SEA CHANGE (OR LOVE IN THE TIME OF COVID-19)

They’re dear friends, so they said: We love your plays. The evening wore on. Wine was taken. They said: But your stuff is very dark, very sad. Why don ‘t you write something happy? A love story? And because they’re dear friends, I decided I would.  

This was early in 2020, or maybe a little before that – anyway, in those times when you could still meet your dear friends in a restaurant or café.  If you’ve listened to my previous work, you’ll know I’m attracted to rather dark times in history, and at this point I didn’t yet know that 2020 would be providing us with some real dark times of our own. 

I wrote Sea Change for fun, as well as for my two friends. I love the islands off the west coast of Scotland, and I’m intrigued by the many magical creatures that are said to inhabit them. Also, on one of my favourite island walks, we had met a man whose powerful telescope was trained on a rock out at sea and who invited us to look through its lens and the sight inspired the dénouement of this tale.

 Early in 2020, I set about organising the production of Sea Change. I’d done some work with the Hospital Broadcasting Service in Glasgow, who run an exceptional station, and they had agreed to record and produce it. I found the perfect cast for the four parts and scheduled the recording for late March. Uhoh. You know the rest… 

LOCKDOWN

 The play you can now hear was eventually recorded at HBS in early October 2020, with all the essential precautions in place. I hope you enjoy it, that it transports you to better times and that its ending makes you feel warm and happy.

Male and female actors with mics smiling