Article for 2013 Feb 08

2013

2013 Feb

Feb 08 Fri

Tonight was the final performance from Jigsaw, the drama-group I help out at, the drama-group that you may have thought I’d neglected, from recent articles. That isn’t true.

As assistant director, I’m really pleased that it paid off, my gamble in making one of the characters a casino-frequenter; and it induced loud guffaws, my joke about putting on a poker face in case of going gaga for a lady. As a lyricist, I can relate that it was well received, my assortment of singable words, and well arranged and sung too!

As for my poster advertisement, it’s been complimented, and complemented by the programme, which I also designed, without creating its text, logos, and two company photos.

One elderly lady remarked that it was the first programme she could read without glasses.
Now I feel all warm inside, like a vein’s burst.

As an aside, the type-face of Trebuchet MS and the text-size of 14pt is also what I use for most of Duncan’s Childhood Blog. That might not be true now. Not that I’m expecting this to be read by any elderly lady other than my mother. But on with the show.

Another viewer said it was the most professional-looking programme Jigsaw had yet produced. Jigsaw quite rightly prides itself on its professionalism despite the youth of its members, and it’s such professionalism (along with a willingness to let me write the lyrics, design the poster, direct the cast!) that makes me glad that I am able and willing to be a part of this family, a component of this community, a piece of Jigsaw.

It’s too late to see “Ghosts of the City”, but Jigsaw and I will be back next year with another enthralling narrative, after participating in the equally enthralling Chester Mystery Plays. Do come!

Note from March 2014 - I wasn’t actually in the Mysteries’ 2013 cycle as I wanted to nail my AS exams. Jigsaw members however were: I saw the plays twice and was very impressed, as I was this year with Jigsaw’s very own piece “The Firebird” (see my “Words and ‘The Firebird’” series on this blog). And I will be acting myself in April 2014, as part of Jigsaw’s sister group Quartz, producing “Masque”, the last play I’m physically in until uni. Before uni though, after Easter, I have another Jigsaw project which I’ll be AD-ing and lyricising, for possibly the last time ever. And I have A-levels to complete and something else to complete and my entire secondary school experience to complete... What could possibly go wrong? A lot, but little will. I’m now confident I can do this, with a little will.