After a gruelling three days of auditions we were finally able to announce the cast for our upcoming post-apocalyptic surrealist drama Who Is Moloch? by Pamela Carralero. The announcement was made via the show's website, which has seen some strange activity lately including an "emergency broadcast" received on Guy Fawkes Night declaring a state of war.
Just what is going on out there?
Whatever the case may be you can find the cast list below:
Major Benjamin Fuller - Austin Caley
Airman First Class Graham Maynard - Jonathan Whittaker
Command Sgt Major Dr. Bernard Baker - Andrew Miller
Areena Louis - Tara Postma
Sgt Major Lorna Blaise - Lily Carrie
Corporal Erika Furlow - Samantha Wynn
Private Dianne Lincourt - Abi Blears
Private Jesse B Conrad - Luke Manning
Private Ike Broughton - Jonathan Woodhouse
Private Annabelle Zeiger - Freya Parsons
Private Paul Lindsay - Robert Wallis
We're very excited about this new ensemble brought together for this very exciting production. We have some old hands from What It Feels Like, some more recent cast members from Stormin' Normanand a whole load of fresh new faces! Please join us in welcoming them to the Encompass family!
You'll hear a lot more about Who Is Moloch? in the lead-up to its London premiere at the end of January. For now, we hope you are all coming to Bare Essentials II: The Emerging Artist Showcase which is in support of the show itself. Taking placeat the Battersea Barge on Wednesday 14th November, at 7.30pm, we've got an even more diverse line-up of guest artists this time around - for more details click here!
That's right - the time has finally come for Norman (and indeed Encompass) to make our film debut!
Stormin’ Norman follows Norman (Christopher O'Shaughnessy), a homeless man living in London. We journey with Norman through the ups and downs of his everyday life until he meets Sarah (Eva Lea), a young woman who dares to break the routine. A film by Paul G Raymond, it is a comedy drama centred on an unlikely friendship between a grieving man and an aspiring musician.
Stormin' Norman will be part of the First Thursday Film Festival at Press Play House in London. If the venue sounds familiar that's because that's also where our next theatre production Who Is Moloch?is taking place in the new year! This is just the start of Norman's journey on the festival circuit, so why not come down and see the film before anyone else? You'll even get to meet the cast and crew!
STORMIN' NORMAN AT THE FIRST THURSDAY FILM FESTIVAL
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 1ST
PRESS PLAY HOUSE
10 Vyner Street, E2 9DG
Nearest Tube: Bethnal Green
Nearest Rail: Cambridge Heath
MAP LINK: http://goo.gl/maps/ulYmq
Don't forget you can go behind-the-scenes of the film by visiting bit.ly/StorminNormanBlog - you'll get blog entries from the shoot and post-production, along with photos and music previews from the film!
WATCH VIDEOS FROM OUR LAST BARE ESSENTIALS SHOWCASE AND FIND OUT HOW TO TAKE PART!
After the fantastic success of our first showcase we’re once more throwing down the gauntlet to our fellow emerging artists with Bare Essentials II! And just like last time it will take place on The Battersea Barge on the River Thames!
We're asking artists and companies to send us their ideas for a short piece/extract (no longer than 15 minutes) to be performed live at our event. The work can be from ANY genre of performance. We want to show bare bones performance at its best!
“Events that nurture and celebrate new talent, instead of feeding it to the sharks”
EAT Culture Magazine
Submissions are expected to be technically minimal with basic props and set. The event will take place on Wednesday 14th November.
Groups/companies and solo artists all welcome. If you have a piece but no-one to perform/stage it, send it along anyway! If chosen, Encompass will help you find a team...or may even take it on ourselves!
'SOLO' - a solo submission a solo submission which will need assistance in finding cast and creative team
'GROUP/COMPANY' - a submission which will be performed by a group/company of artists that you are affiliated with
This is a great chance to show what you're made of, to meet fellow up-and-coming artists and have a cracking night. We’ll even record it and publicise your pieces online!
Encompass are looking for cast and crew to join our production of Who Is Moloch?, a new play by Pamela Carralero being performed at the Press Play House in London from January 30th - 9th February 2013.
SYNOPSIS: In the aftermath of a nuclear devastation that begins World War III, a company of soldiers barricade themselves underground with a sleep-inducing drug and a copy of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Awaiting orders as the world enters a terrifying nuclear age, tensions flare as the trauma of war takes its toll and their grip on reality is put to the test.
ABOUT ENCOMPASS PRODUCTIONS:
'Outstanding. A creative explosion that'll delight, entertain and move.' ★★★★★ EdFringe Review
'Rhythm, wit and style. Stunning choreography. Impressive' ★★★★ Fringe Guru
'Imaginative, bold...visually stunning. Genuinely moving and thought provoking' - A Younger Theatre
Who Is Moloch? is the third artistic production from Encompass following our acclaimed hit What It Feels like (2011), and upcoming short film Stormin' Norman (November 2012).If you want to join a hardworking, determined and ambitious company dedicated to bringing powerful new work to the masses now is the time. This is an exciting time for Encompass and you could be a part of it!
TO APPLY FOR AUDITIONS/CREW PLACEMENTS PLEASE CLICK HERE
Hello folks, producer Jonathan here and we're back with another Stormin' Norman update!
So whilst Encompass has been busy with our new Bare Essentials event and pre-production for new play Who is Moloch? the Stormin' Norman team have been entering the final stages of post-production for this first Encompass project on film.
It's been a long time coming but we finally have a cut that we're happy with. Editing a film can be a laborious process, especially when the film in question is a short one and you have less time to play with! Simon (editor) has worked hard to fine-tune the film and has done a brilliant job responding to director and producer feedback - even when said feedback has been nitpicking! Perhaps no-one has been more brutal with his own work than writer and director Paul however - cutting unnecessary scenes and dialogue as he sees fit without any hesitation. It takes a certain artistic tenacity to be able to do this, a quality in Paul which I've had the pleasure of witnessing throughout this production.
Pan has been readying the sound, and it'll be interesting to see what he does with the urban soundscape of East London. I think after the brilliant London 2012 we all know how vibrant the city can sound! Whilst dialogue is a key component of this short (and just how much may surprise people) it'll certainly be interesting to hear how Norman's environment changes throughout his day and in the various locations.
Another part of post-production nearing completion is the score. Frequent Encompass collaborator Alex Burnett has finalised the music for the film and is recording the live elements this week. Here's what he has had via his new Facebook page:
"Creating a soundscape first can often lead to finding the right melodic material. The current film I'm scoring, 'Stormin' Norman', proved this yet again as I produced the ambient texture of the city before discovering the first melody of the soundtrack. For the final track what I wanted to achieve is a piece that not only brings the score and film to an exciting and emotional conclusion but also be a track that people can and want to listen to."
Composer Alex scoring Stormin' Norman
Alex's last project for Encompass - the acclaimed soundtrack for What It Feels Like - was produced electronically but this time he wanted to have live instruments present throughout the score, a decision both Paul and myself were fully behind. Alex is in the studio this week recording violin and guitars with EP associate performers Helena Gullan and Luke Manning respectively - Luke also appears in Stormin' Norman as 'Barry'. I'll also be dusting off my drumsticks to play drums and percussion - the rhythm is the real backbone of the score and I'm honoured Alex asked me to play for it! Paul, Alex and I felt that the blend of electronic and live elements would further extend the sonic scope of this ambitious soundtrack - it really is quite unlike anything we have heard for a short and having seen it in the context of the film we can safely say you're in for a treat! You can listen to a preview of the soundtrack below:
The exciting part of any project is seeing everything come together. Stormin' Norman is nearly complete! As we want it to have a presence on the festival circuit first we won't be releasing it online for a good while - however we will be organising screenings which you'll be able to come to! Keep an eye out...
Wow! Our first-ever 'Bare Essentials: The Emerging Artist Showcase' was a resounding success! A big Encompass thank you to all came and supported all of the emerging talent present on The Battersea Barge!
'The Professor and La Fille Danse' performed by Encompass
A solo clown show from Charlie Henry, performance poetry from Toby Wheeler, comedy from Andy Dickinson's 'Warthogs', subtle drama from Absent Theatre Company and Mixed(up) Productions, and powerful physical performances from Political Arts. Plus Encompass ourselves performed three pieces submitted by up-and-coming writers: 'Two Children' by Christopher O'Shaughnessy, 'The Ronderbrines' by Amber Hillier and 'The Professor and La Fille Danse' by Robert M. Wallis. We were delighted to give the spotlight to our fellow emerging artists, especially on a boat! We've put a huge photo album up of the entire night, so why not check it out?
Political Arts Company presents 'The Prisoner'
'Bare-boned theatre...engaging and exciting. Events that nurture and celebrate new talent, instead of feeding it to the sharks.' - EAT Culture
AT Culture Magazinehave written a fantastic feature on Bare Essentials, with particular praise going out to Encompass-performed piece 'The Ronderbrines' by Amber Hillier which was 'excellently executed'. Other mentions included Political Arts' 'The Prisoner' described as having 'powerful moments of visceral expression and solidarity' and Charlie Henry's flamenco-dancing clown as 'flamboyant...bombastic'. To read the rest of the article visit theAT Culture Website, where you'll also find heaps of features on the London arts and culture scene.
Theatre blog What's Peen Seen? also covered the event for their new feature 'Char's Stars'. Charlotte's star of the night was actually Encompass' very own Luke Manning,who performed in our staged reading of Amber Hillier's 'The Ronderbrines', an offbeat comedy about the awkward reunion of a family in a garden shed. What's Peen Seen? comments on the piece: 'I always think it’s funny how as an audience we can become so quickly lulled into believing that the characters before us are real'. You can check out the rest of the article on the What's Peen Seen? blog. We certainly had a lot of fun performing it - and with luck this won't be the last time you hear from The Ronderbrines!
Encompass perform 'The Ronderbrines' by Amber Hillier
This event was in support of our next theatre production 'Who is Moloch' by Pamela Carralero, now slated for Winter 2013 in a top-secret location! We'll slowly be trickling information on the production in the coming months, and don't forget our short film 'Stormin' Norman' by Paul G Raymond is on its way to you too! If you'd like to submit anything for our next 'Bare Essentials' event, visit our website to find out more. We can't wait to do it again!
In support of our next theatre production 'Who is Moloch?' we've created a brand new event to showcase emerging artists…and it’ll be taking place on a boat on the River Thames! We asked artists and companies to send us their ideas for a short piece to be performed live at Bare Essentials, to show that even the most bare bones performance can be the most gripping – all you need is a room and an audience! We've got an incredibly diverse line-up of talent for this first showcase, and we at Encompass will also be performing a selection of pieces submitted by up-and-coming writers.
PERFORMANCES FROM:
POLITICAL ARTS COMPANY – MIXED(UP) PRODUCTIONS – ANDY DICKINSON’S ‘WARTHOGS’ – CHARLIE HENRY, ARTIST – TOBY WHEELER, POET
ENCOMPASS PERFORM NEW WRITING BY:
ROBERT M. WALLIS – CHRISTOPHER O’SHAUGHNESSY – AMBER HILLIER
So if you're looking for a cracking night or are an artist yourself, come along to The Battersea Barge and witness and support emerging talent! We hope to see you all there!
TRANSPORT ACROSS LONDON IS EXPECTED TO BE EXCEPTIONALLY BUSY DUE TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES - PLEASE ALLOW EXTRA TIME MAKING YOUR WAY TO VAUXHALL! For more info visit: http://bit.ly/z8kVoW
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