Tuesday, July 08, 2014

Festival day 5... in the War Zone

I should have realised the day would start early when I agreed to talk about War Zones on Frome FM Breakfast Show with Bo Bowman-Shaw and Sara Vian ~ the clue is in the name ~ but lots of black coffee was provided and it was great fun to chat about the doings of the day with Russ Ellingham, who's painting sensational decor for Archangel's big Prohibition Night, and with Paul Newman whose venue number 2 is a must-see stop on Open Studios trail. Then on to a day's intensive rehearsals, with Alan Campbell of Frome Film & Video Makers coming in to film the full dress rehearsal ~ looking forward to some some clips for Youtube!
The filming meant I couldn't take any production stills during the dress rehearsal, but here's Danann and Livi at the end of a long day, with a quick break before the first night performance. By 7 o'clock we were sold out and by the time the show started we'd had to turn away about a dozen walk-ups. The feedback forms tell the next bit: The performance was amazing, the acting and the writing... Superb plays and actors... Great stories... So so so so good!... Amazing. Very intense... Very engaging, very funny, strangely informative... Really good blend of drama, pathos, and emotion – light and shade... Fantastic, such talent... So thought-provoking, more people should see it. Wonderful... interesting – kept my attention... Very professional... Excellent – poignant, funny, thoughtful. And more.
Abandoning Rosie as soon as applause & cheers subsided, I scurried down to Dolly's Bar in the Old Bath Arms to catch the second half of the Bard of Frome comedy playwriting competition, results voted by audience ballot. Here's organiser Tim O'Connor announcing the winner and then I had to stop taking pictures because it was my play Muffin Man, a big surprise & delight, to me anyway. A quick dash back to the Cornerhouse where Dempseys were still playing, to end the night dancing, still shamelessly brandishing my trophy cup. Well, you would, wouldn't you?

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