Page 103 of The Silent Appeal

1:14 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:

A ship in a bottle is untouched by time, tide, and stormy weather. I find it rather effective.

1:15 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:

Nicky-Rose will make our play worthy of at least a couple of NADAs.

1:16 p.m. Kevin wrote:

Still, an email reminding everyone to learn their lines wouldn’t go amiss.

1:16 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:

Don’t nag the cast.

1:17 p.m. Kevin wrote:

I’ll make it sound like a cheerful update.

To: The Fairway Players mailing list

From: Kevin MacDonald

Date: February 17, 2025

Subject: Director’s Update

Dear Fairway Players,

Well, rehearsals for The Hollow are well underway and while the actors are diligently learning their lines, backstage crew are busy sourcing, building, decorating, and making lists. As not everyone attends rehearsals every week, I am delighted to bring you a director’s update on developments this month.

Gerda

Georgia was unable to take up her part as Gerda, so an old Fairway Player, Isabel Beck, has agreed to take up the mantle of John Cristow’s long-suffering wife. I’m sure she’s busy getting those lines learned after missing a couple of early rehearsals. Thanks, Issy.

Assistant Director

The Fairway Players are thrilled to welcome Nicky-Rose Dearing as Assistant Director. Nicky-Rose is Sarah-Jane’s younger sister and brings with her a treasure trove of professional experience. She’s already transforming our set and will be working her magic at rehearsals too. Thanks, Nicky-Rose.

The Big Sleep Out

I’m delighted to see we’ve reached peak sign-up for the Big Sleep Out on April 26th (technically a sleep OVER at the church hall, but you know what I mean). Thank you to all who registered and especially those who volunteered to help with activities and refreshments. I’ll be holding line-learning workshops during the evening for any cast members who want an opportunity to brush up.

Books Down!

Actors, we will be off-book from April 7. Please try to look at your script as often as you can between rehearsals and start committing those lines to memory. Poor grasp of your words will kill your characterization, and thus your performance, stone dead. If one actor has a drop in confidence and energy, it will affect every other actor onstage, the audience’s suspended disbelief will come crashing to the floor, and the NADA judge will consign us to the losers’ table. We don’t want that to happen, so the solution is to learn, learn, learn those lines!

On that note, I hope everyone is having fun and making happy memories of The Hollow. See you at tonight’s rehearsal.

Kevin MacDonald, Committee cochair and director

Message exchange between Sarah-Jane and Kevin MacDonald on February 17, 2025:

4:18 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:

Your son has just glided through the kitchen barely stopping to inform me he is not babysitting tonight and that you’ve already sanctioned this.

4:18 p.m. Kevin wrote: