Now, I should declare a vested interest here as I’m running the thing, but if you want to support new writing, and see some great new plays in development, then hie on over to the Old Joint Stock from 22-27 November. It’s cheap, it’s cheerful, and there’s beer on tap. It’s also the first full week of the German Market, so you can fill up on Bratwurst and Gluhwein along the way. What more could you want?
CAPITAL: A FESTIVAL OF NEW WRITING
“Thought, not money, is the real business capital”Capital is a brand new festival of new writing which aims to celebrate and promote the work currently being developed in Birmingham and beyond.
Held at The Old Joint Stock Theatre from 22-27 November 2010, the festival will include a series of rehearsed readings, a showcase of short plays and an opportunity for the public to contribute their reactions to Cameron’s vision of the “Big Society”.
Using the backdrop of the current political and economic climate, the festival will provide an informal platform for writers to explore their ideas, test out new work and engage new audiences.
Highlights of the Festival include works-in-progress from Deborah McAndrew (David Copperfield, Octagon Theatre, Bolton), Helen Kelly (Big Idea, BAC) and Ged McKenna (The Farmer’s Bride, Stephen Joseph Theatre). Capital has also asked five established writers to respond to Cameron’s call for “people power” in his vision of a utopian new way of thinking. The result, Small Plays about Big Society will be performed by the company on Friday 26th November.
Capital is also delighted to announce a special one-off performance of Vanessa Oakes’ sell-out show Kindness of Strangers. First commissioned by Warwick Words in 2009, this funny and touching show deals with the vulnerability of ageing and grief, and explores the distance between intimacy and friendship.
Catherine Edwards, Festival Curator, says “it’s very important, especially in these straitened times, for writers to be able to respond to the issues of the day, and to have an outlet for their work. I’m hoping that Capital will form the basis for an annual new writing festival which will showcase the talents of regional writers, actors and theatre-makers.”
There is also an opportunity for writers to submit their own responses to Cameron’s “Big Society” in the form of a short play. Visit the website: www.capitalplays.co.uk for further information.
Tickets are available to book by telephone: 0121 200 0946/ 0845 680 1926 or online www.oxboffice.com. Visit the Old Joint Stock (www.oldjointstocktheatre.co.uk/) or Capital Plays (www.capitalplays.co.uk) for details of the full programme.
Editorial note: Contact catherine@capitalplays.co.uk for further information
