Theatre

So be honest just how many of you have read a book slammed the cover shut and moaned you could have written better? 'Get me my pen' you've shouted. All you need is inspiration, that scrap of detail on how to keep the dreaded writers block at bay, that friend whom given a hefty tip would wax lyrical about your latest blockbuster.

A writers circle is the way forward. After all haven't we all got a book in us? We need that friendly bunch of characters who share their ideas, who invite that guest speaker into the fold, offering practical tips on how to wallpaper your mansion with all the rejection slips that are likely to fall on your doormat. For that moment when for whatever reason the 'No' word is final.

Scribbler knows all that, what does he care if he's trying to park the car and the eager beaver's are waiting, their pens charged at the ready, another bunch ready to hang on his every word, listen to how successful he is. It's just another meeting, in another village hall, where he can mock the word engrossed afflicted.

His spouse can smooth them over, after all she's smoothed over a great many of his misdoings in the past (enough to write a book even) she can do it once more, and she does, her arrival causes a buzz. A woman busying herself with gadgets, signs, chairs and an apology from the hero, the man yet to put in an appearance, and when he does, he insists his creative work is his very obvious downfall from the limelight.

It has nothing of course to do with writers block, the odd whisky or eight, the slap and tickle on the directors couch or anything else he could realistically be blamed for. His spouse after all has savoured all the little extras just as much as he. Why shouldn't she do her duty, pick up the pieces?

Spouse on the other hand may well have just picked up one 'piece' to much.
Her husband's fall from flavour of the week, month, year has just about got up her nose a little more than he expected. Why should he sound so hard done by?
These little talks at the local writers circle are their bread and butter now.
He's brought it on himself. If he wants to dish the dirt, rant to the audience, spill the beans about his dizzy rise and very harsh fall, then she's going to spill a few beans herself.

Spouse (Vanessa Rosenthal) loves her husband. He's the father of her children.
'Stand by your man' isn't that what they say? Her ability to turn a blind eye when the indiscretions (of the skirt variety) consist of more 'tarts' than hot dinners and the drunken onslaughts became as regular as an episode on 'The Archers' our girl flips and boy how!

The believable loving wife that would gladly administer rat poison in a jiffy to her debauched husband, and wake him up when she wanted the shelves put up in the kitchen!

I simply loved these two, they gelled, fueled the stage with static energy (may even have been married!?) delivered a brilliant performance, a superbly funny achingly realistic production.      

Interesting Facts

• Professional actors of 60 plus founded the 'Yellow Leaf' Theatre company back in 2002.

• The stand for age-ism is very strong although mixed ages write and perform a variety of new productions for the company as they travel extensively up and down the country.

• Writer of 'Scribbler & Spouse' James Robson 63 strongly believes there is life after 30! In fact I'm sure there was one female writer who had her first book published when she was 103!

• James Robson has written for Radio, TV. & Theatre.