We’ve had the pleasure of meeting Rosalie Craig before and found her to be what your parents would term “a very nice girl indeed”, so when we asked her to photograph a day in the life of starring in the National Theatre’s As You Like It, banging on the famed institutions windows was not something we expected to crop up.
The Olivier Award nominated actor can be forgiven a bit of raucous tomfoolery however, given it’s a press night tradition at the South Bank venue (who knew?!) and her photo diary documents that most nerve wracking of days for any performer. So, what does an actor get up to while counting down the hours to a show’s official opening? If you’re Craig, tea, a pre-show work out, some face pulling with your co-stars and spying on the rest of the cast all feature.
Take a look at Craig’s photos below for this very special insight and then book your tickets to catch Polly Findlay’s critically acclaimed inventive take on Shakespeare’s whimsical romantic comedy. Just no banging on the windows please.
No day can ever begin without a cup of tea! And I need it even more on the morning of our press night.
I am obsessed with fitness and so it’s off to reformer Pilates before heading into work.
Get into work and have to have a little look round the bookshop. I think I must spend all my wages in here!
Patsy and Joe backstage as stage management try to fix bits of the scenery. It’s time to work some notes on stage before we start getting ready for our press night.
Sneaky shot from the wings at some of the cast on stage working notes in our brilliant set.
Our Forest of Arden.
Actors hard at work on the Olivier stage.
Patsy [Ferran] and I getting nervous as the clock ticks nearer to curtain up time!
Pop by stage door to the see the legends and pick up some press night goodies!
Oooooooh look at those blooms!!!
Time to start getting ready. Eeeeek.
No press night is complete without the tradition of everyone banging on their dressing room windows before the show starts. Here we go!
Aaaaaaaaaaand relax!!!!!!
