Derby city council’s entertainments arm Derby LIVE is to produce its first in-house production for two years.
It will stage a double comedy bill collectively known as Mad Dogs and an Englishman by Derbyshire writer Tim Elgood.
Derby LIVE previously staged Elgood’s The Pros, The Cons and A Screw at Derby Theatre in 2009 and Mother Came Too at the city’s Guildhall Theatre in 2010.
Now Elgood has written The Dog House, a “humorous ‘dog’s eye’ view of homelessness, heartbreak and humans”, and Bare Words, the “truthful and hilarious portrayal of a young writer’s tortuous face-to-face combat with his own creativity”.
Elgood says, “Both plays were particularly poignant subject matters. The Dog House was an issue close to my heart. My wife and I have owned three dogs during our marriage—and all three of them have been rescues.
“All three of them now take lead roles in this play which is dedicated to them. That’s possibly a literary first.
“Bare Words is the proverbial ‘emotional striptease’. What inspires someone to write? That question is best left to W B Yeats: ‘There are things it is well not to ponder over too much—things that bare words are the best suited for’.
“I’m indebted to Derby LIVE and in particular to Pete Meakin who has now directed so many of my plays. He’s a constant source of encouragement and inspiration to actors.
“He certainly helped to inspire my writing of Bare Words. However, I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not.”
The Dog House and Bare Words will be staged at Derby LIVE’s Guildhall Theatre from 16 until 31 May 2014.