Guest blogger, actress and playwright Lizzie Bourne is looking forward to seeing how the truth will out.
Alice Bonifacio directed me in ‘Amadeus’ at the University of Edinburgh – a brilliant experience from start to finish. So when she asked if I’d be interested in being directed by her again, in ‘Three Women in a Music Box’ for Represents…The Launch, it was a no brainer.
When Alice brought Thea Beyleveld, Dani Moseley and I into that rehearsal room it was, as they say, love at first sight. We bantered as easily as the characters in Dan Horrigan’s fun, playful and poignant script, which builds up to a young girl’s first date, and relished sharing memories of our own teenage years. We had three or four meetings under Alice’s considerate direction before the performances, and enjoyed playing onstage in the safe, supportive atmosphere Debs and Ali champion for all casts.
Lizzie with Thea Beyleveld and Dani Moseley in rehearsal for Three Women in a Music Box by Dan Horrigan
For Represents…Desire, Alice, Dani and I were happily joined by Anyebe Godwin, this time to tell a story which on its face seemed darker than ‘Three Women’, called ‘Nice Jumper’. However, the humour Daniel Page had written into it shone through, and within the creative character and intention work which is a characteristic part of Alice’s directing, each of us found a great story arc. The performance nights were even better this time: perhaps we were more consciously anticipating seeing the other plays, looking forward to being in the space with the Whoop ‘n’ Wail team again…thinking of Ali’s baked goods. Whatever it was, the night was fun and full of fresh work – but I have to admit, what we loved most was getting to wear those awesome jumpers.
Lizzie with Dani Moseley in Nice Jumper by Daniel Page
Although I have a Creative Writing MSc, since graduating from the Oxford School of Drama acting and the pursuit of acting work has dominated (funny that). But I’d made decent money from my last Radio 4 job, so had generously and indulgently promised myself a few weeks off work to write – and low and behold, at the start of that period, the call went out for Represents…Mayday. How could I not?
Whoop ‘n’ Wail’s deal is that if your play is shortlisted and a director, unknown to you, chooses it, they will cast it and prep it – within this system Ali and Debs, in their organisational wisdom and immense capacity to involve and facilitate, allow as many people as possible to be as creative as possible. I’m looking forward to seeing how ‘The Shipping Forecast’ is interpreted by the cast in performance – it’s how I’ll hear and learn from the holes in the script, but also how I’ll be given truth I didn’t know was there.
Let’s cross our fingers, for the director and cast’s sake at least, for fewer holes and more truth. Come along on 27/28th April to Waterloo East Theatre and see.
Lizzie Bourne is a graduate of The Oxford School of Drama. Skills include cello, singing and puppetry, as well as playwriting. http://www.spotlight.com/LizzieBourne. Her play ‘The Shipping Forecast’, directed by James Callas Ball, will be performed as one of six short plays in Whoop ‘n’ Wail Represents…Mayday at Waterloo East Theatre.
Whoop ‘n’ Wail Represents…Mayday Waterloo East Theatre, London, SE1 8TG Monday 27th & Tuesday 28th April 2015, 7.30pm Tickets on sale now: £10 in advance (£12 on the door) Box office: 020 7928 0060 / www.waterlooeast.co.uk
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