INKBLOC Ensemble Rehearsal Diary – Week 6

Intensive rehearsals continue ahead of INKBLOC Ensemble’s debut show LEGO Beach. Here, company member Genevieve spills all the beans about the very latest INKBLOC shenanigans.

And so we delve deeper into our little Sea World, excitement is bubbling in and out of the rehearsal room as we get closer and closer to finalising LEGO Beach. We are approaching the denouement in our intensive rehearsals and I'm here to give you a little in sight to what's been going on in the rehearsal room at Bristol Old Vic this week!

Where do I start? The final three characters that will be taking you, our audience, on the adventure through LEGO Beach have been finalised and cast. The snippets of our devised/improv scenes have been produced to tie the plot together. We have been swapping around and editing our story skeleton for the absurd, but completely relatable community characters that will wrap around your imagination and I'm sure will leave you curiously thinking (and giggling) even when you leave the show.

Personally I've really started seeing the world and characters literally appear and come to life through costume! As a path that I've never set foot on before, it's kept me so enthused in this process. I'm always thinking creatively and I've been so lucky to experience this side to the show!

Together we have looked at mood boards busy with ideas for: colour, reversible anoraks, inspired by the community that will step you away from the "now” stopping in time... I've looked at the 1940's dungarees and jumpsuits, material that flows like the sea, patches on clothes to bring elements of LEGO into the characters themselves... it's just a matter of taking measurements and bringing it all into the rehearsal space!

Every member of the INKBLOC Ensemble have been working so incredibly hard, a real sense of passion for our work can be seen, and it's only growing. The company decided it would be a good idea to take a trip down to one of Bristol’s nearest beaches, sand bay..... Yes, we all got very sunburnt, yes we ate sandy sandwiches, but even better, we managed to film footage for our LEGO Beach trailer. It involved standing on big rocks on the shoreline, running through the sand kicking a ball around, and of course, composing lots of Lego pieces in Little Rock pools on the beach. I fully submerged myself to get the perfect shots..... Just your standard day in the office! Never a dull day working with this extremely talented bunch.

I couldn't feel happier with the way this company works together, LEGO Beach is happening, and it’s going to take you by storm! Of course with the help of some LX and FX cues..... And a sea shanty here and there.

INKBLOC Ensemble are this year’s resident Made in Bristol company – Bristol Old Vic’s theatre training course for ages 18-25. For more information about the programme, click here.