Jane Jones of The Dulwich Players reflects on the experience of directing for the first time
If you had told me five years ago that I would be directing a play, I would have been terrified. But having assisted two directors, on Taming of the Shrew at the Dulwich Picture Gallery, and on Plays in the Pub for the Dulwich Festival, I knew I could hide behind others no longer.
I saw Daisy Pulls It Off in the West End in the early 80s and later at the Edinburgh Fringe done by an amateur group, and I thought then that it would be a good play for us to do. It’s a lovely bit of pastiche writing, full of nostalgia and gently poking fun at a bygone era and, after all, schools are such a central part of Dulwich life.
Importantly, it also has lots of parts for women. So many plays are dominated by male characters, but in this play I have fourteen women and three men, so this has been a somewhat rare opportunity for a lot of our female members to act together. And I must say they have been tremendously supportive of each other and of me (and so have the three men!).
I joined the Dulwich Players in 2000, encouraged by a friend who was already a member. I had acted quite a bit at school and longed to again but hadn’t had the nerve up till then. I didn’t expect I would be allowed to do much at first, but within a year I had prompted, costumed and acted and, on the basis of my sewing skills, am now in charge of the costume store. I’ve learnt that most skills can be put to use in a theatrical production and it can be very satisfying to have a go at new things too, such as directing!
We may be amateur but we still do things in a professional way. It’s been a very full-on and demanding experience in terms of both time and energy. I’ve learnt that a huge amount of work has to take place long before the play has been cast and you embark on the ten weeks of rehearsal. One of the hardest things is actually knowing what you want so you can answer the actors’ questions. And it’s not just about the actors; the whole team is vital, from set-building, to lighting, to sound, to costume… I’ve worked on my own as a freelance translator for many years so all this collaboration was new to me. You also have to remember that this is something people do in their spare time, coming to rehearsals straight from work, from looking after children or adding it to other commitments in the community.
And community is what it’s all about. Getting involved with a local activity and giving your time means you make a lot of friends and establish links with other groups. You feel more connected to your surroundings. It also gives you a tremendous kick when people come and see your play and enjoy it. That makes it all worth while!
Daisy Pulls It Off by Denise Deegan. Performances: 23rd/24th October 8pm, 25th October 4pm & 8pm, Edward Alleyn Theatre, Dulwich College
