Networks Blog Stories Nº. 30: Joaquin Montesinos

IMAGE FROM ALADDIN AT NETWORKS THEATRE - JOAQUIN MONTESINOS AS ABANAZAR.

To celebrate our panto this week, we're publishing the blog of one of our favourite panto actors, Joaquin Montesinos! He is currently playing the Evil Mystic Abanazar in Aladdin! He first joined us for the Prince and the Pauper in 2005 and has become a very popular regular! He drives from Murcia to be with us! His car alarm will often go off during the rehearsal and he's had his car towed away from outside because of illegal parking. Apart from that everything has gone really well, which includes winning TWO Networks Best Actor awards! Joaquin, we salute you!

1. What’s your name?

Joaquín Montesinos

2. Do you have a Networks name?

I don't think so, but if I do, I don't think I'd like to know.

3. How many shows have you appeared in?

Six (The 7th is being performed at the moment, so, if I'm not fired...)

4. Name them!

The Prince and The Pauper, Beauty and The Beast, Cinderella, Snow White, Dick Whittington and A Christmas Carol.

5. What was your first show?

The Prince and The Pauper.

6. What are your earliest memories of the shows?

The first time we went to see one, Ugly. We were used to things called 'Theatre in English' which were such rubbish, and we couldn't believe our eyes (nor our ears) when we saw absolute theatre in absolute English (sounds like vodka?), fun and useful for kids and adults, and far from the boring role plays we English teachers practise in our everyday classes.

7. A) What is your earliest memory of Nick?

I was wondering 'Who's this guy whose life is (I guess not only) writing, preparing, rehearsing and 'building' show after show'. And I asked him 'How can you find time for all this?' His answer was 'I just don't sleep'.

B) What is your favourite memory of Nick?

His big effort to make a bunch of Spanish teenagers punctual and the ability to make a theatre play their own commitment, and their own job; not just a task to make a teacher or a parent happy. I work with more than a hundred of these and I can tell you that's hard work (and he achieves it!).

C) What is your scariest memory of Nick?

I have a few scariest moments, but none particularly. Anyway, I must admit that some of Nick's costumes made my sleep a bit... let's say...uncomfortable.

8. What has been your favourite show to date?

This is an easy one. Now I could say 'All of them are my favourite...' and that crap, but it is quite clear to me Robin Hood and The Abba Silver Disc is my favourite show ever at Networks Theatre. Actually, I think history at Networks should be measured as BR and AR (Before and After Robin). So, 2010 would be the year 4(AR).

9. Do you have a favourite moment in a show or memorable moment in rehearsal?

There are thousands of memorable moments, but it was specially shivering to me Miss María Ortiz singing Electricity in the show Frankenstein. I think I almost wetted my trousers.

10. What is your favourite photograph of any production?

Sorry I don't have it, but there are quite a few shown in the Awards nights, from the time the actors were little kids, that are really interesting. I remember one of David Verdejo's first shows that really proves how cruel the passing of time can be with the human being.


IMAGE FROM THE MILLENNIUM SHOWS DECEMBER 1999

11. Are there any ideas you’d like to give Nick when he’s planning productions. Stories or subjects that you think might make good shows?

This is the hardest question. I don't feel myself able at all to give Nick ideas, but my daughters suggest a few things again and again. They think Sleeping Beauty or Shrek could be fun to be performed on the Reyes Católicos stage. But, honestly, I don't see it.

ED: SHREK? HIT THE HAMBURGERS AND CREAM CAKES JOAQUIN AND THE PART'S YOURS!

12. Finally can you sum up Networks Theatre in one word?

Sorry I'm going to use a Spanish word, but I think it's quite representative of the spirit: GANAS!


IMAGE FROM CINDERELLA 2006 - JOAQUIN MONTESINOS AS BARON HARDUP.

Networks Blog Stories Nº. 29: Mirte Terpstra

Well, if you thought the blog was just for "famous" Networks Actors you'd be wrong! This week the pleasure (or is it pain?) of the Blog goes to Mirte! She has made such an immeasurable contribution to the theatre in the second half of the life of our fifty shows! Most importantly as archivist, photographer, video maker, friend. We sorely miss her around the building. But she's threatened...erm..promised to be back to see the shows! We look forward to seeing you soon Marte,,Morte, Myrete...now how do you say your name?

1. What’s your name?
Mirte

2. Did/Do you have a Networks name?
No. Well, I suppose everyone always pronounces my name differently, so there are many variations ;-)

ED: FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T REALISED MIRTE IS FROM THE NETHERLANDS.

3. How many shows have you appeared in?
Eh, none! But let´s count how many shows I´ve helped with… 22!

4. Name them!
From Cinderella 2006 up to and including Who Shot The Sheriff? Do I really have to type them all out? :-)

ED: HERE THEY ARE. Who Shot the Sheriff? When I Was Me. Psychedelic Cool. Scrooge – The Musical, A Christmas Carol – The Panto, Distant Thunder, Around the World in 80 Days, Three Princesses in Waiting, Frankenstein, The Happy Prince, Adventures in Pantoland, Dick Whittington, Remembrance, Bananas! The Musical, The Scarecrow Girl, Odysseus, Junior Saves Christmas, Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs, My! School Musical, Robin Hood II – the Prince Strikes Back, Make A Wish and Cinderella

5. What was your first show?
The first show I saw at Networks was The Prince and the Pauper, and the first show while I was working at Networks was the second Cinderella 2006.



6. What are your earliest memories of the shows?
The first show I ever saw at Networks was The Prince and the Pauper! The atmosphere in the theatre was great and I was especially impressed by the two main actors* =). They’ve grown a bit since then! ;-)

But the first show at Networks while I was working there, was Cinderella. I remember I was almost dragged into the theatre to see the dress rehearsal (I was with my mother, who was visiting me) because the actors needed an audience. We were calmly watching the first part of the show and then all of a sudden the Ugly Sisters appeared out of nowhere (well, they were actually fighting about who could squeeze through the door from the office first). It was hilarious and we couldn´t stop laughing. We had a great time.

*ED: JOSE MANUEL MARCOS AND ALBERTO ORTUÑO PLAYED THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER RESPECTIVELY.

7. A) What is your earliest memory of Nick?
On stage in The Prince and the Pauper.

B) What is your favourite memory of Nick?
Just seeing him in rehearsals, working with the actors, making corny jokes or jokes only I (and Dennis) could understand. In the theatre he´s really in his element, it really is his life and that´s amazing to watch (a play in a play) =)

C) What is your scariest memory of Nick?
Well, “scary” is a big word. But I do remember one time he got angry with me. It was during a rehearsal of Dick Whittington. Nick and “the guys” were practicing the choreography for “Nine to Five”. It was very funny and I was laughing a lot. Nothing new there, I thought, but apparently Nick thought I was laughing AT them and not WITH them. :-( And of course, I would never laugh AT anything in rehearsals! ;-)

8. What has been your favourite show to date?
That´s an impossible choice. A few of my favourites are: Dick Whittington, When I Was Me, Robin Hood 2 (unfortunately I didn´t see the Robin Hood and the ABBA Silver Disc “live” at Networks Theatre), The Scarecrow Girl and The Three Princesses in Waiting.

9. Do you have a favourite moment in a show or memorable moment in rehearsal?
I have so many memories… I can´t just choose one. In general I loved going to the rehearsals and watching the shows and the actors evolve. I especially liked the “smaller” shows because the cast was literally smaller and as a result the rehearsals were a bit more intimate. I especially liked the rehearsals of Remembrance/Distant Thunder, The Scarecrow Girl, Dick Whittington and The Three Princesses in Waiting… Oh, and my goodbye was pretty special too! =)

10. What is your favourite photograph of any production?
There are so many pictures! I´ll choose the one of the 50th show dinner because (almost) the whole Networks family is in it.

IMAGE FROM THE FIFTIETH DINNER CELEBRATION JUNE 2010.

11. Are there any ideas you’d like to give Nick when he’s planning productions. Stories or subjects that you think might make good shows?
A good theme for a kids' show could be King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Monty Python style, perhaps. Alice in Wonderland? Some more of “Nick´s heavy ones”, haha. I don´t know, it´s hard to come up with ideas, isn´t it Nick?! ;-)

12. Finally: can you sum up Networks Theatre in one word?
I wanted to write “Absolutely Fabulous” but I know there´s a very strict one word limit ;-) So I´ll go with Fabulous (as in: fable= a legendary story, so: to all the legendary Networks stories!)

ED: THANK YOU MIRTE.

Networks Blog Stories Nº. 28: Luis Gómez

It's the turn of Luis Gómez to do the blog. Luis has been acting in Networks Theatre for seven years. He's often played lead roles, Peter Pan and Ebenezer Scrooge amongst others, and he has made a great contribution to the theatre. He's currently rehearsing for the panto Aladdin. Memorably, this year he played one of the five central characters in When I Was Me. His performance as Luke, a boy with anorexia, was widely praised. It's also just been announced that he will play the Sheriff of Nottingham in next year's highly anticipated Robin Hood!

1. What’s your name?

Luis Gómez

2. Did/Do you have a Networks name?

Ken

3. How many shows have you appeared in?

I think 9

4. Name them!

The Fairy Tale Mix, Peter Pan, Ocean Blue, Romeo and Juliet, Scrooge.com, Kinder Transport, Remembrance, Distant Thunder and When I Was Me.

5. What was your first show?

The Fairy Tale Mix… I was Hansel (of Hansel and Gretel) :D

6. What are your earliest memories of the shows?

I remember I loved dancing the songs, and all the moments I spent in the ¨small room¨ not only in the rehearsals, also during the shows. I remember getting sad in every last show because I didn’t want it to end… I have lots of memories.

7. A) What is your earliest memory of Nick?

My earliest memory is Nick eating lots and lots of oranges and him squeezing a water bottle when we were concentrating.

B) What is your favourite memory of Nick?

His ¨funny¨ jokes. And when he looks at me and then looks behind him. ¬¬

C) What is your scariest memory of Nick?

The first time he entered in the small room shouting because we were speaking. It wasn’t scary… it was frightening. And also once he got angry so much that he had to go out of the theatre.

ED: AT LEAST HE WALKED AWAY. IF HE HAD STAYED, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN ORANGE JUICE EVERYWHERE.

8. What has been your favourite show to date?

I’ve never done a Panto so… my favourite show is Peter Pan, I had lots of funny moments with Juan Carlos. (And who can forget my missing sword?) I also like the moments we spent in Remembrance between the shows.

ED: WHEN RESETTING PETER PAN BETWEEN SHOWS, NICK FORGOT TO HIDE THE SWORD IN THE WOODEN HOLE AT THE BACK OF THE STAGE FOR THE FIGHT WITH CAPTAIN HOOK. SO WHEN PETER PAN (LUIS) WENT TO GET THE CONCEALED SWORD IT WASN'T THERE. WE FIRED THE STAGE MANAGER!

9. Do you have a favourite moment in a show or memorable moment in rehearsal?

My ¨topless¨ moment in When I Was Me jajajaja. No, every moment is special and unforgettable.



IMAGE FROM WHEN I WAS ME - SHOW 49, MAY 2010

10. What is your favourite photograph of any production?

I love this photo.



IMAGE FROM THE FAIRY TALE MIX - SHOW 17, DECEMBER 2003

11. Are there any ideas you’d like to give Nick when he’s planning productions.
Any stories or subjects that you think might make good shows?

I don’t know… his ideas are great, and I can’t wait to see what he's thought up for the new theatre.

12. Finally: can you sum up Networks Theatre in one word?

FAMILY!!



IMAGE FROM WHEN I WAS ME - SHOW 49, MAY 2010