I lost my appeal boys and it was all due to this shit http://charliegilmourletters.wordpress.com/2011/09/21/letter-from-justice-nicholas-brown-qc/
Charlie Gilmor's Prison Diaries
I enjoyed the descriptions of the food, the menu's e.t.c are well thought out and don't succumb to the standard cliche's that many people fall into too easily, you know your food and the lobster line was great.
It's also where the strongest sections lay. I don't like Charlie Gilmor premise, it's wishy washy at best and not exactly topical anymore, it also results in a pretty damp punchline/finale and doesn't let you take it anywhere.
But the QC is a character worth exploring. The upper class bemoanings of a lavish lifestyle is a rich comedy ground, especially mixed in with prejudice and reluctance to work...careful where you break character eg "fart" & "speaking in my cakehole", it takes away from the character and isn't up to the standard of the rest of the piece.
My advice - ditch Gilmor & make this all about the QC, turn it into diaries, or maybe letters to his mistress or elderly mother.... maybe even better you could keep it topical by discussing famous court cases that he's presided over with letters addressed to the high profile people explaining his judgements.
Either way this gives you the ability to bring out prejudices well and exposure ridiculous justifications through discussing different cases and it gives you comic license to take the QC pretty much anywhere. Keep it authentic too...if you do that, it would certainly be something I'd like to read.
It is quite topical, CHarlie had his appeal turned down today.
well alright (although it's not exactly a big story) but debating topicality misses the point. My point was that the fact it's Gilmor brings nothing this, so may as well be removed.
Thanks for the excellent thoughts. These are like goldust. I agree with your comments. My only retort is that I am developing the thing into a longer drama, based upon 'Gilmor's' letters, in which the judge is a character: http://charliegilmour.wordpress.com/wp-admin/?page=stats
To be topical or not to be topical....?