Absolutely divine

“Welcome, everyone, to the first read through of A Divine Comedy.”

Which is what I am saying in this photo taken at the dress rehearsal.

I bloody love these people. Catherine (not in photo) playing Mary majestically playing Elizabeth I, Neil playing Harry arrogantly playing the Earl of Essex, Tom playing Frank playing a frustrated Shakespeare, Donna playing Jane playing a harried Anne Hathaway, Kerry playing Dean playing the booming Dean of London, Joe playing Mick playing the gravelly-voiced manager of the Globe Theatre and Dave (also not in photo) playing “misery guts” Peter playing the Bishop of London. Love ’em to bits.

We opened last night to a smallish, but appreciative crowd. Lots of laughter, as it should be, and some fairly lavish praise afterwards from a professional actor and a professional playwright and director, who were both there. Oh, and, via one of the cast members I’ve had a request from a theatre company on the other side of the country to read the script. Wowza!

I thoroughly enjoyed writing the original play-within-the-play decades ago and thoroughly enjoyed the very first read through involving professional actors sitting around my table in London. Unfortunate that the BBC didn’t think it was as funny as we did. I’m glad I thought of and dusted it offla last year when we were trying to come up with work to perform on Zoom. And, as enjoyable as I’m sure it was to watch on Zoom, I’m glad so many people thought it really should be performed live. I had so much fun writing the expanded first scene and the new third scene. But nothing in the process has been quite as delightful as the rehearsal masks coming off and being able to see the truly wonderful expressions on the faces of the actors as they so brilliantly delivered my lines.

The whole thing has been absolutely divine.

I just hope Richard was looking down from the cocktail party in the sky and raising a glass. With your help, my friend, a little bit of magic has been created.