Page 180 of The Silent Appeal

Femi

These messages are all from play week itself. We’ve jumped forward by a month.

Charlotte

On train. No time today. We’ll have to do this tonight.

To: The Fairway Players mailing list

From: Kevin MacDonald

Date: May 31, 2025

Subject: Let play week begin…

Dear all,

Well, here we are! Play week kicks off with Big Sunday tomorrow: an all-day event where the cast and crew—under the expert guidance of Joel Halliday—put the finishing touches to the set and then run through the whole play TWICE. Believe me, it will set you in good stead for the production, ask any Fairway veteran.

Over the last five months, you’ve all worked hard to learn your lines, develop your characters, and do justice to the complexity of the script. This attention to detail sets the Fairway Players apart from other amateur drama groups. Far be it from me to throw shade at any specific group, but anyone who has seen a production by Fowey Light Operatic Society will know they are strangers to the word rehearsal and character development workshop.

This commitment to quality and authenticity will, I know, be clear to the NADA judge. So whatever part you play, onstage or off, you could be a winner.

Each and every one of us has given the production process their all, but I would like to mention a few who have battled against the odds. Firstly, Amelia Stibson, who despite her carbon boot only being removed last Wednesday, will be onstage this Thursday as planned.

Secondly, Georgia Taccuso, who was originally cast as Gerda Cristow. She decided to decline the part and this turned out to be for the best, as she has since announced the happy news of her pregnancy. Many congratulations to her and her co-parent, whoever he may be, and a big thank-you for acting as prompt when she would probably have rather been doing Pilates or knitting.

Finally, there’s someone whom I wish to highlight as she’s been a Fairway member for more years than I care to remember, mostly spent behind the scenes. I’m sure Denise Malcolm would love to be onstage more often, but play after play she works tirelessly on props and costumes. She auditioned for this play but wasn’t cast. Did she defect to another local drama group? No. She rolled up her sleeves and knuckled down. I’m very happy to report that we will have an authentic-looking gun and realistic “bang,” so crucial to the staging of the play. Thank you, Denise.

Finally, my wonderful wife, Sarah-Jane, and somewhat surly (while he takes his A levels) but no less wonderful son, Harley, have put up with me being absent physically and sometimes mentally over the past five months while I run around sorting things out. Thank you.

Finally, on the eve of Big Sunday I would like to say (and with credit to one of Sarah-Jane’s clients): Go forward into play week, be mindful, sleep like the dead, and in the windswept meadow be a wise old tree that rustles but never bends.

Kevin MacDonald, Committee cochair and director

To: Kevin MacDonald

From: Celia Halliday

Date: May 31, 2025

Subject: Re: Let play week begin…

Joel Halliday OBE.

Message exchange between Sarah-Jane and Kevin MacDonald on May 31, 2025:

11:00 a.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:

There are THREE “final” paragraphs in that email.

11:00 a.m. Kevin wrote:

Shit!

11:01 a.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:

Pilates and knitting? Did I do either when I was pregnant with Sammy—or Harley for that matter?