Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

EP 403 - The Magic of Combining Poetry and Playwriting with Richard Marsh

Feb 28, 2025

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Mark interviews writer, actor and poet, Richard Marsh, the genius behind YIPPEE KI YAY the one-man poetry stage parody of Die Hard.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a brief personal update, and a word from this episode's sponsor.

This episode is sponsored by the Show, Don't Tell Writing Podcast with Suzy Vadori. In this weekly show, Suzy brings you writing techniques, best practices, motivation, inspirational stories from real live authors out there making it in the world, and actionable advice that can help you turn that book you’re writing into the bestseller you know deep down that it can be.

Mark also mentions a free podcast event he'll be on with Suzie on March 7th called NAVIGATING TODAY'S PUBLISHING.

In the interview, Mark and Richard talk about:

How, ever since Richard started poetry, he ended up using it to tell the types of stories that one wouldn't normally think could be told via poems
The poetry rom-com stage show Richard worked on with a good friend
How the procrastination project of writing a Die Hard play told in poetry became a priority when Richard wasn't interested in the play he'd been intending to roll out that had a heavy themes of grief and loss. The Die Hard play was fun and silly and funny and warm, and was more of what the world could use at the time
How focusing on a few elements of what would make Richard himself laugh was a great place to start
The themes in the play of how love and life change through parenthood
The importance to Richard of not just retelling or parodying Die Hard, but to do so much more
How the personal story that Richard weaved into his Die Hard stage show ties in quite nicely to the relationship between John and Holly
Art impacting us differently through various stages in our life
The first time that Richard ever performed the play, which was an active reading in the middle of a crowded bar
The initial public performance of the stage show at The Omnibus theatre in London in March of 2022
Taking the show on the road beyond the UK by touring the US during Christmas 2023
Additionally touring in Australia and Canada
A little bit about the play Richard DIRTY GREAT LOVE STORY that Richard co-wrote and performed with Katie Bonna was created and launched
How the people who go to poetry events are some of the most loveable weirdos in the world
The various plays that Richard has published
Working with producer James Seabright to produce Yippee Ki-Yay
The numerous complex elements of staging Yippee Ki-Yay, including movement and physicality, puppet show aspects, props, finger guns, and more - and the importance of the collaborators that helped with this
The two-hander stage show WINGMAN which is a type of romantic comedy between a father and son, which has been optioned for both US and UK television
The numerous things Richard has written that ultimately end up as an "elaborate PDF" on his PC
The moment when Stephen E. de Sousa co-writer of Die Hard, went to see Richard's play at the London Action Festival
The musical Richard is working on which is based on the movie SON OF RAMBOW
And more . . .

After the interview Mark reflects on a few things that came up in the conversation.

Links of Interest:

Richard Marsh is a writer (film, TV, theatre, to-do lists). Actor (stage, radio, social events). CEO of the MCU (Marsh Connected Universe). He will rhyme for money (write poems on commission). You can find him online at: https://www.richmarsh.com/

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0