Sunday, 11 August 2013
Monday, 5 August 2013
It Lives...But Is It ALIVE?
The above question is raised in Brain Without A Body and it's something to think about whilst watching the on-stage shower scene.
A different question is raised by the recently-discovered image (below) and that is: 'Cripes! What is it?'
It's the BWAB equivalent of those shadowy images of Eliot Nessie, the untouchable, monstrous Scottish poet that periodically appear in news-strapped magazines. Our pic is taken from the photo-shoot of the show's original production in July 1898.
The Baron, during that first 20-week run, was played by Sir Henry Irving, with Dame Patty O'Dawes as Marcia and Pedro Maguire as Bob. Alan was then known as 'Montague' (he was renamed, in the 1970 script update, by Harold Pinter) but who played him? Look at the image and speculate...
A different question is raised by the recently-discovered image (below) and that is: 'Cripes! What is it?'
It's the BWAB equivalent of those shadowy images of Eliot Nessie, the untouchable, monstrous Scottish poet that periodically appear in news-strapped magazines. Our pic is taken from the photo-shoot of the show's original production in July 1898.
The Baron, during that first 20-week run, was played by Sir Henry Irving, with Dame Patty O'Dawes as Marcia and Pedro Maguire as Bob. Alan was then known as 'Montague' (he was renamed, in the 1970 script update, by Harold Pinter) but who played him? Look at the image and speculate...
Duke A Hazard?
Malcolm from Muncaster asks:
What was your reaction to the news that the Duke of Edinburgh seems
likely to be attending a performance of Brain without a Body?
Alan Theape replies:
A very interesting question, Mally.
Naturally, at first I was elated. The thought of the Duke, that well
known purveyor of witty one-liners and charming repartee, coming to see my
one Ape show our Show and occupying the Royal Box at Paradise in the Vault
was a wonderful tribute to my work all our efforts.
His connection to the World Wide Fund for Nature was a great
encouragement to me that he would recognise the quality of animal talent on
display. However, Bob, exiting the shower this morning, then told me that the
Duke usually carried a gun when encountering nature.
The feeling in my stomach at this news was like the time I ate seventeen
bananas in a row one lazy Sunday afternoon: there was trouble brewing and it
could get messy for all concerned.
It seemed a rewrite might be required so I approached Mr B, who, as ever,
was happy enough to oblige. (“Do what you like,” were his actual words. “The original
artistic integrity of the piece was destroyed weeks ago by your primate pranks.”)
So now, if the Duke should appear at a performance between Tuesday 13th
and Saturday 17th (starts 12.05pm), then I will only be glimpsed
moving around behind a blackboard and under cover of darkness throughout the
whole performance... (It will probably help things along because you will not
see my dancing, full repertoire of other moves and shameless scene stealing.)
This lack of light may also cause the Duke to repeat one of his more
famous statements in the Scottish capital. Greeted in 2000 with the sight of a
rather rudimentary fuse box, he uttered the immortal witticism that,
Saturday, 3 August 2013
By Royal Appointment...?
Just heard on BBC 11.00pm news that Prince Philip is to make his first public appearance for two months in Edinburgh in 10 DAYS' TIME ie August 13th, the day Brain Without A Body opens.
Do you believe in coincidences...?
Do you believe in coincidences...?
Meet The Cast: Alan Theape Answers Your Queries
Today's featured celebrity cast member is simian superstar, Alan Theape. Though our show is vegan-friendly, there are intimations of animal experimentation, with Alan being the obvious subject. Over the next couple of weeks, Alan's often bewildering observations on aspects of the production will be posted on this blog for you to decipher, interpret and enjoy.
Loofah
Reginald from
Roose writes:
What’s that ever-so-cool detective from
London, who used to be in The Wire
but now appears to have lost that ‘from the ghetto’ accent, doing in Brain without a Body, Alan?
Alan replies:
Well, Reginald, I have news for you. As the
series ended a week or two ago, he begged our production team for a place on The
Show, to fill in time before setting off for a well-earned rest in sunnier
climes...
Sadly his stipulations included an easy chair
at the back of Paradise in the Vault, transport to the venue (no, not on that
trolley) and, of course, the real deal breaker for us: to work with a set of professionals...
We could not offer him any of this so Idris
has now been replaced by a fibrous fruit, popular in the Far East, for that all
important shower scene...provoking the inevitable ‘keep us awake at night’
internet question: is it unsanitary to use a loofah in the shower instead of a
bath cloth?
The answer, of course, was clear only if you are not sure where he has been
and, thanks to BBC1, we know exactly where Loofah has been. Although he does
seem to have many many scrapes (or should that be exfoliates), Loofah always
seems to walk away smelling of roses without a hint of dead skin, and the
promise of another series....
Our Loofah is sanitary but, just in case, here is the wonderful Guide To Safe Use which we will be
working on between now and 13 August, when the whole thing kicks off....
Thursday, 1 August 2013
Introducing Mr Alan Theape
A Message from Alan Theape:
Glenys from Maryport writes:
So what is this new production from the award winning producer, director and creator of Terror on Presley Beach about?
Alan Theape replies:
Well, Glenys, I am glad you asked because it
all began as a simple tale of the problems faced by hard pressed University of
Life researchers unable to secure funding for their reasonable and rational
schemes.
Then Barack Obama arrived and, before we knew it, Marigolds
were being covered with fake blood, a brain was going into an Aldi bag, Chris
was nearly missing out on well paid work to construct a board with built in
water feature, monkeys were dancing (badly) and keys were appearing and
disappearing faster than lecturers in a third-rate UK university.
Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Welcome!
A rocking new musical for the 2013 Fringe from the creators of 2010 superhero hit, The Invective Dan Kamikaze, and 2012 sellout show, Terror On Presley Beach.
Plot:
Scientist, Baron Pieter Van Finkelstein, is attempting to further human knowledge by investigating how to overcome Brain Limitation Deficiency – the unknown barrier that curtails our understanding of the world around us.
After attempts to enhance the intelligence of a large monkey fail, and with funds almost exhausted, the Baron must resort to Plan B and ‘grow’ a brain in order to convince Dr Lee Cushing of the Brain Research Trust that they should grant him the financial support to complete his work.
However, the Baron has failed to notice that the Brain has taken on a life of its own and, moreover, physical contact with it has mind-expanding results...
Flyer:
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