Turning My Exes Into Ex-periences
In The Cockpit Theatre after the first table read with most of the Ex-periences cast (one had to shoot off to a hen party haha)
Hi guys!
I can't even say I'm on cloud 9 right now...this is more than happiness right now I have JOY. Joy is alot deeper than happiness because it can not be changed irrespective of circumstance or mood. I believe that we have joy when it has a spiritual connection and having a play is something I have been praying about for YEARS but first let's REWIND to the beginning....
2012
I began writing the Ex-periences script after a year of beginning my Vex In The City blog on Facebook, I was in a relationship with a guy but our relationship on and off more than your lights when the electric runs out on the key, I was frustrated but I just couldn't walk away from him because he had a hold on me mentally and sexually (you know what I mean by that ladies he had the GOOD GOOD) so I began originally writing this script in Microsoft Word which took me FOREVER until I found out about the wonderful scriptwriting programme called Celtx which made it a heap easier and I began scriptwriting!
2013-2015
Script was complete however I began acting myself in various projects as well as taught myself how to use theatre spot lights, sound, curtains as well as became the Casting Director of my homie Scotty's "Unfamous" which help to teach me all so many things including casting, marketing, promotion, working with actors, filming, scheduling and not wanting to punch people in the throat when they weren't doing what they were supposed to do!
Additionally to this I began co-writing "Venus vs Mars" online series, which again had many ups and downs but more than anything I learned so much from it and was an incredible achievement and I got to work with some AMAZING actors within the process.
Being involved within the arts is nothing new to me, I'm sure I was singing when I was born! During Primary School and to this day no-one knows Sister Act 2 better than me...I know the dance moves and everything all these years later and to quote one of my favourite lines from the film....
And true to this quote this is all I have been dreaming , thinking, praying about. I love that music and writing come so natural to me, I could be sleeping a scenario comes to my mind, at work, with my friends, listening to music, on the toilet...sorry about that last one but its true!
But I began doubting myself as a writer, I went through some major and I mean major things that stopped me from doing something I loved so much. I started to let fear get into me thinking because I never formally studied anything within the arts that I had no right to even call myself a writer. How can I be a writer with a Psychology with Criminology degree, no formal training or qualifications who wrote an angry blog about men, sex, life and alcohol? I began to feel intimidated by those that I saw within the industry who could speak so eloquently and use terms that I had absolutely no idea about. Often my friends would continuously show love and support about my ability to write but I've never been good at receiving compliments I could show love to people with ease because that's just the kind of woman I am, but when someone would talk about ME I would say thank-you and try to change the conversation...quickly or sip a large glass of wine which isn't the smartest thing to do considering I'm a lightweight.
Meanwhile my script "Ex-periences" was catching dust in the corner of my house, however one day I was spring cleaning and found it at the bottom of my memory box and starting reading it again and working on the script again.
2016
After many and I mean MANY long and late nights, revisions of the scripts ,edit and re-edits, researching and reading material on theatre, shots, asking questions to those within the industry and teaching myself new skills and adapting the ones I had acquired over the years the script was complete!
I felt like it was such a huge accomplishment to have an 80 paged script that was ALL MINE and based up my past relationships and the lessons I had learned was such an accomplishment...so what the hell was I supposed to do with it?
When I originally wrote Ex-periences I intended to make it a film project, but upon speaking to my friend and videographer SJP over a cup of hot chocolate in London Bridge after we had both finished work, he asked me "have you ever thought about making it a play?"
The thought had crossed my mind before, and I had previously been in two theatre shows myself and I enjoyed the rush and energy you got from being infront of an audience who expressed their emotions throughout each scene and expressed themselves vocally!
That night I went home and had a long think about it and decided to make Ex-periences a theatre production. But I didn't want it to simply just be a stage play and then the audience go home, I've always loved that my audience and readers feel connected to everything that I write. We've all had great and quite crap relationships and I didn't write this script to embarrass myself or my ex boyfriends (don't worry how many I've had) but to show others that we've all been there and as long as you've learned from those situations and come out a better person than it's all good!
I've been that girl that was cheated on, I've been that girl who wanted the title of being called someone's "girlfriend" even though he didn't claim me publicly so I waited as he's reaped the benefits. I've been the girl that became guarded after having her heart broken so many times, I've been that ruthless heartless girl who didn't give a damn about anyone's feelings but my own. All the women in the play Rene, Jade, Karis and Leah are extensions of former and current versions of myself, they represent many different thought processes and stages of my life as well as represent someone either you can say you've been or you recognise in your circle of friends. The men in the play Ryan, Nathan, Stephan, and Tyrone again not only represent my exes but relationship dynamics that one way or another we can look and recognise within ourselves. This theatre production is going to a show with a difference incorporating many different art elements and a few surprises here and there!
This isn't just about my play I want as many of you whether you are a make-up artist, poet, writer, singer, producer, director,clothing line, business to be involved to tell your story and make this a success. This project isn't just about MY story I want this to be a communal effort!
If you are business who is interested in a collaboration/partnership please get in touch with me at vexinthecityuk@gmail.com
I will be doing competitions very soon to get as many of you as possible involved with the Ex-periences Theatre Production. I will be regularly updating you guys with my journey as I embark on this already incredible journey with the most talented,passionate and hardworking cast I have ever seen! I am so humbled and happy that they saw something in my casting and auditioned to become a part of it!
The first table read was more that I could have ever prayed for, I was supposed to update my Snapchat with lots of videos/photos from the table read in the Cockpit Theatre but I was taken aback from hearing the words I had written being read aloud. To see actors react positively to the words that you have written is the best feeling in the world, they laughed, cussed and gave me confirmation just like I said that I feel that this is WHAT I AM SUPPOSED TO BE DOING in my previous blog "I'm Not About Full Time Life No More"
The pictures below go chronologically from the first open auditions with my amazing casting team, up to the table read last night with the official Ex-periences cast!
Be sure to follow Ex-periences on all the social media platforms!
Twitter: @Ex_periences
Instagram: Ex_periences
THANKYOU