Christopher Tester
"There is a world, elsewhere"
News
The production is staged by Bristol company Plain Clothes Theatre Productions and will be touring this autumn.
Blue/Orange tour dates and links:
Tobacco Factory, Bristol - 16-20 September
Cheltenham Everyman Studio - 30 September - 4 October
Swindon Arts Centre - 9 October
Rondo Theatre, Bath - 7-8 November
In a London psychiatric hospital, an enigmatic patient claims to be the son of an African dictator - a story that becomes unnervingly plausible. This is an incendiary tale of race, madness and a Darwinian power-struggle at the heart of a dying National Health Service.
‘Blue/Orange’ premiered at London’s Cottesloe Theatre in April 2000 before transferring to the West End. Winner of the 2001 Olivier Award for Best NewPlay, Critics Circle Award and Evening Standard Award for Best Play.
Plain Clothes Theatre Productions are a Bristol-based company producing high quality contemporar ywriting from across the globe. Formed in 2003, the company has presented work in Bristol, London,Toronto and Vancouver. Most recently they performed Laura Wade’s “Breathing Corpses” at the Cheltenham Everyman, following a sell out run at Bristol’s Alma Tavern Pub Theatre. Since then the production has gone on to win Venue Magazine’s “Play Of The Year” award 2007.
The company strives to bring work to audiences that would otherwise be unlikely to see some of today’s most thought-provoking, successful and entertaining works of theatre. Based firmly in Meisnerian acting technique, the company aims to produce performances that are naturalistic and truthful.
I will be performing in Central's BA Acting: Acting for Stage and Screen showcase on Thursday 10th April.
Venue: Fortune Theatre, Covent Garden
Times: 1pm and 3.30pm
Duration: 70 minutes
Reception for industry professionals will commence half an hour before showings, at the theatre.
Tickets can be booked courtesy of Central - tel. 0207 559 3952 or 0207 559 3999
Spotlight link to Central showcase - click here.
I have also been cast as Dashwell in Central's upcoming production of The London Cuckholds by Edward Ravenscroft. Directed by Paul Tomlinson, Cuckholds will be my last show at Central prior to graduating.
Show times: Wednesday 4th June - Saturday 7th June at 7.30pm.
Saturday 7th June matinee at 2.30pm
Venue: Embassy Theatre, Central School of Speech and Drama, Swiss Cottage
Spotlight link to The London Cuckholds - click here.
I will be performing as Wing Commander in the Central School of Speech and Drama's production of Chips with Everything by Arnold Wesker, directed by Angie Langfield.
Show times: Wednesday 13th Feb - Saturday 16th Feb at 7.30pm.
Saturday 16th Feb matinee at 2.30pm
Venue: Embassy Studio, Central School of Speech and Drama, Swiss Cottage
I have been selected for Central's Carleton Hobb's radio team. The competition (comprising of eighty students from the UK's accredited drama schools) will take place in mid-March.
Diary of a Madman has been picked as Best Fringe Show of 2007 by Time Out reviewer Tamara Gausi.
Having successfully completed my first show back at Central, I have now been cast as Wing Commander in next term's production of Chips with Everything by Arnold Wesker.
This is the second production for the BA Acting graduating year at CSSD. It is to be directed by Angie Langfield.
Show times: TBC
Venue: Embassy Studio, Central School of Speech and Drama, Swiss Cottage
I have also been shortlisted for Central's Carleton Hobb's radio team. The final auditions will be held in the first week of January.
I have been cast as Knap in Pillars of the Community by Henrik Ibsen (trans. Samuel Adamson)
This is the first production for the BA Acting graduating year at CSSD. It is to be directed by Sarah Esdaile.
Show times: Tuesday 27, Thursday 29 November 7.30pm
Saturday 1 December, 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Venue: Embassy Theatre, Central School of Speech and Drama
Diary of a Madman has received it's first review - * * * * Time Out.
For the full review click here.
August 2007
Diary of a Madman commences it's three week run at the Rosemary Branch Theatre from Tuesday 28th August to Sunday 16th September (not Mondays).
On Saturday 8th September, it will be billed along with Samuel Beckett's Ohio Impromptu and Rough for Theatre II as part of Fail Better's special Gala fundraiser.
Links to all three productions can be found on Fail Better Productions' official site, here.
July 2007
I have successfully completed my BASSC stage combat course, finishing with a high pass in unarmed combat, sword and rapier. Many thanks must go to our tutor Janet Lawson for getting us through it!
The publicity campaign for Diary of a Madman has just started - image and copy can be viewed here.
June 2007
I have just recorded my voice reel courtesy of voice-over tutor and radio producer Bernard Shaw, which can be listened to here. I am also currently preparing a work-in-progress showing of The Diary of a Madman at the Pegasus Theatre, Oxford on June 16th. We now have the first draft of a working script, and will be presenting extracts of the show as well as inviting feedback from an invited audience.
I also recently completed the excellent Text Analysis course at the Actors Temple, lead by Gabriella Santinelli.
April 2007
I have been cast in a Samuel Beckett double-bill to be performed for the opening of the CAPITAL Centre - a partnership between the University of Warwick and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
The centre has been established to use theatre performance skills and experience to enhance student learning and to draw on University research and resources to shape the development of the RSC acting companies.
The performances (of Rough for Theatre II and Ohio Impromptu) are to be produced by Failbetter Productions and will take place on Sunday 13th May at 1pm.
The Country Wife opens on Tuesday 17th April at 7.45pm.
March 2007
The e-flyer for The Country Wife which I will performing in from 17th-21st April can now be downloaded here (adobe PDF document). The second page includes all times, venue and booking details for your delectation.
February 2007
Due to financial and drama school commitments, I've had to switch my Meisner training from the intensive course to a more sporadic modular system. To counteract such negative news - I will be doing a solo performance... an adaptation of Nikolai Gogol's Diary of a Madman at the Rosemary Branch Theatre, one of the London fringe's most respected venues, via Failbetter Productions. The run - 28th August to 15th September, will prefigure my re-entry to CSSD's third year Acting for Stage.
January 2007
I've been cast as Frank Harcourt in Tower Theatre's production of A Country Wife, performing at the Bridewell Theatre from 17th - 21st April. Still going with the Actors Temple, stage combat and private singing lessons. Waiting on venues for the 'great plan of autumn 2007'.
December 2006
I've got a new job at the Barbican as a door ambassador, which basically involves standing around in Silk Street giving people directions and offering people umbrellas.... but it pays an extra £1.50 an hour so I've no complaints! Meisner course has finished for three weeks, but have lots of homework for next term. Commence a full course in stage combat in January at Stratford Circus. The course, running every Saturday, will end with a certification assessment by the BASSC in July. And am currently talking to venues about a project for June or September 2007.
November 2006
Masterminding several projects 'in potentia' for spring/summer 2007 and continuing with the Meisner and singing lessons. A creative calm before the (not necessarily metaphorical) storm.
September 2006
Recovering from my trip to Moscow, and have commenced training at the Actors Temple. Currently making ends meet with random shifts for Orion front-of-house, which includes stints at the Old Vic, Cadogan Hall, the South Bank Centre and the Barbican.
I have also uploaded several essays and my disseration written during my studies at the University of Warwick. They are listed for your viewing pleasure(?!) at the bottom of my Writing section.
August 2006
Going to Moscow Arts Theatre, 3rd-16th September.
I will be commencing tuition in Feldenkrais and starting the one-year intensive acting course at the Actors Temple from the 18th September.
My application to defer at Central School of Speech and Drama has just been granted, allowing me the option to resume my training in September 2007.
