We’re starting our second six-week season of 2009 this evening. All of our upcoming meetings (except possibly 17 March) take place in the function room upstairs at Famous Royal Naval Volunteer pub, 17-18 King Street, BS1 4EE. Ask at the bar when buying a drink if you need directions to the meeting.
Visit the Diary page of our new-look website for an up-to-date list of the dates, times and locations of our forthcoming events. For quick reference, you can also find the date of the next meeting on the site’s home page with a link to a Google Map showing the location of the Volly.
Meeting Cancellations
I decided to cancel one of our meetings in February because of severe weather. Hopefully, we’ve seen the last of the arctic conditions for some time (!), but if it’s necessary (for whatever reason) to cancel a meeting at short notice again, I’ll both send an email about the cancellation and post notification of it on the website’s Diary page before noon on the day of the scheduled meeting. Please check your email and/or the website before coming to a meeting to be sure that it’s going ahead.
Tuesday, 3 March 2009 at 7.30pm: Open Workshop
Tonight’s meeting features work in progress by Ailsa Milnes.
Tuesday, 10 March 2009 at 7.30pm: Open Workshop
Tuesday, 17 March 2009 at 8.00pm: Suspension by Catherine Johnson — TBC
We’re planning a group ‘outing’ to our former Honorary President’s latest play in the Bristol Old Vic Studio (details below).
Tuesday, 24 March 2009 at 7.30pm: A new script by Stephanie Weston
A reading of Stef’s latest work. [A moment from this meeting is pictured above.]
Tuesday, 31 March 2009 at 7.30pm: Open Workshop
Tuesday, 7 April 2009 at 7.30pm: Open Workshop
Website Revamp
Working with the new Southwest Scriptwriters organising team, I’ve given the group’s website a much-needed makeover. The updated version now online sports a new look and reworked information on our activities. We have plans to expand the site’s content to include back issues of this newsletter, podcasts of visiting speakers and a scriptwriting reading list. Have a look around and get in touch if you have any ideas about how the site can be improved.
Suspension by Catherine Johnson
Against the backdrop of Bristol’s famous bridge, two fathers stage a traffic-stopping demonstration of love. But is it too late? This hard-edged comedy tells a story of parenting, relationships and the thrills of mountaineering in a morning suit…
Suspension marks Catherine’s return to Bristol Old Vic 20 years on from her debut play, Rag Doll, produced in the Studio during 1988.
Suspension runs at 8pm nightly on Monday to Saturday and at 2.30pm on Thursdays and Saturdays until 28 March.
Blavatsky’s Tower at the Alma
Meanwhile, up at the Alma Tavern in Clifton, our friends at Theatre West are producing Moira Buffini’s Blavatsky’s Tower in association with Angelhair Productions and Progress Cymru.
Three hundred feet in the air, the Blavatskys live their lives with their heads firmly stuck in the clouds. Whilst Dada sees angels all around, Roland endlessly watches soaps and Ingrid gardens on the roof.
The show opens on Tuesday, 10 March, with performances at 8pm nightly (except Sunday, 15) until Saturday, 21 March. You can also catch the play at matinee performances at 2.30pm on Saturdays, 14 and 21 March.
Ding dong!
Congratulations to Adrian Harris and Michelle Preston who are the first couple who met at Southwest Scriptwriters to become engaged. Adrian popped the question at Christmas, and he and Michelle are planning to marry in 2010. We wish them both long and happy lives together!