The Mark of a Gentleman Challenge

I always get excited when a company or theatre group ask me if they can produce one of my manuscripts. Mark of a Gentleman was no exception. Two friends of mine from the Defence Academy Dramatic Society (DADS), Matt Cooper and Mitch Wilcox, approached me having read the script. They were overexcited about how they were going to construct the set, characterise the actors and how to market the play. Although both were new to Direction and Production, I knew their work as they had both been involved in the DADS award winning production of Prime Directive (Obsession). Hence performance rights were granted.

My day-time job had changed location, so I had decided that I was not going to take part in any productions this Spring; but I was going to offer my support to this production of Mark of a Gentleman and HMS COLLINGWOOD’s production of Denim. I kept on getting updates of the progress of these productions, and I don’t mind admitting that I was more than a little bit tempted to run over to each of the theatres to see how things were going. This was a different experience for me; with the exception of The Unpleasant Pond; I have never seen one of my plays, as I’ve always ended up acting in them. Even with The Unpleasant Pond, I only saw my original vision, as I was the Director. Witnessing these productions was going to be something different, as I have handed over the care of my ‘children’ to these directors and told them to produce them as they saw fit – so that I could see how someone else interpreted my work.

On a well deserved weekend off, I received a call from Matt. I had expected as much, as they were just over a week away from performance: I needed to know about my free tickets and what was expected of me on the adjudication night. But this was far from the call I expected.

Matt had problems. Serious problems. His leading actor’s father had just died. Understandably he had to withdraw from the production. Where was Matt going to find a new male lead at this notice? My mind went manic as I ran through the membership of DADS in my mind’s eye. I could think of two people that could take on the role, provided that their employers would give them a little slack… But this wasn’t what Matt had in mind…

You’ve got it… He wanted me to play the lead!

After two days of crazed messages and pathetic pleading, I eventually gave in and agreed (thanks to my boss being very understanding). The panic set in. Not only did I only have nine days to learn the lines, blocking and characterisation, but I was living 110 miles from the theatre.

You may think that learning the lines wasn’t going to be a problem; after all, I wrote them. But when I wrote them, I had no intention of play the part. What I did have was the sense of the lines. At times this was a hindrance, as I would waffle away to myself without regard to what the cue-line was for the other actors.

With the assistance of a fantastic cast and crew, we managed to pull it all together, opening to a highly appreciative audience. It was more rewarding than I could ever have envisaged. They laughed far more than I expected.

But there was one thing I didn’t anticipate: A good number of the audience were in tears at the play’s climax. I knew the end could provoke such reaction, but I didn’t seriously expect the waterworks to engage.

The feeling I get from making an audience laugh is highly rewarding, yet almost impossible to describe. But to make them cry… that feeling… It’s like the thrill of making them laugh, with a degree of remorse, yet with a heightened sense of achievement.

In the end, it was an amazing experience. But I’ll never take on a role at nine days notice again.
My thanks to all involved in the production of Mark of a Gentleman at the Defence Academy: Specific thanks to Matt, Mitch, Dawn and Sam. But most of all, to the audiences who proved to us all that Mark of Gentleman is a play to be reckoned with.