How foolish I was to think that I could write a play every day, run every day, but also then upload a blog post every time I did it. Once again, what was I also thinking initially about the idea of doing a painting every day too. I’ve already uploaded 12 plays and posts, (see previous posts) but then it became too much. However….
Moving on to what I did complete.
I’m pleased to say, not without it being a little tricky at times I completed both the Playwriting and the running challenges and it was one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in a long time!! 28 plays later and 28 runs later.
There were some pretty shoddy plays at times ( There was the very bad episode of Holby city and the ‘bad play week’) and some very slow, short runs, but equally there were a couple of gems in the writing that I could develop further and I managed a personal best on the local Parkrun.
This was never going to be about making money ( Thank God I have some work coming in) but always about stretching and moving the two muscles to uncharted places where I had to think outside the norm and change my routine. This was about the act of doing with no excuses.
There was something very comforting and purposeful about the ritual of both and I definitely think it will encourage me to write stuff that doesn’t always have to be right and run not always for miles, but just to feel a bit more awake.
I loved and dreaded being sent the 10pm prompt every night wondering what the next writing challenge would be that would have to be submitted in 36 hours. Invariably the ones that I thought I would never be able to write were the ones I enjoyed the most. Again, I think I needed to get out of a safe place with my writing and explore a bit more. I even re-drafted my full length play Fire blight during the challenge as suddenly there was the permission to write without having to be perfect or please anyone.
And so…here are some of them with the daily runs they accompanied. They are not masterpieces, the runs or the plays, but I think in these times of austerity it is harder to celebrate failure in the arts and so I’ve created my own corner of rebellion. What the hell, I just ‘did it’. If your’e very bored on the train one day, you might want to read them and I’m interested whether the picture and run persuades you to have a peek. Thank you Sebastian, 28 plays later and Theatre deli, it’s been fun.
‘Borderlines’ 
16 Heat
The one we had to write incorporating emojis
19 I’d do anything for love ( But I won’t do that)
23 ‘Home’ the offensive week 22 Two kinds of immigrants
‘Home’ the offensive week…so bad I can’t share it
‘Two kinds of Immigrants’
Where no one dies
‘Cuts in hearts’
‘Analytical engine’ working on this as full length piece
25. Analytical engine – about Ada Lovelace and computer addiction. Making into full play.
‘In the mouth of the river’
And finally, the last one with beautiful snow to match.
And that’s it…at least until the next challenge…hmm where are those paint brushes?
Thank you for posting this blog! I’m just embarking on this years 28 (29) Plays Later challenge, and am certainly having some misgivings about my ability to accomplish the goal. It’s great to see somebody else who also had doubts but was able to finish it. Thanks so much!!
It was a great thing to do and I’ve found that even if I haven’t used all the plays since, there’s been a few gems in there. I have a short on at The Space Arts centre at the moment, which was a 28 plays later from two years ago and I’ve recently completed the whole thing as a full length play! SO go for it!Glad you enjoyed the post Good luck with everything