“You see the thing is, Mark – the un-crying, unsentimental, un-self pitying thing is that I didn’t begin really to love her until I knew I was losing her.”
In Praise of Love by Terence Rattigan
Have you ever been watching a play and found yourself thinking about someone you love? A friend? The person you’re sitting next to? An ex?
Perfect – so have we.
We’re collecting stories of those moments: where our lives and our experiences of love are stirred into life by the plays that we see. When, sat in the theatre, our minds wander, and the characters, stories and dialogue we encounter echo back into our own lives, or even spark something new. So, we’d love you to tell us about them: what thoughts have you had watching a performance at the Orange Tree, or what sparks do you remember from the bar at the interval?
Maybe you watched a show at the Orange Tree as your first date. Or maybe they didn’t like theatre, so you’ve always come on your own. You might have seen Guards at the Taj and found yourself thinking about your dad, your children, or a work colleague from long ago. Maybe you booked a ticket and sat in our seats in those first strange days after a break up, or you’ve walked away thinking – “I should definitely, definitely call them.”
In Praise of Love, written in 1973, shows a marriage between two people with a complexity that runs deeply, and in response to this we want to explore the scope and uniqueness of our relationships and the points where the plays we see and our real lives come together.
What are we looking for?
You don’t have to have met the love of your life at the Orange Tree bar (although of course it has happened), but you may have, for example:
- Come to the Orange Tree with someone special to you? Was it many times or just once? Who are they, what have they been to you? Did you always meet for dinner somewhere first, or was there a silently agreed interval routine?
- Been in a time of change in your love life when you came to the Orange Tree – what was happening, and what did you think about?
- Seen a conversation on stage that you have had before – who was it with?
- Identified with a character in a way that surprised you – have you just been Olivia in Twelfth Night: completely in love with someone who isn’t interested?
- Had someone brilliant chat to you after the show: the dream meeting
It doesn’t need to be about romantic love, it could be about friendship, or family. It could be detailed or fleeting – a momentous moment or a small one. Whatever you brought with you when you came, or whatever thoughts you left with – let us know.
How do I send them?
You can send us your story by writing to us here where you can let us know the play you saw, and as little or as much as you’d like to about the story you have connected to that visit.
We would love to hear whatever springs to your mind. It doesn’t need to be long – it might just be a sentence and it doesn’t need to be carefully expressed. Your own memory in your words will be perfect.
What will happen to the story?
Celebrating these stories in all their complexity, we are building a collection that will eventually be part of an installation that will run alongside In Praise of Love.
Rosie, our Resident Assistant Director, is collecting them, and all submissions will be kept confidential.
Once you’ve sent your story we will chat to you more about how the piece will be developed. If you have any questions email rosie.tricks@orangetreetheatre.co.uk, and if you’d prefer to send us your story in another way, (for example as an audio file), then please also send to this email. We can’t wait to hear from you.