Monday 16th of March 2020, I’m on the District Line but my head is still at the Etcetera Theatre where earlier we had an intense and quite stressful day of rehearsal. I glance at my phone and there it is, the dreaded voicemail from Kate Bannister, Artistic Director of the Jack Studio Theatre.
18:07 “ Juliette, it’s Kate, call me back when you get this.”
My heart sinks because I know exactly what she’s going to tell me when I will call her back. In our little bubble at the Etcetera, we’ve been cut off from outside world, but we know what’s pending. The last few days have been horrific, actually. I wake up at night and can’t go back to sleep, the stress is piling up like never before in my life, the uncertainty is unbearable… I want to get off this train, but there’s nothing I can do. Yes, our team is small ( 3 Actors, a Stage Manager, a Sound Designer, a Light Designer and myself), and so is our production. But we’ve all worked very hard for this and as a first time Producer quite a lot of my small budget has been spent already.
The previous Sunday, I have sent an email to the entire team: “Dear All, terrible times of uncertainties, blah blah blah…. but unless the Jack and/or Government guidelines tell us differently, we’ll push through and we’ll do that show! Please email me your concerns….” The show must go on after all!
Back to the 16th of March.
19:13, I’m now home. I muster up the tiny bit of courage and strength that I have left in me and I call back Kate. “Juliette, I’m so sorry she says, there’s been a press conference. All theatres are going dark now. We’re cancelling our upcoming shows. Diva Live From Hell was due to open tomorrow. They did their tech rehearsal this week-end. It’s such a massive blow for them…” I can easily imagine what Diva Live From Hell must be feeling right now! Little Wing our show is due to open in just three weeks. I have to confess though, as I’m listening to Kate, I’m experiencing mix feelings, and some of it is actually relief. Not only I'm allowed to get off this train but I'm actually asked to!
After a long and soothing conversation with Kate, I hang up and start calling each member of our team. We’re the 16th of March 2020 and the show, this time, won’t go on. The big adventure is now over! And not just for us but for the entire planet as well. Small consolation, but consolation nevertheless.
For me, it all started 10 months before, in June 2019, when I signed my contract with the Jack. Although, it'd be more accurate to say that it all started 12 years ago! 12 years of writing week in and week out, full length play after full length play. 12 years of sending them to theatres around the globe, with very little results, until that fab encounter with Kate Bannister and Karl Swinyard (Executive Director) from The Jack Studio Theatre, which coincides with the time I decided to step out of my comfort zone and self-produce and direct Little Wing , one of my plays written in 2015. Our two weeks of performances were to be in April 2020, with talented actors Jed Shardlow, Paul White and Joseph Vaughan.
But as we all know, 2020 has been cancelled!
For me, it’s turning out alright though, as a new contract has been signed with the Jack and, fingers crossed, Little Wing will be on stage in January 2021…. Of course, more will be revealed!
But my heart goes to all the companies, all the actors and all the theatres, in England and abroad, for whom the future is still "nerve wrackingly" uncertain.
We entertainers, don’t like to stay still for too long, so many of us are already doing incredibly creative things on Youtube, Instagram or Zoom… But let’s face it, nothing like a good live show!
So please support your local theatre, support the Arts and the Artists and hopefully in a few weeks or a few months we’ll be sitting and relaxing in those comfy theatre chairs again, at the Young Vic, The National, The Etcetera or The Jack, waiting to be dazzled by one of those incredible plays!
Until then stay safe and take good care!
Next post on the 20th of August, a little reflection on what this first time self production experience has taught me.
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