This production needed versatile actors, able to change roles very quickly, and above all, work as an ensemble. As Director Melly Still explains,
the auditions involved a lot of partner work and workshops designed to draw out each actor's ability for concise storytelling and creating a character in a short time. The actor Jack Tarlton gives an
actor's point of view on the audition process.
The first day of rehearsals involved a lot of
game playing and the actor Kelly Williams tells us how it helped the actors bond and develop the confidence and familiarity necessary for subsequent rehearsals. Since each actor played many roles, there was a lot more interaction between members of
the company than in some productions, says actor Howard Coggins.
The first day of rehearsals began with a
Meet and Greet where all members of the acting company gathered together for an opportunity to be introduced to the staff of the Bristol Old Vic. In a single day of
early rehearsals for '
The Juniper Tree ', rehearsals moved from a read-through to beginning to act out the story with some simple but essential props. As the plays were rehearsed, the dramatic text began to emerge from the bare bones of the story as
layers of details were gradually added by the actors and the director adding depth and complexity.
