Update from Athens, poised half-way in journey time between end-of-summer on the island of Skyros, half sultry, half stormy, and a staid English autumn. The 'Writers Lab', as the brochure calls our loose impulsive gatherings at Maria's taverna by the shore, has been a challenge and a delight. The challenge, which was purely logistical ~ 16 writers is about twice my usual number ~ created the solution: we met twice a day, in the morning with frappés as the fishermen mended their nets (this is not the simple darning I'd always imagined, by the way, it involves slicing floats out of old nets and threading them into the new ones) and then again as the sky paled and the sun dropped below a fringe of pine into a sapphire sea. Nets are sunflower yellow, floats are terracotta red, and local wine is pink... To confirm what may be already evident, this was an amazing session for venue, sunshine, and participants combining enthusiasm, goodwill, and talent. I'd love to list & praise everyone but this isn't the place so I'll just say: Go forth and prosper ~ I know you will.

"Frome's premiere pub theatre team will be bringing lively new drama to the town when Loose Tongues start wagging at The Cornerhouse" promises This is Somerset, anticipating "a powerful play produced by Nevertheless Productions, run by Rosie Finnegan and Crysse Morrison, in association with Inkling Productions, on Thursday, September 27 and Friday September 28 at 8pm." There's more, so do check out the link and don't be deterred by the accompanying picture in which I look like a deranged nonagenarian and Rosie looks like my carer.

And I'm also looking forward bigtime to Theatre West autumn season of plays with Bristol settings, starting next week at the Alma Tavern Theatre: Steve's play Sleep Lane promises to be a cracking opening to the A-Z theme, and I'm thrilled that my shortie Park & Ride is to be curtain-raiser for the following production, David Lane's Rush.