Increasingly I think directing is nothing more than an exercise in brinkmanship. Who will give in first? You? Or - who? The play that wants to be put on, I suppose. The gods of the theatre. Fate. I don't know.

It's certainly a test of nerve.

I haven't started autumn's show yet. Rehearsals begin on Tuesday. I have a theatre. I am almost cast. I have an assistant director, someone who's willing to entertain the thought of making a set, a couple of delightful people who look like they might bail me out when it comes to publicity, a possible solution for lights (Inshallah), a potential costume person, someone to write the music, a queen of props, even offers to prompt. And to all of whom, thanks and thanks and many more thanks.

I am missing a young black man to play the final member of the cast.

And I'm trying.

Following a distinct absence of suitable candidates at audition, I have:

• approached someone. Too busy.
• approached someone else. Also too busy.
• sought help, via dear Susan Wales, from the assorted 'theatrical' community in Edinburgh and the surrounding regions. 
• posted a call for assistance on the SCDA's local and national facebook pages.
• posted a call for assistance on the QMU theatre students facebook group page.
• approached (via someone I work with) someone else who's busy being groomed by BGT. Who knew? Too busy.
• contacted numerous groups and societies of Edinburgh University. Liaised, negotiated, wrote out this and that, got a lovely message posted on the facebook page of the Afro-Caribbean Society directing interested parties to me and to date, this has yielded nothing.
• approached (via someone else I work with) someone else. Loves the script. Too busy.
• put an ad on gumtree.
• tried to catch on the phone someone who had responded to the ad on gumtree. Repeatedly failed. 
• discovered that the man who had responded to the gumtree ad not only lives in Liverpool in the summer but also all year round. Because when he said he was starting uni term again in October, he meant uni term IN LIVERPOOL. Not even crossed but ridiculously optimistically ensnarled wires. 
• posted a call for an (sorry sorry amateur sorry sorry no pay sorry sorry sorry not even travel expenses) actor on Casting Call Pro
• emailed the heads of theatre courses at QMU, Edinburgh College and the esteemed RCS

And now I shall wait.

God loves a trier, right?