Highlights (and the occassional lowlight) of the WBN Residency


The good ship Write By Numbers returned from a two-week residency in Exeter at the wonderful (and very welcoming) BikeShed Theatre just over two weeks ago. Whilst in Exeter, we performed our show ‘Beneath the Albion Sky’, developed and shared a new show ‘Blueprint’ and did an outreach project collecting ‘Walking Stories’ from the good people of Exeter which we then put together as a series of curtain-raisers. We drank too much coffee, experienced stress and sleep-deprivation but we did it! Here is my list of memorable moments:

Actually making theatre for two weeks straight. That has got to be a bonus.

Going to see Thor: Dark World on a rare night off & Marvel-ing (get it) at the parallels with ‘Beneath the Albion Sky’ & ‘Blueprint’. They’re in there if you look hard enough.

Programming lights (twice – long story) with the wonderful talented Dermot O’Brien (seriously guys, Dermot is da bomb – any Southwest peops who want a contact drop me a line – we are willing to share him).

Sleeping in a cottage surrounded by horses & dogs (and spiders and other creepy crawlies).

Our last night at quayside saying goodbye to Exeter (I might have fallen a little bit in love).

Meeting the good people of Headway Devon & hearing their stories. The most performed of these was ‘Legend’ which was a verbatim piece performed by 3 separate actors on different days!

Being welcomed by the good people of Exeter wherever we went and hearing their feedback on our work.

Coffee at Boston Tea Party (and the occasional cake).

Board games, in general.

The cast of ‘Blueprint’ reducing Charlie and I to tears in rehearsal. In a good way.

The easiest (because the performers were so good) workshop I have ever delivered with Razzamataz Exeter.

The amusements at Dawlish Warren, scarily addictive.

Singing ‘Where everybody knows your name’ in the UK’s most welcoming theatre The BikeShed Theatre.