It was great being part of the Thames Festival this weekend when that admirable, and to me, very supportive, theatre group White Rabbit performed another of my short stories in their on-going project, Are You Sitting Comfortably? and, judging by the turnout, there really is an appetite out there for that good age-old tradition in enjoying being read a good story or yarn.

This was my third time with White Rabbit and their first outdoor production.  I have never grown out of the enthusiasm of listening to someone reading me a story, I have also never lost my excitement in the buzz of performance in front of a crowd. In this case the South Bank of the Thames, just along from the National Theatre darlings, was swarming with a healthy and energetic crowd making the whole event a real thrill….even the organizers seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Even though the extrovert part of my personality is never too shy in coming forward, my nicer, shyer side was more than happy that, tonight, my stuff was being performed by a professional actor and all I had to do was sit back trying not to look too smug or self-conscious and then to take my applause in a gracious and modest way. I think I did OK.

The theme for the stories was the river and all who sail on her…..and that included pirates, one of my personal obsessions, so my story, Ahoy! about a pirate wannabe, was appropriate enough.

White Rabbit is really Bernadette Russell who makes a convincingly saucy sailor and Gareth Brierley who performed my story with a lot of  energy and, surprizing to me, real emotion. He brought a tear to my eye hearing my own story read out loud for the first time. Thanks to both of you for this great event.

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I heard yesterday that those excellent people from the White Rabbit theatre company are going to produce another of my short stories in their show are You Sitting Comfortably? as part of the Thames Festival on Saturday 10th September at The Bandstand, Gabriel’s Wharf, London – 7.30 for 8.00 (admission Free).

The story, Ahoy! concerns a pirate wannabe – if you want to know more then come along. It would be great to meet you.

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  Photo: Sadie Cook

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I was up in London on Friday night for another White Rabbit Theatre Company – www.thewhiterabbit.org.uk – production of Are You Sitting Comfortably? where my short story, Bears About, was performed by the excellent, extrovert and accent fluent Bernadette Russell. It is fantastic hearing my work performed by professional actors and even more exciting hearing the audience’s response – there is something validating about an audience’s laughter when those jokes or humourous remarks always written in solitude finally reach their target.

The theme was sex, so look away now if you are easily shocked, and there was a record audience, disgusting people Londoners, for all those sex-themed stories and, maybe above all, for the slide show of  Edwardian erotica. Why do those naked ladies of times past look so much ruder than modern nudes? I think they look much more naked and, just possibly, a lot more fun.

There were other treats too apart from the stories and the nudes including chip butties (see above), icecream and, of course, booze.

All of these stimuli got the packed audience into the mood long before the first story, which happened to be mine, attempted to stir libidinous imaginations.

With my story done, and generously received, I could sit back and listen to the other writers’ work. Well, I learnt a lot. I didn’t realize women were so obsessed with male nipples or voyeurism for a start and I will never think of my piano arpeggio practice the same way again for sure. I won’t go any further but I think you can tell how the evening developed. It was great fun.

So thanks Bernadette, thanks White Rabbit and thanks to everyone who turned out. It was standing room only and I enjoyed myself enormously.

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