Firstly, some news, finally, from the Bush Theatre.

I sent them Spaceboy back in August, and was beginning to wonder what happened, thinking I had somehow missed the ‘no thanks’ email months ago.

It appears the reason it took so long was because it went further; the Bush readers found it a “really interesting piece” and passed it on to their ‘creative associates’ for “a second look”.

Sadly, they felt they couldn’t develop it as a production at the Bush, but suggested a couple of other theatres to send it to, which indeed I shall.

And secondly, I also received news today that Room 20 will be performed twice on Saturday 24th April at Southampton University as part of their ‘Nuffield Writers Showcase’.

A group of student directors and actors are producing seven of the ten minute plays written by members of the 4th Nuffield Theatre Writers Group as one of our assignments.

I’m looking forward to meeting my play’s directorJonny Baynham next week.

Having had another shitty day, and sleeping again this afternoon, I was concerned I’d wasted yet another day in my sad life.

Being bipolar and with my mood stabilising drug (Lamotrigine) knocking out my moderate highs but not doing anything for my serious lows, and my recently started heavy-duty anti-depressants (Venlafaxine – prolonged release variety) after a good start now failing miserably, means I am wasting rather a lot at the moment.

Having said that I have managed to spend a few hours working on the new play this evening, so I’m at least a little happier about things than I was.

Admittedly, I haven’t been writing this evening; I’ve been working on the play’s structure. It has changed considerably since the ideas and story first appeared in my head during my holiday in Cyprus over Christmas and the New Year.

I knew it would. The plot is still the same. It’s the same story, just told a little differently.

When it started it was just a straight ordinary play telling a story with a number of characters; two main ones and a number of others played by a male and female, and a boy and a girl.

And now, well now it’s just the two main characters. They also narrate a bit, talking to us about what’s happening as well as their own feelings, and there are some interesting sort of weird bits that you can really only do in theatre.

And so this evening I’ve moved some scenes around; re-wrote my notes for each one on the index cards in my writing software; checked off what was still to be started – three scenes; which ones were in the stage of being written – six; and how many had reached first draft – eight. I then created a pdf of the play as written so far.

It’s 60 pages, about an hour in length; so two thirds of the way there in first draft terms. It’ll be longer that it needs to be; my plays always are, so there will be some cutting as I need about 90-100 minutes worth.

To be honest, I am loving this play.

My last attempt, ‘Antigonish’ back in October, just wasn’t going to get anywhere because although I liked it, it never going to be easy to stage (it was an episodic/mosaic play set on staircases) and I lost interest with it. I have used some dialogue from it, though, and indeed there is one 20 minute monologue from it that will stand on it’s own, so all is not lost.

This new one is a hard one to write, it’s all there and coming out nicely (when I’m not so depressed I can’t do anything) but it comes from deep inside me and is a challenge at times.

My deadline, since this is my graduation piece for my Nuffield Theatre Writers Group, was Jan 31st. So I’ve missed that, but I’m not bothered. When this finally all gets out of my head, into my Mac, and then onto paper, it’ll be the best thing I have ever done in my life. I know that.

Oh, and I’m sorry, but you won’t be offered the chance to read this one; I will though, be inviting friends to the first night.

Watch this space.

Started reading John Grisham’s The Associate – last place I would have looked for an example of stichomythia, but it jumped right out at me.

The only other place I have noticed it so prominently is in the film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.

Very clever, those Greeks.