Jess Green – Writer

Jess GreenJess Green is a writer and performance poet who is a veteran of 14/48. She has written for Leicester and Wolverhampton festivals. We catch up with her on the Saturday morning after she’s had about 6 hours sleep in the last 2 days.

“I had most of my sleep yesterday. I had an hour and a half last night.” It turns out she submitted at 5am. “Last night was really hard.” So was it the theme, lack of sleep or something else which caused the problems?

“I always have a duff day and that’s become a self-fulfilling prophecy. It happens because I say it will happen.”

People in the audience had spoken to Jess after last night’s show. “We really loved what you did and am coming back tomorrow. We can’t wait to see what you’ll produce.” And all night Jess sat there with these words ringing in her head thinking her writing was, “awful. It’s awful.”

Anyone who has seen Jess perform or seen any of her plays will know how exceptional her work is. It’s difficult to equate such self-doubt with someone who produces such strong work.

Today her script is about a writing retreat run by a poet who isn’t as good as they think they are. There are also a couple of other characters “who you often find on writing retreats.”

You can tell this script has come from personal experience.

Jess is very politically active and politics plays a big part in her work. For this reason she is the perfect writer to ask about the new thing in 14/48 Leicester. The gender neutrality. 14/48 has always meant you wrote without knowing the age, race or looks of your character. Which does make you wonder why we seperated genders. Asking Jess about this she becomes more animated. How did she find writing a gender neutral script.

“I love it. I love it for so many reasons. It gets rid of a lot of cliche. I’ve got a man and a woman so I’m going to write about them being a couple and having an argument. I’ve got 5 women so I’m going to write about a hen do.”

Does it make the writing job any harder?

“I think it makes the writing job easier because if I know the gender of my cast I tend to fight against writing gender stereotypes. And if you don’t know your cast you don’t have to put as much effort into that. Naturally, we all write in gender stereotypes because we are surrounded by gender stereotypes. I love it. I think it’s brilliant. And there were so many good plays yesterday which had developed the way they had because of gender neutrality.”

Gender neutrality also means the drawing of the performers has a different meaning. As Jess explains.

“When you see we’re just pulling out people rather than men or women… this now makes the male and female thing look really weird. Of course we should just be pulling out actors. It’s just bizarre we haven’t been doing this before.

Dave Pitt
6th May 2017. 10:48
@davethepitt

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Kirsty Mealing – Director

MealingWhat’s better than having a 14/48 script to direct? Having 2 14/48 scripts to direct. This is what happened to Kirsty Mealing on the first day as writer Matt Beames submitted 2 scripts.

Just before the first performance on Friday night we caught up with Mealing to see what it’s like to have a choice of two scripts. But first we find out how things have gone.

“It’s gone really well…” Then as an aside she says, “it’s scary.” This is a stark opposite to Hannah Torrance who felt directing was easier. Mealing is a veteran actor at 14/48 but for this festival she was a virgin director. It turns out her biggest concern was about the technical aspects. “I’m so used to being on the acting side where you don’t have to think much about it.” She has gone from standing in the light to deciding where the lights shine.

But what about having to choose between 2 scripts. Probably the first time a 14/48 director has done this. “Tonight’s play is about three women who have woken up after a heavy night. The other one was post-apocalyptic and medieveal feel to it. I think this is because Beamsey writes so well in that language. He’s very poetic.” It turns out this other script was the easier one because it would have been very minimal. So why would Mealing choose a more difficult script?

“A challenge but also it’s something we’ve not seen Beamsey to do as much. And I think he was particularly eager to show the full range of what he can do. I know he can do it and I kind of want it for me because either way it’s going to be cool and a nice challenge. But also I think it’s good for the audience to see a different side to Beamsey.”

This charitable nature sums up 14/48 and the people who take part. You can’t help but well up a little when you hear such things.

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The First Performance

It is close to showtime cast and crew are scattered around the Y. The design team, dressed all in black like set building ninjas congregate backstage. The band and tech team are in place. The actors either wait backstage or upstairs in the Y’s glorious balcony.

Amongst them you can feel the energy. They sit in their groups. Many are running lines. Making last minute checks all is well. Some sit alone. Eyes closed like meditating monks. Their lips mouthing silent words.

The house lights plummet and we are off.

Blogging means I am an audience member. I’m not emotionally invested in a particular script. I can sit back and watch the plays.

It is a wonderful night of theatre. Even though the design team said they had a “lot of offices” the plays are diverse. As they race through actors disappear and reappear in the balcony. Silent high fives and thumbs up are given.

There are also some dipped heads and humourless and painful smiles. Mistakes have been made. Some actors have fluffed lines.

The important thing is, as an audience member, I didn’t know.

It shows the commitment of these performers. 24 hours previously these plays did not exist. The scripts only reached their hands 11 hours ago. Even so, they want it to be perfect and now they sit there beating themselves up. The point has to be made again… As an audience member, I didn’t know mistakes had happened. And if anything, you’d expect mistakes. This is a monumental task to take on for all concerned. Mistakes will happen because we’re human and not robots. It was a great show which everyone produced in less than 24 hours. Let’s say this… Well done. Seriously… Well done. Fucking well done. You deserve each and every bit of praise coming to you. All of you.

A theme is drawn for the following night. The theme is, “In the mood”. The writers disappear while cast and crew prepare for another performance.

Seeing the difference between the 8pm and 10.30pm performance proves you should come to both. The performers are more relaxed. The comedy ramps up a level and new lines are thrown in. They get hugh laughs and you also see the performers struggling to hold it together. It’s like challenges have been set to make people corpse.

And emotion cranks up a level as well. No, it’s alright. I’ve just got something in my eye.

Then it is half past midnight and the show is over. Everyone is low on sleep but high on adrenalin.

We have to do it all again tomorrow.

I can’t wait.

Dave Pitt
​6th May 2017. 07:54
@davethepitt

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The First Performance

It is close to showtime cast and crew are scattered around the Y. The design team, dressed all in black like set building ninjas congregate backstage. The band and tech team are in place. The actors either wait backstage or upstairs in the Y’s glorious balcony.

Amongst them you can feel the energy. They sit in their groups. Many are running lines. Making last minute checks all is well. Some sit alone. Eyes closed like meditating monks. Their lips mouthing silent words.

The house lights plummet and we are off.

Blogging means I am an audience member. I’m not emotionally invested in a particular script. I can sit back and watch the plays.

It is a wonderful night of theatre. Even though the design team said they had a “lot of offices” the plays are diverse. As they race through actors disappear and reappear in the balcony. Silent high fives and thumbs up are given.

There are also some dipped heads and humourless and painful smiles. Mistakes have been made. Some actors have fluffed lines.

The important thing is, as an audience member, I didn’t know.

It shows the commitment of these performers. 24 hours previously these plays did not exist. The scripts only reached their hands 11 hours ago. Even so, they want it to be perfect and now they sit there beating themselves up. The point has to be made again… As an audience member, I didn’t know mistakes had happened. And if anything, you’d expect mistakes. This is a monumental task to take on for all concerned. Mistakes will happen because we’re human and not robots. It was a great show which everyone produced in less than 24 hours. Let’s say this… Well done. Seriously… Well done. Fucking well done. You deserve each and every bit of praise coming to you. All of you.

A theme is drawn for the following night. The theme is, “In the mood”. The writers disappear while cast and crew prepare for another performance.

Seeing the difference between the 8pm and 10.30pm performance proves you should come to both. The performers are more relaxed. The comedy ramps up a level and new lines are thrown in. They get hugh laughs and you also see the performers struggling to hold it together. It’s like challenges have been set to make people corpse.

And emotion cranks up a level as well. No, it’s alright. I’ve just got something in my eye.

Then it is half past midnight and the show is over. Everyone is low on sleep but high on adrenalin.

We have to do it all again tomorrow.

I can’t wait.

Dave Pitt
​6th May 2017. 07:54
@davethepitt

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via IFTTT

The First Performance

It is close to showtime cast and crew are scattered around the Y. The design team, dressed all in black like set building ninjas congregate backstage. The band and tech team are in place. The actors either wait backstage or upstairs in the Y’s glorious balcony.

Amongst them you can feel the energy. They sit in their groups. Many are running lines. Making last minute checks all is well. Some sit alone. Eyes closed like meditating monks. Their lips mouthing silent words.

The house lights plummet and we are off.

Blogging means I am an audience member. I’m not emotionally invested in a particular script. I can sit back and watch the plays.

It is a wonderful night of theatre. Even though the design team said they had a “lot of offices” the plays are diverse. As they race through actors disappear and reappear in the balcony. Silent high fives and thumbs up are given.

There are also some dipped heads and humourless and painful smiles. Mistakes have been made. Some actors have fluffed lines.

The important thing is, as an audience member, I didn’t know.

It shows the commitment of these performers. 24 hours previously these plays did not exist. The scripts only reached their hands 11 hours ago. Even so, they want it to be perfect and now they sit there beating themselves up. The point has to be made again… As an audience member, I didn’t know mistakes had happened. And if anything, you’d expect mistakes. This is a monumental task to take on for all concerned. Mistakes will happen because we’re human and not robots. It was a great show which everyone produced in less than 24 hours. Let’s say this… Well done. Seriously… Well done. Fucking well done. You deserve each and every bit of praise coming to you. All of you.

A theme is drawn for the following night. The theme is, “In the mood”. The writers disappear while cast and crew prepare for another performance.

Seeing the difference between the 8pm and 10.30pm performance proves you should come to both. The performers are more relaxed. The comedy ramps up a level and new lines are thrown in. They get hugh laughs and you also see the performers struggling to hold it together. It’s like challenges have been set to make people corpse.

And emotion cranks up a level as well. No, it’s alright. I’ve just got something in my eye.

Then it is half past midnight and the show is over. Everyone is low on sleep but high on adrenalin.

We have to do it all again tomorrow.

I can’t wait.

Dave Pitt
​6th May 2017. 07:54
@davethepitt

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Hannah Torrance – Director

Torrance.pngSome days you are pigeon. Some days you are a statue. What day is it when you have to direct Neil Reading in a fat suit?

Natalie Beech’s script called for a man of much girth but the Cup of Androgyny brought forth nought but the sleight of waist. None of this has phased Hannah Torrance in the slightest. “It’s quite a chilled first day.” She explained how they read through with everyone trying the different characters. Only once did it feel right. “Because it’s such a wordy play we’ve just been line running and line running.”

Watching her direct shows the deft touch she has. She’s happy to let things go and give gentle nudges on the steering wheel to bring things back towards her vision. Usually she is writing for 14/48 and finds the directing much more relaxed. But surely directing is dealing with everyone’s problems.

“I don’t feel like that. I go to the design team and say ‘I’d like this’ and they go either yes or no and you accept it. Then you do the same with the tech team. And then you tell the actors what to do and sometimes they come up and go, ‘Or… what about this?’ And you go yes that’s chuffing beautiful let’s run with that. So it feels like I’ve done not a lot.”

But Torrance can pretend it’s all been plain sailing. We need to know about the true horrors of 14/48. Neil Reading in a fat suit.

“He’s enjoying it a bit too much. I’ve sent Sue (Reading’s partner) a picture and said ‘I think you need to come mentally prepared to see your future’.” When Reading does get past puberty and acheives this new level of midrift girth he will be a happy man.

“I’m can’t decide what’s more disturbing,” says Torrance. “If it’s when he’s absentmindedly rubbing his belly or if it’s when I walk back into the room and he starts rubbing his moobs.”

Dave Pitt
5th May 2017. 16:25.
@davethepitt

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Hannah Torrance – Director

Torrance.pngSome days you are pigeon. Some days you are a statue. What day is it when you have to direct Neil Reading in a fat suit?

Natalie Beech’s script called for a man of much girth but the Cup of Androgyny brought forth nought but the sleight of waist. None of this has phased Hannah Torrance in the slightest. “It’s quite a chilled first day.” She explained how they read through with everyone trying the different characters. Only once did it feel right. “Because it’s such a wordy play we’ve just been line running and line running.”

Watching her direct shows the deft touch she has. She’s happy to let things go and give gentle nudges on the steering wheel to bring things back towards her vision. Usually she is writing for 14/48 and finds the directing much more relaxed. But surely directing is dealing with everyone’s problems.

“I don’t feel like that. I go to the design team and say ‘I’d like this’ and they go either yes or no and you accept it. Then you do the same with the tech team. And then you tell the actors what to do and sometimes they come up and go, ‘Or… what about this?’ And you go yes that’s chuffing beautiful let’s run with that. So it feels like I’ve done not a lot.”

But Torrance can pretend it’s all been plain sailing. We need to know about the true horrors of 14/48. Neil Reading in a fat suit.

“He’s enjoying it a bit too much. I’ve sent Sue (Reading’s partner) a picture and said ‘I think you need to come mentally prepared to see your future’.” When Reading does get past puberty and acheives this new level of midrift girth he will be a happy man.

“I’m can’t decide what’s more disturbing,” says Torrance. “If it’s when he’s absentmindedly rubbing his belly or if it’s when I walk back into the room and he starts rubbing his moobs.”

Dave Pitt
5th May 2017. 16:25.
@davethepitt

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via IFTTT

Hannah Torrance – Director

Torrance.pngSome days you are pigeon. Some days you are a statue. What day is it when you have to direct Neil Reading in a fat suit?

Natalie Beech’s script called for a man of much girth but the Cup of Androgyny brought forth nought but the sleight of waist. None of this has phased Hannah Torrance in the slightest. “It’s quite a chilled first day.” She explained how they read through with everyone trying the different characters. Only once did it feel right. “Because it’s such a wordy play we’ve just been line running and line running.”

Watching her direct shows the deft touch she has. She’s happy to let things go and give gentle nudges on the steering wheel to bring things back towards her vision. Usually she is writing for 14/48 and finds the directing much more relaxed. But surely directing is dealing with everyone’s problems.

“I don’t feel like that. I go to the design team and say ‘I’d like this’ and they go either yes or no and you accept it. Then you do the same with the tech team. And then you tell the actors what to do and sometimes they come up and go, ‘Or… what about this?’ And you go yes that’s chuffing beautiful let’s run with that. So it feels like I’ve done not a lot.”

But Torrance can pretend it’s all been plain sailing. We need to know about the true horrors of 14/48. Neil Reading in a fat suit.

“He’s enjoying it a bit too much. I’ve sent Sue (Reading’s partner) a picture and said ‘I think you need to come mentally prepared to see your future’.” When Reading does get past puberty and acheives this new level of midrift girth he will be a happy man.

“I’m can’t decide what’s more disturbing,” says Torrance. “If it’s when he’s absentmindedly rubbing his belly or if it’s when I walk back into the room and he starts rubbing his moobs.”

Dave Pitt
5th May 2017. 16:25.
@davethepitt

from Blog – 14/48 Leicester http://ift.tt/2pOezt1
via IFTTT

Hannah Torrance – Director

Torrance.pngSome days you are pigeon. Some days you are a statue. What day is it when you have to direct Neil Reading in a fat suit?

Natalie Beech’s script called for a man of much girth but the Cup of Androgyny brought forth nought but the sleight of waist. None of this has phased Hannah Torrance in the slightest. “It’s quite a chilled first day.” She explained how they read through with everyone trying the different characters. Only once did it feel right. “Because it’s such a wordy play we’ve just been line running and line running.”

Watching her direct shows the deft touch she has. She’s happy to let things go and give gentle nudges on the steering wheel to bring things back towards her vision. Usually she is writing for 14/48 and finds the directing much more relaxed. But surely directing is dealing with everyone’s problems.

“I don’t feel like that. I go to the design team and say ‘I’d like this’ and they go either yes or no and you accept it. Then you do the same with the tech team. And then you tell the actors what to do and sometimes they come up and go, ‘Or… what about this?’ And you go yes that’s chuffing beautiful let’s run with that. So it feels like I’ve done not a lot.”

But Torrance can pretend it’s all been plain sailing. We need to know about the true horrors of 14/48. Neil Reading in a fat suit.

“He’s enjoying it a bit too much. I’ve sent Sue (Reading’s partner) a picture and said ‘I think you need to come mentally prepared to see your future’.” When Reading does get past puberty and acheives this new level of midrift girth he will be a happy man.

“I’m can’t decide what’s more disturbing,” says Torrance. “If it’s when he’s absentmindedly rubbing his belly or if it’s when I walk back into the room and he starts rubbing his moobs.”

Dave Pitt
5th May 2017. 16:25.
@davethepitt

from Blog – 14/48 Leicester http://ift.tt/2pOezt1
via IFTTT

Hannah Torrance – Director

Torrance.pngSome days you are pigeon. Some days you are a statue. What day is it when you have to direct Neil Reading in a fat suit?

Natalie Beech’s script called for a man of much girth but the Cup of Androgyny brought forth nought but the sleight of waist. None of this has phased Hannah Torrance in the slightest. “It’s quite a chilled first day.” She explained how they read through with everyone trying the different characters. Only once did it feel right. “Because it’s such a wordy play we’ve just been line running and line running.”

Watching her direct shows the deft touch she has. She’s happy to let things go and give gentle nudges on the steering wheel to bring things back towards her vision. Usually she is writing for 14/48 and finds the directing much more relaxed. But surely directing is dealing with everyone’s problems.

“I don’t feel like that. I go to the design team and say ‘I’d like this’ and they go either yes or no and you accept it. Then you do the same with the tech team. And then you tell the actors what to do and sometimes they come up and go, ‘Or… what about this?’ And you go yes that’s chuffing beautiful let’s run with that. So it feels like I’ve done not a lot.”

But Torrance can pretend it’s all been plain sailing. We need to know about the true horrors of 14/48. Neil Reading in a fat suit.

“He’s enjoying it a bit too much. I’ve sent Sue (Reading’s partner) a picture and said ‘I think you need to come mentally prepared to see your future’.” When Reading does get past puberty and acheives this new level of midrift girth he will be a happy man.

“I’m can’t decide what’s more disturbing,” says Torrance. “If it’s when he’s absentmindedly rubbing his belly or if it’s when I walk back into the room and he starts rubbing his moobs.”

Dave Pitt
5th May 2017. 16:25.
@davethepitt

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