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IanFraser
Member
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Posted: Thu Mar 20th, 2008 12:21 pm |
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Not sure if it'll irk or inspire folks, (hopefully it inspires)
but finished and tweaked a new full length piece, that took two
weeks of solid writing, between 5-8 pages a day.
Clocks in at 105 pages, and it deals with.. well.. aspects of 'Theatre' and 'theatre arts education', alongside the plotline..
I've christened it "For the Love of an Infinite Number of Monkeys"
(the title comes from a line during a heated discussion on physics at one point)
Now comes the mind-wrenching part of hunting opportunities and starting to send that sucker out..
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Edd
Moderator
| Joined: | Sat Jun 10th, 2006 |
| Location: | Denver, Colorado USA |
| Posts: | 872 |
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Posted: Thu Mar 20th, 2008 04:42 pm |
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Finished and tweaked a full-length in two weeks? Yeah, that irks me--BIG TIME!
:>)~Edd
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Deirdre
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| Joined: | Tue Mar 18th, 2008 |
| Location: | British Columbia |
| Posts: | 31 |
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Posted: Thu Mar 20th, 2008 06:24 pm |
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The heft of hot pages just off the printer is a grand moment. Congratulations.
Is it possible you can organize a little reading before you start sending it out?
Or some time letting it sit and percolate?
It seems like such a young bird to be kicked out of the nest so soon!
I hope she flies, soars. Love the title.
D
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IanFraser
Member
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Posted: Fri Mar 21st, 2008 10:40 am |
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If its any consolation - this kind of speed only happens when I have a 'good' idea - usually if I'm having to struggle with something, then it generally means its not going to happen..
So I wish I could say that this speed occurs with everything I write - it doesnt, just the ones with 'legs' that are gonna work..
As regards letting it percolate, naa, sink or swim is my motto :)
without wanting to give away too much.. its about messing with an audiences mind...
starting one play, (a comedy) which, one then discovers, isnt the 'real' play and story,
thats actually unfolding - (a drama) woven around a catastrophic incident during a production of a third play..
so its layers within layers within layers..
title comes from during a heated discussion on physics and roomfuls of infinite monkeys, when someone cant get a headache tablet bottle open :P
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Potabasil
Member
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Posted: Sun Mar 23rd, 2008 06:55 pm |
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OK Ian Fraser
I've had enought of you lad. 2 weeks yer having us all on. I know ya are.
Seeing as you haven't anything to do now except post the play out, you can get yourself up here to New Hampshire and help me with my play. I've been struggling with since last year. I've completed 27 pages but that's about it.
I'm sitting here waiting for you Ian
Potabasil
PS (Of course I'm jealous)
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IanFraser
Member
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Posted: Mon Mar 24th, 2008 02:25 am |
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re nothing much left to do apart from post the play out.. I wish :P
got two other plays that have been difficult previously, each of which seemed to fizzle out for some reason - but now, after the completed play was done, I'm going back to each and trying again.. so no resting on laurels - I want to finish the damn things and move on.. to still more stories :)
Maybe a route through a difficult play, is to put it to one side, and work on another one, then go back to it when it feels right.. I've been hacking away at about 2 or 3 plays for a while now, and got lucky with the one.. now I'm using that leftover energy to approach the difficult ones again, and see if I can push through and get the engine going on one or another of the others..
so after about three days break, I'm working on the obstinate plays again, coz I know there's something useful inside the story, just got to hack away til it emerges..
(like sculptors look at a block of stone and imagine the beautiful object inside, same thing with writers, I guess, when approaching stories.. you gotta put the words down on paper and keep carving away and eventually something takes shape) It isnt always what you expected, but as long as the characters are talking, and interesting stuff is happening, thats good enough..
That said, I was in New Hampshire about a week back, doing a quick cigarette run (love those cheaper prices!)
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Potabasil
Member
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Posted: Mon Mar 24th, 2008 03:17 am |
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I'm quite sure I love you. Cigarettes. I smoke up a storm here with the G& T
Tell me you like G&T
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IanFraser
Member
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Posted: Mon Mar 24th, 2008 01:22 pm |
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being originally from a former British colony (a more recent one than here in the US) - to me G&T means 'gin and tonic', right? Unless there's some quirky strange other meaning over here? :) If so - well, I staggered cheerfully for years through much fun from alcohol and other kinds of additives, now I'm deeply content with being 'just' a cigarette addict :)
(Whenever someone tells me how vile a habit it is, I tend to point out bluntly that I've had 'real' vile habits, and cigarettes are fine :P
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Potabasil
Member
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Posted: Mon Mar 24th, 2008 01:36 pm |
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Well being from Dublin Ireland a G&T is a G&T otherwise known as Gin & Tonic. I love my G&T when the sun comes over the yard-arm, with ice and lemon, good conversation and a cigarette.
Anyways congratulations on writing your play in two weeks. Better try and write a page today.
Potabasil
Last edited on Mon Mar 24th, 2008 01:37 pm by Potabasil
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IanFraser
Member
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Posted: Mon Mar 24th, 2008 02:02 pm |
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ahh much thanks for the congrats.. and being from Ireland, as I'm from South Africa - I guess you too also mourn the absence of a decent pie or fish and chips hereabouts.. that said, Thwaites Meat market, just off the border of NH, does a not too bad steak n kidney pie - and their fresh bangers sossies, while not perfect, have a certain something..
dont be thrown by the non-play discussion, I think it was Picasso who said that when true artists get together, they talk about 'sex, money, and politics' :)
That said, yeah, treat your play like an unfolding adventure, dont work out ahead whats going to happen, just write down what the characters say and do, and follow them as they get up to mischief, and deal with whatever the conflict is.. and try to amuse yourself into the bargain as well.. you gotta have fun with your writing - even if its a grim subject or concept..
Speaking of fun with grimness - I'm busy working through all of Dennis Potters TV plays at the moment, pouring in mince for the sausage machine, so to speak - if you're struggling a bit, then up your 'mince' input..
I tend to watch at least one or two films a day, usually Asian (they're often very unpredictable and genre-crossing) and lately, been soaking up assorted UK TV theatre and play pieces as well, and I soak up documentaries almost daily as well..
Good mince for the machine, in other words..
I find I don't get enough from whats on US TV, to get the engine going..
currently on a TV diet of Pinter, Potters assorted plays, various Tom Sharpe miniseries, documentaries, Amnesty benefit concerts, old 'Alas Smith and Jones' for light relief, Royal Shakespeare Company filmed plays etc etc
One cant help but get all fired up and inspired, when soaking up other peoples creativity in action.. something that just isn't around much, it seems, on US telly..
Last edited on Mon Mar 24th, 2008 02:08 pm by IanFraser
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Potabasil
Member
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Posted: Mon Mar 24th, 2008 03:33 pm |
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http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/obituaries/2007/0818/1187332067704.html
This woman I met back in the 80's in Dublin and had many a G&T with her over the years until I came here. She died last year and yesterday I dug out her lovely book of Poems called "That Enduring Song" She was a lovely lovely person. I do keep myself busy reading and watching TV if I have the time. Last week I picked up a book on the Boer War from Ebay. Got it for $25.00 in perfect condition. Was $250.00 (Yes) on Abe books. I needed it for my play as the Boer War comes into it and I was researching.
I have to get the kids to school now and will have a few hours of freedom this afternoon to write maybe a page of the play. Thanks for your advise
Potabasil
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IanFraser
Member
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Posted: Wed Apr 2nd, 2008 06:54 pm |
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Just for the heck of it, posted first 10 pages of the piece, over at
http://www.stageplays-forum.com/forum18/2226.html
(hopefully I got the url right)
Given the very weird structure of the play, and my own wariness over how the
overall structure may or may not work (plays within plays within plays) I've
gone back to the basics for the next one I'm writing (approaching 40 pages into it already) and am deliberately keeping it as stripped down and 'linear' as possible,
at most a four hander, with one gun, much tension, and lots of head games.
Trying to rein in my Absurdist urges, and just tell a tense claustrophobic story with high stakes and lots of politics. Oh well, will see what it's like when the story's finally unfolded..
Anyhow.. to get an initial taste of the Monkeys piece, take a looksee..
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