Comic Potential @ the Old Rep

We (the Billesley Players) are rehearsing our new play Comic Potential by Alan Ayckbourn. Iain is directing this one again (his debut was our last play, the Small Hours) and the added confidence means the whole process is a few notches up the fun scales. Everyone's very much more chilled out in fact - we still take it seriously because it's a very complex play in some ways but I'm having a ball. I'm really looking forward to the curtain going up already. Our friend Leon who came to see two plays has joined the group to have a go himself and it's so cool to hang out with him everyweek. Plus Sam who joined for the last play but didn't get a part is acting opposite me and that's really cool cause she is lovely. We've also had at least 4 new members join, 2 of whom have parts, Lee and Roshan and 2/3 girls who joined too late for parts but who are enjoying watching, chilling and getting involved. In the year since I joined the Billesley Players has changed loads and it's attracting new members and growing; it's a really nice way to spend a Thursday.
So, the play - here's the synopsis:
Billesley Players bring to life ‘Comic Potential’ by Alan Ayckbourn. A lively, comic masterpiece, a satire on human folly with a touch of Pygmalion and androids... Set in the forseeable future, everything has changed except human nature. Ayckbourn’s hilarious and heartbreaking play charts what happens when a relationship begins to form between a young scriptwriter and Jacie Triplethree; an android with a sense of humour.

It's a really funny script and I'm looking forward to being on stage again. We're putting the play on at the Old Rep, which is just beautiful, on May 28 and 29 2010. We got the leaflets on Thursday - I was so nervous to give them out at work but there were a few people who had been so genuinely supportive of it from the start that I think they might actually buy tickets!
I have such fond memories of running around backstage. It's a real proper backstage area. There's a whole floor above and below the stage as well as the space directly behind the stage so everyone's creeping around all over the place to make sure they walk on from the right side. It's a mini version of the hippodrome and it's spellbinding. Last year was when I took hundreds of photos of it all then we lost the camera - this year I'm sorting out a new camera and keeping hold of it come what may!!! Learning lines seems to get easier as well, which is a good job too cause I've got tonnes of them this time.
Still, ahead of the play I'm looking forward to lots of things; Al's 30th birthday and my own; mum's birthday, and a few other thing that I have up my sleeve. And in July we've got Gemma and Hannah's weddings- what an amazing year!