Live'n'Local Rochester Litfest

Live and local, the Rochester Literature festival is back this weekend with a terrific programme of events

On Saturday,  10 October the events are based around Rochester, where you can get your fix of caffeine and culture at the cafe crawl or join the talks and Workshops at the Guildhall museum.

The cafe crawl timetable is on the Rochesterlitfest website here

On Sunday, the action moves to Sun Pier House in Chatham, I have a feeling that the workshops will book out quickly, but if that happens don't worry, there's a good variety of free gallery talks, a local publisher book fair and even an artist on hand who will be recording the day in pen and ink. Or will it be paint? Will she inspire you to try your hand?

The showcase performance for me though will be the play written by local Playwright Sam Hall. My Mind Is Free explores four contemporary stories of human trafficking, all the more shocking as that too is live and local. After having attended one of Sam's workshops, I was surprised at how blatant human trafficking is, once you know what to look for.  

Want to know more? Rochester literature festival: Live'n'Local

Child Z - new play by Sarah Hehir

He said: You're my diamond Zoe. And I believed him

                                         

Poster and book design by Sam Fentiman-Hall

Child Z is a cracking new play written and performed with passion. It's inspiration came from an interview with one of the survivors of the Rochdale child grooming scandal on Woman's Hour. This play puts her story and her voice at the center of attention, but also illustrates the cultural and economic forces at work around her during that time.

The characters are all fully rounded, though their choices and the impact are shown we also get an insight into why they act the way they do. The chief executive carries on a conversation with his dead, and it is implied, neglectful father. The  teenage crisis worker implies a past lived in the shadow of an abusive parent, and a parallel story of bullying at school brings out another layer of depth.

Structurally, the play is very interesting with three actors playing all of the roles that you see, interactive with off screen voices and characters who aren't even physically there. This widened out the storyline and places the story and characters into a wider context, emotionally and physically.

The tone of the play is well balanced, and what could have been an unremittingly grim piece is interspersed and balanced with humour and hope.

Sarah Hehir's Child Z will be performed again at Southwark playhouse on Sunday, 21 and Sunday 28 June

Three Sisters - Chekhov at the Southwark Playhouse

This was my first introduction to Chekhov, as performed live at the Southwark Playhouse in its new location. This version of Three Sisters has been adapted by Anya Reiss, and was directed by Russell Bolam.  I haven't seen other versions, so I can only tell you my response to this play.

The empty stage
Image Credit: SM Jenkin

I loved it. I loved the characters, each drawn out with care and without judgement. Chekhov is a master of subtext and the actors did their best to explore and manipulate the meaning implied in the text. So much is left unspoken by the characters, all flawed in their own ways, but all showing an admirable stoicism even in the face of heartbreak and misunderstanding.

Is happiness a choice?
The questions I took away from the play: What does it mean to live, happily? Are we allowed to be happy now, how can we find happiness or manufacture it? There was a lot of talk about hope, and this resonated with me. Does work make you happy and what do we mean by "proper work"- can we do this when there are no jobs around?

I have discussed this with other people, who raised the point that the sisters, and really everyone else, would have been happy if only they had moved on. Why didn't they just leave? Is it really the practical issue of getting a plane ticket that stops someone from leaving an unhappy situation, or something else? Inertia or fear can be awesome barriers, as well as the misplaced hope that somehow things will get better by themselves and without any effort.

Sounds grim, doesn't it? Chekhov's stories are some of the funniest I have ever read, and that humour is in evidence, from Andrei's  karaoke version of "common people" to.... well, you've just got to see it.

One of the reasons that tipped me into seeing the play was the inclusion of Paul McGann in the cast - I ended up sitting next to another Who-vian who had travelled all the way from Swansea to see the play. And he was very good in it, as were all of the cast. But would somebody please tell him to stop turning his back on the audience - it really got on my nerves. Sort it out, McGann!

Translations - Brien Friel 2014

The naming of things, the definition of boundaries, can be so soothing - to know where you are. Like this most beguiling of plays, that starts off so soft and quiet. you would not notice someone calling you a different name, why bother when Roland sounds so similar to Owen. Or Eoin. How important is it, really?

"It's an eviction of sorts"
 Translations is one of the most disturbing pieces I have seen for years. The story involves the redistribution of boundaries. The old Irish place names don't really match up with each other and and are beholden to old and forgotten stories. It's best we move on, with clearer and crisper boundaries. Right?

But with the new names the new boundaries are drawn up for... whose benefit? When a boundary is defined for the national purpose, there are usually for the nebulous "greater good". It never seems to reach the local people, whatever it is. This seems a gentle piece at first, until a seemingly random piece of violence (never confirmed) propels the second half into something deeper, darker.

I won't give you a spoiler if you have not seen the piece. But if you are dual nationality/ Dual language/ dual identity you may find yourself troubled by this. Or reassured by it's recognition of the forces that could tug at someone. As I am I can see the need for modernity. for shaping and measuring names. How can we talk except with a common and agreed language. As a second generation Irish,  British citizen I can see the damage done by the legacy of twisted history. But on the other hand, I am also aware of the damage wrought by ignorance designed to "protect" future generations. Who is it that  decides, imposes, new names? And what history, whose stories, do you erase for the arbitrary ease of your children?


The ambiguity of the piece was not softened with the violence, implied and otherwise of the final act. When someone else defines your world, why be surprised when they take it over?Language, words shape our worlds. If you do not tell your story, someone else will tell it for you. And always there is the shadow of the potato blight hanging over any potential future of the piece. It is set in 1833, years before the blight of 1845. The sweet smell never felt so ominous, especially for thopse who are aware pf what happened next

I was hoping to give you a proper or otherwise review of a play. I am too disturbed for that. This play provokes questions, and for you. I have no answers. Maybe that is the point.

Translations runs until the 03 May at the Rose Theatre, Kingston upon Thames. I would recommend that you see this rare treat.  Details here: http://www.rosetheatrekingston.org/rose-productions/translations

Stagetime 2015 - East 15 Playwriting Competition

East 15 Acting School is looking to produce a new writing play as part of their series of BA Acting final year performances in May/June next year. This play will be performed a minimum of two times at a London theatre during the summer 2015 term by a company of final year BA Acting students.

Credit: M Connors

For more details see their website here: http://www.ideastap.com/Opportunities/Brief/Stagetime-2015-East-15-Playwriting-Competition-300414#Overview

Best of luck!

Playella - Jam Tomorrow

Can you tell a story through 12 lines of dialogue?

The Descent theatre think you can - they are showcasing playellas - 12 lines of dialogue each - on their blog

Credit: Gregoria Gregoriou Crowe fine art and creative photography.

 My piece - Jam Tomorrow - was published 8th December and can be found on their blog here http://descenttheatre.co.uk/2013/12/08/playella-jam-tomorrow-by-sm-jenkin/

 Let me know what you think....

Playella - a play in 12 lines

There's an interesting opportunity coming up from Descent theatre. They are offering people the chance to write a play in 12 lines, or less, of dialogue.

Is this possible? There are some examples on the Descent Blog

My favourite so far is I'd Rather You Didn't by Emma Franieczek. It reflects a common enough experience, and it's good to see the story told.

What do you think - how much do you need to tell a story? Can a story really be this simple, without being oversimplified?

The next submissions window for shorts is 4-17 November, and their submission guidelines are available online here: http://descenttheatre.co.uk/get-involved/submission-guidelines/