Day 2: "We have everything except the plot, script, songs, cast, crew, set, money, band and venue."

Met Peter in London yesterday. The tube strike had finished, but he'd decided he preferred walking anyway, so we traipsed around various cafes and pubs on foot. We lamented on women trouble and our mutual love of pie, before turning to more important matters in hand.

It sounds as if the plot is shaping up. We were able to introduce characters to Michelangelo's life through some strange mediums (David is set to become something of a protagonist in his own right), and the discussions were generally full of optimism for the project ahead, with minimal reminiscing on past ventures.

First tasks though - venue, actors and script. I'm going away for a few weeks before the start of the university term, and am looking forward to reading Act 1 on my return (or is this overly optimistic?).

At this early stage in the project financial concerns were conspicuously absent. However, sitting in a pub off Leicester Square I had a mild optimism that some kindly musically-minded philanthropist would overhear our plight and offer to fund the entire venture. Alas, we parted at the British Library unsponsored, and I left to get a tube (finally!) back to Paddington.

---

Me:
"Audiences love a good twist. Like... have you seen The Mousetrap?"

Pete:
"No. But have you seen Oliver?"

Me:
"No..."

Pete:
"Oh, it's got a great twist"

The Life and Times of Michelangelo

Just over two months ago, I was invited by my good friend Mr Peter Jones to produce his next musical with him (his sixth, my third). The theme was set to be a celebration of English life, centered around the honest gentleman's game of cricket.

While Pete was working on the plot, script and songs (no doubt getting in all the puns possible about stumps and balls) I had been having thoughts about staging and cast. The set had been coming together in my head over the summer; I was looking forward to a clean, crisp and simple set (a far cry from the monstrosity I'd worked on this last Easter).

Fast-forward to today, and a phone call arranging our meeting in London tomorrow:

Peter:
"Just checking, Michael - You haven't started planning the set have you?"

Me (scrapping all my thoughts):
"No - why? What's happened?"

Peter:
"Well just last week I was thinking how much I hated English life, and I couldn't face the thought of spending nine months of my life writing and producing a musical about it"

Me:
"Okay.... so what's the new idea?"

Peter:
"Michelangelo. His life and work."

[pause]

Me:
"Wow, that sounds great."

Peter:
"I know you'll think of something great for the set. We need his studio, the Sistine chapel, that sort of thing. Hey, maybe we could both learn to paint, that would be handy."


So much for 'clean, crisp and simple'.