Dorothea has been in touch with Simon for the latest on the Ilkley Literature Festival and his forthcoming performance of "Shhh!" an epic drama in one act which is inspired by life in our public libraries.

Simon: "Last week we had to go to a planning meeting at Ilkley. We got to see the stage and space we will be using and to meet other performers at the Fringe festival. As I looked at the darkened theatre I seemed to hear a voice saying "This is real, this is happening, you'll be on that stage in 5 weeks!" Gulp.

We've been trying to start a bit of a publicity drive and visited Ilkley library, asking if we could leave a poster. "It's about libraries," I said. "About what it's really like to work in them." The staff were very friendly and welcoming. A lady smiled and said, "At last!" and a chap behind the counter said, "Will it have all the sex, drugs and rock and roll?" I answered in the affirmative. A lovely library and lovely staff - hope some of them can make it to the show.

On Sunday we popped into Leeds Central Library and asked if we could leave a poster. "It's about libraries - we're exposing the truth!" I said with a wry smile. The librarian frowned and shook her head with a weary sigh. "Oh no you're not," she said, and the years of experience on the front line seemed etched across her face. "Oh yes we are," we said, "We work in libraries too."
"Do you really? Do you really have to put up with the same things as us? Really?" she said. And a light seemed to go on in her eyes - a bright, shining light that said SOMEONE ELSE KNOWS. SOMEONE ELSE UNDERSTANDS.

So librarians of the world (or at least of West Yorkshire)- come and see "Shhh!" at Ilkley on October 15th. Becuase someone else knows. Someone else feels your pain.