End Of 2010 For Katie December 22, 2010

Katie’s Breakdown (not mentally, not this year) For 2010 In Writing Terms

Yes, it’s going to be one of those blog entries… I warn you that this will be one long list of lists so I have a record of what I’ve done this year, I tend to forget you see.

 

Plays I’ve Seen

The Priory, Royal Court Theatre

Lieutenant Of Inishmore, Barn Theatre, Welwyn

Early Bird, Finborough Theatre

Space Vixens, Barnet

The Factory Round 2, Electric Showroom

Bluebird, Landor Theatre

Ghosts, Duchess Theatre

The Yellow Wallpaper, Ye Olde Rose and Crown Pub Theatre

Off The Endz, Royal Court

Peter and Vandy, Theatre503

Playing Faustus, OVO

Little Shop Of Horrors, Abbey Theatre, St. Albans

A Day At The Racists, Finborough Theatre

Leopoldville Theatre, Tristan Bates Theatre

Posh, Royal Court Theatre

Whipping It Up, Bridewell Theatre

Mrs Reynolds And The Ruffian, Watford Palace Theatre

Little Gem, Bush Theatre

A Thousand Stars Explode In The Sky, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre

Children Of Darkness, Leicester Square Theatre

Marine Parade, The Old Market, Brighton

OperaShots, Royal Opera House

66a Church Road, New Players Theatre

Sucker Punch, Royal Court Theatre (twice – took the ‘rents the second time)

Volpone, Old Town Hall, St. Albans

Money:Shunt, Bermondsey Street, London

Little Shop Of Horrors, St. Albans Amphitheatre

Spur Of The Moment, Royal Court Theatre

Show Of The Night, Lion & Unicorn Theatre

Traverse Live! Clapham Picturehouse

Ghost Stories, Duke Of York’s

Bunny, Watford Palace Theatre

Wanderlust, Royal Court Theatre

Cut Off, Theatre503

Clynbourne Park, Royal Court Theatre

The Big Fellah, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre

Tribes, Royal Court Theatre

Wicked, Apollo Victoria Theatre

The Fool, Cock Tavern

Red Bud, Royal Court Theatre

Blasted, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre

Kin, Royal Court Theatre

Hungry Ghosts, Orange Tree Theatre

Cut Off, Tristan Bates Theatre

 

Plays I’ve Had Performed

The White Room, Abbey Theatre, St. Albans

Regina V. Cooper, Old Town Hall, St. Albans

Shakesperience, Abbey Theatre, St. Albans

Love-Aged-Trilogy, The Book Club – Interrobang, London

Food For Thought – Cut Off, Tristan Bates Theatre, London

 

Schemes/Programmes/Opportunities

Writing for Radio, Fraser Grace, Menagerie Theatre Company, Cambridge

ICA Lab, for children’s TV series CIRCUS, London

The Fielding Programme, Kilcreggan, Glasgow

Royal Court Invitation Group, Royal Court Theatre, London

 

I also got published! I had my short story, “Providence”, published by Tonto Press in, “Even More Tonto Short Stories” and went along to the book launch up in Newcastle. Thank you to Caroline Smailes and Stuart Wheatman who selected my story as a winning one and went and published it. You made me a very happy giddy girl.

 

I also received my first proper London commission from Box Of Tricks theatre company. They liked my work and then asked me to write something for them which I will forever be eternally grateful for, because somewhere in my heart that makes me feel like a playwright. The first draft is currently sitting on their desk waiting to be read and when I’m further along the line with that particular project I will pester you all in coming to see it.

 

And talking of London I had a small debut with the one off performance of, “Love-Aged-Trilogy” and then I had my proper London debut with the five night run of, “Food For Thought” as part of “Cut Off” (both with fellow thespian conspirator Melissa Dunne). Equally exciting and terrifying they were, but I went and done them and now I can say that I’ve done it. It’s made me better.

 

And I met a whole lot of new Lovely people. I like them all (mostly) and maybe even secretly fancy some of them (Tom ‘Cake’ Hardy – okay, not so secret) but they’ve been a delight and a pleasure to know. There are too many of you to list here, but you’re Lovely so stay Lovely and spread the Lovely.

 

Y’see, I thought last year was extremely busy and pivotal for my career, but it seems this year has trumped that. I’ve gained a lot more understanding of what I want to do which is always handy, especially when I spend a lot of my time waiting to hear back on things. It’s not always been great I can’t deny that. There have been schemes that I’ve been shortlisted for but not obtained, there have been reserve lists for other schemes that I’ve not progressed from, there have been flat out rejections and there have also been angry tirades to particular companies… But all in all I have done a lot this year because I’ve put the hours/days/weeks/months in. And I have to say I’m extremely proud of what I’ve achieved. I can honestly look back at all the work I have produced this year (some scripts haven’t and probably won’t be performed at all) and conclude that I am a little bit closer to doing this properly.

 

So I hope this has been a productive blog for you to read… Who am I kidding, it’s just one big post-it note for me.

 

Newcastle Calling November 24, 2010

On Monday just gone I got the train into a very wet looking Newcastle. I was there for the book launch of, “Even More Tonto Short Stories” which was to be held at The Lit & Phil which is a stunning library. Of course regular readers will know that I, myself, Me am published in that very book so it was all a little bit exciting. I’ve been pretty much on the go since September having had something on every night and a play on each month. So as soon as I checked into my Travelodge I fell asleep. And for anyone who is considering staying at Newcastle Travelodge, if you stay in room 258 you will have to walk a good 2 miles to get to your room and that journey will also involve a lift. I jest you not. And a glass walkway of which you can leisurely look at the office buildings that surround the hotel. Even in your room you can see them too. You can look at them. I chose to wave. They did not*.

 

 

Then I went to the event and listened to some people read their stories out which was utter loveliness. And then went out drinking after only eating a pepperami a few hours before. I don’t know why I happened to have a pepperami, my only conclusion is that I bought it from a shop. I have no desire to try and reason with myself why I bought one, but I did and I ate it. This is not advised if you want to feel chipper the next morning.

 

 

 

This was the Lovely Helen Lynch who read some of her story out who later joined in the drinking (to a certain degree, liquid but not alcoholic). She also teaches medieval literature at Aberdeen University and plays in an all-gril ceilidh band. She was carrying her whistle when I met her AND when I said goodbye. Lovely. And I also met the wonderfully sweet Elizabeth Husher, and when I say wonderfully sweet I mean easy to laugh at. In a nice way. And like me, this was her first time being published. Then we were introduced to this man who had compered the evening and then we all didn’t stop drinking.

 

 

I laughed an extreme amount in Newcastle (London+tiredness+hungover+rush hour= distinct reluctance to laugh) and I spent the evening with some Lovely people. Most of the laughing was induced by the man above, I realise I’ve not named him. The man above, Jamie Rothwell, was extremely funny, in a good way. Which helps because that’s part of his job. He’s also Welsh but don’t hold that against him. My night (or shall I say early morning) ended with me watching Jamie reading Elizabeth a short story involving Erasure on a bed in a hotel that used to be a carpark. At 3am in the morning. Thinking back to it, it sounds extremely sordid. And I’m not saying it wasn’t. I think I wrote something about being touched inappropriately in Jamie’s copy of the book. So chances are I may have a flashback several years from now where I’ll panick at the sight of a Welsh man holding a pepperami singing Erasure. (Y’never know, it could happen).

 

I left Newcastle the way I found it, raining and hungry.

 

A big thank you to Stuart Wheatman of Tonto Books for being the publisher man for the whole thing and Caroline Smailes for picking my story to be published.

 

 

 

 

 

*And before you say it, I did open the curtains before I waved.

I’m Going To Be Published, Yuppers. July 26, 2010

So a while ago you’ll remember that I was one of the extremely lucky people to get my story picked to be published in the next installment of short stories from Tonto Press. And the time has come to see myself in print (my copy of the book is due anytime this week) as “Even More Tonto Short Stories” is released to the public as of August 5th.

 

 

Featuring new work by Matt Hilton, Robert Endeacott and Sally Spedding, as well as writing from a whole host of lesser-known but equally splendid writers delving into everything from a solo drinking session and extreme paranoia to murder, craziness and uplifting tales of modern living.

 

This third anthology demands your attention. The stories are worth reading, the writers worth taking note of and the collection worth talking about.

 

Thirty-six stories have been compiled by Caroline Smailes (In Search Of Adam, Like Bees to Honey) to form a strong anthology of new and established writers, to showcase UK talent and prove that the short story is very much alive and kicking.

 

‘Thought-provoking and fresh voices in short fiction. This collection combines everyday situations with a twist of absurd, a sprinkle of clever and a lick of sublime. Brilliant.’ Caroline Smailes

 

This is a brilliant showcase for what’s new on the UK’s short fiction scene. The collection had over 200 writer entries and many of those chosen writers have been published in writing magazines and across many genres, as well as being influential literary bloggers and reviewers with big readerships.

 

Publication date: 5 August 2010
ISBN: 9781907183041
A format paperback Fiction / Collection
£7.99 400pp

 

If I’m completely honest I used to have the belief that you were never a ‘proper’ writer until you were published. Since then my ideals have changed because that was coming from me when I was eight years old. But then again I’m getting that tingle of excitement because I will be published and alongside some fantastic writers. Now that deserves a cup o’tea and a hefty slice of cake.