Make It Beautiful Theatre Company on their improv present, The Dream Machine
Lovely to fulfill you, why don’t you introduce yourselves and inform us slightly about Make It Beautiful Theatre Company.
Hey there. We are Make It Beautiful Theatre Company. We’re a London-based theatre collective, made up predominantly of Drama Centre graduates. We have a ardour for darkish comedy and improvisation. Our 5 star present The CO-OP just lately carried out on the Park Theatre, in addition to our new present Sniff acting at Theatre503. We have additionally carried out on the Norwich Theatre and the Black Box Studio in Slovenia. But the play we’re bringing you this Chtistmas is The Dream Machine.
That present, The Dream Machine, will probably be at Golden Goose in December. We assume this isn’t a stage adaptation of the 1991 movie of the identical identify? What is all of it about as a substitute?
Unfortunately this isn’t a stage adaptation of the 1991 movie – not that we even know what that’s. Instead, it’s the Dream Machine. This is a long-form improvised present, primarily based completely from viewers solutions. Each present we ask an viewers member to recount a bizarre dream that they had and, from that, we create a completely improvised full-length efficiency. We construct a world filled with loopy, humorous characters and heartwarming tales primarily based completely from a stranger’s dream. We have carried out the present for round two years – staging it at the White Bear Theatre, Space Theatre, Trestle Arts Base, the Cockpit and the OSO Arts Centre. Its subsequent enterprise is the Golden Goose Theatre.
You say the present is made utilizing improv and Russian-theatre strategies; we learn about improv, however what’s the Russian-theatre approach then? What is the Russian connection throughout the firm then?
Whilst at Drama Centre we had been fortunate sufficient to journey and research on the Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute in Moscow – this was the place we bought quite a lot of our Russian theatre inspiration from. This can come within the type of magical realism; one thing pure out of the blue changing into one thing rather more magical in a matter of moments. This is the Dream Machine in a nutshell. In 2019, we had been invited for a residency on the Southern France Au Brana Theatre, with the purpose of constructing a brand new present. Instead, we ended up delving into long-form improvised magical realism for two weeks. It was a hypnotic expertise. Nevertheless, we ended that residency with out a play. What we did have, nonetheless, was a brand new devising approach: the Dream Machine. This quickly turned our new improv present.
Isn’t improv simply an excuse to not put together an precise present, you recognize, roll up on the evening and simply make it up on the spot?
Haha I believe we want this was the case. Oh the great thing about having strains to fall again on, pre-hearsed struggle scenes and songs to bust out. Instead, all of us need to belief in one another that we – as a gaggle and with none conferring – are going to someway make a sensical piece of theatre out of the ridiculous dream we now have simply heard. That is, I suppose, the place the comedy comes from. We didn’t think about ourselves actual improvisers for a really very long time, however over the previous few years we now have a brand new discovered respect for them.
You’ve put this present on earlier than, how bizarre are the solutions thrown at you, any you care or dare to share? Do you ever get any solutions you simply need to move over as too ridiculous?
There’s by no means been a scenario the place we now have needed to deny somebody’s dream. We can’t actually think about this ever taking place. But there have been many gloriously odd ones. We have taken cats to house, birthed chickens, gone into the depths of the Earth to fulfill with a worm council – you identify it, we’ve in all probability executed it. In each dream there’s a story, even when it appears inconceivable to search out at first. We know that, finally, if we proceed to go down the trail of ridiculousness, we are going to land on it.
And in case you needed to share your individual goals for the present, what oddities would that throw up?
Honestly, our goals at all times find yourself being far much less bizarre than the viewers’s. We will use our personal for inspiration throughout rehearsals however they by no means have the identical randomness or shock as they do after we’re doing an actual present. The larger the group of individuals, the more unusual goals to select from.
The present’s on simply earlier than Christmas, does that imply you’ll be throwing in slightly seasonal theme right here and there?
Oh sure in fact! The christmas spirit will make sure you have a agency place within the present. There will probably be Christmas bells and goodies, all with powers to alter the course of the present. Mark our phrases, you’ll really feel the snow virtually falling upon your head. The Dream Machine will probably be christmassy! No doubt about it.
What’s tougher for you, placing on the improv of Dream Machine or staging a scripted manufacturing?
If you’re speaking about earlier than the present, then the Dream Machine is certainly tougher. The nerves you’re feeling earlier than a efficiency is in contrast to something scripted. We actually do not know what’s going to occur. But as soon as it’s began and we’re transferring slowly down the trail of ridiculousness, then it’s often freer and funner than a scripted manufacturing.
We’ve been filled with reward to your earlier works (Co-op and Sniff), are we going to see a brand new scripted manufacturing from you subsequent 12 months? What else have you ever bought deliberate for 2023 up to now then?
Both Sniff and the CO-OP are our infants and we had a good time performing and making these. 2023 brings extra pleasure. We will probably be performing Sniff on the Jack Studio in early February – a darkish comedy about medicine and dependancy, set in a pub rest room. What’s to not like? And we will even be engaged on our new manufacturing. This play will probably be a couple of haunted pub. We developed it on the Norwich Theatre earlier this 12 months and now plan to complete and carry out it in 2023. Keep your eyes peeled for that!
And because it’s a Christmas present, if anybody is considering of bringing alongside a present for you, what would you all like?
Just a pint. Please, for the love of god, in case you really feel like getting any of us something, make it a pint on the finish of the present. We’d love that.
Thanks to the group at Make It Beautiful Theatre for taking trip of rehearsals to talk to us. You can catch The Dream Machine on the Golden Goose Theatre between 19 – 21 December. Further data and bookings right here.