Please come and see 'Jigsaws' at Kwinana Theatre Workshop. Yes, I know, you think Kwinana is the end of the of the earth, but its not that far really - 30 minutes from Perth on the Freeway. And I think you'll find the journey well worth while - its a great play, written here in Perth in the late eighties. And I have a great cast:- Sharon Edsall, Sarah Cosstick, Judith Laudehr, Judi St Clair and Elizabeth Connor. They even look like a family! Everyone will recognise at least one member of their own family among the five women on stage. Some of the scenes just about give off sparks - they crackle with so much tension. Some of them even make the cast cry sometimes. Its very funny, sad, and confronting.

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Its 42+ degrees, and I have to go to rehearsal this evening. And you know what? I'm looking forward to it. My car is going to be stinking hot because its been sitting in the sun all day, its a 45min drive to Kwinana from here, and I still don't mind.

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I promised an update before long, and here it is. Not only am I being sent an actor, the AUTHOR (Pamela Parker) is coming to Perth too!!
So, if you are part of the production you will be able to chat to them both at length about Theatre in the USA. If you come to see the show you will be able to chat to them in the Bar afterwards. Win/win in my view.

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A few weeks ago I received an email from someome who called herself 'Ozzie Parker', asking me for advice as to how to get an entree into Theatre here in Perth. Luckily, I replied.
Ozzie Parker turned out to be Pamela Parker, a respected and twice Pulitzer nominated playwright living in Atlanta, Georgia. She sent me the script of 'Second Samuel'. I read it, loved it, told her I would like to do it but couldn't due to the lack of African-American actors here in Perth. Her response was to say 'Don't give up, maybe I can send you one.' Naturally, I thought that this was a joke, but it turned out she was serious - and she is doing just that!

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Well, tomorrow morning we'll find out how we're going. Opening night is next Friday 20th, so tomorrow we will play to a small invited audience. We're hoping they will laugh. I think they will - I still find it very funny, and after all these weeks of rehearsal that is unusual. Some of the scenes between Alan Morris and Murray Jackson in their alter egos are the funniest I have seen in a long time, but ultimately I'm not the one who counts. After all, we do it for the audience. Not for ourselves, not for the Director, not for the Adjudicators, not even for the Club, for the audience. I will invite feedback from this audience and will act upon their suggestions if it is at all possible, so by Friday it should be even better than it is now. And with the cast I've got, it's good! If, given a cast consisting of Alan Morris, Jacqui Warner, Murray Jackson, Sharon Edsall and Melissa Merchant I can't produce a good show then I'd better hang my head in shame and give up directing. And I have NO intention of giving up directing!

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