Tag Archives: writeplays

Work in Progress

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Work in Progress

Creatives always have a WIP, don’t they? Except that having told you all about the wonderful opportunity presented by Oran Mor/Channel 4, the brain has locked down.

Happens a lot and I have to wonder whether it’s a fear of success. Well, I’m not admitting to a fear of failure!

I spent the weekend at Penrith Newton Rigg Campus of the University of Cumbria where I was a delegate at the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s annual conference. Yep, I’m not waiting around to make my fortune from playwriting, but trying other fields too. Writing conferences are great for allowing you to mingle with the big names who produce and the big names who buy. It’s also a time-out-of-time when the brain can work in free-fall without the spectre of your usual responsibilities getting in the way.

Did I come back with an idea for 50 minutes of stage time featuring not more than three characters?

No!

However, being de-briefed by my husband on his weekend, I found the idea I need. At least I think I have.

Maybe!

Will keep you updated.

What am I watching? Now off to buy my ticket for Robert Howat and Tight-Laced’s production of the Three Hagstanes. 3pm at the Scottish Story-telling Centre, High Street Edinburgh, Sunday 22nd July. Myth and greed. Sounds just right for the current summer weather.

On Home Ground

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It’s really exciting to have the Theatre Broad production in Edinburgh tonight. Not that I don’t enjoy heading off to visit other theatres and performance spaces, because I certainly do. All the same, it’s a thrill to know one of my plays is on at a theatre near me.

And that is The Pleasance Theatre on the Pleasance (think Edinburgh University Gym folks) 0131- 650 4673, if you get lost. At 7.30 pm

I learned a lot about writing plays there from Colin Mortimer during his Febfest classes. This has left me with a love of the Jungle Book – how hard is studying for next week when watching that film is the homework? So I would say, if asked, that Edinburgh University’s dedication to drama has played a big part in my playwriting career. Once you’ve experienced the thrill of sitting around in unheated spaces, auditioning student actors and attending rehearsals in other unheated spaces, once the key-holder can be found, why would you opt for any other medium?

Equally the flame has been kept burning by the WEA classes of Liz Hare and the competitions run by Edinburgh Writers’ Club. Liz’s classes in the wonderful surroundings of Riddle’s Court led on to several performances there, when it became for several years a fringe venue. Edinburgh Writers’ Club is one of, if not the, oldest Writers’ groups in Scotland. It’s a gem of its kind and if you want to know more about it go here:

http://www.lothianlife.co.uk/2012/05/a-nursery-of-the-talents-%e2%80%93-edinburgh-writers-club/

Look forward to meeting any readers of this blog tonight. Come up and say hullo.

What’s With Drama?

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Children love performing their little dramas, sketches and puppet shows for the family. They enjoy the chance to show off to the most important people in their lives and the most important people in their lives love watching.

When does that change? Maybe when the cute factor stops overriding bad theatre. Maybe when only some of the cast have their heart in it. Maybe when the performers stop being performers and begin to be audience.

In my own case, it was when I realised I wanted to create the words for others to use. I wanted to see what movement they inspired in the actors, what subtext they suggested to the director and what questions they aroused in the audience member.

When anyone asks why do you write plays, (as opposed to novels, short stories etc) I used to find it difficult to answer. I still do because creating a play has so many more imponderables than a piece that will become hard copy. In the end, I think it has to be drama because I think mainly in conversations. Over and over they turn as I edit and trim till the right words are spoken by the right person.