John and Jane Godber: A return visit to the city of romance

IT was back in 1992 that John Godber took to the stage with his wife Jane as his play April in Paris premiered at Hull Truck. Two years later, it won the Olivier Comedy of the Year Award.

The play follows Yorkshire couple Al and Bet, whose marriage is stuck in the doldrums. They win a trip to Paris and while in the capital of romance they remember why they fell in love with each other. Mr and Mrs Godber are now much closer to the age of the characters and, 18 years on, they decided the play was ripe for revival.

Day 1

Read through day. Strange; I am director, writer and half the cast. It was weird with the production staff looking at me. Usually I'm with them looking at the actors. Read through short but amusing, we got some laughs. Thank goodness! What lingers is the sadness of the play. I think that's the case with all my work. Pip's (Leckenby, a set designer who regularly works at Hull Truck) set looks great and Jane and I have joined a gym. We intend to get fit/fitter during rehearsals.

Day 2

Another read through. Just me Jane and Alex (Constantin), the stage manager. The atmosphere is not so expectant. No laughs this time and there's the sudden realisation that it's just us in the rehearsal room –if we don't get on with it, no one is going to make us. Go home and walk the dog.

Day 3

In early. Block Act One. It's fairly simple, just a square of lino, so I'm either stood up or I'm sat down and likewise for Jane. Lunch time taken up with meetings. My legs ache. Stood up all day! Thought I was fit? Jane and I are thinking of a trip to Paris to revisit the play.

Day 4

Early morning meeting with GTP (Gareth Tudor Price, Hull Truck's artistic director) about future productions. Casting for 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea is slightly on hold, but GTP is on with casting for Loot! Jane and I book Paris trip. Valentine's Day, so we kill two birds, etc... Didn't get much done today. Walk the dog. Watch Newsnight. Weather's bad!

Day 5

Read through Act Two. It seems easy enough but things aren't coming back to me as quickly as I thought. I joke that I know the lines to all my plays; if only that were true. It is 18 years since we were on stage together. Feels like the old days. Actually, it feels like it did before I came to Hull Truck when we were taking plays to the Edinburgh festival from Minsthorpe High School; before it all got serious! Take the dog to my Aunty Betty's in South Kirkby; a 100-mile round trip, but it means I don't have to walk it. Paris tomorrow!

Day 6

Train to King's Cross, all of us. Me, Jane, Liz and Mar (Elizabeth and Martha, the couple's two daughters). We have lunch at St Pancras. Martha calls it St Pancreas. Eurostar to Paris. I went on the first one with my Dad, an ex-miner; I'd forgotten how fast it travels. Arrive at chaotic Gare Du Nord. We have a small "last minute" apartment somewhere near the centre. It's after 9pm and everything looks shut, until we discover we're near the Champs Elyses. At midnight we are shopping in Mono Prix. Tomorrow we will walk around Paris like they do in the play.

Day 7

Freezing. All up early. Breakfast near L'etoile. Liz takes some pictures for the programme. We walk six and a half miles around Paris. Kids are beside themselves. My feet are killing me. Evening; take a taxi to Montmartre. Martha has her portrait sketched by an artist. I am told I have a great face for a cartoon. Merci, Bonsoir!

Day 8

Home. Six hours door to door from Paris. We said we'd do some lines on the train but we never did. Arrange for Neil Sissons (co-director) to come and help us. We were at Bretton Hall together and he ran Compass Theatre Company in Sheffield before they had their grant cut. Outrageous!

Day 9

Half term. Take the kids to our Janice's (John's sister) in South Kirkby. They are going bowling. Another 100- mile round trip. Jane and I don't rehearse much, too tired.

Day 10

Jane says she's starting to get nervous but she'll be great. I'm okay at the moment but the lines are not going in. Maybe going to Paris was a mistake? It's almost 20 years since we have done this, we must be mad. We seriously debate pulling it for a number of reasons; too late. The show must go on.

Day 11

Sissons arrives and we spend most of the day talking about what we did at Bretton Hall and we wrestle with Bond, Brecht and Beckett. It's like the old days. It's all very enjoyable until we realise we haven't actually done any rehearsing. The dog is back. I have to walk it in the snow.

Day 12

Neil still with us. We talk endlessly about the play. I wrote it in 1992; it could have been written last week. We talk about the recession, the credit crunch and the news about Corus redundancies in Middlesbrough. Do I look like a redundant builder? I've got the bulk, but none of the costumes are right at the moment. We talk about the poetry of the ordinary and offer up many ways to play individual lines. It's fascinating being on the other side, but time is against us.

Day 13

Rest. Walk dog, promise myself to go to the gym. Still not been. Don't make it. Try to learn lines. Family stuff gets in the way.

Day 14

With Neil on board full time we start to pull the play together. I ache in every limb. A two hander in a larger space is very tiring. Fit in a radio interview and various Hull Truck meetings. Need to concentrate. My memory for the lines is not good and Alex is going mad at me because I'm paraphrasing my own work!

Day 15

Jane is getting good. The set looks great. I have a beard and the kids hate it. With Neil we have been working on the tonal rhythm of the play. He's complimentary about how we are getting on. Jane and I have been together for 30 years, you can never get that chemistry in a rehearsal room no matter how long you try. It is encouraging.

Day 16

The first run through in front of GTP, Little 'Un (stage manager Sarah Follon) and Sarah C (Cauldwell deputy head of production). GTP complimentary, which means a lot. It's fascinating for me and I'm glad I'm doing it. It's crucial to revisit what it was that made me want to be involved in theatre in the first place. We do another run-through in the afternoon. I'm tired, it's not as fresh.

Day 17

Another run through for Graham K (Kirk), lighting designer. No laughs and I'm all over the place. England very disappointing at rugby. Jane's mum is coming to dog and babysit while we get on with the production. We swot lines, but the beard continues to be a major frustration.