Right then. So, the websites up.

Yes, the websites up, which is cool. It’s not complete, as you’ll see, but it’s a start. We’ll just improve it as we go, I reckon, so there should be stuff added all the time. Its just nice to finally have the thing on-line, ‘cos people have been asking about it for a while now.

That’s because it was supposed to be ready at the end of august, wasn’t it?

Er….well, yeah, but that proved to be…..

Complete arse?

….impossible. We had some difficulties, but it’s all good now.

Anything new to tell us?

Well a couple of up-dates, yeah. I went to London last week and held some auditions for the new “B” and an extra “girl”. They went really well. I’m going to do some more in a couple of weeks, then we’ll be ready to rehearse in January. The first date of the tour is probably gonna' b late February in Southampton. We’re just putting the schedule together at the moment, but there’s gonna’ b a couple of London shows: one at The Spitz in Smithfields, and one in Croyden, at the Clock Tower Arts Centre. They’ll probably b in March. There’s also a show on the Isle of Wight, at the Quay Arts Centre in May. That’s all I know at the moment, but agent Vic is adding a few universities along the way, so that we should be touring steadily through March, April and May. Just keep an eye on the “taxi stops” for dates. They’ll b available soon. Plenty of chances to see us, basically.

Did u see Ken up in London?

I’m seeing him in a couple of weeks. I need some advice on the one-man show. I’ve also gotta' report back on Anne of Green Gables.

U what?

Anne of Green Gables. It’s a book written by Lucy Maud Montgomery about this orphan girl growing up on Prince Edward Island in Canada. It’s been made into a film and Ken said I should watch it. Reckons it’s a masterpiece, so I checked it out

Why?

‘Cos it made him cry! Its interesting figuring out why. Kind of homework.

And did u?

Yeah, I reckon, but I ain’t telling u. Tricks of the trade! It’s got a weird history though. Apparently, Anne has a massive cult following in Japan. It was like the standard text for learning English for years.

Moving on, how’s the Slovakian connection going?

Well, Jozef’s got the script now so once he’s translated it, the plan is to go out to Bratislava and have a chat with this playwright geeza, who wants to put it on. We’ll see. It was cool to see Jozef up in London. He introduced me to his Slovakian mates who are living over here. They’re all basically from the same town back home. I spent three days hanging out with them in Swiss Cottage. It was a good crack; the Slovaks are real friendly people. It was a little surreal, though, ‘cos they all spoke English for my benefit, even when they weren’t talking to me. It was very inclusive of them, but I did feel a bit guilty.

Yeah, but u don’t speak Slovak do you?

No. Not really. Apart from several choice swear words and “pivo”.

What does that mean?

Beer.

I see. Would’ve been something of a conversation stopper then, if they’d started.

Yes. Yes it would. I’m learning, but it’s extremely difficult.

Is it like Czech?

Very similar, yes, and anyone who reads some of the Beat Freak stuff on “a a writer writes” will know that I struggled like a trapped ferret with that. It’s a Slavic thing and I ain’t no Slav. So it was good of them to do that. We went to see The Roots at Brixton Academy as well, which was smart. Big up to my Slovakian crew – Zaho, Jonko, Cuko, the two Jana’s and the rest. Oh and Miro. He’s another Slovakian mate who I met in Prague. He’s in town at the mo as well.

Anything new to report on Beat Freak, whilst u mention it?

Well, I’ve got the financial backing sorted out to take it to Edinburgh now, so it’s game on. Just gotta’ write it! But I’m on that. Things are progressing nicely. I might even start trying a few bits out on audiences soon.

There is something else we want to ask u.

Go on then.

Well, have u noticed how there seems to be several films lately that have some kind of existentialism in the story. Knowing how u consider Writers’ Block to be an existential play, do u have any thoughts on that?

(laughing) U noticed that, did u? I suppose you’re referring to I Love Huckabees and the two “existential detectives”.

That was one, yes. Have u seen it?

No, but I will do soon. I think Dustin Hoffman plays one of them. That’s got to be worth the ticket price alone. Apparently it’s real off-the-wall stuff. I’m intrigued, for sure. What else are u talking about?

Well, I was reading this review of The Incredibles recently and the writer referred to the film as “the first existential kid’s movie”, whatever that means.

Actually, I saw that up in London on my trip. I think it’s my favourite film of the year. Really. It's fantastic. I didn’t stop laughing. I gotta’ see it again soon. The fashion designer cracks me up.

So, is it an existential kid’s movie?

Definitely. Except I think it’s equally a movie for adults. This family of superheroes have to deny who they are, act in bad faith, as it were, in order to fit into everyday society. It’s very Nietzchean.

Is that right?

Yes. It is. I could do a whole lecture on The Incredibles’ existential narrative, as it goes. But perhaps another day. As for any connection with these two films and my play, I dunno. Is the subject back in vogue? When did it ever go away? would be my reply. To choose who we are, to become who we are lays at the heart of so many stories and these are very much existential concerns. But I am aware of the “trend”, if u can call it that. I mean, the top screenwriter in Hollywood at the moment, Charles Kaufman, who wrote Being John Malkevich, Adaptation, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Human Nature and Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind, could probably be considered a bit of an existentialist, what with the continual wrestling with identity and a person’s essence, that crops up in his scripts.

Its interesting u mention him, ‘cos he seems to be an influence in your work. U even look like him a bit.

(at which point Macfarlane nearly falls of his chair in outrage) An influence in my work! I wrote Writers’ Block nearly nine years ago, u *********. Way before anyone had heard of him. (calming down a little) I suppose there are some similarities between us. One or two people have mentioned that.

He has got a beard and curly hair.

(ignoring the previous statement) He has a touch of the post-modern about him, I guess, and he likes surrealism. He even puts in a Robert McKee reference in Adaptation. I must admit, when I first saw Being John Malkevich I did feel a tiny bit of envy that he’d gotten something like that made, ‘cos no “gatekeepers” seemed too interested in my play when I first wrote it. Then The Matrix came out, closely followed by him and Spike Jonze and now everybody’s on the whole “questioning reality” shtick.

The zeitgeist seems to have caught up with u, then.

You’re just saying that to get back into my good books. I couldn’t possibly comment.

Stay posted for a new interview with Macfarlane soon.