Profwriting

Ellie Mitten met stage writer Carl Grose while he was working on stagings of Beauty and the Beast and Faust, Part One. He talked about the experience of researching projects for popular Cornish theatre company, Kneehigh.

How did you research Kneehigh’s production of Blast?
It was a group thing. We’d sit around with piles of books and pull things out. If there was something we wanted to know we’d ask Jack Morrison, the technical manager - could shout anything at him, and he’d know. We played it quite fast and loose with some of it. Everything was true, but we only included the key bits. We kept the kernel of the historical issues, but lots was swept away. Especially, as when looking closely at Cornish history, lots wasn’t that dramatic. We wanted the interesting bits.

And for other projects?
It’s very different when not in Kneehigh-land. The research period is a lot more intensive. You’re on your own more, and personally I really, really like to know the whole world. I just delivered a first draft of a play – to be put on in Plymouth – set in Paris at the turn of the last century. I always need to know as much about life then as I can. The money used, the transport, how letters were delivered, and how rooms were lit. I love the details. The first draft will have everything in it, but it’s all gradually peeled away. What it leaves is an imprint, you hope. Even if you don’t use it, it’s important as a writer to know. I really like research, but it takes up a lot of time. You can get quite bogged down in it.