"ONCE BITTEN" by Mike Elliston
Performed by Monorogue Productions
20-22 June 2017
Brick Lane Theatre Festival
Old Truman Brewery
91-95 Brick Lane London E1 6QL
4* Theatre Weekly
4* The Reviews Hub
4* London Pubs Theatre
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When I was commissioned by Monorogue Productions/thesalon:collective to write a bespoke 6-7 minute monologue for a new member of their performing team, I was thrilled as this would be my second outing in the genre, following "The Stairs" for Geraldine Brennan in 2015.
This time, I had the novel challenge of writing for a male character. The inspiration behind my Billy Paul is a true story reported in the press of a real market trader. Convicted as a loan shark he was spared doing time on account of his interest rates being 'too low' when compared to the thousands of percent charged by legal online lenders. This story struck a real chord with me and it seemed like he was the perfect candidate to appear on the WHEEL OF MISFORTUNE. (Matt Williams right as Billy Paul, photo courtesy of Michael Rosenberg) |
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Read the real story here and judge for yourself.
Perform it for yourself, free!! All I ask is that you notify me and credit me.
Download script here (pdf file)
(Download Acrobat reader here)
Click on the photo of Matt Williams to play a short video trailer
| Matt Williams played my character creation, Billy Paul in "Once Bitten". Matt has played several Shakespeare:Direct roles at the Cockpit including Proteus in Two Gentlemen of Verona and also joined salon players at Wilderness Festival last summer. Matt started his acting career in 1998 after training at LAMDA. Other theatre credits include Algernon in the Importance of Being Earnest (Union Chapel), Uncle Vanya (Edinburgh Festival), Welcome to Eternity (The King's Head) and The Canterbury Tales (Full Cry Theatre).
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"I was the go-to boy on the block to most people. But they treated me like scum.
That was my pension pot, my retirement, but now I don't have a
pension pot or a pot to piss in..."
BILLY PAUL ("Once Bitten" by Mike Elliston)
And previously in 2015...
This was my first outing for the Monorogue crowd, invited by Geraldine Brennan to write her a comedic piece with a little substance. I created Denny Watts, a 'celebrity psychic' who finds things get a little out of hand when spirits run a little high. It was Halloween, after all....click here for video.
