Rehearsing State of Nature and the short pieces

Rehearsals for the plays to be performed at the Eden Project took place in three locations. The first stage of rehearsals were conducted during late October and early November 2010 in a rehearsal room at The Arts Factory in Islington. The space the company was using was demarcated by coloured tape to simulate the real life constraints of the set and trees that would occupy the space at The Eden Project.

Following a premiere at the Pleasance Theatre, the company transferred to Cornwall for the production run. Dress rehearsals took place in the Mediterranean and Tropical biomes at the Eden Project on 16th November. However, due to flooding in the St Austell area on 17th November, the play had to transfer briefly to The Lost Gardens of Heligan and the Peninsula Medical College in Truro. A third rehearsal stage, in the Heligan space, became necessary to prepare for what became the opening performance and launch event of the published play text.

Click here for a gallery of rehearsal and performance photographs.

Rehearsal Notes

From the beginning of the rehearsal period right up until the end of the run, a record is kept of rehearsal notes and other important information as it evolves. A journal, often referred to as 'The Book' or 'The Bible', remains with the stage manager throughout the production. Because of copyright and privacy reasons, most of The Book could not be digitised for presentation online. However, rehearsal notes, lists, schedules, marketing material and ephemera can be viewed below: