So that’s it. The play is up and running.
Press night has been and gone.
The actors and the audience put in a fine fine performance – committed, flavoursme,and engaged with the rhythms of the play. It all fell into place.
I sat there (without, as I’d expected, writhing and mouthing the words under my breath) and thought:
Yes, this is my play, it has been realised on stage.
I like it. It’s to my taste.
I would want to see it.
So I feel reasonably sanguine about anything anyone has to say about the play.
We’ve had some excellent reviews, so far. In the Telegraph, in the Manchester evening news, and in various places online.
And it’s been good to read posts from other audience members – both here (thank you) and on other websites.
The only thing I’ve found really maddening so far was a rather indifferent account of the play on Front Row, where Charlotte Keatly and Kirstly Lang had at the centre of their solemn analysis the objection that I wasn’t a female playwright writing about teenage girls.
After the press night, we had a very worrying couple of days following an injury to one of the actors, which led to the cancellation of the matinee and evening shows. I don’t think it’s appropriate to more specific than that, but the main thing is that he’s recovering, and bravely took to the stage again last night deliver, I’m told, a ‘cracking performance’.
And once again I’m going to plug my beautifully produced playtext, which you can buy on the usual places online, and at the usual bookshops around the country. If you do buy online, it’s better to buy from Nick Hern Books directly rather than from somewhere like Amazon.
My thanks to everyone who’s come to see the play (especially from long distances) – it’s been really appreciated.
2007-07-18 @ 12:03