"Punk Grandpa" by Laura Scruggs

Under the Headstocks read through.

The second transatlantic read through performed by Under The Headstocks, and this time we are introduced to the play "Punk Grandpa" written by a new writer to me, Laura Scruggs from Chicago.

The play is all about the wonderful relationship between 5 and 3/4 year old Laura Force and her Grandpa Bob.

In this story "punk" does not mean that Bob is covered in safety pins, in fact the only safety pins mentioned are the ones that Bob uses to keep his socks together in the wash. What a brilliant idea!

No! "punk" in this sense means that Grandpa Bob is fearless, fun, fiery and flirty. Loved by the kids in the neighbourhood as well as the ladies in the bank who he calls his "girlfriends", unbeknown to Granma Carol, or so he tells Laura.

We are introduced to family members and friends but this story is all about the lifelong friendship between Laura and her punk Grandpa.

From one weekend spent at Grandpa Bob's and Grandma Carol's, we flash forward in time to Laura's wedding and beyond when we discover that Bob has passed on due to Alzheimer's Disease, but he is never forgotten.

His love of jazz music, dancing and the film "The Wizard Of Oz" is passed on to his "Li'l Punk" Laura and she keeps his magical sense of humour alive throughout.

All through the reading I was visualising this play on stage and the music, especially in one later scene when, in what would be a dream sequence I imagine on stage where she gets to dance with her Grandpa again after he has passed.

I loved the inappropriateness of Grandpa as he describes his pride of his son who has his own business in the city as a pimp and his daughter works for him as well.

The writing is so good that it does not take much imagination to picture this on stage, or in your mind either. Writing is an art and Laura is a wonderful artist, painting pictures in your head.

Beautifully read by Sammi (Laura) and Kian Staley(Grandpa) and the supporting cast of Malcolm (narrator), and the ensemble of Sandi Edwards-Walsh, Toni, Amy,

Jack Liversidge

and

Vic Wilkinson

.

Musical accompaniment was also provided by Laura Scruggs as well as making an appearance as a fairy!

Thank you to

Alan Dawson

, Artistic Director of Under The Headstocks for putting this together on Zoom and inviting me along to experience the magic.

Punkforgettable in every way.