I've been writing a killer drag comedy...

"Death Drop Back In The Habit sees a gaggle of fabulous Nuns trapped in their Convent with a serial slayer slashing their way through the Sisters. As the clues are unearthed by Sis Marple, you’ll be laughing in the pews as the hilarious, fierce, all-drag killer comedy comes to its thrilling and uproarious conclusion. 
​
The drag murder mystery sensation is returning with a brand-new show: Death Drop: Back In The Habit. Touring across the UK from this autumn, the new production – written by Rob Evans and directed once again by Jesse Jones - kicks off on 27 October."

Now with a stint in The Garrick Theatre, the tour dates and venues are here. 

In February 2022 I made Lightning Ridge (based on Ben Rice's amazing story Pobby and Dingan) with Catherine Wheels Theatre Company. The script came together through improv and devising from Gill Robertson whose performance and creativity were quite stunning. 
The show was an experiment in making a truly collaborative show, without suffering from the blur and compromise that some devised shows can suffer from. I wanted to write and direct a sharp script, but using material from improv and conversation with the creative team. 
Perhaps because the artists involved are all experienced group devisors, but also make solo work, we were quick to cut, edit, polish and not settle for something that wasn't honed and crafted. 
I think the result is beautiful and very emotional. 
It was always meant to be a show that could go anywhere and work round any further lockdowns, restrictions or budget restrictions. The initial run was only a couple of weeks, but I think the show will be back later in 2022. 
The co-creators are Rob Evans, Gill Robertson, Shona Reppe and Daniel Padden. 

Photography: Brian Hartley

Christmas Dinner did get on stage in December 2021 at the Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh. And it was magical and moving. And then Omicron came and stopped the whole thing, but it was fun while it lasted. REALLY FUN. I mean, there was a giant sprout. That made me so happy. 

Photos by Mihaela Bodlovic

Arnaud Anckaert of Theatre du Prisme is a fantastic director and I am delighted that this 2019 commission will be touring France in 2021. It's a beautiful piece of work and a real collaboration between myself, Arnaud, all at Theatre du Prisme and the excellent translator Séverine Magois. 

Theatre du Prisme's production of Simon la Gadouille is also touring in 2021. See their website for details. 

​Quand Lola arrive dans sa nouvelle école (la troisième cette année), elle repère Théo, rappant tout seul dans un coin de la cour de récré, et il semblerait qu’on assiste au début d’une histoire d’amour… deux amoureux maudits par le sort qui se retrouvent en secret sur le toit de l’école. Mais, quand cet amour vire à l’aigre et que le père de Lola menace de tuer Théo, tout devient beaucoup, beaucoup plus sombre.

Christmas Dinner will premier at The Royal Lyceum Edinburgh this December 2021. It's got a MASSIVE sausage in it. And a sprout. Not to mention snow, ice-witches, golden tap shoes, a haunted forest and a girl called Little Spark. 
​
CHRISTMAS DINNER
By Robert Alan Evans
Directed by Gill Robertson
After a horrible year, stage hand Lesley has decided that Christmas should be cancelled. The only festive joy she wants is the turkey sandwich in her lunch box. So she is shutting down the theatre, turning off the lights, packing up the glitter curtains, the giant beanstalk, the fake snow and going home to have dinner alone...
But as the bells of St Cuthbert’s strike twelve, it seems the theatre has other ideas... from the back of the costume cupboard, a troupe of festive spirits emerge with an absolute sack full of festive cheer. Is this the last thing Lesley needs? or can this strange Christmas Gang and their stories help her feel the magic of Christmas again?
Join us for a feast of fun for everyone (even Lesley!) and make The Lyceum Christmas magic part of your family celebration this year. 
#ChristmasDinner
Christmas Dinner is a Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh production. in association with Catherine Wheels Theatre Company.

Lots of writing has been happening. 

When lockdown began in 2020, I was three weeks into rehearsals for a new dance show with Barrowland Ballet and Natasha Gilmore. Learning to Fly should now premiere in 2023. Hopefully someone will remember the moves. 

Meanwhile, I wrote a book. It's in a box. Who knows what it's like. 

Then I wrote a new play called The Ache. Hopefully more news of that soon. 

In France, When I Lie to You Do You Love Me More? is going well thanks to the sterling efforts of Theatre du Prisme. I have not seen it yet. I look forward it. 

Leeds Playhouse had to delay the Christmas show Fairy Poppins and the Naughty Winter Ghost until the spring of 2021. It was so much fun to go and sit in the open air and beautiful warm sunshine of a Leeds day and hear about the frozen forests of winter. 

The other Christmas show from 2020 - A Real Christmas Ghost Story - managed to get a run at Theatre Clwyd before lockdown came in once more, so I hope that whoever saw/listened to that had a good time and maybe one day I'll get to hear/see it myself. 

​And it was a delight to be asked by Tom Mothersdale to write three monologues for the Lockdown Plays Podcast, produced by Tom, Wilf Scolding and Anoushka Warden. I was lucky to have Lesley Sharp, Sinead Matthews and Harry Melling perform the pieces - See, Hear and Speak - and they are really worth a listen. 

And amidst all this I have scraping, peeling, drilling and lifting (lots of lifting) as I renovate a new home. Surely all part of life's rich tapestry. 

Three christmas stories in three specially designed spaces in Theatre Clwyd. A Real Christmas Ghost Story will take place in the cinema, which has been taken over by some long dead inhabitants for their yearly christmas get together. As things go from bad to worse we find out exactly what happened all those christmasses ago when Bing Crosby was the last thing any of them ever saw.

Once Upon A Christmas can be booked here.

For Winter 2020-21 Leeds Playhouse will present Fairy Poppins and the Naughty Winter Ghost, brought to you by three hapless storytellers, on the lookout for new careers after the ravages of Covid. Can they manage to tell a story in half an hour without the audience getting either cold or bored? I think they can. This show will be performed in all sorts of places - carparks, community halls, maybe just a roundabout somewhere - come rain, snow or shine (probably lots of rain). Because when the darkness of lockdown drags it's naughty feet then a little bit of singing, dancing and hope would be just perfect.

Info and tickets will be posted soon at Leeds Playhouse website.

A new play called When I Lie To You Do You Love Me More? Has managed to actually get on stage. Well done Theatre du Prisme. Written in English it has recieved it's premiere in a lovely translation by Séverine Magois and directed by Arnaud Anckaert, performed by Noémie Gantier and Maxence Vandevelde.

Unfortunately it has had to be locked down for a bit, but will be back on a tour of France in early 2021.