My First Full Length Play At Theatre503 And You Can Help… July 15, 2011

… “I Still Get Excited When I See A Ladybird“. Yeah, that’s the one. It’s coming up this August and you can be in the audience. It’s the script I’ve blogged about a lot on here, the process of me writing it. That’s how much this is needling away in my brain. I’ve struggled to get into this position where I can show my work off, in front of an audience. It’s what I wanted all along. And now it’s going to happen I’m terrified. I’m being honest here, as I normally am. It’s at Theatre503 who are the smallest building to win an Olivier and who The Guardian quote as being, “Arguably the most important theatre in Britain today”. I feel like I’m swallowing large sickly apples.

 

But on the flip side it’s finally happening. There will be a cast, who will be directed, who will then perform in front of an audience. Exciting. Mega exciting. I’m sure I should be saying something far more intellectual and deep right now, but fuck it, I’m shouting from the bottom of my bank account because I want to. It could go tits up of course. I could invite all the important people and friends and family to come and see this and it could prove that I cannot write for shit and I shouldn’t waste my time. But at least I would have tried, at least I would have had the opportunity to show what I can or cannot do.

 

I’m sure that won’t happen. I hope that won’t happen.

 

So enough with the self-flagulation. This is where you guys come in. We’re going through the Lovely folks at WeFund who you and I know very well from my previous shoutouts (the insanely ace Box Of Tricks), and this time it’s even more personal. Because it’s to help fund my play, yes, my play. Even writing those two little words in this context makes me feel giddy.

 

Here’s the video that you’ll also see on our WeFund page (there’s a slight delay at present but it’ll be up there too very soon!) where we chat about the project and what’s in store. Click the WeFund icon to go to our donation page.

 

WeFund Video For #ExcitedLadybird

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As you can see there are lots of incentives for you to plump for, but honestly, every little helps. I’m calling on all the people I have ever helped out whether it be reading your script/novel/work or helping you with your website or just emailed you advice. All I’m asking for is as much as you can offer. This project is a massive milestone for me and will (fingers crossed) lead to bigger things. And it’s not just about me, it’s for the cast and crew too. We want to make people sit up and take notice with this production and every donation will help go toward that goal. It is achievable. We will do it, yes I’m looking at you. If you cannot part with a donation but can buy a ticket I still love you. If you’re further a field and cannot do both, I still love you too. Just pass the word on. This is all about helping out emerging artists and plugging the plight of good theatre. Collaboration doesn’t stop within the rehearsal room, it extends its loving and interesting arm around the audience too. I’ll be documenting the process of page to stage as much as I can. I want you to be a part of this as much as anyone else. Next I’ll be blogging about the cast and crew and if you want to follow @papercuttheatre on Twitter and keep an eye out for the assigned hashtag #ExcitedLadybird please do.

 

 

Theatre503 Lab Round-Up January 15, 2011

The last few days I’ve had the opportunity to not only feel the burn of on-peak increased rail fares, but to have one of my plays workshopped. Melissa Dunne led a stella cast at Theatre503 to discuss, develop and explore the play, “I Still Get Excited When I See A Ladybird“.

The cast discuss what order the monologues could go in.

(We were having to run the workshop around an existing set, so although set in a stationery shop the photographs will feature heavily a double bed)

I felt many things over the workshop days. To be honest I’d not delved into this particular script since roughly around this time last year. I’d become so distanced from it, that I’d forgotten characteristics of the monologues – essentially I had fallen out of love with the whole notion of the script. And this wasn’t because I was displeased with the outcome or because I saw no merit in the work (I still think this is some of the best work that I’ve challenged myself with), it was because nothing had been done with it. I’d written it, sent it to places and competitions and got a whole lot of rejection. This is part and parcel of any creative routine, actually it’s part of any routine in any industry.

Director Dunne watches them rearrange the monologues.

So when the opportunity came up to explore aspects of the scripts and format I jumped at the chance. The text is presented to the cast and director with the freedom to present it in any way in any order. This is something that is extremely intricate and there are purposeful meta-narratives evident in the text, but there are also thematic devices running throughout all 7 monologues. This is something that we somehow managed to explore in the short space of time we had and this is due to the cracking speed and insight the actors all brought to the table.

Claire (Manager) and George's (Deputy) relationship is explored.

Without getting too slushy about it all (and that’s a blatant pre-emptive signifier that I will), it was extremely humbling and exciting. I’m the quiet type of writer in rehearsals to sit at the back and listen to what the others have to say… Then offer up my own insight, but never to impinge on the process or make slight of what the actors have said. I believe strongly in collaboration and thinks it’s an important strand that we shouldn’t forget. And I don’t mean purely in the sense of once the script is written you then hand it to a director and actors and the job’s done. I mean the process of before, during and after.

Judith (Weekend Sales Assistant) and Chloe (Full-Time Sales Assistant)

It’s still a thrill to see these characters that you write come to life and be embodied on stage. It’s even more thrilling to lose sight of the character that you wrote entwined in the words on the page and be surprised by what you’re seeing on the stage. This is where it’s important to trust your co-conspirators. A surprise doesn’t necessarily mean a detrimental action that jolts you from what you once thought something was going to be. The surprise is that you realise something is working and someone else is exploring it in the same way as you, but it feels fresh and thorough. I had no idea what to expect from this workshop but after the three days of rediscovering these characters I felt in awe of not only the hard work and time that the actors had given up to go on this journey with me, but at the strength of my own writing. This is not me being egotistical, it’s me being honest. The last year or so I can bravely say that my writing is so much better than it used to be. This is partially down to giving myself the time to dedicate to writing, but also in part to the people I have met and been inspired by. I’ve blogged about this before I’m sure, or it’s definitely something that I’ve spoken about, but in allowing yourself to be artistically free in your chosen subject you have a richer dialect with your audience. I wouldn’t say I’m a genre led writer and I definitely wouldn’t say I’m the writer that draws on their own life all the time (I’m young, live in a village and lack real emotion, go figure). What I mean is that by not panicking about my family thinking everything I write is a result of some disturbed childhood or fellow creatives thinking everything is representative of what I think, I have allowed myself to strengthen my writing because I want to.

Will (Supervisor) and Claire (Manager)

There’s a difference in accepting notes and feedback and actually applying it when it matters. There’s debate and discussion and there’s being easily led and trying to please other people. A thick skin is needed but you also have to stay true to your own intentions and not be led by other people trying to convince you that they are right about your work.

Stuart (Part-time Sales Assistant) and Chloe (Full-Time Sales Assistant)

I didn’t intend this post to be so verbose, apologies. But what I’m trying to say is that the past three days have been so beneficial to me regardless of what stage the script is at. The script is finished and has been for a long time. But by taking it to the next stage by having a director lead a group of actors in exploring their characters it just goes to show that the expectancy of a script is surprising and fruitful. By building on that conversation you become enlightened about aspects of your characters that you didn’t realise, but also about your writing. You’re a part of the process and you feed into it regardless of how much you’re presence is felt in the rehearsal room or how true to your life the script is.

Chloe (Full-Time Sales Assistant) with George (Deputy Manager)

This script is still circling festivals/competitions/blah so as usual it’s a waiting game. But it was such a great experience to hear my work being put to the test by high calibre actors. The depth of their understanding and facets they brought to the surface of their characters stunningly amazed me and I’m thankful for the collaboration process for highlighting that. Many thanks to:

Jonathan Christie

Melissa Dunne

Jayne Edwards

Nigel Mattison

Tim O’Hara

Zimmy Ryan

Jessica Sîan

(Exciting for me) Katie Catch-Up November 4, 2010

 

(Exciting for me) Katie Catch Up

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Details about times/places/info of my London debut are available here where I’ve previously jabbered about them: [previous jabbering]

 

and for the more professional gunf such as the venue putting information about me on their website: [professional shout out]

 

Loving your face.