The Art of Writing?

Who was it who said that the art of writing is the application of the seat of the trousers to the seat of the chair? I quoted it today and completely couldn't remember. Well, Google kindly informs me that it was Mary Heaton Vorse, so my guesses weren't even close, but in the words of Leslie Neilson, that's not important right now. I have put a photo of Ms H.V. above, and as you can see, she doesn't really look like a happy bunny. Well, I guess being a suffragette'll do that.

The sentiment is of the above quote, however, is important to me - always - but I think I'd like to add an addendum, in that the art of writing is also making sure that you're not just blogging, because one's seat is firmly in one's seat, so to speak, and fingers on keys tap tap tapping away, but what are we writing? Great art? Noooooooooo! Shit art? Not even that, alas. I'm writin' me blog, mate.

I am in fact penning a quick blog because it's late, and I don't want to pull at that thread tonight, I'm trying to only work in the days now unless I'm battling deadlines because no matter what time I keep going to or decide to hang up my, ahem, pen at night my little Lottie will still be calling for me at 7:30am to come get her. She couldn't give a tiny rats ass what time I go to sleep. She wants breakfast!

But I am deeply invested at the moment in new material for the show Through the Door which I am really excited about, and about to embark upon a series of rewrites of The Lost Christmas, so there is plenty afoot on that front. In fact, I'm so excited about Through the Door I simply can't wait to continue with this piece, and for the next legs of its development. And I am very confident that its going to emerge as a really noteworthy show, something that has a long life ahead of it.

But enough of that. I have been intermittently working on a stand-alone piece, a song-cycle of some form or fashion, a musical I suppose, if you will, a folly or a fancy, call it what you will because it ain't really anyfink yet, but I was chatting today to my friend-slash-colleague-slash-manager-slash-producer-slash, well, I just call him Andy, who is an all-round genuinely good guy and invariably we find ourselves chatting about musicals, and we were talking about the "Song Cycle" as a form and how it works, and it got me to thinking again about this piece that really is just something I work on in my, ha, "spare" time and as a release or distratction from other more complicated or demanding projects.

I know it works, because really Tomorrow Morning began in this way... the germ of an idea that takes root and ferments. Can a germ ferment? I don't think it should. But still, whatever this idea is, and however many times it gets pushed aside for other projects that charge ahead, take precedent or ultimately pay the bills, sooner or later I'm going to give my song cycle an airing. After all, it must be less complicated than a musical, mustn't it? What d'you need? A concept or theme, a handful of singers who are nice to look at and listen to, a room with a piano and an audience of some kind. Easy, done, book the theatre.

Oh, hang on. Songs? Done deal mate, got them comin' out me arse - I've been writing them for donkey's years. Curious expression. So what's this song cycle's theme? What's it about Laurence? Let me guess, time travel and infedility? Actually neither. It's about ... hmmm, how best could one describe something like this, about a blank canvas of musical theatre potential...?

I think it's going to be about those things that keep me awake at nights, those things in life that you know you've got to get right, that if you screw it up it's not even you who has to bear the consequences - I think it's about being a Dad or a Mom and raising a child, or two, or three, and about watching that kid try to find it's own way in the world. It's about trying to show the world that you are a normal family, when inside you're secretly deeply concerned that your domestic world is chaos. (And simultaneously secretly proud of it - whoever wanted to conform anyway!)

Because that is my world! One of the things that I am grateful for in Sophie finishing The Sound of Music is that we can get back to a normal life... ha! Who am I kidding???