Post-'showcase info

Hi, everyone.



Just a quick update.

I'm sorry that I haven't got in touch after the 'Pattie-shop Diaries' showcase on 25th May @ Albany, but Mike & Gerrard went through so much to get it going that I didn't want to pester them for detailed information.



Anyway, it seemed to have been a huge success, with about 250 people turning up.



A lot of good feedback was gathered and, as a result, Mike has introduced (and recorded) 2 new musical pieces to the soundtrack;

they are called:

'Jack/Marcus Waltz' & 'Soul Food(pattie police)'.

I think that Mike is just trying to arrange to meet-up with Kemi ('Patience') and Calum ('Jack') to record their parts ......... (Mike seems quite excited about them, though).

Anyway, aside from that, Mike & Gerrard had a meeting @ The Albany on 12th July.
It was with Gavin & Sophie (the creative team), and it was to work out where the piece goes to.

It was decided that 'Pattie-shop Diaries' should (provisionally) be given a 2-week residency at The Albany Theatre in the autumn season of 2011 !!!!!!!!

This is, of course, fabulous news and I'm REALLY excited and soooooooo proud of the guys.

They seem to be a little more cautious, saying that the success of the piece really depends on getting funding from 'Arts Council', 'National Lottery', and 'whomever else' in order to get it made & 'tour-ready'.
They are, as we speak, starting to fill out grant applications.

I think they are planning to create a 'mini-tour' because they are also in touch with 'Contact Theatre' in Manchester, 'Harrow Arts Centre' in ........ Harrow (lol), and 'Nottingham Theatre' in Nottingham.
All of these venues seem to be interested in hosting 'Pattie-shop Diaries' at some point next year so, if programming of the piece can be arranged very soon in these venues, funding can be sought and then (hopefully) a nice little tour can be created for next year.

To this end, Mike is going on a course very soon which should give him lots of information concerning 'grant application'.

Also, Mike & Gerrard had a meeting with Oluwatoyin Odunsi (the programmer @ 'Harrow Arts Centre') planned for 6th August to plan dates, strategies, etc.

The way that Mike & Gerrard tell it, it seems that meeting Oluwatoyin was a most fortuitous event:
having just arrived back in Britain (from a working cruise), Mike picked up Gerrard and drove to 'Birmingham Rep' to sing backing vocals for an artist called Khadijatou Doyneh .

It turns out that Raidene Carter (the programmer for 'Birmingham Rep') was there.

She had helped Mike & Gerrard with their dance/music piece 'Rage & Breathe' at 'The Albany' a couple of years ago and, having been at 'Decibel' last year, is still quite interested in Mike & Gerrard's exploits ...... including 'Pattie-shop Diaries'.

She took the time to introduce them to Oluwatoyin who, now, seems quite interested in the project.
They've sent the script and songs to her and, I guess, it's now a question of getting a meeting sorted and arranging the dates.

Well, it all seems quite exciting but, at the same time, really time-consuming.

I will , no doubt, keep u informed of any updates (as & when Mike & Gerrard let me know).

In the meantime ........

Peace & Love.

Best Wishes,

Lillian xxx