Seb Harcombe on The Illusion: Week 1

Seb is the Director of the BA Acting Course and is directing the London premiere of Tony Kushner's version of Corneille's THE ILLUSION this summer at Southwark Playhouse - with a cast of RADA graduates, as part of a new initiative to develop a professional RADA graduate company.

Somewhat alarmingly, I've just realised it's less than a month until THE ILLUSION opens and am still at my desk in RADA doing reports. It may be because the weather's been rubbish, but I was waiting until the first sign of summer to make me realise it was time to rehearse!

Am very excited to get started though as the play is one of the most extraordinary I've ever been lucky enough to stumble across. It first happened last year, when I literally pulled it off the library shelf by accident, and was instantly drawn into its weird and wonderful world. I then workshopped it for two days, for a reading - after which I shredded the actors' copies in case anyone picked one up and had the idea of putting the play on before me..

THE ILLUSION tells the story of a father who has lost his son and, having tried everything to find him, unsuccessfully, visits a magician for advice. The magician then conjures three visions of the son's life before finally revealing a surprising truth (which I won't say here as it'll spoil it). The first vision is very funny, romantic and full of exhilarating language; the second is more dramatic and intense, although still packed with witty banter and flights of comedic fantasy; and the third is more tragic and mysterious. The play is basically about various types of love - romantic, sexual, parental and material - and about the theatre; what is real, what is imagined, what is delusional. It's incredibly charming, sparkling and fun, but also moving and profound. Basically, it has everything!

Normally rehearsals begin with everyone together on day 1, more often than not doing a read through, but because we only have 3 weeks to rehearse, as opposed to the usual four, we're planning on doing some pre-rehearsals where we can, starting next week. The play falls into distinct sections, with people in two different time realities who never meet, so it's possible to rehearse sections separately. There may indeed be some virtue in doing this, so that certain actors develop their significant onstage relationships ignorant of other characters and before we all meet as a group. It's an experiment that could prove interesting...

There are two very experienced actors in the play, playing the father and the magician (James Clyde and Melanie Jessop) but the rest of the cast are recent graduates - from 2011 (Daniel Easton, Shanaya Rafaat, Adam Jackson Smith) and 2012 (Charlie Archer and Daisy Hughes, who have literally just graduated and will be making their professional debuts). For me it's a very special and hugely satisfying experience to work professionally with actors who've been my students .. and a particular pleasure and interest to be able to take the work we've done together at RADA forwards. We've a kind of shorthand for working together by now, so am hoping this will compensate for the shortness of rehearsal time. So, if we can all get through the Olympic security cordons and survive the tubes heaving with the promised extra million people each day come to watch the games it should be wonderful.

I'm also very excited that I get to work with RADA design graduate Sarah Jane Prentice again, who designed a show of mine at RADA in 2010 (Dispute/Cleansed). Currently we're discussing the design and sourcing 18th century costumes from RADA's costume store and I'm generally trying to spread the word about the show. Southwark Playhouse where we'll perform has a system where the tickets are cheaper the earlier you book, so am badgering people now, whilst it's not too expensive.

southwarkplayhouse.co.uk