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.
It’s all quiet on the Western Front. I’ve submitted my first feature film script to the literary agents, which they will consider before offering me ‘any’ assurances of representation. I’ll just play the long game as it is all systems go with my short film Mirror.
Richard ‘Rich’ Twyman has returned from being AWOL to direct my short. It was filmed over the course of a recent weekend in a well known clothing department chain (one that has been frequented by a certain Catherine Middleton), and at a shopping centre is Islington. Mirror, which stars Danielle Vitalis (Attack the Block) and Tanya Fear, is thankfully in the can and should be coming to a screen near you very soon, even if it is only your computer screen.
Based on watching Downton Abbey and Harry Potter you must be wondering where all the leading black actors are. I may have the answer. They will be in Bracewell Road, a new serialisation about Caribbean people making a life for themselves in post war Britain, with a comedy flavour.
Never heard of it? That’s because I’m in the process of writing it with the full support of Gary Beadle (EastEnders, Ab Fab), a British acting legend and the lead actor in the Bracewell Road series. He has already passed the episode outlines to a producer/director who has directed episodes of EastEnders and Trial and Retribution. More important, he is excited about the project.
As for my theatre pursuits, it was heart warming to receive feedback from the Bruntwood Prize award panel on my submission Take Me 2 Manhattan, a play about a young girl’s coming of age, a young boy trying to hold things together and their lives in and around a chicken shop. They described the play as an “urban epic”, high praise indeed. With that in mind, and fresh from a staged reading of the play at the Young Vic under the skilful direction of Erica Miller, we are going to take the play to a full staged performance, with a run in 2012. Well, that’s the grand plan.
I mustn’t forget Shredder, another play that came out of my writing with the Royal Court Theatre’s Critical Mass programme, run specifically for black writers by Ola Animashawun. Shredder received a rehearsed reading at the Jerwood Theatre (Royal Court) with stellar direction from the Tricycle Theatre’s new artistic director Indu Rubasingham and actors, including Jenny Jules, Ruth Sheen, Karl Collins and Clifford Samuel.
Before you ask, with Rubasingham taking over the helm at Tricycle Theatre next spring (big congratulations), I’ve already sent her an email about the possibility of recreating the Christmas tale of Shredder (where family secrets explode like nuclear crackers) at the Tricycle. If you don’t ask…
So it’s back to the waiting game. I should know if I’ve made Theatre503’s shortlist of five writers by mid-December. Channel 4’s screenwriters programme, no word as yet. Literary agents – I’m still on hold. Feature film script, currently with Paul Ashton and the BBC Writersroom for consideration. My radio play and three novels are all on the back burner – for now.
Until next time…
