Inside Rehearsals: Week Four of Liberation

Whilst I’m going to miss our rehearsal room, decorated with maps and flags and photos, working in the module stage is a unique experience. There is no space like this in any theatre in the country. It’s not just being in the round, but the experience of leaving the greater hall, entering the module and being transported into a different time and space is unlike anything else.

The feeling of entering the space will feel very different compared to previous productions as so much work has been done to transform the theatre itself. It’s been a thrill watching the Exchange slowly redecorate for our show. I’ve never worked on a show that has been allowed to transform a theatre to this extent. We currently have eight flags hanging outside the stage, each representing the homelands of the play’s characters. The scale of the play is enormous and it’s easy to feel the scope when looking at these ginormous flags. Not just because of their size, but they serve as a reminder of the play’s international nature and how the repercussions of the real-life congress affected people all over the world. I’m excited to see how the space will continue to change between now and opening night.