24

The challenge was to write, rehearse and perform a play in 24 hours. Six plays in fact, with six teams taking part in the opening event for a new arts cafe. In the event there were five teams, with 2-3 actors in each, selected by drawing lots. We were supposed to meet at 10pm on Saturday, but in fact it was more like midnight by the time we got together. After less than half an hour's conversation with the rest of us, Liam (on left of photo) went off to write, charged to deliver his script by 7am so that we could start rehearsing at 9am. In fact (with the aid of superhuman doses of caffeine) he finished by 5am, turning in 15 pages of well constructed plot; and after a day of very enjoyable rehearsing we were, though not word-perfect, ready to perform with feeling on the Sunday evening. The play ended with Tarquin (on my right) murdering me and Ben (centre) murdering Tarquin. Charlie was the director; she was brilliant.