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Are
you an organiser? Drama / Literature / Poetry festival? The poet George Meadows has died, but mysteriously reappeared THE RETURN OF GEORGE MEADOWS, TWO ACT STAGE PLAY BY PETER PHILLIPS Enquiries
invited from organisers interested in offering a rehearsed reading or staged
production. (and see "The Green Room" and "Stressed Ending", one act plays) Imaginary article in the Guardian by journalist Belinda Carter: Why did he did he fake his death? Maybe to escape the law or public disgrace – but why would a poet with neither of those considerations take such a step? Three months ago I heard of an interesting event. The poet, George Meadows, had not only died, but about ten days later the police arrested him. I was intrigued because George, whose work I admire, was writing better than ever. He had published eight collections, written a handful of plays, was popular at festivals and readings. He’s not a top prize winning poet, but deserves to be. Actually, he’s better known than most poets who win prizes. He wrongly describes himself as a jobbing poet. He sells a lot of books (for a poet) and has an enthusiastic following. The reason for my interest was to establish why he had done it. Against George’s instincts he agreed to be interviewed. I persuaded him my interview might help mend his profile and also assist with his predicament with the police. At first, George told me the same superficial reasons he gave to the police as to why he risked imprisonment and damage to his marriage. He said his main reasons were: to see if he could increase his book sales, have the pleasure of reading his own obituary and hear what was being said about him. He also said he felt his talent was dwindling and he couldn’t bear that and maybe he was now too old. I felt there was more to it, and as an admirer wanted to see if I could help George avoid a charge of wasting police time, or worse, a serious criminal record. So why did he do it? During the interview I uncovered important events in George’s life, many years apart and the submerged psychological reasons why he took this drastic step, as well as how he did it. He still doesn’t agree with my conclusions, but I’ve passed on the interview to the police and you will be able to read it in the Guardian next week. * Humour and sadness are intertwined through-out, as scene by scene, with flashbacks to George’s past, the real reasons behind George’s fake death are revealed. The play follows on from George’s death in the collection Oscar and I, confessions of a minor poet, published in 2013 by Ward Wood Publishing. This comprised over seventy poems chronicling George’s ups and downs as he blunders through his sometimes amusing, sad and eccentric life, where marriage, romance and friendship collide with poetry, his beloved dog Oscar, and wine. More about Peter’s writing, his
collections and reviews: www.poetrypf.co.uk/peterphillipspage.shtml Are you able to consider arranging a staged performance?
Enquiries invited, to Peter Phillips via poetry p f "The Green Room" and "Stressed
Ending" -
two one act stage plays by Peter Phillips and Ian Purser
poetry p f member, Peter Phillips, has
written, with fellow-poet, Ian Purser, two one act stage plays,
set in the world of writing, which can be performed independently
or as a double bill, with virtually the same cast.
A
rehearsed reading of The Green Room took place on Sunday
31st October 2010, as part of The Torbay Poetry Festival. "To
many people it was one of the highlights of the Festival" Patricia
Oxley, Torbay
Poetry Festival Organiser The
Green Room: Long-standing
animosities come to a dramatic head at a literary festival in honour
of a recently deceased novelist... more Stressed
Ending: Takes place over two days at a creative writing weekend where
the poetry tutor is on the verge of winning an important prize and
has to face the consequences of his professional and personal past....
more They
would welcome any suggestions and ideas, especially from Drama,
Literary and Poetry festival organisers—but all possibilities
gratefully received. More
on The Green Room: (A comedy, about 40 minutes) The
play is set at a literary festival to honour a recently deceased
novelist. A TV celebrity is due to interview the biographer of the
novelist. The organiser discovers that, unknown to her, the celebrity
has invited along an old literary friend of the novelist. There
is mutual loathing between this friend and the biographer, based,
among other reasons, on differing view on the author's work. The
organiser, desperate to avoid confrontation, tries to prevent them
meeting and appearing together on stage. When she fails, mayhem
ensues, only halted by the unscheduled arrival of the novelist's
daughter with a surprising revelation. CAST:
Three males, three females. More
on Stressed Ending: (A drama, about 50 minutes) The
play takes place during a residential weekend poetry course. Two
of the tutors are Ben, a poet whose latest book is favourite to
win a prestigious prize, and Geoffrey, an older poet who has been
a mentor to Ben and is recommending Ben to replace him on an American
Fellowship. Among
the students are: Stella, an arts journalist who is Ben's current
mistress, and Beth, an ex-lover of Ben. When
Ben and Beth had their affair - on a similar course - she brought
along a poem on the recent death of her young son, which Ben worked
on with her. She now believes that Ben has stolen her poem and intends
to confront him. Stella at first offers her support and possible
publicity, but reneges when she discovers who Beth is accusing.
Ben denies the charge, while Geoffrey points out the repercussions
of such an accusation to Ben - who could lose both prize and Fellowship
- and to Beth - who could gain an unhelpful reputation within the
poetry world. After
some agonising, Beth decides to let the matter drop, but reveals
to Ben that she now has another son, the result of their affair.
Ben, who has always wanted a child but whose wife had a history
of miscarriages, is shaken by the news but also relieved that his
career is not threatened. Stella, learning of all this and also
that, with Ben planning to repair his marriage, their relationship
has less future than she had hoped, decides that there might be
a story for her after all. CAST:
Three males, two females. |
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