Our writer-in-waiting has been on the Royal Court Theatre’s Critical Mass Programme, Invitation and Super Groups and has been informally attached to the Clean Break Theatre. She has had rehearsed readings of her plays at the Royal Court Theatre, Soho Theatre, Young Vic, Young Actors Theatre and Tristan Bates Theatre.
Harold Pinter has his pauses. I have my beats. I’m still finding my feet as a writer. I’m discovering my own craft. I’m using the ‘power of beats’ to emphasise the tension, pace and dramatic twists – a rhythm of words, silences, dashes and sometimes just ‘white space’.
Having dabbled in the world of acting myself at the Young Actors Theatre (formerly the Anna Scher Theatre) and Identity Drama School, I’ve made myself a promise to never act in one of my plays. I don’t have the skill, poise or dramatic expertise. I’ve also made myself a promise that no matter how many theatre rejections I continue to receive, I will be the greatest playwright in Britain.
Speaking of rejections, the latest one came from Finborough Theatre (whose response was rather curt, asking me not to send them anymore plays for a year). I wasn’t very offended, I was extremely offended. I took two deep breaths and made another promise, that my plays will never grace the stage of the Finborough, come hell or high water.
Another rejection from Theatre503 followed. They had asked me to send in a potential submission for their response to the death of Margaret Thatcher. My piece was based around a birthday gathering with four black female friends who had come through the 80s with varying degrees of ‘scar tissue’. One was in the process of having her home repossessed, another was being made redundant, one was suffering from a critical illness (but her nearest hospital had been closed) and the final one was … anyhow, it was rejected. Although disappointed, I was glad to be asked and to be on Theatre503’s writing radar.
Next up is the Arts Council England, where my application is now lodged. I need a collective fingers crossed for this one as a successful grant will allow me to hold a week’s performance of the newly redrafted Take Me 2 Manhattan play. Theatre503 has guaranteed me theatre space, if I can secure the funds.
In the meantime, I’m writing away at speed to meet the deadline for the Alfred Fagon Award (13 August) after meeting the Verity Bargate Award submission date (30 June). I’ve got five plays going around my head, all in different stages of completion. I need to make a decision fast and write even faster.
I always make a habit entering these play awards. It’s a good discipline to learn, to write something new to deadline. Occasionally I have success (I’ve been shortlisted twice for Alfred Fagon and once for Verity Bargate). Last year I was also longlisted for the Bruntwood Award, and have entered another play. It feels ironic that I can get shortlisted for awards but continually face a sea of theatre rejections.
On the film front, I’ve acquired the number for Ken Loach’s office and it’s burning a hole in my phone. I need to call him to ask for advice on getting Soun’ Clash out there. Soun’ Clash got some excellent feedback from the BBC Writersroom, but (yes) it was rejected all the same. So I’ll re-draft it and will keep pushing the project, until it’s made.
I have a first draft of my short film Mirror, starring Danielle Vitalis (Attack the Block and Youngers) and Tanya Fear (Kick-Ass 2). What can I say? It looks fantastic. Many thanks, as always, to Identity Drama School. As soon as all paperwork with the director is signed off, it should be all go for the big or small screen.
Bracewell Road, which I’ve written as a TV series set in the 50s, is now also a stage play, a musical, in fact. Why not? I’m not writing to commission so I can write what I like. Freedom, it’s called.