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Take Six! Adur Arts Live ’09

Hello and welcome to my blog. If you’re a newcomer, come on in. If you’re a regular, nice to see you again.

Here in the Independent Republic of.., it’s been a mixed bag of weather. Last week Mother Nature went off like a stroppy teenager, “don’t like September, want do October”. Someone clearly had a word because the temperature shot up and the shorts came out again.

This last fortnight has been dominated by two things; getting ready for school and celebrating my Birthday.

I had a lump in my throat when our bundle of joy started full-time school. I foolishly thought he too may stop to ponder this momentous step but no, out came the train set and off he shot like a whippet out the traps. Kids have no sense of occasion.

Adults, on the other hand, do, and my Birthday treat was dinner and a trip to see War Horse at the New London Theatre. It’s a play adapted by Nick Stafford from a book by Michael Morpurgo. It’s set in the 1910’s and is about a boy, Albert, and his beloved horse, Joey. At the outbreak of war, Albert’s father cruelly sells Joey to a cavalry officer. Albert’s devastated and when he learns that the officer has died, joins up determined to find Joey and take care of him. Joey meantime is in the thick of the action, flanked by his friend, another horse, Topthorn. As Albert gets closer to finding his horse, poor Joey’s being worked to death on the battlefield. I won’t tell you the ending of this award-winning play, but it’s worth the trip to London. As for the horses; all I can say is, puppetry’s come a long way since Sooty and Sweep.

I said a fortnight ago that I was taking a week off, and those with sharply honed skills of observation may have noticed that I’ve pinched an extra day. See if you can guess why in this carefully constructed interview.

So Liz, nice to see you. Did you have a good journey?
Yep. Straight up the stairs, turned left. Dead easy.

What are you working on at the moment?
Apart from this interview, I’m writing a 10 minute play for Take Six! part of Adur Arts Live ’09. It’s one of six rehearsed readings of short plays from six established playwrights. It’s on from 12.00-1.00pm on 17th October at Shoreham Methodist Church in Shoreham.

Who are your role models?
Any parents who can outwit their four year olds without making them cry.

What would you change about yourself?
My star sign. It’s the bane of my life.

What’s your next project?
Household tips for Virgos.

Did you spot it? It’s subtly embedded in the second question, the bit about the six play readings on the 17th October between 12.00-1.00pm at Shoreham Methodist Church.

It would be great to see you there and if you do come, don’t forget to pop by and say hello. Have a great week and see you next Sunday.

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