Another blast from the past! Unfortunately a lot of the footage for Regina V Cooper was lost, but myself and cameraman Matthew Farman have trawled through what we have and compiled what we’d like to call a trailer for the piece. And when I say ‘we‘ trawled, what I really mean is I gave Matt notes and he did all the hard work.
So here it is…
So it’s all over. It was extreme amounts of fun and I have to thank the following people:
Stanley Walton
Nicole Ryan
Michael Keir
Dennis O’Connell-Baker
Suzy Duxbury
Rosemarie Partridge
Keith Davey
Chris Norton-Walker
Beverley Keech
Neil Fox
Amber Townsend
Sue Townsend
Carolyn Ryden
Roger Walton
Phil Littler
Matt Farman
Eamonn Keane
Hilary Davies
Margaret Baker
Joel Baillie-Lane
Tina Swain
Either these people were in it, directed it, were the jury members, filmed/photographed it, asked me to write it or played a part in making the day go swiftly.
Special amounts of Katie love going to you. When I’ve got some photos/filmlings then I’ll share the good times.
I jest, it was my attempt at a pun to do with costumes… Please don’t judge me for that.
Performance times have been confirmed:
Regina V Cooper [2010]
Written by Katie McCullough for STARTS
St. Albans Old Town Hall, St. Peters Street, St. Albans, AL3 5DJ
Saturday 18th September
The traditional courtroom will be open to the public as part of THE BIG PROJECT, a day of local creative happenings around each part of the town hall. There will be two performances on the day lasting 25mins:
12:30pm
and
3:30pm
And in other rooms there will be film screenings, art exhibitions, music, art classes and performance poetry.
THE PLAY
The courtroom will be open for the public to sit in the gallery as requested by the local council. This case will garner much attention from the press due to the horrific nature of the details and the ripples it has had on the local community. Called forward to testify will be the neighbour, the expert witness and the arresting officer. All to prove that the defendant is guilty of multiple murder.
“Rebecca Cooper stands in the dock on trial for the murders of eighteen gastropod molluscs – slugs. The defence is pursuing partial insanity and the prosecution is applying for thrill killing. You are charged that on the night of 16th September at Cell Barnes Lane, St. Albans, you murdered eighteen victims. How do you plead, guilty or not guilty?”
A court case with peculiar undertones condensed to 25 minutes including the verdict. This tense case will make you question your own morals and more importantly your own innocence. One woman pushed to the brink due to redundancies and insomnia and childhood memories that resurface in this tragicomic telling of one woman’s retribution on the garden slug. In this court of law murder is murder, no matter what creature you are.
THE PLAYWRIGHT
This site specific play written by local Katie McCullough was commissioned by STARTS. Katie is a graduate of Bournemouth Media School and the Royal Court Theatre, London. Her mentors have included established playwrights and poets – Leo Butler, Polly Clark, Fraser Grace and Simon Stephens. She’s received readings at the ICA and Theatre Royal Stratford East and been granted Arvon funding. She took part in the Vauxhall 48Hr Film Challenge as part of the Branchage Film Festival, Jersey by scriptwriting the winning film ‘Morning Mist’ and is also Theatrix’s playwright-in-residence. Katie has a short story featured in the ‘Even More Tonto Short Stories’ anthology which was released in book shops August 2010. Her website is www.katiemccullough.co.uk
*I realise like a numpty I said I can make more rehearsals than I said at the beginning of the sentence. Before anyone corrects me.
And here are some publicity photographs that the newspaper didn’t end up using but who knows, we might before the big day.
I’ve got some wonderful people involved who also happen to be close friends. It’s exciting times, especially as it’ll reach a wider audience with it being performed smack back in the town centre. When I know the performance times I’ll be sure to holler about it.
I’ve been approached by St. Albans Arts via Abbey Theatre to write a site specific piece for an their upcoming Big Project in September. The idea is that the Old Town Hall will be taken over by local talents ranging from filmmakers, writers, artists, musicians and each room will be fully utilised for maximum impact.
I’ve been given the challenge of writing a 20-25min piece specifically for the court room – a space that is magnificent as it is imposing. Awe-inspiring to say the least I got given a tour yesterday to go suss it out and I cannot wait to get my hands dirty with this piece. It’s often used by the BBC because of its authenticity and the fact that it has not been disrupted at all. The acoustics leave much to be desired (tall ceilings and endless bouncing) but using trained actors will help a great deal.
Presently I’m up to date with all the Shakespeare adaptations I’m doing for Theatrix so can give my full attention to this piece as it’s going to require a lot of research. Going to sort out sitting in on some court cases tomorrow at the Crown Court in St. Albans. So far I know what the premise is and I’ve cast a few of the parts but have yet to put pen to paper. That’s what my plan is to do for the rest of this week.
Eager, excited and equally terrified. I’m liking it.
