under another sun

First night Lorraine and I drove the props and costumes to the Marlborough, while the others taxied over. Once in I left Beth, Mark and Callum to cover boxes in foil, organise the lights and get themselves ready. Lorraine and I off to collect Mum and Mas from the train station, and taken home, before I left again for the theatre. The afternoon spent on rehearsals. A dire dress rehearsal ramped up the tension even more, with me rather tetchy. Not my finest hour. Ate some surprisingly great chicken burgers and then it was time to roll. Our sound and lighting person Becky arrived with an hour or so to spare. I sat nervously downstairs with Mum and Mase, Paul arrived with a lady friend Channa and then between about 7:15 and 7:45 not one person arrived. Then, thank goodness, several groups of people turned up at the last moment and suddenly there was an audience. I lurched upstairs with Tarik, and introduced Pack of Three show and off they went. First was Wrong , which had been perf...

Scooby snacks Catflap malfunctioned in the night two bedraggled cats in the rain this morning. Clearing up this morning in preparation of the visitors we have coming over the next few days. Today Glynis, Beth's Grandmother, and Beth's Godparents Jean and Nigel arrived. Jean and Nigel who are now in their seventies met at a Sunday School teachers convention, and are a lovely couple. I liked Glynis too, and didn't feel any of the potential awkwardness of her being Lorraine's ex-husband's mother. She is greatly respected in the family and I could see why. After I had shopped in the nearby satisfyingly bourgeois deli, and we had constructed massive scooby -snack lunches (me thinking of my Great Dane loving former art director Nev) I left the family to it to head to the Twitten. There I had a chat with Dawn, and met John who is going to do the repairs and garden, and handed him an eyewatering cheque. Also went to the gym for another sweaty session. Called Anna...

Fish business and rehearsals Calliope tearing around the room like a mad thing in the night with her claws out. In the morning at last being able to get down to moving boxes around like fury. Lorraine and I dervishing about in the morning, as Betty and Mark sat quietly on the gold sofa. Then off to the Twitten to rescue the fishes. Lengthy business of draining the tank and bagging up all of the fish, pausing only to cope with a leaking bag, emptying gravel and stones into buckets. Then to transport cabinet and tank and fishes to the Old Church Hall. Everyone arrived safely, and we set up the tank and the fish all alive and accounted for a few hours later when released back into the water. Callum arrived and Beth Mark and Callum began a very noisy rehearsal upstairs. So Lorraine drove us up to the fish shop where I bought some new plants, and the tank looks well in its new environment. Fatty Basil one of the tabby cats, is a great fish fancier and is well pleased. Home and...

Breathing Space Toby's birthday today. Sent him a message and am looking forward to seeing my bro' back in Blighty one of these good days. Otherwise foot down on the pedal today and finally thanks be to God finished the first draft of 'Betty the Spacegirl'. I have found a funny and convincing end for it, using the the reliable trick of circling back to where you started. Quite nice to have elegantly sewn it up. There will be tweaks but it was in good enough condition to hand over to Betty herself later in The Basketmakers at the end of the day. Also have obtained a bit more work next week from my chums in Tavistock Square, which I am able to do from home. Am keeping a wary eye on the Kenny coffers, so this definitely helps. I don't want to come out of this creative period skint and playing banjo for beer money in the underpass of Trafalgar Street. Met Matt this afternoon to discuss the CD project. We are dropping one of the tracks, Adam , as this is proving too comp...

A trapped bird A cup of tea in bed this morning, as Lorraine had been driven across town to my bed by invading ants. Up and working early. Appalled by Calliope who crept in behind me into my study, to release a bird. It then flew at the window and Calliope sprang after it before I'd even had a chance to put my cup down. Much roaring at the cat, and ferreting out the sparrow which had found a tiny niche next to my paper reams. Managed to tip the poor thing out onto my window ledge where it hopped about and flew off, apparently not too much the worse for wear. There is something really disturbing about having a bird in your room. Calliope in disgrace afterwards, but was more resentful than contrite, and was later climbing in the airing cupboard: a forbidden zone so was in trouble again. Forced to get a ladder to remove her. Relations were cool in the afternoon. Ant updates from Lorraine today: she has been murdering them. Otherwise a quiet day for me. Pressed on with a few bits of ad...

Karma and cat conmingling Another excellent start with poems, after walking home from Lorraine's place. I am devoting the first hour of every day to poetry and this morning I wrote one from scratch, and converted a never satisfactorily completed old one into a second poem. I have never had such a purple patch, and I am rapidly assembling a new body of work in what is a different, freer style for me. Felt as if I had done a day's work by 10.00am. However pushed on with Betty the Spacegirl and I am about two thirds of the way through it now. Spoke to Juley at The Sussex Beacon, who I'm going to meet on Monday and visit The Beacon for the first time in ages. In return for our donation they are happy to help publicise the CD and launch event (as it will result in increased money for them) so it is a win-win, and brings good karma. Also spoke to the vet about cat politics, and the conmingling of Calliope with Basil and Brian. Off to the Marlborough to try to finalise the days f...

Machines of Loving Grace Rather trepidatious about my computer this morning. But whatever I'd done yesterday seems to have done the trick. As it is online, and running much better, which is a huge relief. I rely so much on my computer these days. I'd be lost without one. Watched recently the first two episodes of fantastic documentary series 'All Watched Over By Machines of Loving Grace' by Adam Curtis on BBC2, which is a series of films about how humans have been colonised by the machines we have built. Can't stop thinking about the questions it raises. Have started noticing how things like facebook are actually a way for people turn themselves into data for example. If you get a chance to see these films, you should. The title is taken from this poem by Richard Brautigan which is good and new to me. On with things today. Betty the Spacegirl mainly and some poetry. Also a long chat with Janet, followed by going collect Mum's artwork from Janet and Ken's ...

Deadline Working from the early morning to 11pm on the Guernsey story. This did include a rather idle afternoon. It is coming together well but this is going to go to the wire. I should have it ready in the next few days, to have it ready in time to be printed for the Guernsey Literary Festival which is beginning to loom. Curiously I seem to work better to a deadline. In the afternoon popped over to the Marlborough Theatre and have provisionally booked more nights in June for Wrong and Betty the Spacegirl . Nice chat with David and Tarik along with a new person called Jess. David doing a show a few yards away in the Nightingale Theatre next month, so it will be rude not to watch it. Felt happy to get the drama things rolling again. Otherwise a quiet day. Spoke to Mum, and Lorraine. Kept out of trouble.