Leaf

2008-01-13T01:08:00.001Z

About to start filming 'The Last Leaf' next week, written and directed by Kathleen Weir...

It's based on a short story of the same name by O. Henry. I remember reading it as a child and getting a bit teary eyed. I find it so strange that I read all those years ago and now I get to help bring the characters to life. I'm playing the part of Kitty, based on the character of Joanna in the original story.

Working with Kathleen and the crew she's brought together is going to be an amazing experience. Kathleen has put her heart and soul into it, and the people she has working for her are some of the best in the business. I literally can't wait to meet them all! I really want to try my hardest and do my best to make this work for. I really want this to be a success for her.

Had the costume fitting today. Secretly, that has always been my favourite part of the whole process; getting to play dress up. If I wasn't acting, I'd most like to be involved in costume behind the scenes. It was immense fun to get to try on a range of beautiful, filmy, 1920's costumes... utter bliss, getting to try on clothes!

Rehearsals on Monday. I want to make sure that I know my script backwards, and in as many different ways and accents as I can muster, so she gets exactly what she wants. You'll hear more from me next week when I'm done filming.

Carpe Diem xxx

In the beginning...

2008-01-12T04:20:00.000Z

So, 2008. A new year... I thought it was time I set up a blog to keep track of things; specifically of my careeer... just in case it ends up being of interest to people.

Keep watch, and I'll fill you in with details of what I'm working on, what auditions I'm going to, who I'm working with, photos from the projects I'm working etc. etc.

Enjoy xxx