National Theatre of Scotland

CATHY FORDE'S BLOG FOR EMPTY

04/03/10

Part one

If I had to pick one word that broadly describes my association with the National Theatre of Scotland so far, it would have to be exciting.

Actually, that should be:

EXCITING!!!

Being called in to the National Theatre of Scotland for a meeting in May 2009 was exciting. And intriguing.

Walking away from that meeting with a commission to write a new play was exciting.

And a tad terrifying, since I hadn’t ever written drama in my life before.

Read the rest of part one, here

Part two

Up until I wrote Empty, and became involved with the National Theatre of Scotland, my working day followed a typically regular routine. I would sit at my desk working on whatever novel I was writing for about five hours. I’ve been doing this for over twelve years. Routine would only be interrupted on days when I visited schools or book festivals to talk about writing.

Over the last few months, however, my weeks are completely unpredictable. Over the last seven days for example I have . . .

Find out what Cathy's been up to in part two . . .

Part three

I returned to the National Theatre of Scotland’s headquarters at Civic House this week for the start of rehearsals for my play, Empty.

It felt like the first day of a new year at school – and was a little scary – as all the National Theatre of Scotland staff joined the cast and production team for a welcome breakfast. I knew or recognized about half the thirty or so people in the room and the rest were all new faces. The faces I will remember but the names will be impossible.

That first morning felt like a bit of a skive for me, as I sat back and enjoyed the full read-through of Douglas’ play The Miracle Man ( which is brilliant). That was my second dose of Maxwell drama in the space of a week as last week I sat enthralled through Promises, Promises his new and extraordinary one-woman play. He is a hard act to follow so it was ever-so-slightly terrifying to have him in the room as it was my first play’s turn for a read-through.

Part three continues on the National Theatre of Scotland blog, here

Part four

I’m getting quite into blogging now. I write one for the Scottish Book Trust as well as this one for tfd at the National Theatre of Scotland.

In a tiny, unconvincing  way, writing a new blog salves the guilt I have for not spending the time I spend at my computer actually productively writing a new piece of fiction. Before I started ‘going out’ to work, which is what I feel I am doing now as I am in the middle of rehearsals for Empty, I never felt I had time to write about random stuff. After a long day of rehearsal, I have no inclination to write anything whatsoever, mind you.

I just want to watch River City or Limmy’s Show and eat biscuits.

Part four continues here.

Part five

The cast was warned to wear old clothes for rehearsals yesterday so that set for Empty could be properly trashed in accordance with my stage directions.

Up until the point that this actually happened, the chaos was something firmly contained inside my imagination. To see it for real was shocking, even pretty upsetting. If it happened in my house I would freak. We all agreed that we would freak.

Read part five on the National Theatre of Scotland blog.

Part six - first dress rehearsal

I have never been to a dress rehearsal, full stop, let alone one for my own play, so I was full of anticipation when I crept into the darkened Tron last night and took a seat . . .

Read the rest of part six.