Let’s Play.

I call myself a playwright. I love the word wright - it's so strange. It feels like it should be spelled ‘write’, right? What is a ‘wright’?

“[A] little-used word referring to one who constructs or repairs something. It also appears in shipwright, which refers to a person who builds ships.”

I’m a constructor and repairer of play. Isn’t that a cool thing to do?

So what is play?

Let’s have a google. Wikipedia seems particularly comprehensive on the subject…

“Play can take the form of improvisation or pretence, interactive, performance, mimicry, games, sports, and thrill-seeking.”

OK… so why is play?

"the many theories of play expounded in the past are clear proof that the phenomenon is difficult to understand.”

Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget.

Play is a paradox: it feels like we need to play, and that play is unnecessary. When we play our actions have meaning. But they aren’t meaningful like they would be if we weren’t playing. Think of what rugby players do to each other.

“These same behaviours might be inappropriate or even illegal outside the playing field.”

So play is both real and unreal. Consequential, and of no consequence.

“[P…