Alex Burger

Return from Ghana

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I’ve just returned from 10 days in Ghana, making the same trip to London that my characters in Whose Blood made almost 200 years ago.  Although I’ve lived and worked in many parts of Central and West Africa, this way my first trip to Ghana.  It felt oddly familiar, comfortable, a part of the world and a part of me I have left but not forgotten.

Rehearsals start tomorrow, we open in three weeks.  We will see what these weeks bring.

Grab: Film Reading

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Dear Friends,

A big thank you to all who participated in the film the reading last week.  It was moving and fun to have everyone come together, and very helpful for the project.  Since our reading we’ve been thinking about a few things including:

  • A new beginning.  We’re experimenting with a new action packed 1st scene
  • Mexico expanded: widening Mexico view to encompass more of the community
  • Plot and character shifts including changing how Kate/Thandi meet, the use of US assassins, etc.

So thank you all for you time input and energy. We’ll keep you posted.
It looks like little Jim/Seema might be on the way!

All the best,
Alex and Jim

Whose Blood: Play Reading

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On 26 October we held a reading of my play in progress Whose Blood: A Tale of Desire and Despair Set in a 19th Century Operating Theatre.  It was terrifying, enlightening, and gorgeously directed and acted.  Now back to rewriting.

World Food: Film Reading

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Dear Film Readers,

A warm thanks for participating last night in the film reading.  It was an amazing event for us to have such a group gathered, and to hear the piece out loud with such varied voices.  It has given us  much food for thought.

We’ve spent the day working on the film, thinking about such things as:

  • Characters:  How can we tell the most real and complex stories
  • Land Grab: how can we push the movie towards land grab, which is perhaps the most pressing and complex issue?
  • Inside Africa/Inside Mexico.  What would the film look like if we really put ourselves inside these worlds and wrote from there?

The event stirred up so many thoughts and possibilities for us – you made this happen.  We welcome continued discussion.

All the best,
Alex and Jim