#'but I actually wrote that it was all for the craic anyway so if you read it and hate it jokes actually on you bitch' | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

marculees · 5 years ago

Text

🌼 Tag 🌼

Tagged by @pikachulein to answer ten of her custom questions, thank you 💖 💖

1. What compliment you've received meant the most to you?

I don’t really believe people when they compliment me rip. Only a few months ago, one of my professors told me I wrote at Masters level during a private meeting and it made me smile for three hours straight. I’ve been considering a career in third-level teaching and research and I hadn’t told him this but he started telling me I would be perfect for it and it was really motivating ;-;

2. Would you rather meet your favourite celebrity/group/bias and realize they're not at all how you imagined them to be like (maybe they're not as kind as you thought, for example) or never meeting them in person but it turning out that they're actually the amazing, kind, sweet, generous, etc. person that you thought they were? (I hope that makes sense hhhh I think the ethics of this question are really interesting)

I’d rather not meet them and have them be lovely. I haven’t met them yet anyway and so I wouldn’t lose anything by not meeting them.

3. What's your current favourite song you always use to get hyped up to or a song currently stuck in your head?

Boss Bitch - Doja Cat

4. If you had to write the book of your life, what genre would it be and what would you choose as a title?

I’d write it in the format of diary entries, very much a ‘slice of life’ type, with illustrations and doodles on the pages for metaphor and viewing pleasure. I think the title would be something simple too but with some depth to it, like a significant date in my life; almost like the ‘climax’ of the book, I could work the reader up to that entry and they would know something is coming up but not what 👀

5. Name your top 5 musical artists and your favourite song of each of them?

mxmtoon - Feelings are Fatal

Hozier - Movement

Kim Petras - Personal Hell

Conan Gray - Comfort Crowd

Kodaline - Ready

6. If you were invited to a big humanitarian event and had to give a speech on a topic you'd want to bring about a huge change for the better, what topic would you choose to speak about and voice your opinions/ideas? (Assume public speaking is one of your strongest assets and you'll ace this no matter what)

Okay so this is literally one of my aspirations in life, no joke, I’d love to be able to speak to a crowd and try to inspire and motivate them to achieve great things! I just really want to see people succeed and realise their potential regardless of who they are :( There are so many topics I would like to address but I think I would go for mental health in development. I study international development so I’m very familiar with humanitarian issues but often times, mental health is ignored when looking at healthcare regardless of where you are in the world.

7. What is something (a skill, personality trait, or something appearance related, it can be whatever) you wish you had and/or you really admire in other people?

I really admire team-players in leadership. People who are genuinely concerned for those around them and want them all to succeed together. They don’t leave anyone behind and remind everyone of their strengths and what they contribute to the team and actively push them to succeed. I try to do the same but sometimes I can sometimes be a bit of a pushover and not strict enough, instead just taking on more work myself rather than trusting a team member to do it... group projects, anyone??? :’)

8. What's your favourite anime/show/youtuber (you can answer whichever you got an answer for, it can be all three options of course :D)?

I don’t watch anime anymore but I enjoyed Ouran High a lot!

I’m waiting for the new season of Line of Duty to come out soon, but my guilty pleasure TV show is Bondi Rescue dsjvkdhlvjhfb I’ve also been watching that new show Five Guys A Week with my mum recently and its such good craic omfg

I tend to flock towards gaming and commentary channels most but Dashie is my fave istg there isn’t a video of his that I don’t wheeze along to 😂

9. In kpop, are you more into vocalists, dancers, rappers, maknaes, leaders, or visuals (or maybe a mix of some/all :'))?

I’ve noticed I like the rappers most!

10. What's your most beautiful/favourite memory?

This is hard...I literally had to answer this question last because I wanted to have a proper think about it. Its been hurting my head for days trying to think tbh and is it bad that I actually can’t pick a particular moment?.I’m genuinely stuck but a recent-ish one I can think of was this time last year when I had to give a presentation in front of my class of 250 people. I was presenting with two groupmates and I remember how hard we practiced and rehearsed for the days coming up to it. We wore coordinating outfits and had our lines memorised and I remember walking up on the stage and immediately feeling ‘powerful’. I don’t usually feel powerful at all but once I started speaking and performing our skit with my groupmates (who were lovely btw it made me really happy seeing the more nervous one do so well!), I seen how the faces of my classmates lit up and it gave me that warmth I had missed for so long. Random people I had never even spoke to before came up and complimented me later and it made me really proud because its what I love to do and it was so lovely knowing they enjoyed it too ;-; The lecturer we had for that class was known for being really intense but she took a shine to me and pulled me aside one of the days to compliment me and then referred to me as “her powerful speaker” in front of the class when we were receiving assignments back weeks later. It was the highlight of my whole semester and second year tbh. I’m really hard on myself but for once, I felt genuinely and I mean TRULY proud of myself and it had been a long ass time since I had felt that way 😭

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, now I tag @wheezing-pterodactyl @jbemin @jenoscity @starryseung @seventiddies @thegirlthatsdancingintherain @leechan-babyboy @angelwonho for the following questions:

1. What comment appeared on your report card most often as a schoolchild?

2. What’s your guilty pleasure?

3. You find a magic lamp and now a genie is here to grant you three wishes! What are you gonna wish for? (you can’t ask for more wishes though lol)

4. Imagine you have the power to control time. Would you rather pause, rewind or fast-forward?

5. When you shop for clothes, what’s the first thing that catches your eye? (could be the colour, pattern, style, price, fabric, etc.)

6. What’s the strangest dream you have had recently?

7. What is your MBTI type?

8. Do you have any unusual talents or party tricks? If so, what are they?

9. If your life were to be recreated through a form of art, which medium would you choose? (examples: painting, film, book, music, video game, etc.)

10. If you could be any mythical creature or figure, what would you like to be?

#i had lots of fun with this!#tagged

12 notes · View notes

moxyphinx · 7 years ago

Text

2017 MDK&KK Gigs

As a disclaimer of sorts, there are bits missing or cut out, and quotes are approximate because

my memory’s not what it used to be post transplant

I don’t feel comfortable posting some things “publicly”

I’m not sure how much we can say about new songs, so the ones that haven’t been released or played somewhere else publicly are just titled “New Song” until Sept 25th

Also, I’m not tagging this - mainly posting as tradition and for posterity.

Back in 2015, MDK&KK came to Seattle for a series of house gigs, and they invited Jackie (@catgranting) and me to one. You can read about the magic here.

Since then, we’ve become friends with the amazing woman who hosts, and she and KK have kept us posted about their return to the PNW. Initially, we assumed we would just go to one of the house gigs. However, MDK&KK have both been incredibly supportive and understanding of my medical situation, and they offered to do a small Sunday afternoon gig for us and friends. We didn’t know it when we arrived, but they actually played it as a benefit gig for my treatment plan which is C R A Z Y generous, and I don’t think I’ll ever be over it.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

We arrived and set out food and drinks for the guests. KK came out once we had pretty much set everything up, gave me a huge hug, and we chatted. He mentioned that this gig would be entirely acoustic since it went so well last time, and that Maria was more nervous than usual.

Everyone mingled for awhile. It was fun to have friends and coworkers to share this with. Our dear friend, Aisling (@disturbedporcelain) came down from Vancouver and brought her sweet cousins. We hadn’t seen her in forever, so it was lovely to catch up and special to have her there. Eventually, MDK came downstairs looking fecking beautiful in a Frida Cahlo dress. Our host’s daughter did her hair:

We made eye contact across the patio and both went in for a hug. She asked after my health, and then leaned in and asked if I had seen the episode of OB yet. I blurted out that I had cried, and that she was incredible. She talked about how she felt super overwhelmed by the response on Twitter. Jackie and Aisling came over, and we gabbed about music, nerves, life, etc.

Around 5pm, everyone headed in to find seats. We ended up in the front row. #classic

Sing Hola Luna

After the song, Maria looked up and smiled, ��Hiiii! Two songs down. We’re alright now.” It was roasting last year, but this year was quite toasty as well, and someone passed up a fan for her. “What’s that? Oh god! It goes with my outfit. I’m just going to stand and pose.” She explained the PA situation and the terror. “I guess you’re going to hear the songs the way we write them. So it’s special.”

Sing from the Sea A Couple More Years (Cover) (Bob Dylan plays it in Hearts of Fire)

We’ve never heard them sing this before. It’s a very sweet duet, and I feel like the way they sang it was a distillation of them performing together. KK started the song first plying the guitar, then singing. MDK looked toward him, smiled, and joined in on the second line harmonizing. Throughout the song they seamlessly traded off. They are so in sync, and listen to each other intently, yet effortlessly. It’s memorizing to watch, particularly at this gig because so much of it was unplanned.

Pride (new)

MDK: “What about ‘Pride?’” Audience: “What about it?” MDK: “Get on to it.”

Maria told a story about looking for books about drag for an upcoming project. They stopped in a shop called Deseret Book, and the guy at the front asked if he could help her find anything. She asked if they had any books about queer theory or drag. He quickly said no which she thought was odd, so she asked if they had any books about drag and fashion, and he was like, “No, we definitely don’t." (Meanwhile, Diane, Aisling’s cousin, is dying of laughter). He told her that they’re actually a small Mormon book store. She quickly explained that she wasn’t trying to be provocative and wasn’t from here, and he laughed, and gave them an address for another bookstore.

Last Call (new)

MDK: “This is a song about getting stuck in a bar… It could happen.”

Bethlehem (Sing-along)

I was shite at this to start with. Maria was like, “All you really need to know how to do it count.” Sounds easy enough, right? Well, we also had to repeat a line and then count, which okay, still sounds easy, lol. I eventually got it. Maria also said that every time they do it it’s completely different. “What yous did that was different, was you held out the note, like 'ooooooonee,’ ‘twooooooo.’ It was very cool."

Stuck

At this point KK asked for The List™ to be passed around. Before the gig, they wrote a normal setlist, but KK also wrote a list of a bunch of random songs they don’t usually play at gigs any more. “And if we don’t know it, it’s not like they’re going to kick us out.” As The List landed in my hands, KK said, “Oh, I already know what you’re going to pick.” “Yes, you do. Stuck.” Cue laughter. I already talked about this in the 2015 post, but to reiterate, it’s my “if forced to choose” fav, and partially responsible for how we got to know them. It’s still wild to think about the fact that it might be her most well-known song due to OB. It was a staple on my hospital playlist. God, I don’t even know how to talk about this song anymore. I’m just very thankful for it, and to have been surrounded by its vibration.

Mother

Aisling’s pick. (God, Mütter is SO good). MDK: “You didn’t put that on the list did you?” As Maria hit the chorus, she choked up. “I actually can’t sing that.” She talked about how the relationship between you and your mother, whether good or bad, is always remarkable. And she loves her mam, tried to write a song, and it turned into "the heaviest fucking song."

Have You Seen Him Twelve White Horses Sequin (new) Colour Code (These Streets are Always Blue) (new)

KK: "Let’s do it on the piano… for the craic.” MDK: “This is a show that nobody will ever see again.”

MDK: “Round Two” *rings her bells*

Going Home Sinners Like You and Me

KK: “I wrote this song when I was four. Lyrically, it sounds like I was four.” MDK: “I think if I would’ve said that to the guy in the Deseret Book Shop, sinners like you and me, I think he would’ve got it. We’d’ve bonded.”

Little Bee (new)

While KK tuned his guitar, MDK talked about us: “Jackie and Shawna have been friends of ours awhile now. We got to know them when they came to see us in Toronto, and they brought my favorite things: crisps and socks. We’ve spent lots of different mad nights with them. They had a car crash - Aisling, you were there too. And the album’s not going to be out until September, but they got a special sneak preview just for being old fans.” Jackie: “’Old.’” MDK: “And by old, I clearly just mean, you know, a long time.” Jackie: “It’s fun to hear them acoustic. ...Because they’re very not.” MDK: “They are very not.”

KK: “Is there more?” MDK: "There’s loads more. We only played half the song.” KK: *looks at me* ”Most songs go on too long anyway, don’t they?” Me: “No.” KK: “It’s just me then.” MDK: “It’s just you."

Winners (new) Last Day (new)

MDK: “This one’s a little bit sad, but not really. (...) All we have are the days. You just have to say, all I have is today. Can I just be the best I can be today?” We first heard this at Hugh’s Room 2015, and have been obsessed with it ever since. Aisling cried. Jackie reached out and held her hand. MDK: “We always make people cry. It would be a bad gig if no one cried.”

Fuckability Snow White

Definitely a song I wasn’t expecting to hear live. The vibe was more ‘La Sirena’ than ‘Charm.’ Maria talked about how she wrote a series of songs inspired by fairytales because she wanted princesses having their own agency.

KK made a joke about a place that sold “grass” and alcohol called “High Spirits.”

Helena O Mother (Sing-along) Sparky Personality

Alyssa: “I was thinking Fuckability and I just read Spanky - Sparky” MDK: “Spanky - that’s all whole other can of songs.” Jackie: “Just tweak it a little bit - A spanky personality.”

After the first verse, Maria hesitated. KK: "The chorus.” MDK: “What is the chorus? What are the words? … Damn ... *looks to me and Jackie* Do yous know?” Me and Jackie: “Uh… Keep the wolves and your daughters at your door.” MDK: “Thank god for fans.”

Battlefield (Pat Beneath Cover) Shipbuilding (Elvis Castello Cover)

MDK: “What do you want to do, Boogaloo.” KK: ”Where’s The List?” MDK: “Fuck The List” KK: “I love The List.” MDK: “See you’ve got a fuck The List, and a love The List, and somehow we make it work.”

Keep it to Yourself (Amy Rigby cover)

KK: "We don’t know it, but it’s funny. We haven’t done this since like 1943.” I didn’t even know this song was in their repertoire! It reminded me of ‘Babes’ since it’s more of story song, but with a mischievous tango edge. Maria was hilarious, playing coy and all.

You say you'd like to kill the man who broke my heart. You don't think he should be allowed to live. You say you want to shoot the dude who screwed me up. Me, I'm trying so hard to forgive. But here's his address. Here's his picture. Here's the make and model of his car. He works until 4:30. Then he hangs out at the topless bar With a girl on each arm. If he should come to harm, Just keep it to yourself.

Unbelievable

We hung out for quite awhile afterwards, as we had promised to help clean up (shout out to my mam for doing most of it because I was too overwhelmed to do much of anything). The post-gig glow, though! Aisling and I spent some time sitting in the yard just basking in it.

Jackie, Kieran and I debated about which of their songs is the saddest. KK said ‘Unbelievable,’ which, to me, ultimately has a comforting message like a lot of their ‘sad’ songs (’Stuck,’ ‘Last Day,’ ‘Sing from the Sea’). I think we settled on ‘Helena.’

Near the end of the night, we ended up in a conversation with Aisling, MDK, and KK. We talked about a bunch of stuff: queer theory, drag, gentrification, OB, traveling, their music (obvs). At some point, Jackie and I sang the bridge of ‘My Addiction’ to them. Maria said she loves that song and hummed it. We’ve put in the request for next time. (How fecking epic would it be live?!)

As we said goodbye, MDK pulled us in for hugs and called us mighty women. "Well, that means a lot coming from another mighty woman.”

Also, this is too pure:

SATURDAY EVENING

I hadn’t realized it was an option, but there was extra availability at their last gig, so we ended up going to this one as well. I am incredibly grateful to have had a second opportunity to see them under less stressful circumstances all ‘round (though it’s still kind of terrifying to be in the presence of people you deeply respect and admire). There's not as much about this night because I forgot to do a brain dump after. Plus this is WAY too long already.

We had a terrible heat wave in Seattle which is totally unprepared as a city to deal with it, so the gig was moved from a home to an air-conditioned conference room in a bank. When we arrived, we got hugs from Kieran, and hung out with Aisling and her cousins.

Right before the gig began, Maria came over to talk to our group for a hot second. She talked about Astoria, glass artists Joey Kirkpatrick and Flora C. Mace, and how the water was “perishing” in Crescent Lake.

MDK: “We’ve played in a lot of weird places, but this is our first time in a bank."

Sing Hola Luna Sing from the Sea

This audience was on the louder side, which reminded Maria of a gig in Europe in an apartment building that had a super strict noise curfew. Instead of clapping, everyone did jazz hands. She told us we should do it for the next song “just for the craic.” When we did, she doubled over laughing.

The Mountaineers Courtship Sequin (new) Colour Code (new) Bethleham (Sing-along) Am I Choosing Right

There was something extra magical about this song. I don’t remember what exactly, but I do remember thinking, “Wow” when it was over. It was like the first time hearing the the higher riff on “Am I choosing right” on ‘Maria Live’ - just chills.

Pride (new) Babes

Storms are on the Ocean O Molly Dear

MDK is such a fucking powerhouse. You can physically feel might of her voice - it pierces you. ‘O Molly Dear’ is a beast live, and she was just so in it - dancing and belting.

12 White Horses Yes We Will Last Day (new) Lucinda O Mother The Silence The Most Beautiful People are Broken

This song hit me in a way I totally wasn’t expecting. The added bridge - “You’re beautiful just as you are / don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t go as far as you want to” - I just - I cried. It was so powerful to be surrounded by the loving and uplifting energy that saturated the space. Their music is curative.

Siúil a Rún (Irish)

“I’m just going to down a few lines of an Irish song for [names all the Irish people in the audience].”

Stars Above

After this song, the woman sitting next to me leaned over and said, “Well, she made the three of us cry *pointing to herself, Aisling, and me* I was looking over and counting.” To be honest, has anyone heard this song live and not cried?

We all went outside to get some fresh air. Maria came over and said, “We have to get a picture!” My brother volunteered his phone, so here’s our only group photo of the night:

I asked MDK about her ring:

She wore it last weekend too. Diane and I kept wondering if it was supposed to be “No” or “On.” She said the people at the shop in Toronto called it the “No” ring, but she wears it so it says “On.” She was also wearing her awesome double gender ring.

We shot the shit, and then said our goodbyes. Hugs all ‘round.

It’s difficult process through this, and I’ve only just begun. It’s been a huge year for my family, and I’m grateful to have been healthy enough to experience these historic nights in my life. Beyond words.

tl:dr: MDK& KK are truly angelic - some the kindest, most generous, beautiful, talented people I’ve ever met, and I’ll cry forever about it.

#/#//#///#////#/////#personal #mdk #this took me ten years #and i'm still like :/#impossible to capture with words #and i just got tired at the end #...idk #everything's so curated #and i'm anxious #byeeee

19 notes · View notes

kbetolks · 8 years ago

Text

What am I writing?

The always lovely @josjournal tagged me. I suppose I’m expected to talk about current works, but I’m not really sure I have any real one?

I’m only really writing the last chapter for My Yuuki Yuuna AU★. Choices Like Waves★ is mainly editing and adding one or two things as I go. There’s possibly the Reverse Exchange in the future, but I’ll see about that.

I do have a few ideas that are mostly a few plot points or loose scenes gathering dust.

There’s a third part for the Tales of DeepSea City★ series I’ve been craving ever since I figured I need a McFly/1D crossover in my life. I’ve decided on the (1D) boys’ powers and all I need is to actually write something. I miss writing Pudd and Flones, so there’s that, too. It would be nice to revisit that verse and see my fandoms collide. :’)

There’s an FBI/victim protection Ziam AU that’s been as like 2K for forever now.

Modified: Fri, May 15 2015 22:44:08

There’s a bunch of anime adaptations I want. One would be an alternative version to my other story Stay/Knight★, just like the Fate/Stay Night series. I also want a Sailor Moon crack (or should I say... craic), and I’ve written ONE chapter for the swordsmen!Ziam AU. But I haven’t touched that one in forever.

Modified: Mon, May 25 2015 12:26:06

There’s the next Not As We★ chapter, too. Despite being on hiatus for nearly two years now, I intend on finishing that one. I haven’t touched it in a long time, but I’m still fond of that ‘verse. I hope I can resume it after finishing CLW later this year.

I sorta started Ziam-fying one of my well-received McFly fics, but then it really went nowhere. All of these projects have been stalled since I started writing CLW, to be honest. Call that equivalent exchange, if you may. LOL!

There’s probably something much older and lost in my folders that I can’t recall, but I guess that’s all I’m currently *vague gesture* working on.

EDIT: I just remembered there’s also the third instalment of my Pokémon/Sterek crossover. I wrote the first scene and never returned. It’s been maybe two years? Gosh...

I’m supposed to tag people, but I think everyone I know has done it already? Anyway! I’m tagging @lovecrimemp3 @irishpalatines @rogueziam @reminiscingintherain @soakyourskin @doyoubeproudandlovelots

#kbetolks

6 notes · View notes

keepitpg2017-blog · 7 years ago

Text

Final Script

Below is a copy of the finished version of the script for Keep it PG:

Gary: Fuck me. That was a bit intense wasn’t it.

Paige: Fuck I need a drink.

Gary: But sure were not allowed to drink

Paige: Aw here Northumbria’d have a heart attack if you tried to stand on a chair

Gary: A what?

Paige: A chair.

Gary: Anyway, I think we should introduce ourselves.

Paige: I’m Paige.

Gary: I’m Gary.

Both: GARY

Paige: I’m from Coleraine, Northern Ireland.

Gary: I’m from Enniskillen, Ireland.

Both: Know where that is? No? Didn’t think so.

Paige: Can you imagine Belfast.. yeah well its no where near it.

Gary: Or if you imagine Dublin down south, yeah I live miles away.

Paige: Basically, it’s in the arse end of nowhere.

Gary: But its home.

Paige: So back home you have the Protestants.

Gary: Scum. And you have the Catholics

Paige: Teigs [pause]

Gary: So in our last performance we were told we didn’t really give enough context of the history of Ireland…

Paige: NORTHERN Ireland. So here goes….

Paige: ….. in 1995

Gary: The year I was born.

Gary Charles Patrick Quinn. Not entirely happy with Charles as a middle name to be honest it’s bit English - no offence. But sure what can you do. Most people say I look like my mum. Where I grew up it was relatively calm, I didn’t so much feel the impact of the troubles which was still ongoing. Don’t get me wrong Enniskillen is a complete shit hole. But it’s my shit hole.

What about you Paige?

Paige: Well I’m Paige Hope Shawnee Hegarty – Shawnee though. Some people say I look like my Dad.

Both: Aw here / Fuck sake / Seriously? / Are you for real?

Gary: Who in their right mind would support Arlene Foster and the DUP?

Paige: Mate, who the fuck would support Sinn Fein? Gerry Adams is basically Vladamere Putin with a grey wig.

Gary: Aw here, well Arlene Foster, is a bit like Hitler, but with an Irish accent.

Paige: A NORTHERN-IRISH accent.

Gary: Oh is that the same accent that banned same-sex marriage in NORTHERN Ireland?

Paige: Tell me this does Gerry Adams still hang about with the IRA these days?

Gary: Nah, but at least he isn’t licking Theresa May’s arse to get into Westminster. Oh look at me in Westminster – I got a seat. Big whoop.

Paige: Martin McGuiness rang he’s having a nice time in hell.

Gary: Aw is Ian Paisley with him? Tell him I say hi.

Paige: Typical Catholic…

Gary: All we want is a united Ireland.

Paige: Gary do you really think that would work? All that craic with the euros.

Gary: Aw here Paige that’s another show.

Paige: Well here never-mind our Arlene what about Gerry and all them bombings?

Gary: What bombings?

Paige: (clears throat) in 1064 King Billy….

Gary: Aw here we’ve all had enough of that for one day. Thank you.

But here who really understands parliament? How does a party actually get a seat? What I picture is you know on X Factor when they always have a sob story and a sad song playing in the background? I can imagine Arlene Foster saying to Theresa May–

Theresa my parents were abducted by leprechauns.

It was very traumatic. I was raised by sheep in a field. From a young age my granny always supported me. The last thing she said to me was ‘Arlene make sure you get rid of those Catholics’. So, I’m doing this for her. Every election we’ve tried to get a seat in parliament. This is our year. The DUP will be victorious.

Paige: Gerry what do you have to say?

Gary: To be honest, you’s English are…

Paige: Arrogant

Gary: No..

Paige: Full of shit

Gary: No.

Paige: Obnoxious, Insufferable, Ignorant, irritating, annoying, overbearing, attention-seekers, Shite at football….

Gary Paige! What I was gonna say, is that some English people are racist.

Paige: Because according to you - I am a leprechaun.

Gary: I am a potato.

Paige: I am a farmer.

Gary: I live in a Caravan.

Paige: I drive a horse and cart.

Gary: I have 3,000 cousins.

Paige: I built the Titanic.

Gary: I crashed the Titanic.

Paige: I am an alcoholic. [pause]

Gary: Yeah you English think all us Irish are alcoholics. That all we do is drink, drink, drink.

Paige: And we’ve had it. Enough-is-enough (goes to audience to take a drink)

Gary: Paige… ok, so maybe we enjoy the odd drink every now and again. Who doesn’t?

Paige: That doesn’t mean we don’t know when to call it a day…

Gary: Right, so maybe some stereotypes of Irish people are true. I love a drink. You love a drink. What’s the big deal?

Paige: Fuck I’d love a drink.

Gary: Yeah well because of risk assessments we aren’t allowed to drink alcohol onstage. Classic Northumbria. 9 grand a year.

Paige: So we’re just gonna eat the alcohol instead (laughs)

Gary: Ok fine fine.

Paige: It was just a joke.

**Please note the above script does not include the tech cues and visual/sound elements which of course form a vital part of the show's content.

In comparing this script to the previous edit used for the scratch performance, the majority of the script has changed either in content or it's position in the show. Starting with the cuts we made from the scratch performance. The song 'Tell Me Ma' by Shamrock has been cut, the reason being it didn't add anything to the show other than acting as a song non-Irish people had heard of. In it's place however is the song 'There Were Roses' by Cara Dillon, a track which lyrics speaks volumes in terms of Irish history. 'There Were Roses' tells the story of one Protestant and one Catholic caught up in The Troubles in East Belfast. This unusual pairing very much relates to me and Paige's relationship in the show, as one male Irish Catholic, paired unusually with a female Northern Irish Protestant. Not only would the track consist of Cara singing, but we too would be singing. As both of us have backgrounds in musical theatre, we felt it was only apt to include our own singing voices as well as Cara's in the performance. This, in an attempt to make the track and it's poetic language even more raw for us as performers to engage with, whilst simultaneously captivating our audience.

Another cut that was made was the parody of the song 'Jolene' by Dolly Parton that focused on Arlene Foster and Gerry Adams. Now although this song got a fantastic reaction from the audience, we felt it didn't fit in with the direction the new version of the show was going in. I love the song as something we wrote ourselves in terms of the cleverly written, comedic lyrics. However, once we added in B*Witched's 'C'est La Vie' we felt there wasn't room for both in the show. Additionally, with there being a full dance routine with 'C'est La Vie' it just wasn't plausible to include both in the show due to time constraints.

The remainder of the cuts that were made were some sections of the dialogue, such the Irish stereotypes section which been reduced to allow more time for the new additions. In place of these minor cuts, myself and Paige added in a history lesson section using a scroll made up of endless Irish trivia facts and history points. A visual of which can be found below;

This particular addition was something that was (bravely) added into the show the day before the performance date. The reason for such, is that we felt there wasn't enough context to what the show was discussing throughout - coupled with the fact our scratch audience's feedback was all about wanting more history and contextualisation. By adding this in, then then allowed us to turn the previous audience's feedback into a joke, by saying 'You asked for it so, here goes'. The actual visual of the scroll being unwound and physically having it fall offstage directly next to the audience would assist in the comedic effect of doing so.

0 notes