Dear Diary. Sometimes Things Go Full Circle ~ It Seems.
I began my performance career as a struggling actor on the stages of the Old Rep, or as it was originally known, Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
The time that I spent there didn't turn out to be the greatest time of my life but the stage experience I gained as a young teenager during the mid 70s would strengthen me for future stage performances albeit that my artistic loves and pursuits would over time, influence me towards frequenting the world of song and live music much more than that of acting and drama.
I lament that today, perhaps influenced by the dull grey skies and swirling winds that have descended upon the region, as I'm sat here writing I do feel like my rock & roll days are well and truly behind me. It's been around three years since I've been in a band and I don't currently harbour any desire to form one. In fact, in terms of my artistic interests I must admit that a fascination with the art of creation in relation to acting and drama has returned voraciously to my psyche.
This must explain why I am currently working on three scripts.
And, as is typical of me I'm studying independently as hard as I possibly can. I do want my writing and my ability to screen-write especially to improve and I realise that this means that I need to learn much, much more.
'Studying how?' I hear you ask. Well of course I am taking technical advice, and there's lots of that available online from renowned practitioners of the art, but also by watching as many films and plays as I can, listening to or reading as many scripts and stories as I can and writing as much as I can. I realise that you have to embrace and therefore grow into your goals and establishing myself as a great writer is today, one of my goals.
So how brilliant it was that I found out recently that a very close acquaintance of mine was appearing in a play called Meek at The Birmingham Repertory, and that I was able to make the event.
To return to a theatre to watch a play as an unknown writer 40 years after leaving as an unknown actor might not seem like something to be too inspired about to others, but I was and I did, by the end of the night feel (alongside all the wonderful feelings I'd had watching my acquaintance's thrilling and quite captivating performance) enthused and empowered knowing that I'd just seen an extraordinary play and some outstanding performances at a key city venue whose history and heritage I had in my own small way, been a part of those many years ago.
If you like your stage plays to be tense affairs, dark and powerfully infused with thought provoking twists and turns then I strongly recommend you watch this one.
'Meek' stars the extremely talented Shvorne Marks, Scarlett Brookes and Amanda Wright and was directed by Amy Hodge. It was written by Penelope Skinner.
Previous My Interview with Walsall Boxing's Living Legend, Martin Gethin.
Next Dear Diary, Who Killed Marjorie Pike?