I am going to write about the play now the dust has settled and the experience of seeing it produced but I wanted to write about the experience of being at Northern Stage. I should have done this before but last week was a blur of visitors, performances and the bar. This was the home turf for many of the actors and it was good for them to have friends and family in (Northern Stage not the bar)

I was so excited to have my play on at Northern Stage in Newcastle. This was the icing on the cake for me and it lived up to expectations. Northern Stage is a wonderful venue with a great reputation. The staff looked after everyone really well, there were huge posters on display and best of all waiting lists for the sell out shows. Each performance was packed. The audiences were different as they are in every venue but still warm, vocal and appreciative. On Thursday we had pre and post show discussions and some interesting questions and comments. I was dreading it but once I was on stage you couldn’t shut me up, the poor actors couldn’t get a word in edgeways. I could have stayed there all day basking in the artificial light.

I didn’t go to the opening night in Newcastle but attended three performances. On Friday night there was a reception after the show, lots of food and wine. I was revoltingly pleased to be asked to sign autographs but forgot how to write my signature (remember, large quantities of wine) and clumsily wrote ‘Carina Rodney’ in full, messily, no witty comments to hand.

The only downside was a lack of national press coverage. The national press do review Northern Stage shows but not at the end of a run so I understand, would have been nice though.

You spend so long on your own as a writer, mostly you hear about what is wrong with your work, how it needs rewriting, why you are being rejected, that you have been rejected. Writing tends to be blind hope in the face of crushing disappointment so I am making no excuses for enjoying a rare success with Pub quiz and enjoying the experience so much.

Could I have done better ? Yes, in parts. I plan on another rewrite to tighten the script.

Was the ending the right one? Yes, absolutely. Anyone who didn’t get the ending, didn’t get the play.

The cast/set/director/design were great. I was privileged to have worked with that team.

I have enjoyed this week immensely. I have learnt a lot. I want to get better. I want to finish my next play ASAP. I want to see my work on stage again.

I owe a big thank you to many people.

Published Date: 11 April 2008, Sunderland Echo

By Ed Waugh

REVIEW: Pub Quiz, Customs House, South Shields, until Saturday

This is yet another occasion that we can proudly reflect on the huge amount of theatrical talent we have in the region.

As part of The North East Theatre Consortium, the Custom House with New Writing North present a black comedy debut by Tyneside-based Carina Rodney.

Carina has gathered together a group of largely unpleasant types for a weekly pub quiz, run by the bitter Geoff (Joe Caffrey), a wannabe comedian who missed his comedic vocation and ended up as a barman.

Like Caffrey, jack-the-lad Pete (Mickey Cochrane), insecure academic Lewis (James Cunningham), lonely school teachers Kathleen (Vicky Elliott) and Bethany (Helen Embleton), a foreigner called Asram (Joe Garton) and Jon (Chris Price) a racist, are all excellent in their roles, which at times are far from politically correct.

Psyche Stott’s bright direction allows the piece to move constantly while Mila Sanders’ stunning set makes us, the audience, feel we are actually at the pub quiz.

The first half felt a bit over long (it took 25 minutes to introduce the characters) but Rodney’s wit coupled to excellent delivery from the actors provided many laugh-out -loud moments.

The second half gathered more pace and Joe Caffrey’s performance was breathtaking.

The play should have ended with his despondent and emotional speech about wanting to be part of a team but a short scene afterwards felt tagged on and detracted slightly from what was an otherwise entertaining evening.

This runs until Saturday and it’s well worth giving the telly a miss to see such high quality live theatre.

In an earlier draft of Pub Quiz I had written a monologue for the character John. It was the director’s idea to turn this into a song which John plays on the juke box and then sings along with the rest of the characters oblivious to the whole thing. I wrote the lyrics which were then set to music by the composer Simon Oakes who you can hear singing on the link below. The song on the link is an early version of the song developed pre rehearsal. In the play Christopher Price (John) does a wonderful job of singing live to Bethany (Helen Embelton) and really gets the audience’s sympathy for his poor aching heart though they still laugh at his desperate attempts to impress. It is one of my favorite parts of the play.

Click to listen to A Different Side to Me

Here are some pub quiz photos taken by Keith Pattison. You can see all seven characters: the lady teachers, Cathleen and Bethany; the University Challenge man, Lewis; Asram and his amazing jumper; the lads, Pete and John; and landlord Geoff. As well as the general pub scenes you can see a couple of surreal quiz moments when we leave the pub behind. You can also see in some detail Mila’s amazing set of the pub which can be dismantled and set up in a day. Click on the photos to enlarge. (And then click on them again to see them even bigger!)

Again I am slacking on the blog. The truth is, without something to bitch and moan about I have little to say. The play is going really well, the Newcastle dates sold out two weeks before the show, the reviews have been positive, the audiences fantastic and I am hugely pleased with it all. I cannot keep saying the same thing without sounding vilely smug. Also I had a horrid lurgi for a week and then managed to throw my lap top on the floor and smash it. My husband thought I had just read a bad review. Viva the Diva!

I am going to try and post some more of the reviews or rather ask John to. I am trying to find something to moan about. There are things I would change in the play if I get to fiddle about with it again, I know I could do better here and there. There are a couple of things in certain performances that I am not happy with but more that I am delighted by from the actors. I do not like that a couple of reviews have not liked/understood the darkness of the end of the play but I am still convinced it is the right ending. There is nothing to moan about this week and in that case, what is a writer to do?

I have seen the play three times so far and will see it three more times before the end of the run. What I have noticed is how different audiences react. There is something distinctly organic in a collective audience, as a group they respond en-mass, laughing at lines one night, taking the same line seriously the next. I have found it hard to watch audience’s reactions to the bullying of Lewis. I feel protective of him, I want them to be horrified by what happens but sometimes they laugh for too long until it almost seems to catch them out. Poor Lewis. I like watching the audience almost as much as the play. Funny how they have their own collective mood and energy just like how every performance has, each feeding off the other.

However, I am feeling bad that it is all about to end. How can that be?

A quizzical look at life in the pub

Published on 18/04/2008

PRODUCED by New Writing North and directed by Psyche Stott, Pub Quiz by Carina Rodney made its debut at the Queen’s Hall, in Hexham.

At first, I was sceptical about seeing the play. I had my reservations about the story.

However, all doubts quickly disappeared after the first 10 minutes, as I saw a funny, warm-hearted play, with a hint of mystery and darkness.

In fact, I was impressed even as I sat down to watch the play. For not only was there a very impressive pub setting but some of the characters were already on stage, revealing small hints about their persona.

I felt this gave the play a much more personal feel. You felt you weren’t really ‘watching a play’; you were sitting in the pub with these characters and eavesdropping on their conversations.

But what fully convinced me of the setting and storyline were the characters. Each one had a lot of depth and intrigue about them, and as they interacted with each other you got a greater insight into their relationships with those around them.

There were star performances from all those involved, each displaying their talent effortlessly.

One performance that particularly caught my eye was that of Geoff the pub landlord, played by Joe Caffrey who gave us a fantastic typical Geordie landlord with a very dark side to him.

Pub Quiz is truly a fantastic play, exceedingly well written by a talented playwright, containing countless laughs and punch lines and a lot of twists in the storyline that will keep you guessing and hooked. It is a must see for everyone.

l For an A-level performing arts student, it is important to study all aspects of acting and working in the theatre.

My fellow drama students and I were incredibly fortunate to receive a two-hour script writing workshop at Haydon Bridge High School from the Pub Quiz creator Carina Rodney.

The two lessons we had were a fantastic learning experience with a very capable and experienced writer and teacher. We all found it an entirely useful and appropriate workshop.

The lesson started with Carina describing to us how she became a writer and she encouraged any of us with an interest in this particular area of theatre studies to pursue it in the future, as the theatre is always looking for fresh, new talent.

For the rest of the workshop Carina gave us a crash course in the foundations of script writing, creating characters.

The whole experience gave all the group thoughts of becoming involved in various areas of theatre studies, apart from just performing on stage, and also aroused the writer in all of us!

This review meant a lot to me because it came from one of the students I so enjoyed working with in the week before the play, I couldn’t see a name on the online version to credit for the review. True to that particular group of students it is an enthusiastic, original and honest response and reaction to the play. Somebody left a message on the blog about this or I wouldn’t have seen it. The only thing I don’t like is the thought of all that local and new talent waiting to be unleashed on the writing world!

(from New Writing North website)

10 April 2008

Pub Quiz adds extra date as it hits the road

We’ve decided to take a short break from the usual fortnightly newsletter because of the Easter break, so instead we thought we’d take the opportunity to shout about Pub Quiz by Carina Rodney, which opened its tour of the North East last week in Hexham.

To a near-sold-out auditorium, Pub Quiz made its debut, and what a debut it was. The audience laughed in all the right places, the actors were on top form, and we and the writer were breathing a big sigh of relief that it all went so well. We’ve had some lovely feedback from the audience since then, too, with lots of praise for the writing, acting and depiction of a North East pub.

We’re also delighted to announce that sales at Northern Stage have gone so well that the initial dates have all but sold out – so we’ve added a matinee on Saturday, 26 April, at 2pm to fulfill demand. But be quick, as they’re going fast!

If you can’t make it to Northern Stage, the play is touring the North East at the moment – details below.

And for a sneak preview of the characters in the play, go to www.newwritingnorth.com and click on ‘Pub Quiz: The Movie’

Tour dates

10-12 April, 7.30pm
and 10 April, 2.30pm
The Customs House, South Shields
Box office: 0191 454 1234

18 April, 7.30pm
The Maltings, Berwick
Box office: 01289 330 999

22 April, 7.30pm
Alnwick Playhouse
Box office: 01665 510 785

23-26 April, 8pm
and 26 April, 2pm
Northern Stage, Newcastle
Box office: 0191 230 5151

The performances at Northern Stage are nearly sold out, so we urge you to book very soon, or better still get to South Shields, Alnwick or Berwick to see Pub Quiz, where there are still a few tickets available. Please call the individual box offices for availability.

We’ve had some rave reviews since the two shows in Hexham:

In particular, The Evening Chronicle said:
“This play is a must for all pub-quizzers, as it touches so many raw nerves. […] The author did the difficult thing in finding a suitable ending with a real twist in the quiz result…  Star rating - 9/10”

David Whetstone, The Journal, Newcastle, said:
“In her new play, Carina Rodney has a lot of fun with the notion of pain masquerading as pleasure – and it’s fun for the audience too… The action builds gradually and there are flashbacks presented by dream-like sequences recreating famous TV quiz shows:  The Weakest Link, University Challenge etc. All explain why this sorry lot are drinking in the last chance saloon. The climax is gloriously ghastly. It will strike many a chord when Psyche Stott’s production hits the road.”

And from What’s On North East:
“[A] painfully funny observational comedy […] tears were running down my face with laughter, and that hasn’t happened for a very long time.”

This is another review from Hexham which was pretty good apart from the author not enjoying or understanding the ending of the play, which is intentionally ‘gloomy’ but also I think, uplifting. However, it is still a good review and I said I would post whichever ones were online. John actually posted this as I am too stupid to link anything.

What has been really nice these last few days is the feedback that the producers have had emailed to them and comments and emails to me from various people and through various forms, some I know and more that I don’t. Last week I had an unexpected spike in my blog views for a certain band’s forum. This also generated some lovely comments and good wishes for Janice, so thank you ladies. Some of the comments were posted to my blog but some were a little long so I didn’t post them but have read them all.

This week has been a settling down for me and a sense of relief that the play is more than I had hoped and and that it has done well for all those who have invested time, money and energy in it. People are enjoying it and that’s all I could ever wish for. I’ve enjoyed watching it too and seeing what has been added to and layered within the script. Of course I see things now and then that I am not so keen on and script stuff I could improve but that is to be expected. I also have a real sense of gratitude towards the people who had the belief and will to make the play happen, even when I had my doubts and also heartfelt gratitude for the support of family, friends, colleagues and complete strangers.

The show opened last night at The Customs House and I’m going to see it tonight, complete with annoying cold.

Click on the link below to read the full review.

While they were in Hexham the actors did an improvised promotional film for Pub Quiz in one of the local pubs. On it you can see characters, Geoff (landlord), the lads John and Pete, the lady teachers, Cathleen and Bethany and Lewis. Of course, the outsider Asram is not in the local beforehand!

Thanks for posting this for me, John.