You win some...

... Enjoyed working with actors to pitch 'The Black Prince' idea/play for LightNight at Stage@Leeds last Fri, but the prize went to a performance art piece. I still believe in my idea/play though.

My fantasy novel 'The Fixed Lands' was yet again the bridesmaid, being highly commended in the Red Telephone Publishers' competition, and the critique came through. Very useful and heartening that they found a lot right with it, but felt the things that were wrong would be 'fixable' - ironic as the novel in a way concludes there is no 'fixity'.

All busy with 'About Chocolate' for Edinburgh and other projects. We've lost a very good actress, Sal Fulcher, for 'Doublecross' as she's got a film part and been swept off her feet and to France. However, interest from others has already been good, so hopefully we'll get someone else suitable to play our 'closet call-girl'. (If anyone out there feels like donning black stockings and pink marigolds, get in touch with ActONE's director.)

Grassington Festival

Our Edinburgh preview was on at Grassington Festival last night and proved a great, useful pre-Fringe opportunity. And we did a damn sight better than Mr Gerrard and his team!

Irene was superb and we're all systems go for August!

('About Chocolate' 16-21 Aug, 4-5pm, Venue 53, The Space @ Surgeons Hall
Royal College of Surgeons, Nicholson St boxoffice.surgeons@thespaceuk.com £7/£5 www.thespaceuk.com http://sweetdreamsproductions.weebly.com)

In the pursuit of eternal optimism (25th Grassington Octagon plus WYP workshop with Penguin writer and director)

On Sat, I attended one of the best drama-writing workshops I've been to, at West Yorkshire Playhouse, given by Tom Wells writer of 'Me, as a Penguin' and his director Chris Hill. Both very young, very talented and very enthusiastic/supportive. Workshops etc can too easily get clogged up by ego - either that of those leading them or of those attending. This had a great 'we're only here to learn' atmosphere. It was invaluable to be able to put questions to both a writer and director of new writing at the same time on such as presentation, voice, interpretation. It only lasted 2 hours, but I learnt a lot and we also did some useful writing exercises, 'cast' amongst us and read aloud, with feedback given. So good on yer lads!

In the pursuit of eternal optimism, our preview for Edinburgh takes place in Grassington Fringe Festival at Grassington Octagon, Fri pm 18th June 10.30pm £5 (still under the earlier title of ‘Maltesa Falcon’ but is newly-developed version). www.grassington-festival.org.uk/fringe.cfm
Yes, turned out not such good choice of date and Mr Gerrard shall have to excuse us for stealing his viewers!
We're hoping the anti-football lobby will forsake 'girls having their nails done instead' events and come and see us. Another good show on before us, so a more cerebral night out is to be had.

Time zones/Arundel Festival

Jet-lag wasn't good. Worse coming back here, maybe as lose time and literally go backwards. Not sure what Einstein would have made of it, but I did think about his twins theory. However, I think the astronaut one would get so 'space-lagged', dehydrated and fed up with in-flight date movies, that his 70 yr old twin on the ground would look younger - 'relatively' of course.

Manic at work etc. Not much time to write, but did manage to get to the launch of Arundel Festival last Friday (baking hot English weather - where did that come from?). Bill Brennan is the dynamo behind the drama initiatives there (which seem to range from plays on the river to inside the castle). This year there doing a 'Theatre Trail' third week in Aug (24th onwards? which is the week after our Edinburgh show). My short play 'Fit Piece' will feature, with 8 performances, along with several other dramas, including one by Simon Brett, a very entertaining excerpt of which we treated to at the launch (albeit apparently not written yet!)

I'd met Simon briefly at my inaugural 'sherry reception' on joining the Society of Authors a while back and it was nice to meet him again (especially as he liked my script, having been part of the selection process).

Off to Script Yorkshire meeting in Leeds tonight.

Int- eruptions

They say every cloud has a silver lining, but what about volcanic ash clouds? I wanted to get back on time, so could attend lunch being given for writers selected by Drip Action Theatre for their performances in forthcoming Arundel, Festival in W Sussex. In the immortal words of Hugh Grant, yea even when he was in '4 Weddings a Funeral' no less and not with the Partridge Family - 'bugger!'

All good things must...

Last night here now. Met some cool alpacas today (so I take back what I said about sheep). Back to battling through the volacanic ash tomorrow. Yee-a, as the Kiwis say.

PS

On the wildlife cruise, the guide took me a bit aback by saying we'd see a lot of shags (pronounced shaegs, of course - can't get away from the dipthongs here). Briefly I wondered if we were to take a detour into sheep farming territory, but was relieved when he added, 'You may know them as cormorants'.