Continued from previous page

older, I've just trusted whatever I know and I'll do it anyway. Emergency Exit is looking at the life of this lady Marcia. It's like when you see one person and you think, ok that person looks happy, looks as if she has everything, and then you get a chance to follow that person a round for a week or so and then you discover hey, you know, they have this going on and that going on. She seems perfect, seems like she's got everything, happy in a relationship, good job, but really she doesn't have anything at all.'

'So when you did this play about Marcia, are you her or is it somebody else?' 'Yeah, I think me, Judd the person; I am in all of the characters.' 'But that would make you schizophrenic?' 'No, there is a side of me that understands men's way of thinking better than some men do. There's a side of me that's totally woman and there's a side of me that's a bit of a maverick. I want to win an argument all the time. I hope that everything in me is hitting a nerve all the time.' Discover at Chat's Palace whether Judd will hit your nerve. 

Judd plays in and presents Emergency Exit at Chat's Palace Arts Centre, E9 (opposite Homerton Hospital), from 28 October to 5 November (box office:020 8533 0227).

Autumn is here again, bringing back the dilemma of what to do with tender plants grown outdoors during the summer. Whether they were bought as summer annuals or cuttings taken back from holidays, many are perfectly capable of continuing to flourish during the next warm season if they are over-wintered in a protected environment. This is easier said than done, however, as space is at a premium in Stokey houses, where it is particularly diffcult to accommodate potted specimens and provide the necessary light and low temperatures for their survival.First of all, it will be necessary to evaluate the plants and distinguish between annuals and tender perennials. The former conclude their vital cycle within the summer and die after setting sufficient seed, so they are obviously not worth the effort (ie bedding Lobelia, Alyssum and busy lizzies). The latter include shrubs, sub-shrubs and herbaceous plants from warmer climates that would continue to grow in the absence of frost. In our climate they have to be propagated annually or kept in containers that are returned to the glasshouse in the winter, so they rarely show their potential; whereas in ideal conditions they ultimately achieve much larger sizes.

Citrus plants are a common example, as well as the elegant bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae). They will both need to be kept indoors in the cold season but do not like central heating, so they must be placed in an unheated conservatory or lean-to, where they will benefit from the house proximity and heat but enjoy maximum light. In these conditions they will continue to grow and even flower. 

Small olive and bay trees are actually hardy outdoors but they don't like to be too wet in winter. If they are in small pots, they risk damage if the soil within the container is wet and becomes frozen, so they should be left outside but sheltered from rain. Before spells of cold weather the containers can also be insulated with bubble wrap simply taped around the outside (but don't block drainage).

As regards the classic tender perennials that we are tempted to keep, such as Pelargoniums (geraniums), Coleus and fuchsias, it is rarely feasible to accommodate large specimens indoors, especially if they are to be dug up from the border. The simplest solution is the traditional system of taking cuttings from late summer to early autumn, when there should be plenty of suitable shoots. Aim at selecting 10 cm-long sections of stem from the tips of the plants, cut off all foliage from each cutting but keep the top 3-4 leaves. Insert about 2/3 of the stems in small pots filled with multipurpose compost or try the easiest option of rooting them in a mug (not transparent glass) of water. Place them on the inside of a windowsill and top up the water as needed. Pinch out the tips in spring, before re/potting, to establish a bushy habit.