Welcome to my special guest Lynne Fitzgerald

 Lynne Fitzgerald is, undoubtedly, one of Merseyside’s most recognisable acting talents having appeared in plays such as The Salon at The Liverpool Royal Court and Theatre Royal, St. Helens, as well as Two alongside Louis Emerick at The Floral Pavilion in New Brighton.

What might not be so well known though is the fact that Lynne is also a prolific playwright and has penned such hits as 4 Girls and Caravan,Psychic Sybil and Desperate Scousewives 1 and 2.

Lynne’s new play, Hey Girl Show Us Your Tips, opened at The Theatre Royal last year and is set in a Traditional Liverpool Alehouse,

As Lynne has recently appeared in Two, written by Jim Cartwright, was there any inspiration drawn from that piece of observational theatre?

“I was so obsessed by Two and would never, ever liken my writing skills to those of Jim’s, but I did find that his style did sort of begin to creep into my own work.

"I had to be very careful not to follow the path that he had already gone down so fantastically well, which was quite difficult to be honest.

"That said though, there are very different characters in Show Us Your Tips, it is a completely different scenario and a whole different ballgame.”

Once Lynne has the idea for a new play in mind, the process is then undertaken to develop the story at full throttle.

“What I do is get the idea, think of a name for it, get the name, design the poster that will advertise it then look at the poster and start writing the play. It is a bit unmethodical but if it works, it works.

"Every writer has their own way of doing things, I expect, but this is the way I do it. I have the story rolling around my head for about four or five days before actually getting down to writing it, but once I start that part of the process it takes about another four or five days – working about five or six hours a day – before the first full draft is completed.

"Then I go back and rewrite it about three or four more times. The whole thing from idea to page takes around two weeks work in total.”

“I hate plays that are overwritten and it has taken me years to learn how not to do that, because I was taking stuff out that would have worked really well in the end, simply because I found I was over thinking the material and scenario I was creating.

"I was bogged down too much with what the cast were thinking and what the audience would think, until I got to the point where I had to take responsibility.

 If stuff makes me laugh it goes in, if doesn't it comes out.

"I think every writer – because it is such a solitary occupation – has to write what they think is funny or sad or dramatic or whatever.”

With what seems like such a pressurised writing routine, does Lynne actually like the process of writing?

“I'm addicted to it. I didn't start off wanting to write I wanted to act, which is my first love. Then I found when I was going to see shows in Liverpool and around, I was adding different scenarios and creating characters that were, sometimes, more suited to the play than the ones that were being played on stage.

"I did stand up successfully for 15 years and I wrote all my own material for that, as well, so that gave me a grounding in what makes people laugh, so I thought ‘what am I doing, giving so much, material away?’.

“When I did seriously begin to write stuff of my own, the prospect of it being seen by an audience really scared me and, probably, and there where times when I thought, I may never pluck up the nerve to get my first stage play 4 Girls and a Caravan off the ground.

"If, as an actor, things go wrong on stage then you can alter it and cover it up to some extent. With writing a complete script, there is no hiding place and what the actors are working with is the final product, so it isn't good enough you’re stuck.

"Things are never as scary as you think they’re going to be, once you’re off and running, but I would still love to go away to some retreat and write and write and write.”

Lynne is also totally hands on in all aspects of her play’s production.

“I'm a total control freak. I design the sets, the costumes, the lighting, everything. It might sound awful but I do tend to think that nobody else can envisage what I can so I’d prefer to do it myself.

"In fact, I physically built the bar when I was in Two at The Floral Pavilion"

So what can an audience expect from Desperate Scousewives?

“Basically, its Liverpool comedy at its best, with a fabulous cast Trevor Dwyer Lynch (Coronation Street) Lynn Francis Charlie Griffiths and myself.

"There’s nothing deep and meaningful about it, nothing too thought provoking, so just come along, have a great night and get ready to be rolling in aisles laughing.

Chris High Interview

L/R Lynn Francis Lynne Fitzgerald Charlie Griffiths Trevor Dwyer Lynch

Desperate Scousewives - The Play

Monday 28th September to Thursday 1st October 2015, 7:30pm Tickets £15.00* (£13.00* cons) Group discounts available ask at the box office 0151 666 0000 Four ordinary women living in a four terraced house's in the back streets of Liverpool we join the occupants the days leading up to and following the wedding of Vanessa played by Charlie Griffiths, a wedding, incidentally, which takes place in Walton Jail to a prisoner she's never met. Newcomer to the terrace, (Trisha) played by stand up comedian and Coronation Street star Trevor Dwyer Lynch tries desperately to fit-in with her new neighbours without realising the other's already know she's just moved into, Number One, owned by a battered wives association. Occupant of Number Two (Lily) played by Lynn Francis is currently in an abusive relationship and when she accidentally kills her husband, a whole string of hilarious co-incidences conspire to divert suspicion away from this down-trodden character Add in Bossy, loud-mouthed occupant of Number Three (Susan) played by Lynne Fitzgerald in her own inimitable style, your in for one hilarious night of entertainment. *Includes a £1.00 per ticket fee. Capped at 8 tickets. No fees to Friends of the Floral.