The Playwrights’ Network is an informal group of regional organisations which work to develop and support dramatic writers in the UK. The network was brought together and curated by writernet, a national organisation which aimed to give dramatic writers the tools they need to build better careers and change the culture in which they work. Writernet drew to a close at the end of 2008, and the Playwrights’ Network is now overseen by Playwrights’ Studio Scotland
Liz Ryan (Script Yorkshire) compiled a Comparative Study of New Writing Support in the UK in 2008, which provides further details on the work of each individual organisation. Each has a slightly different structure and remit and, as Liz outlines in her study, can be divided broadly into three categories: the producing theatre, the membership organisation and the agency. These companies are the first port of call for dramatic writers wishing to develop their career.
There is a permanent link to each of the organisations on the right hand panel if you are interested in finding out more. But they are, briefly:
Script (West Midlands) – that’s us
Script Yorkshire (Yorkshire)
Theatre Writing Partnership (East Midlands)
Menagerie (East)
Soho Theatre (London)
New Writing South (South East)
New Writing North (North East)
North West Playwrights (North West)
Sherman Cymru (Wales)
Tinderbox (Northern Ireland)
South West New Writing Network (South West)
Playwrights’ Studio Scotland (Scotland)
The 2008 annual meeting took place in the delightful environs of Totleigh Barton, Devon. With no internet access and mobile signal only available by standing on a bench at the bottom of the garden, it was a great place to hole up.
One component of the annual meeting is a script reading marathon to shortlist plays for the Meyer Whitworth Award. This aims to further the career of a UK playwright whose career is not yet established. Typically, we are given about nine scripts each, In 2008, the winner was Hassan Abdulrazzak with Baghdad Wedding, “an outstanding entry…technically ambitious, thought-provoking and challenging” (Richard Eyre).
In 2009, the Playwrights’ Network headed up to Ormskirk for two days in July. The annual meeting provides a good opportunity to find out what’s going on in each region, to share best practice and for individual organisations to garner advice and support. Much script reading again ensued, and the shortlist drawn up for the 18th Meyer Whitworth Award:
Forgotten Things by Emma Adams
Red Ladder Theatre Company
St Petersburg by Declan Feenan
Bush Theatre
Metal Remains by Natalie McGrath
Theatre West
Cotton Wool by Ali Taylor
Theatre 503
Nasty, British and Short by Andy Duffy
National Theatre
On 21st October, the winner of the 18th annual Meyer Whitworth Award was announced as Ali Taylor for Cotton Wool. A full report can be found in The Stage
For further information on the Playwrights’ Network and how it can support your writing career, please contact your local organisation from the links above.
