The bird, the box, the Shipping Forecast and It.

Have you ever found yourself stuck inside a box? Not literally, I hope you’ll never actually be stuck inside a box, at least not whilst you’re still living & breathing - I mean metaphorically.

Years ago, when dinosaurs walked the earth, I did a degree in Drama & TV studies. I wasn’t your typical drama student – loud, wildly confident, “daaahling, put the spotlight on me, me, me!”. That wasn’t me at all (it still isn’t). Consequently, at least one of my lecturers squished me into a box. I have no idea what it said on it, but I do know that it didn’t say 'Comedy'.

I felt constrained, but I couldn’t see any way of breaking out of that box. So, when out of the blue, a friend asked if I’d be in a comedy for her finals, I didn’t even pause for breath – yes of course! There was a big, fat smile on my face & a twinkle in my eye.

After the performance, the audience gave a rousing round of applause (and I'm pleased to say that my friend passed her degree with flying colours and has had a very fine career to boot).

Anyway, as I was leaving the building, I saw one of my lecturers ahead of me. He swung round & said “My dear, I had no idea you had such comic timing!” I smiled politely & said “Thank you. That’s because you never gave me the opportunity to show you.”

It feels good to prove people wrong when they've crammed you into an ill-fitting box, doesn't it?

Before we move on, a little diversion. Are you familiar with The Shipping Forecast? I read it live on Radio 4 some years ago, whilst a cleaner was busy emptying the bins beside my feet. Anyway, back in 2018 my friend & colleague Trish Jarman & I decided to write a Shipping Forecast for the North - the North of England that is (if you're based beyond these shores, apologies if it's all a bit bewildering!) & I slipped into the booth to record it.

It may amuse you to know that I'm now the proud owner of a whippet...! I think this now makes me an honorary Northerner, don't you

Right, back to those ruddy boxes...

“Boxes are useful, though!” I hear you cry. Well, they may look innocent enough, and yes, they can be useful, but there’s danger lurking inside. Buy into them and you may end up boxing yourself in! Until you’re brave enough to break out again, that is….

So, I’m starting an anti-box movement. The fact is, birds don't fit in boxes, ideas don’t fit into neat little boxes & neither do you. Boxes are tidy. Life isn't. Talent isn't, for flap's sake! Don't buy into the box.

Or at least if you do, think of it as a temporary, transitory box to be broken out of at your earliest convenience.

As an aside, comedy is all too often seen as less worthy and I, for one, don’t see enough humour in the scripts that land in my inbox – it’s under-utilised. And do you know what? That makes it all the more powerful. We know that in order to make an impact, we need to make people feel something. So, why not make them laugh?

This piece for Netflix brought about a similar reaction from the fabulous Nancy Wolfson as that piece at uni’ all those years ago….

So, come on humans, before AI shoves us all into a cube:

Unbox the Bird!

Unbox yourself.

Unbox the people you work with.

Experiment.

Push just a little.

See what happens.

Life's an adventure, after all.

It's about the journey, not the destination, because that really is the box to end all boxes!

I’m going to leave you with 'It', by the fabulous Jeff Eaker whilst you deconstruct those boxes you’ve been piling up….

And of course, if I can help with your next project, just drop me a dm or an email - [email protected]. This little bird will be happy to step into the booth - a unique box that can transport us anywhere! You'll find demos here.