Whelmed

There are two reasons why the next few blog posts will be about my upcoming plays at The Linenhall Arts Centre here in Castlebar.

The first is because it will be a major focal point of my life in the coming weeks and I probably won’t be able to think about anything else to write about. 

The second is that I need to be talking about it to try to encourage you local readers to come along and see the plays. We have two nights worth of seats to fill and would love it if your bum was in at least one of them.

(Not implying that your bum needs more that one seat. Perish the thought!)

We’ve been rehearsing the plays for quite a while now and if you were to ask me where we are at right now, (Where are you at right now, Ken?), I would say it is all coming together but it hasn’t quite come together yet. Are you familiar with that particular moment? If you’ve involved in any kind of creative endeavour, I bet you are. It’s an exciting time, a rather nervy time. A time of excitement, anticipation, and bricking-it in approximately equal measure.

Yesterday I had the teenage playwriting workshop for three hours. I had a rehearsal of one of the plays straight after. This morning, I’ve been out early to the car boot sale, doing dodgy deals on antique stuff required for one of the plays. Flashing the cash and spitting on my hand. As I write this, I’m playing various bits of music and wondering how they will work if they're playing as the audience come in. I'm also simultaneously WhatsApping about the stage set up. 

I have a lot of help from a lot of great people in bringing these plays to the local stage. Castlebar Musical and Dramatic Society is a great big machine that puts on great big shows and to have their Rolls Royce engine driving my little plays is an amazing thing.

The casts are amazing too. The crème of acting talent coming together to bring these tatty words to life.

Yes, it’s nervy.

Yes, it’s busy.

But, yes, it’s incredible too.

I feel so darned encouraged and accepted. All I need now is for the casts to get a warm round of applause from two packed houses on the 16^th the 17^th October. That’s not too much to ask, is it?

You can help by purchasing your tickets at www.thelinenhall.com or on your phone via 094 90 23733 or by clicking on this part of the blog right here or on the image of the poster above.

It’s a lot to take on. Some might kindly tell me it's a little bit too much but I would respectfully disagree. These kinds of opportunities come along only very occasionally and you have to seize them with both hands, and a foot or two as well if needs be.

It’s a lot of pressure but I gladly accept it.

I’m not overwhelmed.

Whelmed, maybe, but not overwhelmed.