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Write a play with songs, for a cast of four actor-musicians \u2013 that was the brief from Penrith\u2019s rural touring company, Quondam. I\u2019d only written one song lyric in my life, and loved it! So I was kicking keen to work with a composer again. Also: write something entertaining for an audience that doesn\u2019t go to the theatre that often. An interval so the audience can get together for a blether. Oh, and it has to be fun for the actors. So a cinch, really\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0Listen\u00a0 to The Bottle Song <\/a>\u2013 a duet between a woman and a champagne bottle<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Writing a play is mighty hard work, even with a brilliant dramaturg and director behind you (thanks, Stefan!). You spend a lot of time talking to yourself, usually in several voices. When things aren\u2019t working, the best strategy is to leap to your feet and feel the moment from within \u2013 a sort of method writing, I suppose. Then into the other character, see what they\u2019re up to. You\u2019ll gather that madness is never very far away. Actor Ruth Tapp in rehearsal<\/p><\/div>\n Songwriting was fab! Not least because I had the chance to work with very fine accordionist, Ian Lowthian.<\/p>\n Calm before the storm - rural touring set <\/p><\/div>\n Lyrics are like puzzles, I found. First, you have to work out why they\u2019re there \u2013 what\u2019s the dramatic point? What\u2019s the moment about? What changes? They have to be in character, with a point of view (or two), in singable language, with a pattern that can be set to music. Keep it simple, but avoid clich\u00e9. For writers, this is hard-core multiskilling \u2013 drama, story, character, rhythm, economy, music. Bring it on! You know it\u2019s working when the audience cry. \u00a0 Write a play with songs, for a cast of four actor-musicians \u2013 that was the brief from Penrith\u2019s rural touring company, Quondam. I\u2019d only written one song lyric in my life, and loved it! So I was kicking keen … Continue reading
\nBut it all pays off when you go into rehearsal. From then on, it\u2019s all about teamwork \u2013 sorting the bits that don\u2019t work, adding new bits that do\u2026 Everyone pitches in with ideas. The whole piece has to unfold properly in time, with the right tensions and turns and surprises, and that\u2019s hard to get a full sense of when you\u2019re writing on your own. Then it\u2019s on its feet, scripts go down, and everything starts coming properly alive. At some point (horribly late), you realise the play\u2019s not yours anymore. It belongs to the actors. And you shuffle off, feeling sort of redundant, and a bit jealous. You kick a few lampposts. Finally, Helen, Danny, Andrew and Ruth take to the road in a van \u2013 the amorphous cargo of words, planks, paint and bodies that is a play. And 26 venues later, it evaporates to the wind.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/WritingTutors\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/Ruth_with_accordeon2-150x150.jpg\" "\\"Ruth_with_accordeon\\"")
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\nFast-forward: I\u2019m working on the next brief. Two acts, interval , only three actors this time (cutbacks). And this time, it has to be a comedy. Bit of a cinch, then\u2026
\nThe Wife of Usher\u2019s Well by Jules Horne toured the UK in October-November 2010. Jules is based in the Scottish Borders and teaches for the Open\u00a0University\u00a0\u00a0in\u00a0Scotland. She\u2019s currently writing a play for BBC Radio 4.
\nhttp:\/\/www.quondam.org.uk\/national-touring.cfm<\/a>
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