Gosh, this has been quiet hasn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n
Well, the chief reason (other than general disorganisation and indolence) has been that the play what I wrote has been gathering momentum on its journey to Edinburgh. I\u2019m going to devote a lot more blogspace to documenting the last stages of this process, so here is the story so far.<\/p>\n
September 1990<\/strong><\/p>\n Tom Salinsky meets Robert Khan at Southampton University and they become friends.<\/p>\n 1993 \u2013 2006<\/strong><\/p>\n Robert and Tom from time-to-time work on various writing projects together. Robert helps to gag-up some corporate entertainment scripts, Robert and Tom write radio and TV sit-com scripts together. Nothing really gets off the ground.<\/p>\n 2000 \u2013 2002<\/strong><\/p>\n Robert and Tom edit the on-line satirical netzine The Brains Trust, which was of such high quality that when it finally closed down, Tom immediately wiped it. Some pages survive on the Wayback Machine.<\/p>\n 2006-2010<\/strong><\/p>\n Robert\u2019s theory is that there is always an audience for political plays \u2013 see for example Whipping It Up, Feelgood, Absence of War and so on. He suggests that we collaborate on a piece tentatively entitled Opposition<\/em> about how the \u201cnatural party of government\u201d deals with a decade out of power.<\/p>\n 6 May 2010<\/strong><\/p>\n The General Election returns Robert as Labour councillor for Bunhill Ward in Islington and also obsoletes Opposition<\/em>.<\/p>\n February 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n Work begins on Coalition<\/em> when Robert writes the last page and Tom prepares a scene-by-scene breakdown. The concept is to show how the leader of the Liberal Democrats, by choosing to enter into a coalition with the Tories, has signed the death warrant for his party. The approach will be a roman a clef with fictional characters inhabiting these positions. This work is of such high quality that neither party touches it for another four months.<\/p>\n June 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n Works begins again in earnest, as we begin to flesh-out characters, write new scenes and develop plot points. We prefer to work by writing alone and exchanging scenes, meeting only to solve story problems and develop big ideas.<\/p>\n September 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n A first complete draft is completed, albeit still very rough around the edges.<\/p>\n October-November 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n A version suitable for showing to an \u201cinner circle\u201d of trusted friends and colleagues is prepared. The reaction is generally positive, if not effusive. We decide that it is necessary to put the piece on in front of an audience and so a rehearsed reading is arranged. Tom calls and emails various actor friends, including Thom Tuck of the Penny Dreadfuls who will play the leading part. Copies and invitations to the reading are also sent to various promoters, agents, producers and fringe theatres, none of whom bite.<\/p>\n 30 November 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n The reading, although long, is a great success and there is much talk about what will happen next. Astonishingly, Thom Tuck is interviewed about it for the Independent. We decide to stage another reading at The Leicester Square Theatre in January.<\/p>\n December 2011 \u2013 January 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n More tinkering, rewriting and fine-tuning. Philippa Waller is unable to reprise the role of Angela Hornby, the Liberal Democrat Chief Whip but we are delighted when Diana Quick agrees to take the part.<\/p>\n 20-22 January 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n Despite an afternoon slot and a \u00a35 ticket price, the second reading sells out two out of three performances. Representatives of Assembly, The Pleasance and The Underbelly are there and the focus shifts to Edinburgh, with Thom Tuck still in the lead.<\/p>\n February-March 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n Negotiations commence with cast, producers, and Edinburgh venues. It isn’t possible to bring all of our existing cast with us, but plays in Edinburgh with a cast of comedians have been very successful in years past, and it\u2019s very convenient to engage the services of performers who are already in Edinburgh with their own show. We are delighted when first Phill Jupitus and then Simon Evans agrees to come on-board and we do a deal with the Pleasance who will present the show in the Queen Dome.<\/p>\n April 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n We cast the remaining parts, retaining Jessica Regan and Jamie de Courcey from our London cast and engaging Jo Caulfield, Phil Mulryne and Alistair Barrie in the remaining parts. Idil Sukan takes photos of Thom, Phill and Simon and begins work on our publicity. Flick Morris will handle our PR. We begin buying furniture off eBay for the set.<\/p>\n May 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n We engage a composer and a video company to create the audio-visuals for our play. We also record a series of \u201ctease trails\u201d with Thom Tuck in character. On 31 May 2012, the Fringe Guide is published and we are gratified to see coverage in a number of publications, and even more so to see this translate into advanced ticket sales.<\/p>\n That brings us more-or-less up-to-date. I am leaving for Canberra\u2019s Improvention at the end of this week, but once rehearsals start, I will be keeping a daily Coalition diary. Watch this space\u2026<\/p>\n