Three's Company Blog

The Lost Work of Tom Crawshaw

2009-04-10T14:36:00.006+01:00

This Tuesday (14th April) at 7:30 a rehearsed reading of Tom Crawshaw's play Still Life will be performed at the Jackson Lane Theatre.Well to be honest, sections of the play will be read, so don't worry, you won't find out the full story until it is launched as a fully fledged production.

If you've been missing some of Tom's more conventional writing (and by this I mean, not directly linked to Three's Company's inter-reactive work... Tom's writing is never exactly conventional) then this is the perfect night for you.

Tom began work on Still Life in 2007 just after finishing his first draft of Play On Words, and whilst writing Auditorium and Adventure Time he has been re-shaping and honing this brilliant new play. Tuesday sees Still Life's first public outing of any kind. So come along to the Jackson Lane Theatre and see Tom's most recent play and two other new works in Artists Anonymous Theatre Network's Page to Stage. And it's only £3.50! Find out more at http:/artists-anonymous.org

(No geographical errors in this post! MGH)

Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year

2008-12-24T14:00:00.006Z

Three's Company wish you all a very Merry Christmas. None of us are in London over the Holidays, Yaz is in Edinburgh, Tom's in Denton and I'm in Chapel (just near Buxton). But work will begin anew in 2009.

The next year looks set to be a very exciting one for Three's Company. 2009 is going to be the year of inter-reactivity. The company will be exploring and developing the ideas used in Auditorium and A Live Transmisson of 'Adventure Time', with the plan for a spectacular new interactive show in Edinburgh in the early stgaes.

So have a great Xmas, and come back to the website in the new year to find out more about 3C's exciting new plans.

The Auditorium is now closed.

2008-08-25T23:55:00.002+01:00

So that's the end of another Edinburgh Fringe. And what a great one it was too. I'm so sorry that I couldn't have been up there for longer because I know everyone had such a brilliant time.

Congratulations to David, Will, Kate, Amr, Ben, Kayleigh, Ceili, John and Jo. And of course to Tom and Yaz for another Edinburgh success.

Thanks to everyone who came to see the show, and you guys that didn't... well...

I'm sure this is not the end for Auditorium, keep you're eyes on the website for more exciting interactive theatre experimentation!

'Auditorium' Photo call

2008-08-18T23:50:00.004+01:00

Been to see Auditorium yet?

If you've been by, and are one of the many that have been taking photos (or videos), send them on to us at photos@threescompany.co.uk.
We'll putting up a webpage with the best shots shortly.

Yet another reason to come see our latest five star show!

Back in the Hoodies

2008-08-12T13:00:00.005+01:00

Well our hoodies have finally arrived and they look great! They might be a little late* but they're still earlier than last year... and look even better!

Thanks to Haz Al-Shaater for handling most of the design, and to the ever-lovely Elderfield Studios for printing them so beautifully, quickly, and at such a great price.

We've also got a number of limited edition Auditorium T Shirts for sale at the bargain price of £7.50. Drop us a line if you'd like to get hold of one - all proceed go towards funding future productions.

*I should probably point out that it Yaz's fault they're late, not the printers!

Interactivity & 'Auditorium'

2008-08-10T15:28:00.007+01:00

This is the first in a series of blog posts about interactivity and the theory behind Auditorium.

What do we mean when we claim to be the first fully interactive farce? Well of course it all comes down to your definition of interactivity - and whether you can quantify the level of interaction in a piece. We're trying to avoid what I call the four pitfalls of interactivity, based on the work I've seen and studied over the last few years.

For us, the challenge we set ourselves was to create a consistent narrative with a decent story arc and compelling development whilst still allowing the audience to truly affect the show. Moreover, we wanted to do this without ever stepping out of character or breaking the illusion, and without limiting the audience to the constraints of finite 'multiple choice' theatre.

There's a lot of theatre out there where you can interact with the characters - 'immersive' or 'site specific' theatre, and works by the likes of dreamthinkspeak or Punchdrunk. In these works your individual 'narrative' (eg experience) might be interactive, but the story of the piece is largely untouched by your actions. There's also increasing amounts of theatre where you can interact with the narrative - works inspired by the 'choose your own adventure' series, works where you can vote for an ending, even arguably impro shows. But in these cases you only deal with out of character performers, narrators, or technology, and not the characters themselves.

Perhaps what makes Auditorium different is that we're trying to make a piece where you can interact with both the characters and the story – so you can play the story rather than just watch the play.

If you've any thoughts on these ideas, or seen the play and wish to comment on whether we've achieved this, please tell us your thoughts in the comments below. We'll be writing soon about our 'Four Pitfalls' of interactivity, and about some of the ways that audiences have reacted to this convention.

This is the first in a series of blog posts about interactivity and the theory behind Auditorium.

The reviews come flooding in!

2008-08-06T18:53:00.010+01:00

We've had our first few reviews for 'Auditorium' at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Below are extracts from each and below that are links to the full articles. We'll add more here as we get them. Watch this space!

"I don't think I've ever seen fourth-wall chicanery worked into a farce - not, that is, till I came across Tom Crawshaw's magnificent Auditorium, an original work for Fringe veterans Three's Company."
"There's word-play which could have been taken straight out of Stoppard, existentialist debates, and an hilarious deconstruction of the audience itself. But as the story wears on, it gets raunchier, funnier and faster, with Crawshaw's script pressing into service all the elements of classic farce."
"Farce, existentialism, and a dose of the X-Files: I'd never have thought it a winning combination. But this continually entertaining and warm-hearted play proves that anything's possible."
***** FringeGuru

"Three's Company, the creators of last year's Fringe hit, Play On Words, are offering another hilariously interactive experimental comedy this year."
"Crawshaw's script blends impressively with the improvised moments and it is often impossible to tell whether the person sitting next to you is an ignorant audience member or a slyly placed plant. In short, this clever play is not just highly amusing, but also something you're unlikely to see elsewhere."
**** Broadway Baby

"The action begins the moment you enter the performance space and the show is great all the way through."
"On one level this play is funny and silly, and on another level it is clever and raises some important questions; most importantly, it had everyone laughing out loud and it left me feeling thoroughly entertained. This play was odd, but brilliant, and well worth seeing."
****Three Weeks

"Breaking the fourth wall is a bold move for any show - stage or screen - to make, and most who use that method are cagey about it. Auditorium doesn't dip its toe in the water, it dives in holding a bag of air and a rock."
"A remarkable achievement... All in all, this is one of the fresher offerings around."
**** Hairline

"Tom Crawshaw's script is quite excellent"
"A tongue-in-cheek Cache for the stage - makes for many laughs and a wistful finale"
"A well-delivered and curious performance"
**** Fest Magazine

"Any battle cries from the miserabilist anti-Fringers, who suggest that innovation is waning at this year's festival, should be silenced by this pacey, part-improv theatre piece."
The Scotsman

"Tom Crawshaw’s play has some clever variations on the fourth wall-busting theme. It thrives on surprise, making you suspicious of whether the person next to you is an actor or just a regular audience member."
"The ingenious premise, a series of brilliant little coups de theatre and some strong comic performances make this a very watchable show from an inventive young company."
The Stage

"Think Six Characters In Search Of An Author mixed with Being John Malkevich, written as a farce by Philip K Dick, and you'll get a faint idea of the tone and style of this new work by the company behind last year's Play On Words."
"Auditorium is a gloriously diverting, sprawling, anarchic mess of a play (and I do mean that as a compliment). It moves at a cracking pace and is often very funny indeed. Its use of the audience is very clever."
On Stage Scotland

Fringe Guru
Broadway Baby
Three Weeks
Hairline
Fest
The Scotsman
The Stage
On Stage Scotland

A great Edinburgh weekend!

2008-08-04T20:17:00.003+01:00

I have just got back from Edinburgh (I've been there for the weekend) and am now back in rehearsals for Romeo and Juliet.

I just wanted to send a congratulations to all the cast and crew working on 'Auditorium' up there. The show on Saturday was fantastic. If anybody has not yet worked out when they are going to see 'the world's first interactive farce' do it now.

Oh and guys, congratulations on your four stars in 'Three Weeks'.

Your thoughts on 'Auditorium'

2008-08-01T14:49:00.002+01:00

We really value your feedback on our shows. Criticisms help us improve, and positive comments help attract further audiences (and stop us wanting to give up!) so if you have seen Auditorium please let us know what you think.
You can do this in the following ways:

Leave a comment below - click on "comments" after this post to add a comment to it. It's quick and easy and you don't need to leave any personally identifiable information.

Rate & Review us at edfringe.com - you can rate our show out of five and add a review at the Official Edinburgh Fringe website. This can really help us as Edinburgh audiences will see this, so if you have a couple of minutes please head over and rate or review us. It requires a quick registration at the site, but again, when you add a review, your information doesn't show up.

Email Us - we are lovely friendly people who like it when people email us. If you got any questions or ideas, are interested in working with us or just wanna say hi, get in touch!

In The Bar - catch us in the C Bar after the show - we're normally in for at least half an hour after 10.30pm...

Thanks!

Be a part of 'Auditorium'!

2008-07-30T23:21:00.002+01:00

That's right folks - there's a part in 'Auditorium' which we have left un-cast and are looking for a different person to fill it every day!

All you need is to be free the night of the performance (meet 8:30pm for briefing, show finishes 10:15pm). Then come along to our auditions that day and try your look. All you have to do is read a line of script and then our audience that day will choose the winner. You get a free ticket to see the show (the part is performed from in the audience).

Audition times & places:

3:50pm, Saturday 2^nd, Sunday 3^rd, Wednesday 6^th, Thursday 7^th, Sunday 10^th, on the Royal Mile, Lower Stage
5:30pm, Monday 11^th, Tuesday 12^th, Friday 15^th, Saturday 16^th, on the Royal Mile, Lower Stage
3:10pm, Monday 18^th, Wednesday 20^th, Friday 22^nd, Sunday 24^th, on the Royal Mile, Lower Stage

1:30pm, Monday 4^th, Tuesday 5^th, Friday 8^th, Saturday 9^th, Wednesday 13^th, Sunday 17^th, Tuesday 19^th, in the main bar at C (Chambers Street)

And Thursday 14th, as paart of 'Pick 'n' Mix' at C Venues.

Farewell to Buxton

2008-07-26T19:03:00.002+01:00

Well, after ten sell-out shows, 400 audiences (plus 200 turned away), 40 spontaneous performers, one reviewer (and one superlative review!), three balls of string, about twenty trips to Conways Timber Merchants, four bouts of food poisoning and one very badly sprained ankle, it's finally time for us to say goodbye and thank you very much to Buxton for another splendid year.

As usual, you've provided a brilliant audience, a fantastic atmosphere, and priceless feedback. We're sorry we couldn't indulge your cries for extra performances. We miss you already.

Same time next year?

'Auditorium' sold out!

2008-07-20T14:12:00.001+01:00

Apologies to those of you who've been trying to see the show and not managed. We are now sold out for the remaining three nights.

However, it is always worth trying to get returns. Simply call the Underground Venues phone on 07980 29 29 78 and we can add you to a returns list for each night. Then turn up at 8:20pm when we release the tickets.

Or you can come and see the show when it appears, complete and resplendant, in Edinburgh - from July 30th!

"Imaginative, innovative, unique, intelligent...."

2008-07-18T13:27:00.002+01:00

Forgive the quiet on the blog recently - but here's a quick post with our latest review:

Oh my goodness! This performance is amazing: it is imaginative, innovative, unique, intelligent and very funny. The whole cast was outstanding, extremely confident and above all made it an evening of fun and much laughter. I honestly can't recommend it highly enough. I shan't describe it - words can't describe it - you shall have to go and see it for yourselves. I must warn you to be prepared, however. Be prepared for tears of laughter and plenty of surprises!

Book your tickets now - quick, before they all go!

-Jenny Heyward, Official Fringe Review

We'll get some more news up on here soon!

Auditorium Cast and Crew complete

2008-06-01T19:51:00.003+01:00

Well, we had a few weeks of auditions and interviews over at our new rehearsal space in Hackney and had terrible difficulty choosing the best of a very good bunch...

However, we are very excited at the truly disparate and highly talented cast and crew which we can now confirm.

Performing Auditorium, the newly-finished interactive comedy are:

Experienced impro and interactivity specialist David Lear - playing Guy.
Beautiful and hilarious Canadian actor and dancer Kate Richard - playing Heather.
Quick fire comedian and authentic cockney wheeler-dealer Will Nightingale - playing Yogi.
Our own much-beloved Kayleigh McDonald - returning after starring in Othello and Our Country's Good to play Charlotte
Egyptian-American, ex-lawer and short-film star Amr El-Bayoumi
The "most vocal lighting technician on the Fringe" - Ben Cooper - returning after Play On Words to play lighting technican Sonic

And this talented bunch will be supported by the following:

Bekki Coward - building on her success with Three's Company's Play On Words to work as Production Manager
Gareth Martin - turning his extensive experience as a Designer to the demands of the set and props
Neil Keating - who has been working as Dramaturg for the project since October
Joel MacCormack - 16-year-old prodigy of Metal Mouth Theatre Company, taking on our internship position, and working as Assistant Director between his work with the NYT and National Theatre.
Stage Manager extraordinare, Ceili Freeman
Wily business graduate Joanna Reekie who is helping with marketing, admin, accommodation and many more things besides
And the brains behind many a 3C poster - Haz Al-Shaater, providing Graphic Design

Which leaves Yaz Al-Shaater as Director of the whole thing and myself (Tom Crawshaw) as Writer (and also a little cameo).

The first read-through is but a week away so just time to tweak the script a bit more - oh and sit those last exams...

We're recruiting!

2008-05-26T15:14:00.005+01:00

We're running another internship, for an assistant director on Auditorium.

We want an enthusiastic and energetic young theatre maker to help us realise a massive project...

You'll be working closely with the creative team on Auditorium, assisting in rehearsals, helping envision and plan our cyberformance, and immersing yourself in the project just as we will. We're looking for a collaborator; not a servant! The work will be mostly creative - we'll keep admin to a minimum: you'll only do boring stuff when we do boring stuff. And we're not fond of boring stuff.

We want somebody dedicated, enthusiastic, excitable, reliable, ridiculously hardworking, and intensely creative... just like any job in the theatre. If you think that's you, then you're probably lying to yourself. But get in touch if you're heading in that direction! The job will be demanding, but incredibly rewarding.

You'll need to be free to plunge into rehearsals and meetings throughout June - but we can arrange some flexibility if you have other commitments. There's also the potential to tour the Buxton & Edinburgh Fringes with us, over July and/or August. If you do, you'll get passes to see any show at the venues for free - well over 300 pieces of comedy, music, and all types of theatre.

Interested? First check out our page on Auditorium. Then browse our website, if you haven't already, to get an idea of who we are. Take a look at our working with Three's Company page. Then email us on iwanttowork@threescompany.co.uk, telling us why you want to work at Three's Company, and why we'd want you to work at Three's Company. We'll contact you to arrange an informal interview. CVs etc might help, but aren't compulsory. Your email doesn't need to be incredibly formal (as you probably guessed). Application close when we fill the post.

Give us a shout if you need any more info.

Get emailing!

Auditions announced for 'Auditorium'

2008-04-01T19:34:00.004+01:00

We are pleased to announce auditions for our forthcoming tour of 'Auditorium' to the Buxton and Edinburgh Fringe. We are looking for a number of actors - for both full character roles as well as smaller and temporary parts - to join our 16-strong team for this exciting and unique project.

Auditions will be held in London the week beginning 7th April, with recalls and workshops later that week or the following week. Rehearsals will be in London during June. The show will then be on tour from early July to late August.

We are looking for actors with abilities in comedy, as well as improvisation and ensemble work, keen to join a vibrant team with responsibilities outside simply performing.
The three main roles on offer are:

Yogi (male, mid-20s) a friendly and entertaining failed performer who befriends the audience in a bid to win back his best friend.
Heather (female, mid-20s) the long-lost girlfriend of Guy (played by Yaz Al-Shaater), who makes a suspicious return and harbours a dark secret.
Inspector (male, late 20s / early 30s) a mysterious but slightly Clouseau-esque character who emerges from the audience in an attempt to invade the stage-world.

Smaller roles include:

Boss (male, 20s / 30s) a force behind the entire plot but who only appears on stage at the very end.
Girlfriend (female, 20s) who starts in the audience but storms out when her boyfriend becomes embroiled in the action.

If you are interested in any of the above roles and would like to audition or get some more information, simply email auditions@threescompany.co.uk

Edinburgh Digs anyone?

2008-03-05T15:44:00.002Z

Anyone know anyone who might have accomodation in Edinburgh over the festival?

We're particularly looking for students with digs up there, who'll be out over the summer, and who wouldn't mind us paying their rent!

If you fit that description, or know anyone who does, or know anyone who might know anyone who might know someone who does, PLEASE join our Accomodation Facebook group at http://threescompany.co.uk/digs. Invite anyone with any leads and get your friends to do the same.

There's cash rewards and other bonuses going for people who can help!

More info about our Edinburgh show will follow very soon...

Edinburgh Fringe Venue confirmed

2008-02-27T19:05:00.000Z

We are pleased to announce that Auditorium - Three's Company's new interactive, experimental comedy - has been offered a slot in one of the largest theatre spaces at C Venues. 'C+2' is part of C's main venue, situated on Chambers Street in the heart of Edinburgh and has seats 109 audience members.

We are very excited to be able to confirm (so early!) that Auditorium will therefore be appearing at the Edinburgh Fringe, at C+2, everyday from July 30th - August 25th. Time to be confirmed...

Auditorium heads 'Underground'

2008-02-10T23:05:00.003Z

We're pleased to announce the first confirmed dates for Auditorium - our new interactive comedy, touring this summer.

Auditorium will be appearing at Underground Venues, in the Buxton Festival Fringe, at 8:30pm on the following days:
10th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 20th, 21st & 22nd July

Get them in your diary now! Shows in Buxton often sell-out in advance so be sure to book at http://undergroundvenues.co.uk/ or on 07980 29 29 78. Booking opens June 1st.

Introducing... 'Auditorium'

2007-12-05T18:49:00.004Z

We're very excited to announce Auditorium - a sparkling new experimental comedy that we'll be taking around the UK for our Summer 2008 Tour.

We can already confirm that Yaz Al-Shaater will star as 'Guy' - the accident-prone bookshop owner who finds an audience in his storeroom. The project will also see Tom, Yaz & Michael finally reunited after completing their various training (at Oxford, CSSD and RADA respecively).

Auditorium will be a farce like none before, mixing traditional theatre conventions with a truly unique, interactive, multi-media experience. It will be Three's Company's largest production to date with a planned cast in excess of 10 and is aiming for some of the Edinburgh Fringe's largest theatres. Watch this space for more info - and how to be involved...