It's Getting Real Now

Nikki Patin is arriving in 8 days.

Thus far we've managed to arrange six multiple-person performance pieces with Nikki, using nothing but google documents and email. In 8 days we'll get our first chance to start workshopping them together in person. This is very cool. And a bit risky. 1 week to rehearse together before the gig is not much time. Especially when you consider that months of work that have already been put in.

The other literartists and I spent almost 48 hours together a couple of weeks ago. By Sunday evening we had managed to create our (wicked) set for the gig, prepare over a thousand flyers, and workshop every one of the pieces that make up Growl. Turns out that Christian is a dab-hand at graffitti and that Murray makes a really good Nikki stand-in when needed. I'm currently memorising my lines in one of her poems - aptly titled 'Remember', as if it is a private imperative to me, remember, Miriam, remember the poem Remember. Half-way through now, and all is looking good.

We were also introduced to Mark McGill-Smith - an amazing flautist/clarinet-ist/pianist .... actually he seemed to be able to play nearly everything. He has composed and recorded an absolutely Orsum piece of music for our 5-person performance piece written by our newest Literartist Sabrina Muck - Right.

Last Sunday we had our final Literatti rehearsal before Nikki arrives. Fiona Holding rocked along with her cello and we had another chance to workshop performing with her. I'd just like to say that the cello is an amazing instrument, and that miss Fiona seriously knows how to do her thang with it. She's created music for seven pieces from the show, and it's gonna rock, in a cellist manner of speaking.

But seriously, I have never been this excited about a show before. It's also double-special for us because apart from three small appearances with the Inhibition Exhibition in March, Growl is going to be The Literatti's only show this year. So we're really making the most of it.

Growl is on March 7th at 7:30 pm (show starts at 8) at The London Bar. Tickets are on sale now at Real Groovy.

You can check out interviews with Nikki on Bfm's Drive on Feb 27th at 5:15 pm, Kiwi Fm on March 1st at midday, Fleet Fm's Dirty Words with Shane Hollands on March 3rd at 3 pm and on Bfm's breakfast show with Mikey Havoc on March 4th at 8:20 am.

Let the madness begin!