Two days into rehearsal. Today is the day that Dave and I scheduled for him to spew (obviously in the most creative and artistic sense of the word) everything that we have have talked and played with onto some paper.

I wish there was another way of involving the writer than this, the go-away-and-come-up-with-something way. I just wish I could think of something that integrates them more. Grr. Maybe I will eventually. And until I do (work, brain, work!) I do at least know that the text comes from what we, including Dave, have played with. And that the text he generates will serve as a provocation to all of us. So it's not just the end of the process.

I feel a lot of pressure as the director in this stage of work. It is my responsibility to keep everything ticking, find ways of keeping the ideas coming. It's hard not to feel like you're doing something wrong if you end up just sitting down and chatting. (This happened a lot yesterday, although VERY usefully I think - we came up with a lot).

I suppose it is crucial not to let any of these nasty doubty thoughts in and just stay open. For me it is just about making sure everyone is okay, that they feel silly enough to be able to play, and coming up with a context for them to play in.

Oh it sounds so easy...