It's been an interesting week or so, but a good one I think. I've got a lot on my mind at the moment about the projects - not only the continued financial situation of funding them all (I think we'll be okay, especially if a certain fundraising event in July goes ahead) and now just trying to confirm the venues, applications are in, applying for a fringe venue is always an exciting time and we've researched this a lot to get it right this year and the space we want is still available. Getting it right also applies very much to the scripts; had a very intriguing meeting with Grace last Thursday and it raised a lot of questions, good questions, mind. She's clearly a girl beyond her years as she knows a thing or two, and she raised the most important question of all: why are we doing the Edinburgh Fringe? She wants to do things properly, and so do I - of course I do, I try to do everything properly, I even write a blog about it. But the more she spoke the more I realised what exactly the point is she was trying to make; it's been said of me before, I'm doing too much at the moment. The question was asked - why are we taking two shows to Edinburgh? Part of my logic being that it's the biggest arts festival in the world but doing as much as possible whilst up there seemed to be flawed when she pointed out taking two 'nice' shows wouldn't be half as beneficial as taking one spectacularly good one. I'm still thinking we can take two spectacularly good shows up there, but I see her point. She's probably right, which is a tad annoying because she's a fair bit younger than me, but she's still a joy to work with and it's nice to be working with someone who cares enough to get frustrated by my ways. I met with Izzy on Friday to discuss current fringe developments and, apart from the fact I scared her cat (it's my hands - I mean well, but it's my hands) it felt like a very successful meeting, she echoed Grace's thoughts/concerns/hopes whilst also echoing Grace's belief in what we're doing. But all these meetings are very nice, but the fact of the matter is I just need to write the BEST SHOWS EVER.
The scripts are coming along nicely. I say 'scripts', because the way things have been left at the moment is that we'll register and confirm the new Oscar Pike show for the first fringe deadline, and if it emerges in the next couple of weeks that a) I happen to write a strong female-lead play that fully demonstrates the serious acting qualities of Grace and Izzy to the extent they can't possibly not do this at the fringe as well b) we have enough funds to register a second show on the slightly more expensive fringe deadline and c) there is a suitable venue available - then we'll do the whole two show thing. Shame that my '5 Plays In An Hour: Theatre For People With A Short Attention Span' concept seems to have been put aside for now, but that will emerge at some point I'm sure. But if anything, at the moment I have too many ideas and am getting myself in a bit of a stress about it, this is different to my standard (normally at Christmas) rant about a writing deadline. For example, at the moment I have two scripts on the go called 'There's Absolutely Nothing Wrong With Oscar Pike' - both with completely different plotlines. I have no idea which one to go with, I like them both, one of them is very much in the same mood as last year's original show (Is It Too Late To Save Oscar Pike?), the other is more of an ensemble piece which works but doesn't have that Oscar vibe we created the first time around. But then again, a good play is a good play, surely? And every time at the fringe it's like we're starting again, performing to a whole new audience who have no pre-conception of what we do, or what we have done previously. This Thursday I am meeting up with Izzy and Grace to workshop some characters for some female-lead concepts I have been scribbling notes for, two plays, if any of the characters seem to gel I'll notch up some scripted dialogue over the weekend and maybe it could lead to the 'other' fringe show. We'll see, it's a different way of working at least, trying to get out of my box a little and try a few ideas out. It's all good though, ideas aplenty, but good ideas mean nothing to an audience if they are watching a weak show and continually looking at their watches thinking 'this is an hour we won't get back...'
Went to my good friend Marcus' stag do over the weekend and it confirmed one thing for sure: Paul Richards is not good at shooting things. I was laughably bad, awkward and occasionally going for the wrong target, and that was on the rare occasion I hit any sort of target at all. Was it my eyesight? No, my eyes aren't great sometimes but they're not that bad. Was it my physical strength? No, I carry a lot of heavy drums around and would like to consider myself to be strong enough. I think it was purely just a case of me being a bit rubbish at this kind of thing.
On a musical note, the rehearsal with the Dowsing For Sound band last night was nothing short of amazing...again. It's complicated, challenging stuff at times - but all the different time signatures, the switch in feel...it all feels oddly logical to me, a lot more logical than shooting things anyway. More rehearsals with the band next week and we're also back with the choir, this is a truly amazing project. Can't wait to hear The British IBM album either - the songs keep running around my head, I'm not sure what the latest is right now (I think Aidy has done his vocals) but really looking forward to hearing some kind of first mix soon, it's rare I get so excited about a recording project I'm on but this one is worthy of such an emotion. And it's a rare Eureka Stockade gig tomorrow night too, we're supporting Misty's Big Adventure who I am a huge fan of (and have been for years), I like being a drummer very much sometimes.
Ah yes, and that short film, Mr Abernathy, that I was in the other day (brilliantly made by Christopher Dane, and starring Kate Madison, Rob Jezek, Michelle Golder, Alan Hay and Emma Banigan) can now be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnuiSADf2Fk
Currently watching: The Football League Show (is it weird I prefer this to Match Of The Day?), Inbetweeners, Family Guy
Currently reading: Paul Watson - Up Pohnpei...I'm on the last few pages of this, then I'll read some scripts Grace has lent me, before moving on to Danny Wallace - Charlotte Street
Currently listening to: David Ford - Austerity Measures, Elvis Costello - The Spinning Wheel Live, Slow Club - Paradise
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