R&D: A Reflection
Hi everyone,
A few weeks ago we had the last sharing online for Orpheus and Eurydice, and I recently submitted the Arts Council Activity Report, so that’s the R&D finished!
It’s taken me a while to get to writing this newsletter because my body put me on an unplanned break (with a bad cold and an ear infection in quick succession).
But it’s given me some time to reflect, so here’s some of the stuff I learned.
Creative Audio Description
I’ve never written Creative Audio Description before and creative access is, in general, a pretty new concept for me.
I worked with Ada Eravama, the most incredible Creative Access Consultant. She ran the most wonderful workshop back in July that introduced me, Cheryl (director) and mandla (dramaturg) to some ways to think about creative audio description.
Writing audio description gave me a whole new way of thinking about character voice. Who provides the description? Why? What should the description say? How should it be said? Asking these questions made the whole play so much fuller and richer. it also has me thinking about creative captioning and relaxed performances, how to make the accessibility of the production as integral to the artistry as the music and set.
Focus Group
Some of the focus group members will receive this newsletter (hi everyone!) and I cannot tell you have helpful it’s been to work with a group of queer people who love theatre as much as I do and want the best for this play.
They’ve been generous, creative and insightful and made the play that much better for their involvement. I honestly don’t know how I created anything before I had a group of gorgeous humans to touch base with.
Acting
I got back on stage for the first time in nearly two years and it was terrifying and exciting and so much fun. I always forget that I was a theatre performer before I was a writer (thank you youth theatre), so being in front of an audience is energising in a way few other things can match.
I also have some more complex feelings that I will be taking to my therapist/group chats over the next few months because phew, being a fat black queer on stage brings a whole lot of baggage.
More than anything though, I’ve learned that I’m more capable than I give myself credit for. Since putting in the arts council application back in March, I’ve done so many things and worn so many hats. I’ve been a playwright and a producer and a costume designer and an actor and an assistant director.
The next step for this project is to find a theatre that’ll want to programme it so I can bring my Sad Gay Little Play to the world! (If any of you happen to be in charge of a 150+ seat venue and/or ability to grant a few grand, I’d love to hear from you)
