Deathtrap

One production at a time? Don’t be silly. I am cast as Helga ten Dorp in Ira Levin’s Deathtrap, directed by my brilliant friend Julian Batstone. I’m also production manager and publicity and promotion.

Well, I like to be busy.

So I’ll be flouncing around trying to perfect an understandable Dutch accent as an eccentric (but hopefully not over the top) psychic. Those two last parts will be so far from the truth of course, as I keep being reminded by friends…

This has a stunning cast: Guy Steddon and Jake Marchant in the two lead roles, plus Anna Quick and John Garland – book your tickets early, this will be popular! Link here

Wick Theatre Company’s Production of Frankenstein

It’s been an amazing journey in support of this fabulous production. I have some really good friends in the cast, among them Phil Nair-Brown playing the Creature, and Sam Razavi playing Victor Frankenstein. These actors are incredible professional actors, super talented, and also super lovely humans. Their scenes together are electric – they positively sizzle.

So if you’ve seen any publicity on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, that will be my doing. Or press, for example this lovely article across the Worthing Herald Group of newspapers thanks to Phil Hewitt: click here. Or if you see the show and like the programme, thank you very much!

I’ve also been part of creating the lighting for the show, and I will be running lights (and there are a lot of changes) during the show. I don’t expect you to notice necessarily unless you are involved with theatre yourself – it’s there to add ambiance, to improve your theatrical experience – so people usually only notce if it’s wrong or jarring! Which is the same for sound of course. It’s been full on, lighting tech until 1.25 in the morning, then back in the Theatre 2 days later as there seemed to be issues (which it turned out there wasn’t) but changes and tweaks were requested: another 3 hours. It’s all worth it if it looks amazing, and it does.

And working with some brilliant friends while you do all this? Priceless. Absolutely priceless.

Oustanding Contribution to the Arts

Wick Theatre were so kind to nominate me for the 2021 “Outstanding Contribution to the Arts” for which I was awarded a Commendation. It was so gratifying to hear that the calibre of entries had made it very difficult to choose an overall winner, and that the quality was so high, each of the nominees received a Commendation.

It’s amazing to be recognised, very unexpected, and huge thanks to Wick Theatre for their nomination and to Brighton & Hove Arts Council for the Commendation. But – these things are never in isolation, there were loads of other people that committed time and effort and skills to all the projects I’ve been involved in or led on. I couldn’t have done any of it alone, so massive huge thanks to all of those people: Wick Committee, all the people who contributed films to the Wickanory project and to Ghost Stories for Christmas. Special thanks in equal measure to Phil Nair-Brown, film maker extraordinaire, and to Guy Steddon, horror story officianado and curator of the Ghost Stories.

It’s important to celebrate achievements! Here we are:

New Backstage Roles

I continued my Lighting Design training with the brilliant Martin Oakley for Wick Theatre’s Pygmalion in January. It was brilliant to be able to use my maths and logical brain for the computer part, and my artistic brain for the actual lighting design, including creating a wonderful sky colourscape for big scenes set in a conservatory: I loved every bit of it!

I also ran lights during the show and was able to amend and add things that needed it on the fly, during a show, which was amazing.

Plus – never one to shirk a challenge, I did the Deputy Stage Manager: DSM role. At Wick Theatre, and some others I’ve worked with, the DSM runs the show: following the script with a detailed eye and calling all the cues: lights, sound, projections, haze, actors to the stage and anything else that’s going on. This did give me sleepless nights as so much was depending on me but I also loved every second. I benefitted from training from Julian Batstone who has been part of every Wick production since he joined, and is our most experienced DSM. I couldn’t have done it without his support.

It was really cold in the Lighting Box, by the end of the week I had brought in scarves and hats and blankets and so had the very lovely Doffey who was running sound – also for the first time! We had a great time in the box. A lovely friend had just made me fingerless gloves and I wore them throughout!

I also organised the publicity campaign of course! But it was amazing to learn 2 brand new roles in theatre. You’re never too old to learn new things or develop your skillset.

Onwards and upwards! What’s next!

Clue! On Stage!

October 2021 I was at last back on stage performing. It was truly brilliant to be back especially with a sell out show which made so many people so very happy!

Not only do I love “Cluedo” having grown up playing the game both in English and in Swedish, but I adore the film “Clue” with Tim Curry: in fact, it’s my all time favourite comedy film. I’ve been quoting Madeline Kahn’s lines as Mrs White since I saw the 1985 film. So I was thrilled to get the part of Mrs White – I had to fight for it though! I was the only actor who had a call back! And I’m so grateful to Director Julian Batstone for trusting me with the role. I was also producing the show, but I would still have been Julian’s production manager even if I hadn’t got the role (although I would have been extremely sad and disappointed!) I also had the opportunity to train as lighting tech with a full 96 channel board and learn from the hugely talented Martin Oakley. It was fantastic.

We were also recognised in the Brighton & Hove Arts Council Awards with 5 nominations and 2 wins: Best Actor went deservedly to Guy Steddon for his incredible performance as Wadsworth the Butler, and we (the cast plus 1 stunt double) won Best Stage Crew for the funny and in character way we moved the set around.

I also had to tango with Guy, which I’m sill not sure he’s forgiven me for… I seriously learned steps for it and everything, and practiced at home in front of a very bemused Andy.

Promotional photos and dress rehearsal photos courtesy Miles Davies Photography.

Link to the Promotional Trailer: click here

February – already?

Good grief where has the time gone?!?

Since last Summer I’ve been involved in all manner of Theatre shenanigans, including winning the Publicity Award from Brighton and Hove Arts Council for the publicity for “Taking Sides”, produced in October by Wick Theatre at the Barn Theatre, Southwick, nr Brighton – which I am seriously proud of.

In January, I directed the wonderfully eerie “The Exorcism” by Don Taylor, from TV’s Dead of Night, also at the Barn Theatre for the Wick. That was an amazing production and the reviews were astonishingly good. My cast were fantastic, the set was incredible, the special effects made the audience jump – and we had real Christmas dinner cooked fresh every night by one of the cast members!

Shoreham Herald Review – click here. There is also a review from NODA – the National Organisation for the Dramatic Arts, on the theatre page as a PDF file.

I’m now busy planning a new production of one of my plays in the Brighton Fringe in May with Twilight Theatre… busy busy…

Playing a nut job

Hubby Andy wished me good luck being a “God bothering nut job” for my role in Alan Ayckbourn’s “Neighbourhood Watch”, produced by Wick Theatre at the Barn last week. That made me smile. A lot.

It really was great fun rehearsing for this quite bonkers play and John Garland was a fabulous director. Of course that doesn’t mean it was plain sailing, it never is, there are always tense moments towards the end of the rehearsal process but there were some evenings where I was literally crying with laughter. There was even one evening where I had to stop myself laughing on stage. There were pieces in this which were hilarious from the word go and still funny three months later.

I think my character: Hilda Massie, is possibly the most far removed from my own personality that I’ve ever played. It was hugely educational getting under the skin of a type of person I have never understood – those that don’t value honesty, but think it’s rude. They have such a skewed view of the world and themselves that they are seriously deluded, but would vehemently deny this to the end. I’ve previously found this incomprehensible but I had an “aha!” moment during my character preparations and research that really helped me understand. Fascinating. And very sad. There was seriously only one thing we have in common – we both value arnica. And yes, it comes up more than once in the play!

So in short – farewell Hilda, you bonkers manipulative right wing evangelical nut job, I’m re-embracing myself. Acting tab is updated with our brilliant reviews from NODA, Brighton Argus and Shoreham Herald; plus show photos. It’s always so important to receive feedback and so lovely when it’s positive!

Missing Macbeth

I’ve just updated the acting and directing tab with Macbeth, and it reminded me how much I miss working on this play. It was an utter joy from beginning to end. The most expressive, professional, flexible and fun group of actors and a magnificent show that blew the audience away.

Jacqueline Harper as Lady Macbeth and Guy Steddon as Macbeth

Here you go. Photos, promo videos, reviews and audience feedback. Feast. https://www.susannecrosby.com/acting-directing-singing-more/n

Directing, Writing, Acting

What a couple of weeks!

We are mid way through the run for my play “The Session” with Twilight Theatre. Audiences have loved it and given brilliant feedback.

   

Audience feedback so far:

“Loved it!”

“fantastic… so much so that I’m going again tonight”

“Great play”

“Loved it, very tense… wonderful writing”

“fab night”

“Excellent”

“What an amazing, fantastic performance! A brilliantly written script and a very very talented cast. The venue really lends itself to this play and you are completely drawn in to everything happening on the stage. This is an absolute Must-See for everyone, I guarantee you will be glad you did.”

“I watched this little gem last night. It gets the old grey matter thinking. One not to miss. Written by the amazing Suse Crosby”

James Roy, from Meridian FM: “Wow. Cleverly written, brilliantly performed. “The Session” at the lovely intimate Sweet Dukebox Theatre. Get fully immersed in the action whilst trying to work out who is the Doctor and who is the Patient!”

Still some tickets left – do come along!

Antling

And just before “The Session” opened, “Antling” written and performed by the amazing Helen Pepper Smith and directed by yours truly premiered, also as part of Hove Grown Festival.

   

Don’t worry if you missed it – this fabulous show will be back in the Brighton Fringe Festival, and in the Edinburgh Fringe too!

Disappeared

And if that wasn’t enough – next week I’ll be performing in the Wick Theatre‘s production of “Disappeared”. This has a fabulous cast and a great crew, led by director Guy Steddon.

The character I play has been challenging, because she’s really not very nice at all. When I saw myself in the publicity photos I was astonished I could look so – well – vile! Still some tickets left, runs 4 – 7 April.

See you soon, Suse