Women Playwrights
20/12/2008
Women Playwrights -
I had been writing plays for thirty-five years. When I won Best Playwright
from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2006, thrilled that at last women playwrights were getting the recognition they deserved, I decided to leave the field to contemporary women playwrights, and young playwrights in general and I decided to retire.
I took up sculpting. Everyone applauded. They loved and housed
my work, they bought some. A physically exhausting profession
compared to writing, I simply dosed myself on extra vitamins
and turned my back on reflection. Until a fellow musician,
David Ingledew, invited me to see his show, 'Alice's World'. I loved the
music he'd written for The Looking Glass Orchestra, and the
piece had had several outings with positive reviews but it
wasn't yet a musical. "I want you to write the book.' He
said. Considering I was raised on Alice, it was an offer too
tempting to refuse. He primed the whole company
ready to receive me, and had dates booked for the production.
It took me only a month to come up with
an updated version of the timeless fantasy. David
loves it but I know it will change and develop in rehearsal.
Thirty-five years count for something!
www.elizawyatt.com
www.mattermakers.com (for my sculpture)
Windows Live Messenger: Celebrate 10 amazing years with free winks and emoticons. Get Them Now
(WHITE RABBIT enters)
WHITE RABBIT (Disapprovingly)
Have you heard? Randomness! Randomness has broken out.
ALICE
Oh dear, I think I've caught it. Does it come with an itch?
WHITE-COATED RABBIT
There's only one cure I'm afraid. Lessons!
We have to give you lessons in mathematics
ALICE
I thought you were buying me a house.
WHITE COATED RABBIT
There was a size problem. Too big, you get lost in it. Too little
you feel stuck. Calculations have to be made again. You'll have
to be measured.
ALICE
Oh bother, is it like having a dress made?
WHITE RABBIT'
More like a lesson in maths. Which is why you'll need
the Madhatter.
(THE MADHATTER returns with white board
and pens)
ALICE
I'd rather have lessons in magic. He's a magician.
MADHATTER
Only because I'm a mathematician.
WHITERABBIT
No advanced math! Begin her with the simple stuff.
MADHATTER
Let me start with something simple. Like...Infinity.
ALICE
Oh!
MADHATTER
No, that's not infinity. You've failed the first lesson. But
there can always be another one.. Supposing I chase you round the garden.
(HE tries that, Alice runs round the board)
ALICE
Oh, oh!
MADHATTER
That's it. Infinity. TWO O's. DOUBLE O!! One lesson learned. What
else?
WHITE RABBIT
Suppose you have everything...
MADHATTER
And take away something. What do you have left?
WHITE RABBIT
EVERYTHING of course...
ALICE (TO WHITE RABBIT)
I think you're confusing me.
MAD HATTER(To WHITE RABBIT)
That's wrong of you, that's very wrong of you.
WHITE RABBIT
Sorry, I sincerely meant to help. I didn't mean to confuse you.
MAD HATTER
I hope not. That's MY job!