BP News

Misery

22nd to 27th May 2006

Rehearsals in the “Misery” camp are progressing scarily well. As I write it’s just 4½ weeks until opening night, and it promises to be a fantastic show! When people have asked what I’m directing, I’ve discovered there are usually two responses: The first is ‘Oh’ followed by a blank look as they struggle manfully to recall if they’ve ever heard of it. One person who really should get out more, said brightly ‘Oh good, I like musicals’. Until it was explained gently that ‘Les Miserables’ was still playing in the West End. The most popular is when they get a bloodthirsty glint in their eye and say ‘Is that the one where she...?’. And yes, it is.

For those not in the know, the story is thus: Paul Sheldon is an award winning writer of romantic fiction. His novels, featuring his heroine Misery Chastain, have delighted his female fans for years. One of those, Annie Wilkes, lives in an isolated farmhouse in Colorado, with just a few cows and a pig for company. When Paul crashes his car during a terrible snow storm, it is Annie who finds him, takes him home and nurses him.

When he awakes, he is indebted to her for looking after him, and looks forward to recovering well enough to go home. Annie, his ‘number one fan’ has other ideas...

If you remember the film, it will go out of your head as soon as you see the performances. Gemma and Ken have been a joy to work with. They have embraced their characters completely and been involved in the shaping of them from the very beginning. They are both hugely enthusiastic, coming to rehearsals with lots of ideas from what they would wear, to the music they listen to. The great thing has been watching their characters evolve from what we thought they would be like at the first read through, to how they are now.

When Ken finishes the run, he can take up a new career as a romantic novelist. Or enter the Paralympics. As soon as he gets to the theatre, he sits in his wheelchair – even if he’s not there for a rehearsal!

Please don’t be put off thinking it’s a scary story – it works on lots of levels, and you’ll be missing two fantastic performances….although we’re not expecting the after show party to be much of a riot!