Barkin? is your first new play in over 3 years ? how did it come about?

Yes, BARKIN? is my first new play for some time. Writing sometimes can be a little like waiting for a bus? I can go a couple of years without producing anything and then I write two in the same year. It?s what happened with BARKIN??. I wrote it and GRANNY ANNIE in the same year.

It?s not easy for me to say where the idea for BARKIN? came from. I do remember writing GRANNY ANNIE and having the idea for BARKIN? at the same time and could hardly wait to finish the one before starting the other. Most of my plays only take ten or so days to write so I didn?t have to wait long. I say it takes ten days but in fact it takes many months of thinking and preparation before I put pen to paper? or put my fingers anywhere near a keyboard. I have a reputation for writing roles for strong women and I?m sure this was uppermost in my mind when I started to develop the idea for BARKIN?.

The production of BARKIN? and its tour could not take place if it wasn?t for the financial support from the Arts Council of Wales, it?s fantastic that they are supporting my writing and my development.

I must also thank Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council?s Cultural Services? team for all their support over the past 4years, and the Swansea Grand Theatre and City and County of Swansea for their support with the Barkin? tour.

Without support from these organisations, this tour of Barkin? would not be happening!?? Back to top

What is Barkin?? about?

BARKIN? is a comedy but a dark one. A black one. What exactly is a black comedy, you may well ask?? Well for me, it is when the subject matter is not necessarily funny but somehow humour manages to happily sit alongside the drama. Black comedies have serious and dramatic undertones which are usually about subject matters that are not, on the surface, where you would expect to find comedy.

BARKIN? is one of these comedies.? It tells the story of a very strained and difficult relationship between a mother and daughter told totally from the daughter?s perspective. We are taken into her world and, as such, witness things totally from her point of view, whether this view happens to be a true or a false representation of the facts. However, from a writing pointing of view, it is very important to me that these views are never questioned by the audience and are accepted totally.? Total acceptance of her situation is imperative if the piece is to work in the theatre, or indeed in any media.? Back to top

Where does the title Barkin? come from?

Titles are very important to me and I pride myself on them.? Sometimes they jump out at me and are so easy to find, and other times I have to struggle. BARKIN? was not the original title for this piece. It was originally called? CRICCIETH.? Now Criccieth is a town in North Wales. It?s where Lloyd George the Liberal MP lived and is now buried. In fact, it was while I was staying at his home, which is now a centre for the arts, that I learned the meaning of Criccieth. It apparently means, ?Cries From The Cell??. It sounds great and would be an excellent title in itself? but somehow not for a Frank Vickery comedy, I feel.? What I did, however, was call the family home in which the play is set, Criccieth? and have the protagonist explain the meaning at an integral time in the piece, and consequently have the audience make the connection. It would work, and work very well? but in the end I felt it didn?t really give an indication of what the play was dealing with? it certainly didn?t give the impression that it was a comedy, black or otherwise, and so I finally decided to go with BARKIN?, as in barking mad. It didn?t give too much away, was still open to interpretation and gave a truer indication of what the play/comedy might be about.???? Back to top

Is it completely fictional or are you drawing some elements from life experience?

BARKIN? by and large is totally fictional, however I think every writer does and should draw on something of himself or his own experience, however tenuous. Yes, I talked to someone about their own personal experiences, she knows who she is, and this research helped me in a big way when writing the piece, but I have to say I have been blessed with a wonderful and vivid imagination and it is from this that I draw most of my inspiration/work and BARKIN? is no exception. Part of the writing process is to be able to put myself in the head and skin of every character I create whether the character is old, young, male or female etc. The writer needs to be able to see things from every possible angle in order to argue or state different points of view? and it has to be said, being an actor too, I find myself acting out every part as I write it. It?s very rewarding and gives me the opportunity to play every role even if it?s only in my head.? In doing all the above, of course, if I find myself in unfamiliar territory then it?s because I haven?t researched the subject matter enough and then I have to go back to do more work before I can continue. It wouldn?t be fair to say that nothing of me is in the character of Stevie because I firmly believe there is a lot of me in every character I create? it?s the same too for all the other characters in the play. I am all of them and yet I am none of them. They, and the situation I have created for them, are a mish-mash of myself, my experience, personal or by association, or research, and is largely the production of my imagination.?? Back to top

How is it a development in your writing career?

I have trod the road of BARKIN? before but have never walked as far down. I have had several attempts at writing dark or blackish comedies. BREAKING THE STRING, LOVE FORTY and BITING THE BULLET, to name but a few. BARKIN? is somewhat different though in as much as the subject matter is darker, and therefore more difficult to extract the comedy. From a writing point of view that was one of the major challenges of the piece. For me it?s a balancing act. I need as a writer to grow and in all different kinds of directions but I also need to take my audiences with me? even if sometimes they don?t want to go. It?s almost impossible to be brave and secure at the same time? it?s all about little steps? and over the years I think I have taken little steps? but now, this time, for BARKIN? I?ve taken a significant step, and I?m hoping we can all enjoy the experience together. Let?s break new ground. Yes, let?s laugh and have a good time too, but let?s be a little dangerous just for the hell of it. Who knows where it might lead us too. Let?s shake things up a little and see how much fun we can have in the process. After seeing the show, instead of comparing it to FAMILY PLANNING or ONE O?CLOCK FROM THE HOUSE, let?s judge it for what it is. Let?s pretend it?s the first thing I?ve written and judge it on its own merit. I would be very interested to talk to any members of the audience after any of the performances and get their thoughts on the play.??? Back to top

Have you got any plans for any more new writing?

Although having written 30 stage plays, numerous television scripts and too many radio plays to remember, I have never thought of myself a prolific. I love writing, and the writing process, but it?s not something that happens to me often enough. I would love to be able to write every idea that comes into my head but playwriting doesn?t work like that for me. I don?t get that many great ideas and even when I do they don?t always develop into a play. So many ideas come into my head and then disappear. Sometimes though, some will refuse to leave. They will nag at me, and the longer they stay in my head the more incubation time they have there. It?s possible for them to stay there for years and the only way to get rid of them is to eventually write them down. That still doesn?t mean I have a play? it could still die in the first twenty pages or so, and end up in the bin.

So many people have come up to me in the past and want to tell me a great idea they have for a play. They want to share it with me in the hope to inspire me to write it. It never works like that though. Ideas are fleeting and personal and only the strongest and the best deserve to go full term and get completed and produced.

Sometimes the kiss of death for an idea is to tell someone about it. I have known me have what I think might be a good idea, and for some unknown reason I decide to tell someone about it?? as every word spills from my mouth I can feel the life running out of the idea and then as I get to the end I?m left with a kind of emptiness and I know the thing is dead. For a long time I didn?t really understand why this was happening but with time I think I?ve found the answer? I think it has something to do with the fact that you hear the idea allowed for the first time and for some reason or another it doesn?t survive the process. I tend to resist doing this now for obvious reasons. It?s ok to talk about an idea when you are well into the writing of it though, which is why I?m happy to tell you about my next writing project.??? Back to top

Have you any plans to venture into writing musicals and/or pantos?

I have been asked many many times if I have thought about writing Pantomime. Now I love Pantomime and have performed in many? but it?s not something I have been drawn to want to write. I don?t want to come across as snobby in anyway. Just because Panto appears to be a very light entertainment it doesn?t mean for one minute that anything to do with it is easy? and I totally understand why people think, because I write comedy, I would write a very good Panto? and maybe one day I will try it but it?s not for me just yet.

A few years ago I tried my hand at writing the book for a musical. The, ?book? is just another word for the script. Although I quite enjoyed the writing process I didn?t enjoy the experience for reasons I won?t go into here. I wasn?t put off by it though, in fact when offered the chance at another musical script I jumped at the opportunity. It is that project that I am working on currently. It?s working title is, ANOTHER BITE OF THE APPLE and is set in the Rhondda Valley and New Rochelle, a suburb of New York.? It?s set in 1975 and tells the story of a gang of GI?s who were stationed in St Athens during World War 2. They have now came back to spend two weeks in Cardiff? thirty years after the war to celebrate and look up some old sites.? The leading man, KIT meets up with an old flame and it?s their story really. A love story about a middle age couple who get a second bite out of life. This project will be produced in 2013 and is commissioned to celebrate The Park and Dare, my home town theatre, being 100 years old. I am really excited about the whole venture.??? Back to top

What is it about Rhondda Cynon Taf that keeps you living and working in the county?

I was born in a small village called Blaen-y-Cwm. It?s a very small beautiful village nestled at the bottom of a mountain called Pen Pych. I moved from there when I was seven when the family took a house in the town of Treherbert. I am fast approaching sixty and although I have moved many times during my life I have always stayed within about a three or four mile radius.? I have always lived in the Rhondda Valley. People often say to me, ?Are you still there?? but I see no reason to leave. I have lived my entire life surrounded by mountains and it?s beautiful. I have travelled far and seen many places but I?m always happy to come home. I am a home bird. And I don?t think for one minute that it has affected my writing in anyway? in fact I?m positive it has helped. People, my people, inspire me. Yes most, but not all, of my plays have been set in the valleys, but that doesn?t necessarily make them perocial. Their themes are universal and I suppose proof of that is the fact that they are produced all over the world. There?s something about a Welsh person that?s unique. It?s very difficult, almost impossible, to pin-point but it?s a uniqueness, a quality I am very proud of. We have the ability to see the funny side of adversity. We have always, as a race been able to laugh at ourselves first? making it alright for others to laugh at us afterwards. I?ve not seen this in quite the same way anywhere else and I suppose it?s one of the things that endears me and keeps me here.?? Back to top

How much do you value the support that Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council?s Cultural Services department has given you over the last 3 years?

Grassroots Productions is my theatre company. I formed it some fourteen years or so ago. It started out very much as a bit of a one man band. I wrote the plays it produced, and was responsible for every element of its existence. Everything from all the administration, to its marketing, engaging of the actors, directing the production, often acting in them myself etc etc? the list goes on. Although this was great fun, I knew eventually it would become far too much for one person and so it has developed to the point now that I often employ an independent director, have the lighting designed by someone else and have a marketing team of two people that work for me on each production. All this help and support comes at a cost of course, and none of it would be at all possible if I wasn?t supported generously by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council?s Cultural Services Department.? I think it?s more than fair to say that during the last three years, with the financial climate being what it is and theatre going being at the bottom of most peoples lists, Grassroots Productions would have gone under and possibly disappeared into oblivion. The support has been crucial and invaluable and has enabled me to continue to bring my plays to evermore corners of Wales.???? Back to top

Which Welsh celebrities (past or present) would you invite to your house for an episode of Celebrity Come Dine With Me?

If I were to invite five famous Welsh people to my home for a Celebrity Come Dine With Me I think I would start with Rachel Roberts. I didn?t know, until I read her biography, that she was born in Cwmparc. She always came across to me as such a strong character and yet I always identified with a certain vulnerability in her. Having watched her being interviewed many times, I always found her to be incredibly entertaining and sexy and I?m sure would be a wonderful asset to any dinner party.

How can anyone have a dinner party without Burton to move things along?? Talented, wicked and somewhat argumentative, surely he would be a wonderful asset to any table. I?ve always regretted not having met him. The nearest claim I can make is that his sister-in-law taught me at school.

My third guest would be Shirley Bassey. I have met her before. In fact I was at the Savoy Hotel in London to celebrate her 60th birthday. I think she is a phenomenon.

Guest number four would be Victor Spinetti.? I was at a DAW annual general meeting back in the early eighties and Victor was the guest speaker. I swear to God I have never laughed so much in my life. The man is extraordinary and incredibly talented and a superb raconteur. I would have to sit next to him at my table.

My last guest would have to be Tommy Cooper. My father couldn?t stand the sight of him but I thought he was a genius? and that face! It?s such a wonderful face which epitomizes comedy and tragedy. I saw in that face all the humour and all the tragedy in the world. It?s a black comedy face? and I still miss it.?? Back to top

Where is Barkin’ touring?

BARKIN? will be touring Wales, South and North for the first time and for ten weeks this autumn. It?s the longest running tour the company has undertaken. We will be playing all our usual venues in Rhondda Cynon Taf (The Coliseum in Aberdare, The Muni in Pontypridd and The Park & Dare in Treorchy) of course, and also, Blackwood, Cwmbran, Ebbw Vale, Brecon, and The Grand Theatre, Swansea. I am thrilled too to be back at the New Theatre, Cardiff for a week in October after a year or two?s absence? The play will open, and this is also a first for Grassroots, at the Torch Theatre, Milford Haven.

The production of BARKIN? and its tour could not take place if it wasn?t for the financial support from the Arts Council of Wales, it?s fantastic that they are supporting my writing and my development.

Check out the full list of current venues on the Welsh tour and their contact details.? ? Back to top

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