We've often had the debate of whether we like to see our favourite novels turned into films or plays. If done well there's a great delight in seeing the characters, places and plots lived out in front of us. But the interpretation and the adaptation for a different medium often means we're disappointed or frustrated. And the choice of which stories make good dramatisations is often puzzling.
In recent weeks there's been a great deal of coverage for the staging of the bestselling, awardwinning novel 'A Little Life' which has just opened on the West End. I confess I haven't read the book but from what I understand it won't make for cheery viewing, assuming you can afford or acquire a ticket.
And tonight we'll see another Dickens tv adaptation with a new version of 'Great Expectations'. Of course many of us will be watching it to see Olivia Colman play Miss Haversham, but sometimes there have been such seminal productions in the past that the only way to challenge our viewing is to shock or push the boundaries.
While we can understand programmers wanting to have a readymade audience for productions, achieved by adapting already popular stories, it seems a shame that we're not supporting more new work by the many screenwriters and playwrights eager to reach an audience.
The annual INK Festival in Halesworth, Suffolk in a couple of weeks' time is a great way to sample new writing. For a day ticket, you have access to a number of venues throughout the town where short plays are performed by professional actors. For a small investment of time and money, you can be stimulated by and support new talent. It's a great idea.
But before then, we have our book group meeting! We'll be gathering together tomorrow evening to discuss 'The Sentence' by Louise Erdrich. If you haven't already replied, please drop me an email to let me know if you are coming along so that we can have everything in place and launch straight into our discussion.
Thank you for reading.