Mike Maran reflects on Corelli old and new

I wrote an adaptation of 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin' in 1999 with my friend, Philip Contini. We took our show on the road with Ali Stephens on mandolin (and guitar, trumpet, and tuba!) and Anne Evans on flute and piano. Ruth Barrie painted the floor and backcloth, and Jock Brown built the set and designed and operated the lighting. We toured the show for ten years and did over 600 performances growing into a closely knit family. We were bereft when Ali got cervical cancer and died in October 2009. Her mandolin is now silent but Captain Corelli's Mandolin has risen from the ashes. I went to Tblisi to write this new adaptation with Levan, the director at The Marjanishvili and Nino, the puppet maker. Levan and Nino wrote a document for Ali in Georgian and English dedicating this new production to her which I was able to take to her in the hospice along with a bottle of Georgian wine. My trips to Tblisi to work with Levan and Nino have been life enhancing - and also my new relationships with the actors of The Mercury Theatre in Colchester who have joined the Marjanishvili Theatre in this co-productions. The Mercury have welcomed me into their company and last week I took part in their 'development days,' - three days of workshops led by Peta Liley in which we explored clowning. My inner clown is about to reveal herself...