#showstoppers!

INT/EXT. SUNDAY. 10AM

How do you feel about Sundays? Do you dread them or love them? Are Sundays part of your writing week or are they a day of rest?

LUCY: I love Sundays. An echo from childhood I guess as it is rarely a day of rest, but sometimes I get that nagging “should be doing my homework’ feeling. When not rehearsing for Showstopper!, or gigging with Ruth, Sundays are usually a time for family and friends and fresh air.

RUTH: I don’t really see Sunday as different from any other day now. After 15 years of self-employment, weekends tend to lose their meaning! Like Bank Holidays or Christmas… It’s hard to force yourself to have a day off when you’re a writer/performer – and even when I do, my brain is still working so I never really turn off completely. Sunday is rarely a day of rest, but when it is, that’s a lovely thing!

Do you have any particular routines or traditions on Sundays? If so, would you share a little detail? e.g. Do you get up at a different time to usual, spend the day with certain people, or have a regular Sunday meal or place to eat?

LUCY: Since becoming a mum, I haven’t had many lie-ins (more a regular lie ON my face by a 3 year old). Sunday is usually washing and Sunday roasts and a local park or a visit to a friend. We like to go to Downhills Park near us as the café has books and is open on a Sunday (my other park café closes on a Sunday WHAT!). If you keep going you get to Lordship Park - which is GREAT. They have a mini road system which has been there since the 1950’s. A great place to take the kids to learn to ride a bike.

RUTH: Most Sundays for the last 6 years or so have been taken up with rehearsing Showstopper, which is the improvised musical we do. For the next few months, Sundays will be spent rehearsing and/or doing shows at the Udderbelly – we’re on most weeks from April 13th through til July.  So as I say, Sunday is really a working day for me… Because there’s little routine in my life – I don’t HAVE to get up at any specific time every day, some days it’s insanely early, some days it’s really late, so Sunday kind of runs into that lack of routine.  Having said that, I do love the tradition of Sunday lunch.  I make a really good roast and just love doing it. Partly because I love gravy and it’s the best excuse for gravy! I like to spend the day with my fella, but because he’s self-employed (and a workaholic) that doesn’t always happen.  Our “Sundays” are often on Wednesdays.

What is your hardware/software of choice for (Sunday) writing?

LUCY: I used to use Final Draft for play and sitcom writing. But we did all our recent BBC Radio 4 show in Word with banners - easier to share. That and Dropbox.

RUTH: Really the same as any other day – depends where I am or how I feel.  I love the feel of pencil on paper and if I’m editing I find it much easier to do that tactilely on a piece of paper – editing on screen is harder for me. I generally write first ideas on paper – I have a desk full of notebooks that have lots of ideas.  Then if I’m writing properly I’ll do that on the computer, or if I’m out, on the iPad.  Whatever’s to hand to be honest.  I have a file of scraps of napkins, backs of envelopes, paper hats, all with scribbles and germs of ideas on.

Do you have a ‘go to’ film or TV show that you can always rely on for Sunday comfort?

LUCY: Currently I’m introducing my son to The Sound Of Music and all those films I loved (mainly musicals) as a child. If it was just me it would probably still be a musical- probably Singing in the Rain. And of course The Antiques Roadshow - my death row TV viewing - that is the funniest programme I ever saw. There really is nothing better than the Antiques Roadshow. My all time favourite box set is 6 Feet Under. Having watched Breaking Bad, All 7 series of The West Wing, Mad Men and various other ‘heavy hitter’ box sets- this still has the edge on character, concept and compelling stories for me.

RUTH: I do love ‘Persuasion’ and could watch that over and over. Also The Scarlet Pimpernel with Anthony Andrews and Ian McKellan – that’s a great one. Or anything baking/sewing/cooking oriented.  And there really is something incredibly reassuring about The Antiques Roadshow – you can play good games with the people in the background with that one.  Also, Elaine Paige on Sunday on Radio 2 – not TV but useful and fun (and Lucy made up a great game to play with that one too!) 

Describe your perfect Sunday in three words.

LUCY: Outside Family Food.

RUTH: The Perfect Sunday. 

FADE OUT