Preparing to go on stage as Katie in Madjesty for Whoop ‘n’ Wail Represents…Mayday, I put the finishing touches to my make up. Lipstick on and dabbed, I stood by the wings and waited for my cue. The opening music, The Sex Pistols’ God Save the Queen, fired up and on stage I went.
As the lights went up there was a howl of laughter, screams and wolf whistles from a packed house. What was so funny? We hadn’t even started yet. Why were people laughing?
And as I stood there, bemused, I felt an uncomfortable draft. With horror, and hardly daring to look, I went to place my hands on my stomach, now sick with nerves. My hands were met not with the soft cotton of my blue wrap around dress but the synthetic polyester and elastane silkiness of my big black ‘Bridget Jones’ pants. I stood there, the bright stage lights staring into my blinking eyes, heart pounding and sweat slowly inching down my back.
Taking a deep breath to calm my thumping chest, I slowly opened my eyes. I found myself, rigid and slightly sticky, looking at the streams of bright sunlight streaming through my bedroom window. It was Monday morning and I was due at the theatre for the tech rehearsal. With a huge dose of relief, I chastised myself for not managing a more original anxiety dream. I am a playwright after all!
Ali Kemp, Ian Crump & Tom Neill in Madjesty by Ali Kemp & Deborah Klayman
Thankfully Represents…Mayday went without a hitch. We had packed, appreciative audiences on both nights; six, fantastically interesting plays, all including fully rounded female characters; wonderful performances, beautifully directed; and although I did flash my big, black ‘Bridget Jones’ pants from under my cobalt blue kimono, it was rehearsed and a part of my character choice!
Debs and I would like to extend our thanks to: Writers Brian Redmond, Paul Howard, Sarah Davies, William Patterson and Lizzie Bourne; Directors Georgie Weedon, Alice Bonifacio, Marc Kelly, Janet Palmer, James Callas Ball and Paul Kevin-Taylor; Actors Sharon Maughan, Amy Cooke Hodgson, Jonah Fazel, Chinwe A Nwokolo, Bronte Tadman, Coleen Daley, Miranda Dawe, Ian Curran, Rachal Olivant, Laura Garnier, Anna Brooks-Beckman, Roberta Morris, Sophie Mackenzie, Lydia Huhne, Gerri Farrell, Tom Neill and Ian Crump; Technical support Tom Neill, Paul Kevin-Taylor, Eirik Bar and Gareth Radcliffe; Photography George Riddell; Graphic design Stewart Calladine @arty_stew; Waterloo East Theatre Gerald Armin and staff; and Sam Hall with 17percent for continued support.
innovation • entertainment • social justice#RobertaMorris #LizzieBourne #GarethRadcliffe #AnnaBrooksBeckman #WaterlooEastTheatre #PaulKevinTaylor #AliceBonifacio #PaulHoward #JanetPalmer #BronteTadman #GeraldArmin #SophieMackenzie #whoopnwail #GeorgeRiddell #LydiaHuhne #ColeenDaley #artystew #IanCurran #LauraGarnier #MirandaDawe #JamesCallasBall #GerriFarrell #ChinweANwokolo #BrianRedmond #TomNeill #EirikBar #RachalOlivant #JonahFazel #BechdelTest #DeborahKlayman #AliKemp #AmyCookeHodgson #WilliamPatterson #SharonMaughan #artystew #MarcKelly #GeorgieWeedon #SarahDavies #IanCrump #17Percent
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