Hello, Patch.
So this has been a very strange and stressful year for everyone in UK Theatre, the UK and the whole World. I naively never thought a pandemic would affect me or my life. But it has. And the Industry shut down from March to August. And now it’s sort of open – depending on which Tier they’re in and if they have money to attempt to put a socially distanced show. All Big If’s!
Now, after doing nothing because where was going to go on??! , Covid recovery and a general feeling of hopeless- I made the decision to make a show. Firstly, I directed a monologue but it had to be filmed. Remotely, at that, and I had picked a Theatre Uncut political short release play (rights return to the playwright at end of Nov) – so it wasn’t forever available. It was still great to be rehearsing again, even if was via Zoom. And to work on forming images and words. But making a film was new to me. Camera angles? Have silence at start of filming for sound’s sake…. New! Oh so new and I had to learn quickly. The oddest point is not being there when the audience saw it. Just sending out a link and hoping it’d get watched…
I also decided it was time to make a Christmas fairytale short for children. Lots of children/young people aren’t going to get to go to Panto or Christmas plays this year. I so wanted to make it live, but safety and lack of funds made that impossible. Sigh. But remotely filming the monologue gave me an idea! Let’s have a fairytale that incorporated the fact that none of characters would be in the same room or even house. Set it now, and make via Zoom & phone cameras. Send small props/costume choice to the actors, get someone to write it (Johnny Blanchard) & get rehearsing.
So here it is, ScreenTime. It’s for 7+ years old & the whole family. It’s about Jessica (our modern princess) who is stuck at home with her phone data running out and no way to contact her friends, her boyfriend or anyone really. Then a Shooting Star falls and she starts wishing…
Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah. And I hope 2021 is brighter for us all. Enjoy! Ex