Here on the Isle of Sheppey - in our tiny seaside town of Sheerness - we have a small local theatre: The Little Theatre. It is a quaint building that started off life as a Sunday School. Back in the 1960's it was converted - over a period of eight years and with the funding from many local business' - into a theatre for the local community to use. I have watched many performances there: from shows put on by the island's school children to noisy christmas pantomimes to singing and dancing extravaganzas, all perfomed by local talent. Over the last few years I have myself performed readings of my writing on the small wooden stage (it was there that I received the award for my wip last year).
I have just taken part in yet another showcase at the theatre, this time to raise money for refurbishing and extending the building. Various local business' were once again invited to come along for an evening of local entertainment; an evening to show just what goes on at the Little Theatre in the hope that people will put their hands into their pockets and help out with the necessary funding.
Although I always say yes to these performances I secretly dread them. I'm a writer not a performer and hate standing up in front of an audience and reading my work out to strangers (and family and friends!) - especially as I write on the dark side and am aware that this genre does not appeal to everyone.Yet I know this is a way not only to support the community, but also to get myself noticed as a writer.
This time there was an added bonus: the actor son of Michael Palin (he of The Monty Python fame) attended. This tall, dark, handsome man appears in the british television series: The Inbetweeners, and has decided to help support our theatre - which I thought jolly nice of him.
...and somehow I was talked into another reading in October!
