Following the success of the launch of All Things Bright … the Group’s latest anthology at The Lighthouse, Wolverhampton on 13 November, members got back to routine on Saturday 17, with a workshop entitled Writing Monologues. The session was led by local writer, teacher and performer, Emma Purshouse.
Members were invited to select a building or environment known to them and then write a description of a spot or particular place within the setting. Characters were not to be included. Sufficient detail was needed to cover all the senses and finally, a word or phrase was required which would describe something which happened in the setting. After ten minutes a few of the efforts were read aloud.
There followed a discussion on what constituted a Monologue and its essential contents, which it proved could be summed up as ONE VOICE - ONE SPACE. Examples quoted were from such people as Joyce Grenfell, Stanley Holloway, Ronnie Corbett and many others. It was also decided that speeches from plays and certain Rap elements would meet with the criteria.
The next step was to take an item from the space/environment and write a monologue in its voice. Trees, furniture and other non-human objects were chosen. After fifteen minutes, a number of pieces were read. What came over loud and clear was that when one writes in a different voice, particularly as an inanimate object, freedom exists to write anything. After all, if you upset a table, it’s unlikely to take offence.
After the break, members were invited to introduce a human subject and place them before a reflective surface within the chosen space. The person was to talk to his or herself about whatever the space prompted or was on their mind.
As this was the first of two sessions on the subject, homework was to develop one of the pieces of writing into a story, poem or drama. Writers were also requested to think about where the work could be used or promoted.