Busy day today. First up was a quick visit to the New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme, where the fourth of our TENacity workshops was being held. Focused on “Writing for British Film”, the workshop was well-attended and attracted writers from all across the West Midlands, one even travelling up from Malvern. I grabbed a quick cup of coffee and left it in the capable hands of Claire Ingham. The New Vic had kindly offered us the space for free, so thanks must go to Theresa Heskins and David Sunnuck for making that possible.
Then it was back down the M6 to Wolverhampton, to drop in on “Emerge”, which is a play reading group set up in collaboration with Midlands Equity. The purpose is to bring together professional actors and emerging writers in order to read and workshop new plays. Today was the last of the three scheduled sessions, held at the Newhampton Arts Centre. Good turnout, with 13 actors and 5 writers in total, together with director Kerry Murdock.
The readings have given writers the chance to hear their works-in-progress read aloud by professional performers, and to receive valuable input and feedback. For the actors, it’s a chance to come together and network, and also practice the sight-reading skills necessary for auditions. Each day has seen three plays read, so nine writers in total have benefitted from this scheme.
The final session was set aside for discussion on the future of the scheme. Script has managed and facilitated the pilot, but a decision needs to be made on where to go from here. Should the group continue as a self-supporting, autonomous collective, or would this soon peter out with no driving force behind it? My feeling is that it’s something of value that Script should continue to support, but, as one writer pointed out, is it just re-inventing the wheel? Script, in its previous incarnation as Stagecoach, ran these kind of readings as part of its core remit. When its focus shifted to longer term development schemes as Big Screen Visions and Leap off the Page, the ongoing writer showcase was discontinued in favour of specific projects, with their own industry days.
There were exceptions: 2006 saw Script team up with Birmingham University’s MPhil in Playwriting Studies. Mentored writers Deborah McAndrew and William Gallagher had their plays Mari’s Wake and Time and the Conway Twitty Appreciation Society showcased alongside the 2006 graduates at The Hippodrome’s Patrick Centre. Deborah has since gained attachments at the National Theatre Studio and the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, as well as productions at The New Vic. This, to me, seems a positive outcome. One that we want.
So the trick is to get the system back up and running. To re-instate the reading service as a quality filter from which to select writers to go forward into this reading group. To set up additional workshops and masterclasses for the group and to provide a forum for networking amongst the wider writing community in the West Midlands. And, most importantly, to provide an industry showcase for selected writers to present their work to directors, agents and producers.
That doesn’t seem to me to be re-inventing the wheel. It’s more about jacking up the car and fitting the alloys. Script has spent too long in the pitstop.
Enough of the motor analogy. I’m off to watch the tennis.
