SNOW ON MARS – another nice win

Rick Everett in Snow on Mars. Photo: Branco Gaica.

My apologies for my recent absence from cyberspace. I can explain, but it would take too long and be too painful for all. Let’s just say a combination of technical disasters, international flights and Children’s Book Week in Australia have come between me and my computer.

Anyway, normal service will be resumed shortly. I hope.

Mevrouw T and I received a terrific welcome home present at the Australian Writers’ Guild AWGIE awards last night. Snow on Mars, the play I was working on last year, was chosen as the nation’s Best Children’s Theatre for 2011.

It had already won Best Production for Children in the Sydney Theatre Awards, but this was an award for the script, so the writer could take a little bow. And make a little speech to those still sober enough to be following proceedings late in the evening.

Thanks to my collaborators Kim Carpenter and Gale Edwards for their tireless input into the script (‘Richard, I’m sorry, but this scene just doesn’t work yet. How about you try another draft?’) and for making it not just a good kids’ show, but a really good play, period. Thanks too to the terrific cast and creative team of Theatre of Image for mounting a spectacular production.

It was a show I was very proud to be part of.

For those who couldn’t get to it in Sydney, there’s a clip of the highlights on YouTube.