RED KANGS ARE BEST

Had a very interesting meeting with the enthusiastic and creative head of Room 5064 productions, Gareth Kavanagh, about a possible comic book project. Watch this space!

A MESSAGE FROM PATRICIA MEADOWS

Our star Jessica Martin (aka Patricia Meadows) posted this lovely message:

When Stephen Wyatt and I were out in LA for the Gallifrey One convention in 2017, we spent a lot of time talking about our mutual love of old movie star biographies and memoirs. Patricia Meadows was ‘conceived’ out of a desire to celebrate and mourn the British female stars of the 40’s whose star never lasted as long as their male counterparts. How fortunate was I to have a full blown play created by Stephen and then, cherry on the cake, to have the marvellous Samuel Clemens agree to direct the play and create special film sequences. And Patricia’s beautiful hair, her crowning glory, was lovingly recreated by Sue Pedersen at Wig Specialities.. an essential part of her persona. With the incredible offer of a run at Waterloo East Theatre, we had a place to ‘give birth’. Here we are with the last of our four try-out performances tonight at Waterloo East. Thank you to everyone who has come to see the play. We appreciate your support.

YOU THOUGHT I WAS DEAD, DIDN'T YOU?

A lovely online review from Adrian Barry:

Last night I went to see my wonderful friend Jessica Martin at London's Waterloo East Theatre in her new one-woman play YOU THOUGHT I WAS DEAD, DIDN'T YOU? written by the amazing Stephen Wyatt. What can I say except POW! It was glorious! Jessica's seamless performance as jaded British film star Patricia Meadows was spellbinding and powerful. I was captivated from the start. Stephen's script was sharp, intelligent, witty, you name it. What a gift this gentleman has and in combination with Jessica's amazing talents, this is one hell of a production that you must not miss. This wonderful show leads us through a colourful, bitter-sweet life story, inviting us to both love and hate our leading lady in equal measure and taking us to a conclusion of unexpected emotional depth. Samuel Clemens direction is engaging and the lighting, sound and set design added greatly to the success of this gem of a show. I do hope you all get the chance to see it before it closes this Friday. I truly loved it.

Our short try-out run at Waterloo East has now finished and we were delighted with the audience response. All being well, we will be back!

YOU THOUGHT I WAS DEAD, DIDN'T YOU?

Patricia Meadows (Jessica Martin) and Sally (Rachel Cash) shooting the film inserts for You Thought I Was Dead, Didn't You? by Stephen Wyatt. directed by Sam Clemens. Waterloo East Theatre 19th to 22nd November 9.30 pm.

HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY

A very nice review of The World and His Wife in the Historical Novel Society journal.

The World and His Wife

Written by Stephen Wyatt
Review by Katherine Mezzacappa

Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1803-1873), writer and politician, was commercially very successful in his lifetime. Originating the expressions “the great unwashed,” “the pen is mightier than the sword,” and more, he inadvertently provided the inspiration for Bovril. He is barely known now, yet anyone who reads this novel charting his disastrous marriage to Rosina Wheeler, and their long years of acrimonious separation, may be tempted to try Paul Clifford or Eugene Aram.

The war played out more or less publicly between the Lyttons is told by two “unreliable” narrators. Rosina’s voice is spirited and vengeful, with a range of inventive epithets for her estranged husband: my favorites were Fopling Windbag and Bullfrog Littlewit, and I loved phrases like “he had become such a literary threshing machine, that he could not stop emptying his withered bales on to the market.” Edward is self-pitying, justifying both his infidelities and his physical attacks on Rosina. Early in the marriage, as Edward makes love to Rosina, he thinks not of her but plots out a novel. Later, an attempt at reconciliation through a journey to Italy is doomed when Edward’s mistress and her complaisant husband come along too. Edward eventually resorts to that stratagem of the Victorian husband with an inconvenient wife, and commits her to an asylum, advising his friend Charles Dickens to threaten his blameless Catherine with the same if she does not agree to a separation on his terms.

Wyatt plunges the reader convincingly into the world of Victorian literati: Disraeli, the elder Fanny Trollope, William Makepeace Thackeray, Wilkie Collins, and Harrison Ainsworth all get a mention. The only false note was a reference to the dog of Pompeii; those casts were made thirty years later. But this account of the peculiar hell of an unhappy Victorian marriage is an exhilarating read.

WRITERS GROUP AT CANADA WATER LIBRARY

I had a very enjoyable time talking about my novel to the Canada Water Library's Writers Group on Tuesday. Thanks to Sue Aldred and Wes West for organising this.

PIGLAW ON RADIO4 EXTRA

Available on Radio 4 Extra an old favourite radio play of mine. A medieval village puts a pig on trial for murder. With Christian Rodska and Tony Robinson. Here's the link.

COMING TO WATERLOO EAST THEATRE

JESSICA AT WATERLOO EAST

Just announced a run of my one woman show for Jessica Martin at the Waterloo East Theatre from November 19th to 22nd at 9.30 pm. Booking details here

You Thought I Was Dead, Didn't You? British Screen Icon Patricia Meadows is ready to tell us the story of her life - or is she?

RADIO PLAYS ON YOU TUBE

If you enter my name on You Tube it turns out that quite a few of my radio plays have been downloaded and are available to listen to.