The White Room – Industry ICA Lab May 30, 2011

I know, I know. It’s been a crazily long time since I’ve done one of these. A massive wild delay. I can only apologise profusely. I’ve been busy (I know that’s my usual excuse) but there have been deadlines for this, that and the other and plays to see and other jobs to do and meetings to have.

 

I digress.

 

I held another ICA Lab for my two-hander script, “The White Room”. But this time I did things a little differently. I invited an audience and essentially held an ‘open house’ reading for this script. The idea was that anyone who attended could either approach me for the script, or for me as a writer, or for the actors involved. So it was a good event for all of us to prepare for. We had headshot/bio pages for all the actors involved (same as the last time – the brilliant Susan Stanley and Joseph Wilkins with a new addition of Joanne Ferguson reading stage directions). And then after we had the bar hired privately to have drinks in (of which I provided) and generally chat.

 

 

 

And to be honest, I was so busy preparing for the day making sure that people were in the right place and giving people directions, that I didn’t really take it all in until I had to leave my own reading early to go set the drinks up. But I got a great response. I met people that I’d only had email contact with, I invited old collaboration partners and I also invited people who I had never contacted before. But do you know what? It worked. People turned up, it got people talking. It looked professional and smooth and it got my name out there.

 

I’ve got some good leads to follow up from this reading and time will tell if they’ll work out. But it doesn’t really matter. The fact is I decided to organise this the week before the first bank holiday (so essentially ultimate office down time), but it spurred me on AND it got people talking about me and my work. If I can arrange this smack bang BEFORE a double straddling of bank holidays in a room where we still had debris left over from a wedding before, and still have an engaged audience of industry folks… Imagine what I could do if I properly planned it ahead of time. It was hugely beneficial to do it because it made me realise how relatively easy it is to be proactive about these things. I now have made contact with several literary departments who can now put a name to a face and who know my work a bit better, because they’ve seen it on its feet.

 

So the following people came along for the reading, all of which I’m very grateful for:

 

Melissa Dunne (director)
Sarah Brocklehurst (producer)
Abigail Graham (director)
Maja Milatovic-Ovadia (director)
Cass Sigsgaard (producer)
Tess Morris (screenwriter)
Janice Okah (playwright)
Shenagh Govan (actor)
Paul Vates (actor)
Kathleen Martinelli (from Soho Theatre)
Bettina Fleischer (actor)
Matt Denison (support – Casarotto)
Rachel Davies (support)
Mel Cook (director)

 

 

Interrobang Wahey! May 2, 2011

So another reason I’ve been busy is because myself and Natka The Great have been ploughing through our ‘Simone’ series. To get those who aren’t in the know up to speed, it’s like a game of consequences but with the exchange being between an illustrator and a writer. What we’re loving about this project is that it’s keeping us both actively creative, but also we’re developing this character and her narrative without prescribing it it any way. We don’t tell each other where we want the story to head, we just put our creative thoughts and interpretations down on to paper and then let the other pick up where we’ve left off.

Interrobang

You can see our collection so far in person at Interrobang at The Book Club on Tuesday 3rd along with some fantastic acts. The night kicks off at 7:30 at 100 Leonard Street EC2 (nearest Tube: Old Street). I’ll be there if you want to come along and say howdy, but also if you want to ask me any questions about this project. Here’s our first two months work to get you up to speed…

Clicky clicky here!

The newer stuff? Well you’ll just have to come along and have a look for yourself, won’t you.

Blackshaw Feedback (My Bad For Delay) May 1, 2011

So forgive me folks, for I have not blogged. In a long time. Because I have been busy! But I’m back to give you the lowdown on the Blackshaw New Writing Night that was back in March. Below is the audio recording and written feedback that the audience gave my piece, “That’s What Christmas Means To Me“.
 

 

“That’s What Christmas Means To Me”
 

It’s Christmas day and Mark and Shelley are waiting for their son to return so they can start the turkey. Shelley’s anxious about the dinner burning and Mark is anxious about Shelley. What does Christmas mean to them? A short play about the endurance of love and the memories we take from it.
 

Directed by Nadia Papachronopoulou
Actors – Raymond Coker and Carole Street
 

Audio Feedback for That’s What Christmas Means To Me – Click To Listen
 

And the written audience feedback…

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Made me feel really depressed, almost which is a good thing as it can envoke such a feeling. Was funny, however if whole play was in this tone, one may leave feeling incredibly down.

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I got reading the stage directions but would have liked to have seen action or maybe not needed. Direction, which required little, was sloppy and confusing.

But defo great writing and potential.

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Very well acted – very realistic and likeable characters. Great performances.

Well written – perfectly judged, really warming. Loved it.

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Laughed a lot. Nice, gentle piece. Nice writing. Narration/spoken directions were a distraction. Overall, really liked it.

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This was a delightful piece which everyone in the audience clearly enjoyed. Beautifully crafted characters with a warm believability. Subtle humour from a real situation takes enormous writing skill – I’d be interested to see more of Katie’s work. The actors were perfect for the roles and performed them wonderfully – it was really good to see age-appropriate actors working with a young company. I hope to see more of them. I suspect rehearsal was scant (as the stage directions were being read in), but this did not spoil the performances, which were touching, funny, and well-timed. It’s a shame the stage directions were not read very clearly, and there seemed to be little (any?) direction. Very much enjoyable however – congratulations to the writer and actors!

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Wonderful piece – really funny. The kind of wit you see – scripts from Alan Bennett or Victoria Wood. Would love to read more of Katie McCullough’s work. Also really great to see involvement from older actors – lovely performances. Enjoyed the ‘staged reading’ set up.

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I thought it was very well written. The dialogue was great and not overly Christmassy for the middle of March. Two lovely characters that were portrayed very well by two actors. I really enjoyed it.

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THIS WAS SO LOVELY!! It was witty, perfect for the night. Well read, well dictated, really, really, entertaining. 10/10.

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Some of it makes me giggle, some of it utterly Lovely and some of it constructive. I think in all honesty the reason why this feedback is heartwarming… is because I have no plans to develop this piece. It was written at the end of last year for another short writing night that went ahead but I wrote something else for that. In the twists and turns of this particular script making it in front of an audience, I got to meet the Lovely folks of Blackshaw. So all is not lost. But I’d definitely recommend getting in touch with the brains behind Blackshaw if you’ve got a short play or segment you want to try on its feet and gauge audience response. The night generally has three to four pieces and a willing invested audience who either give feedback by writing on the audience forms or by the roving reporter who comes around and collects your feedback via the recorder.

 

And the best thing is, all the proceeds go to their mammoth next production which is going to be Gormenghast. So you’ll be helping fund the arts, and you KNOW I have more love for people that do that. You should be nodding right now.