So last night we had “my” Sonnets… and all went wonderfully well.

But I mean really and truly well, in every conceivable way, so much so that even my usually hyper-critical mother found no fault to pick – and believe me: it’s no everyday occurrence.

To begin with, the actors were nothing short of splendid – the kind of splendid that turns what is essentially a staged reading into a full and rich experience. All things tech went without a hitch, the audience sat in rapt attention – with a burst of spontaneous applause after an especially lovely Sonnet-116 moment between Will and the Fair Youth… And the gold-lit exedra we had for a background looked gorgeous, and the black not-quite-costumes looked a treat…

Why, even the weather, after a whole day of dicey forecasts, deigned to cooperate, and while it wasn’t exactly a glittering night, we had no rain – which is all that can be reasonably asked for when you think of open air theatre…

What can I say? It was an hour or so of intense joy. Imagine me sitting in the back, at a Covid-safe distance from the lighting-board operator, and watching it all unfold so beautifully, and seeing one or another little snag that had plagued the rehearsals, magically smooth itself, and then joining in the heartfelt applause… Imagine me very, very happy.

Now we are all agog with it, and making plans. Plans to take up the full version, to stage it properly – with beautifully streamlined costumes and a lutenist onstage providing live music, if you ask me – and you should, because I’m the director…

Great, cheerful, breathless, big plans – for when it’s safe to play full plays, with a little crowd onstage, and actors can passionately kiss again… But the day will come, won’t it? And when it does, we’ll be ready with The Man of the Sonnets.