Thought-provoking works from Courier Country wordsmiths are to go online next week as part of an annual drama showcase.
Closely linked to St Andrews’ Byre Theatre, stalwarts from the Fife town’s Byre Writers group have penned a selection of poems, monologues and scripts that will be beamed as pre-recorded readings from the homes of amateur thespians.
Still unable to tread the boards at the 20-year-old Abbey Street premises, St Andrews Play Club members are set to present their inaugural video am-dram as part of the theatre’s ongoing digital programme.
The Fife and Tayside-based actors have long enjoyed a fruitful relationship with the Byre Writers, who this month saw one of their number achieve recognition in the Scottish Community Drama Association’s monologue writing competition.
Wormit resident Jane Orr, 62, said she was delighted to have earned first prize for her short piece Swansong.
“It’s about a woman in her late 60s who’s an actress sitting in the dressing room reminiscing about a relationship she had with someone she’d known at school,” she explained.
“She never married but it was him that got her into performing. It’s really just her talking to her soul mate, and although she has a new script she decides that life is too short and she’s going to retire.
‘Why do we leave things undone?’
“It asks why do we leave things undone — why don’t we just do the things we want to do? This really is her last performance as she’s going to give it all up and go and live life.”
Also a member Dundee Dramatic Society and St Andrews Musical Society, Glasgow-born Jane has previously seen her scripts performed at Dundee’s Little Theatre.
She admits to being disappointed that live plays have been unfeasible over the past year, but feels internet initiatives like From Page To Stage can at least make new drama accessible.
“Everything we used to do has taken a back seat,” she adds. “For the competition I rushed through my performance of Swansong because I didn’t want to cut too much. I now intend to go up to the actual Little Theatre dressing room and take my time to record it properly, then upload it to the drama group’s website and my own Facebook page.”
New writers group
Jane first got involved with Byre Writers in 2016, having previously been part of a group based at Dundee’s Blackness Library. She recently helped set up another organisation for budding authors, the Tearaway Writers.
“We’re hoping to do some rehearsed readings at the end of the year,” she reveals. “We’ve got quite a bit of work to get out there and the Byre will support us with that nearer the time because we’ve got good connections with both the theatre and the play club. We’re trying to concentrate on scripts and monologues, things that can be performed in the Lawrence Levy Studio at the Byre.”
Jane credits the Byre group — which includes published authors — for giving her support and encouragement. Now she’s looking to make a mark with a slice of autobiographical prose.
“Before I retired I was a nurse so I didn’t really have much time to write because I had other hobbies,” she says.
“I did pen a few daft little poems and stuff like that, but now I’ve also started writing a book about my adventures as a district nurse, a bit like Call The Midwife. It goes away back to when I started my training and all the different things that happen to you when you’re a nurse, with a lot of names changed, obviously.
“I’ve also put together a book of funny sketches about two retirees who put the world to rights. I’m in the process of getting that set up through Amazon publishing so hopefully it’ll get printed up soon.”
‘Everybody’s got a story to tell’
Joining a writers’ group is a smart move for any budding wordsmith, according to Jane. “Everybody has got a story to tell,” she says.
“I was quite nervous at first putting my first little rehearsed readings in, and sometimes look back and think, ‘Oh my goodness, what did I write that for?’
“You look for feedback but ultimately it’s your piece and you shouldn’t change anything just to satisfy someone else. If you feel a change works, that’s fine, if not just keep it as it is.”
- Byre Writers and St Andrews Play Club: From Page To Stage Online, May 19-22
- www.byretheatre.com
