Words Fail Me

What do you do when you retire? Well here is one answer – cycle from Hull to London via Harwich – all 400 miles of it! Which is exactly what my dad is doing – here he is arriving in Wivenhoe (having been escorted in by the good folk of the Wivenhoe Wilson Close Cycle group).

Is he doing this insane thing for fun I hear you ask (it runs in the family)? Well kind of – but he’s also doing it to raise to support British Red Cross in their amazing work helping refugees in war torn Syria. He’s abot 50% towards his £1,000 so if you fancy helping him on his way you can sponsor dad here or pick up your mobile phone and text 70070 with the message FLIN48 £3 (or what ever you fancy donating!).

As you can imagine the ride so far (which started on Sunday 12th May) has generated some fabulous stories. My favourite story so far takes place in a Suffolk library where a very friendly member of staff is assisting Dad find some affordable accommodation for the evening. Having seen Dads face drop when she mentioned the price ranges she quietly took him aside and said ‘you do realise this is silk knicker country sir’.

added a little competition ..
Just for fun you understand – but anyone who sponsors him is eligible to free entry in a little fun competition that he’s set up linked to the bike ride, giving you a chance to win £50 worth of Gift Tokens(being kindly donated by major city centre retailers) as well as some additional mystery consolation prizes being offered by the Red Cross.

All you have to do is tell him:-
(a)The actual mileage cycled over the 13/14 days,
(b)Where en route is there an opportunity to seek a royal sponsor for the ride?
(c)In which County might we think we had arrived in London 10 days early?
(d)Where will we have the opportunity to petion St Botolph under’The Stump’;
and finally as a tiebraker:-
(e) come up with an amusing caption for the ‘words fail me’ picture at the top of this blog post!

E mail you’re answers to francis.linley@yahoo.com – the winner will receive tokens to the value of £30 (the winner being the one sent to the entry adjudged to be most accurate and amusing, with 2 runner-up prizes of £10 each). Answers to be in no later than the 7th of June

(by the way) You only have to click on the website to find more than helpful clues to all these questions.

Last year I’d been at the #soundexchange conference where Ben Lane (ACE) introduced some of the ideas behind what would become Momentum. You can listen to a quick interview I did with him here:-

The announcement has not met with universal acclaim. Last night singer and broadcaster @CerysMatthews tweeted ‘Name me a funded artist that has rocked the world’. Some of the suggestions were amusing (God, for example, to which Mike Batt replied ‘I’m here’). Others pointed to the historic (state funded composers) whilst in the modern age several people pointed to Adele – who received early support from the BBC Performing Arts Fund and (like many others) attended the Brit School

Needless to say I waded in with my two left feet and size 11′s and a perspective which is more theatre leaning than music. In what art form (I ranted) and where do you start. In theatre huge hits likes Billy Elliot, Matilda and Les Mis would never have happened / How many venues that artists play receive support? / my point the arts are a complicated ecology – strip away training and early opportunity and we harm the culture of tomorrow.

Cerys was quick to qualify – ‘funding platforms, festivals and arts centres is one thing which I agree with – but not individuals’

By now (and probably unwisely) I’d brought in the idea of the ‘ghost artist’ which I’d first heard @lyngardner talk about at #shifthappens (read the blog here) where she argues for a shift away from investment in major institutions and towards the grass roots.

Back again came Cerys ‘money is better spent making sure all children get a wide and deep education. A great education for everyone is empowering – hand our are opposite. Stopping piracy would help musicians more, not encouraging hand outs’ (easily said, harder to do in the digital age as we all know)

That was the cue for @juliaatthehub to join the debate – ‘promoters and venues are key – support them and you help artists build a fan base, a career and hone skills. Exactly replied Cerys

In the end did we answer Cerys original question – to be fair I think not. Did we all agree whether Momentum is a hand out or key intervention to sustain a vital UK industry? No – not really – and I guess time will only tell. One thing everyone involved in the mini debate agreed on was was the vital importance to the creative industries of ‘a wide and deep education’. Michael Gove please take note.

So the London run at the Pleasance ended with a sell out show. Rory Wilton who plays Gordon tweeted ‘Amazing final night – double bow, a full standing ovation and the venue asking when we’ll be back’. @victoriabaxter said of the show ‘Pure brilliance – had tickets booked for months and The Incomers exceeded all expectations. @GuyWatson90 added ‘A big well done to The Incomers last night. Hilariously funny…lots of flesh and an interesting use of handcuffs…’

The tour now enters its final week – heading to Ipswich for performances in Ipswich on Tuesday and Wednesday, then Halesworth on Thursday. The tour finally ends up in an open air performance at Sterts Theatre, Liskeard. For details of where to get tickets see here

Update 18 May

Ahead of the final night in the wonderful Pleasance Theatre, Islington and the tours move to Ipswich (Tues and Wed next week) and Halesworth time for some more social media updates about the show.

Todd Sharpville on facebook said ‘I urge you to go & see it, you’ll thank me afterwards. Written by the magical pen of Murray Lachlan Young’….that was after he’d posted ‘LONDONERS!!!!! I’m not asking you, I’m telling you – go and see Murray Lachlan Young’s brilliantly funny play this week at the Pleasance!’ Lisa Billson gushed ‘if you haven’t seen The Incomers yet I suggest you try and get over to the Pleasance theatre in London. We thought it was brilliant …the genius prose of Murray Lachlan Young, awesome as always! Spot on comedy, a must see and a good night out!’. Chris Walmsley added ‘Loved the Incomers last night’ – a comment Lenny George endorsed saying ‘thoroughly enjoyed Lachlan Young’s tale of sex, lies and ventongimps (eh -ed?) – will never look at a scallop the same way again….’. Sarah Linn Allen McQuaid simply said ‘well, that was brilliant – made me laugh and wince!’

Mimo Kensal could hardly contain herself! ‘What an absolutely amazing night at The Pleasance Theatre’ she gushed ‘for The Incomers by national treasure Murray Lachlan Young…the lines were really meaty…something for everyone to enjoy. The blocking in the second act defied normal engineering…and the switches from slo mo to real time were absolutely hysterical. I shall go again!‘

The opening night fun and games even made it into the Londoners diary of the Evening Standard. You can read the full piece here.

Over on twitter the feedback has also been flowing as fast as the wine does in the play itself. Talking of wine @NewGenerationWines called the Incomers ‘funny, very clever and with a little bit of darkness around the edge. Very much enjoyed’…a view echoed by @jonesemilyh ‘I really enjoyed The Incomers last night – congratulations @murraylyoung and good to see Messrs Keavney & Evans there too! @sotiriosAlpanis called the play ‘wonderfully funny and slightly melancholic‘@Kernowinthecity summed it all up when they said ‘seriously recommend you catch tonight’s last performance at The Pleasance Theatre’. According to actor @RoryWilton (who plays Gordon) Friday night in London was ‘ an absolute corker – best show of the tour so far, electric!’ …Reckon tonights show could even beat that!!

After the London run the show heads for its final four performances – two at the SJM Ipswich(renamed the Saint John Mills Theatre by Radcliffe and Maconie – listen to the radio interview here!) on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday the show heads to Halesworth and then appropriately enough the tour ends in the very special, open air, setting of Sterts Theatre. Last chance to see – grab those tickets while you can – and just as a reminder here is our fabulous unofficial trailer

Update 14 May 2013

So The Incomers opened at the Pleasance on Monday (its there for a week until May 18 – ticket details here). Amongst the guests were actor Rhys Ifans – seen here chatting with Murray after the show. Rhys described the show as ‘forensic and brilliant. Also there was the lyricist Don Black who said ‘full of gems with great laughs‘ and the film producer Kevin Allen added ‘excellent it would make a brilliant film‘before updating his facebook with ‘WHAT A CRACKLING NIGHT AT THE THEATAAH … LOVED IT’

‘wonderful entertainment. .fabulous night out’ (Louisa Philips-Kulukundis on Facebook) What social media has to say about the show….

Fiona Leahy (an appreciator of all things delicious!) told her followers to ‘do yourself a favour and go see Murray Lachlan Young’s first play. It’s a gem’. ‘The world needs more plays like this’ she added on twitter ‘Brilliantly Bonkers’. Whilst Viktor Wynd added ‘I enormously enjoyed Murray Lachlan Young’s The Incomers last night, very funny and excellent verse‘. Radcliffe Royd told Murray ‘your play has transcended the transient stuff of whim and leaves an enduring sense of hope….what started as an amuse bouche moved into a full fat feast of raucous decadent delight‘.

(for more social media comment see the bottom of this blog!)

Update 6th May 2013
Half way through the tour – and the sell out signs have been going up regularly (in Barnstaple, Bridport,Exeter, Penzance and Bristol so far).  The London run is looming – we arrive at the Pleasance from the 13 May - and with tickets already selling fast it seems an appropriate time for another buzz blog!

Dont forget for all the latest Incomers news check out the mini site here         AND BOOK YOUR TICKETS FOR OUR LONDON RUN HERE (13-18 May 2013)

The show has appeared regularly in @lyngardner ‘s (Guardian) picks of the week – first on 12 April and then again on April 22 most recently on Friday 2 May. In the South West the Western Morning News carried this preview – Rural farce promises a menu of sex, drugs and perfectly seared scallops – a piece which ‘introduces the eccentric and rather exposed Gordon (played by Rory Wilton)’.  Here is the preview from The Cornishman and from Broadway World

radio previews and interviews

Here is Murray on BBC 6 Music chatting with Cerys Matthews

and you can listen to Murray chatting with Radcliffe and Maconie – also on 6 Music here

Over on Resonance FM you can catch up with Murray talking with Anjan Saha (interview starts five minutes in)

BBC 6 Music listener Andrew Cockerill reviewed The Incomers live on air describing it as fantastic. A mix of rudeness, loud rock music and nudity – which Sean Keaveny quipped neatly summed up the character of one Murray Lachlan Young.

reviews

The Arts and Entertainment blog found the show ‘a feast for fans of new theatre’  - Paul Jepson’s direction ‘fabulous’, Jerome Wright as Zach was ‘phenomenal’ and ‘I loved Celia, played perfectly by Mary Woodvine’…and then came a neat summary of the elements of the plot – ‘So into the pot goes old friends, new acquaintances, lots of booze and a dusting of drugs and out come old secrets, fluffy handcuffs and semi naked dancing …’

Public Reviews said ‘ ‘A capacity audience buzzes with anticipation as the house lights go down at Windswept Productions’ latest performance of The Incomers’ writes Joseph Leigh The performances of all four actors he writes are highly enjoyable, and there is not a single performer who fails to draw out full belly aching laughter from the rapt audience. Fusing verse, prose, music, movement and dance, The Incomers engages the audience from the off.

Leigh concludes ‘It’s a a rip-roaring comedy that keeps the audience in stitches until the final bows. If you are looking for a fun evening of comic theatre suitable for an adult audience then this is definitely a show to see’.

The Cornishman said that ‘PLAYING to packed houses, Windswept Productions’ The Incomers lived up to its promise of presenting theatre that is new, of mixing up dance, drama, verse and bags of talent to create something that provoked, challenged, made one laugh out loud and left one wanting more. (reviewed by Frank Ruhrmund).  The show is a far cry from a pasty and saffron bun vision of Cornwall, but a sex, drugs, let it all hang out, and “perfectly seared scallops”, scurrilous and blackly funny view of God’s own country.

‘It was weird , it was sexy, it was wrong -  A five star show, and an absolute must-see if you get the chance.’ wrote blogger / theatre reviewer Catl3y’s Crux. One Stop Arts said The Incomers ‘will stay with you long after it is finished‘. – whilst Views from the Gods found it to be a ‘fun and interesting piece of new writing‘

Audience Comments have included:-

@BenPBradshaw: #TheIncomers at #Exeter @BikeShedTheatre stunning echoes of Jerusalem!’ via twitter

‘Just seen #theincomers…utterly BRILLIANT.  My face hurts from laughter.  Work of genius! #hysterical’ @samanthaemanuel on twitter

Really excellent show. Watched in intimate Brewery theatre, Bristol. Stunning performances by all the cast played with great energy and with multi layers. A really funny show that makes you think before you laugh! – Kate Groves via facebook

‘Amazing! Hilarious! Super-talent! #TheIncomers is fantastic D GREAT show from all the cast, highly recommend it (if it’s not sold out!?)’ @_stevepowell_ via twitter

Bloody brilliant show! The audience (including Labour MP Ben Bradshaw) all loved it. 8 of us went and all were in agreement that it was a blinding show in a great venue. B. Bradshaw straight up on his feet for a standing ovation. via facebook

Just been in the Acorn for one of the best nights ever. What a brilliant insight into the lives of those we know in the valleys.  Via e mail

‘Humorous and very moving in parts, excellent performances – especially Celia – great soundtrack and slo mo!’ @dickiedoo63 on twitter

‘A great show last night and an enthusiastic audience for some full on West Country angst’ Peter Wiles on twitter

‘I saw it in Penzance and laughed like a drain. Slightly disturbing because all parts resonated, parts of me and others in my life! And although slightly biased I think Mary is absolutely brilliant’ – Toffee Monk via facebook

‘Everybody go see #theincomers from @windsweptprod absolutely brilliant, laughed all evening, for you London friends 13-18 May, a gem! @greenequeen on twitter

‘Energetic physical theatre, scallops and sex #greatfun’ @cllrmartin via twitter

‘Saw you in Exeter this evening…sheer brilliance fantastic performances and production! Thanks for a great night out’ – Wally Welling via facebook

REVIEWS

The East Anglian Daily Times said ”The spectacular and wonderful performance itself – Parkway Dreams, a musical documentary formed from the words of the people who designed it, built it, and lived it….This was a brilliant, wonderful, touching, show, superbly written by TV scriptwriter Kenneth Emson.’

Reviews  Gate gave the thumbs up…’It’s audience-friendly and acted with skill and warmth in Ivan Cutting’s production, where actors weave between pivoting table tops that become a projection-screen, car or drawing-board, while designer Charlie Cridlan creates an apt environment with architects’ plans and a roadway forming the stage environment.’

Heres the trailer for the show …

A good time was definitely had by Whats On Stage …’Director Ivan Cutting, his designer Charlie Cridlan and composer-lyricist Simon Egerton have combined to keep the action fast-moving. The theme song “The Peterborough effect” is a catchy number and the sequence of television games-shows makes a useful reference point for the passage of time. The six actors, including accomplished musicians Barnaby Southgate and Harry Waller, all play many parts and do it extremely well.’

Yay!  A 4 star review from Public Reviews …’Another look at the recent history of Peterborough from Eastern Angles, part of the Forty Years On project.…..The text is largely verbatim, taken from hours of interviews; the risk of lecture-room ennui is averted by clever use of popular television culture – Crackerjack, Take Your Pick, The Clangers – and by Simon Egerton’s songs, which often have a satirical edge of their own. ****’

And here is director Ivan Cutting and actor Rob Jackson talking about the show on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire:-

Here is some of the feedback from the Peterborough shows (along with the music of Simon Egerton

InSuffolk found the show at Halesworth thought provoking …’Something very special, very original and ultimately very moving indeed…. The first half of Parkway Dreams is perhaps better entertainment but it’s the second half which moves you and will stay with you longest. Who’d have thought it? Peterborough affects, and how.’

And personal blogs are giving us a lift, such as this mention from Colin Blumenau …’There are some lovely songs that enrich the piece. Egerton’s touch is assured with a real mastery of musical style and genre being very much in evidence. His New Town Blues is an especial triumph. The performances, the design and the direction are clear, giving pride of place to the inspiration for the whole endeavour.’

Lots of social media mentions too are spreading the word:

@VickyDonghue My highlight of #HFT13 so far #parkwaydreams by @easternangles beautifully written by @Kennethemson joyful, laugh out loud and very moving!

@CettiLong Bitten by the Peterborough bug tonight, #ParkwayDreams amazing show, so many school day memories & educational too – thanks @easternangles

@TobyWoody #Parkwaydreams Lovin’ it so far – 2nd half comin’ up – many memories of exciting times of expansion – was it 40 years ago? @easternangles

@oohlivvyarr Parkway Dreams was fantastic! Big well done to @FortyYearsOn and @easternangles.

@121productions @easternangles wow #parkwaydreams what a stunning and poignant performance of #Peterborough #40yearson fantastic, well done

‘Seen Parkway Dreams twice now, at Brentwood (Crackerjack!), and Colchester. Love the show, the music, the acting, the staging, the writing. Sheer genius, well done to all and especially to the brilliant and multi-talented cast.’  David Pitchford via Facebook

Previews

Theres also been a couple of excellent preview pieces in the local press. First up was this piece in the Peterborough Evening Telegraph…’Peterborough may never again host a piece of work so relevant to so many of its citizens as Parkway Dreams’ writes John Baker.

That was followed by this piece in the moment magazine which is an interview with director Ivan Cutting.

I am of course referring to Windswept Productions The Incomers by Murray Lachlan Young. The show has been rehearsing for seven days now – and already with the cast off book its up and onto its feet! Anyone popping into the rehearsal room on Friday would have witnessed the very first stagger through of the piece!

Here’s Murray reading the opening lines:-

A huge amount has been completed in those initial few days – including developing an extraordinary opening sequence and the act 2 climax with the shows choreographer Gareth Taylor. The Incomers is surprising at every turn – one of the cast recently described it as ‘Think Sideways meets American Beauty meets The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover! With a touch of Abigails Party too ( for Generation X, Murray adds). Rehearsals have been pretty full on – driving one cast member Kirsty Osmon to tweet ‘If there’s any pubs open at 8:30am in Exeter, that’ll where you’ll find me… #DutchCourage needed today’ and Rory Wilton – who plays Gordon tweeted- ‘Realised that I don’t need a mid life crisis now as most of the classic male fantasies get fulfilled for my character in The Incomers! ‘

Here is Murray again reading what has become referred to in rehearsal as one of Gordon’s arias!

And whilst the cast are having a well deserved Easter break I’ll leave you with this – which may (or may not) be significant!

The Incomers opens on 18 April and tours through until 25 May – show website and tour information is here

You can find all the tour dates and ticket information here!

Previews

The buzz about #Clareplay started even before we opened. The show made ‘pick of the week’ in The Guardian Guide – lovingly (we like to think) placed above Dame Judi in Peter and Alice!The show appeared twice in @lyngardner ‘what to see’ tips (here and here) right at the start of the tour. Now that Lyn has seen the show its in again – this time with the comment ‘its very good’.

Reviews

A finer play than its regional small space tour might suggest The Times

The Times gave the show **** . Libby Purves praises the ‘three fine actors….Richard Sandells is superb as patient and poet, one moment shuddering in painful delusion, the next becoming, in accent and demeanour, the troubled poet’ she goes on ‘It is a finer play than its regional small-space tour might suggest; in concept, language and performance it honours poetry and pain alike.’

A gripping and powerful production Glen Pearce in Public Reviews

Public Reviews gave the show four (and a half!) stars! Finding a ‘deceptive subtlety’ in Tony Ramsay’s script which explores ‘the positive and destructive power of love and loss’. In a strong ensemble performance where characters are clearly delineated ‘but it is Richard Sandell’s performance as the dual Johns that captures the attention…. [his] performance is perfectly pitched, subtle movements and emotions suddenly cascading into mania-fuelled outbursts before subsiding again. Never overplayed or sensationalist, this is a performance of pure emotion. ‘ The result – ‘A gripping and powerful production’

Gripping, Intelligent and acted with verve - Lyn Gardner in The Guardian

Lyn Gardner wrote ‘this small show is gripping, intelligent, and acted with verve by Henry Devas, Louise Mai Newberry and Richard Sandells. The east of England would be a far poorer place theatrically without the indispensable Eastern Angles.’

You should see this fine piece of work Michael Gray

Over at Michael Gray’s theatre blog Michael finds that ‘The
performances are superb – almost unbearably moving in this intimate space’. The show builds to ‘ a final symbolic act which is one of the finest moments of theatre I’ve seen in a long while’ He ends with the simple instruction -’You should see this fine piece of work for yourself ‘

a compelling, fascinating and dramatic evening in the theatre’ The Stage

The Stage’s Hugh Homan called the show a ‘very compelling, fascinating and dramatic evening in the theatre’..’The performances are all superb. Richard Sandells is outstanding as the two Johns who find that life doesn’t quite make sense for them. He deftly suggests the difference between madness then and madness now and how we approach those who see the world differently’ ‘Catch this play if you can.

Sandells as John is immensely moving [and] horrifyingly credible Whats on Stage

Anne Morley-Priestman for Whats on Stage gave the show **** finding special praise for Richard Sandalls central performance – ‘Richard Sandells as John is immensely moving as both his characters try to simultaneously break out of and seek security within their mental torment. Mental illness – just like the creative process itself – is not an easy thing to show onstage (or on film, for that matter) but Sandells makes it horrifyingly credible but at the same time immensely moving.’

Flawless…simple and effective East Anglian Daily Times

Andrew Clarke in the East Anglian Daily Times finds the play leaving him ‘with much to think about on the way home’ as well as asking the question ‘ Clare died in 1864 and it has to be wondered if there is any better understanding of depression now than there was then.’

Also in the East Anglian Daily Times you can read Wayne Savage’s insightful preview piece – here.

Audience Feedback

‘It was a very moving story, brilliantly portrayed.’ (Crowfield)

‘Brilliant production’ (Bradfield)

‘imaginative, entertaining and a careful encounter with his [John Clare's] dark side. The actors were superb, the different strands of the storyline seamless. One of our friends claimed it to be the best yet’ (Quay Theatre)

Twitter Feedback

@Rcurtis0914 @easternangles brings me immense joy to see theatre in my wee hometown

@OakmereSolution Beautifully conceived, written and delivered @easternangles #Clareplay such a treat on a cold April night. Now to read the poetry.

@BrendaHelen #Clareplay @EasternAngles was very good. I will have to read some John Clare poetry now.

@SBakerCX Just seen John Clare prod’n @easternangles , it was absolutely terrific, well done to all involved, highly recommended!

@SuffolkPoetySo Just seen John Clare play @easternangles. Excellent production;interesting re-assessment of Clare’s life. In Ipswich Fri, Sat, then on tour.

@djientan Bloody fantastic performances in @easternangles #ClarePlay this evening. What a treat. Those rural folks around those parts are lucky people

@1ShielR If you haven’t seen #clareplay @easternangles then don’t muck about; just get yourself a ticket. It’s remarkably good & thought provoking

Audio

Heres some audio of audience reactions from opening night at Whittlesey library:-

You can listen to Louise Mae Newberry talk about her role in the play here:-

And here is fellow cast member Henry Devas:-

This is a brief interview with (now award winning designer) James Turner

And this interview with playwright Tony Ramsay comes thanks to BBC local radio:-

Tour information

For ticket information and touring plans visit the Eastern Angles web site here

With a view of TK Max and a leisure centre it may not be the most salubrious location in Exeter. In fact at one point we thought the world might end as a souped up car sent volcanic reverberations rumbling through the building.

Inside though the cafe is plesantly spacious. Subtle blinds hide the view and the place buzes with contended chatter (ear wigged into football, poker and research conversations!). Serious stuff!

The blackboard boasts the Exe Bridge special (sometimes known as Noahs Ark) with the tag line ‘if you dare’. Needless to say we’ve ordered two plus a veggie.

They weren’t joking….

the breakfasts are truly huge.  And taste as good as they are big!

Now off to explore!

 Written entirely in verse (mainly blank verse with quite a bit of rhyming verse thrown in too) the Incomers is a lurid, yet blistering funny  tale of sex, drugs and perfectly seared scallops.  Set around a 10^th wedding anniversary four friends find their lives unravelling as revelation follows revelation until we become aware that no one has been telling the truth to anyone about anything for a very long time!

You can listen to Murray introduce the play here:-

And heres a sneaky little extract –  with Murray himself reading all the parts!

You can listen to more audio on our audio boo site (or below) and dont forget to visit the incomers web site here.

Although in many ways ‘a love letter to Cornwall’ it’s a real made in Devon story.  The Incomers came out of workshops at Beaford Arts and at Dartington and is now being rehearsed in Exeter (at Emmanuel Hall – the home of Theatre Alibi and Hope Hall) before moving onto North Devon Theatres where the show opens on the 18^th April.

For full tour dates see here and do visit the plays facebook page here.

It may have been a foggy morning in Peterborough but there wasn’t an ounce of fog in the new (ish) rehearsal room of our fantastic hosts the @keytheatre, Peterborough.

For the 18th March was the start of the rehearsal process for @Kennethemson new play #parkwaydreams – the play which celebrates the development of Peterborough as a new town.

So to the read through (delayed somewhat by our esteemed [ie wriiten for East Enders] playwrights need to have a fag).

Overseeing the whole thing…appropriately enough – is a giant map of Peterborough.

Having met Peter (and his family) via the birth of John Lewis, the death of John Lennon and the intervention of crackerjack and…er…the clangers we reach lunch.

But not before the dreaded team photo shoot.

We enjoyed it so much we thought we’d better take another one…here we all are outside the key ( with company stage manager the multi talented Penny Griffin taking the shot).

Which was when our leading man deigned to join us. Here he is strutting his stuff….

A riverside location, swans and great theatre could Peterborough be the new Stratford?

Into the afternoon session and its time to knuckle down. First up its Ivan Cutting Eastern Angles artistic director sharing some of the fascinating background behind #parkwaydreams

Then its the turn of our shows designer to present the set box and the visual world in which the piece will play out.

Which leaves us just enough time to start learning the songs. Heres @simonegerton taking the company through ‘it never rains in Queensgate’

With five songs explored and played with the cast were sent home with pages of research – real life stories emerging from the @fortyyearson project.

There is that wonderful sense of today being the start of something very special!

For more info about the Parkway Dreams tour see http://www.easternangles.co.ukhttp://www.easternangles.co.uk

from The Shepherds Calendar
from March

March, month of ‘many weathers’ wildly comes
In hail and snow and rain and threatening hums
And floods – while often at his cottage door
The shepherds stand to hear the distant roar
Loosed from the rushing mills and river-locks
With thundering sound and overpowering shocks.
From bank to bank along the meadow lea
The river spreads and shines a little sea,
While in the pale sunlight a watery brood
Of swopping white birds flock about the flood.

Eastern Angles new play The Long Life and Great Good Fortune of John Clare tours until May 18th. It plays Beccles tonight, Harkstead on Saturday, Brightlingsea on Tuesday 19th, Crowfield on Wednesday 20th, Sherringham on Thursday 21st, Dedham on Friday 22nd and Sibton on the 23rd March. More booking details here