Newcastle’s Alphabetti Theatre prides itself on how it supports new writing and, since 2014, has commissioned or showcased between 30 and 40 new pieces a year, from script-in-hand performances like Write Back, to shorts for Alphabetti Soup and Christmas Cabarets, to award-winning shows like The Rooms or longer plays like Bacon Knees & Sausage Fingers and The Frights.
“Writers are always telling us that they need more space to write, feedback on their work, workshops that develop their writing toolkit and chances to see their work on stage,” says Literary Manager Ben Dickenson. “Write Something does all that, in just six weeks.”
Every Tuesday from 6 February to 5 March, participants will meet to work with Dickenson from 6:00 to 7:30.
“It’s part-learning, part-writing, part-testing your ideas out,” Dickenson adds. “We’ll spend the start of every session looking at a key component of theatre writing as a group, then get on and write, leading to a complete five-minute play for up to two actors to showcase what they’ve learned.”
That showcase will be on 13 March at 7:30 and will be open to the public (“Pay What You Feel”). The plays will be performed as rehearsed readings by professional actors and a professional director (to be named later).
“It’s going to be the key way for those who want to be commissioned to build a relationship with Alphabetti Theatre. It’s going to be the main entry point for our commissioned work in the future.”
Why is this?
“We think we support writers best when we know how they work,” Dickenson says, “and writers will make work that looks really good on our stage when they understand what making a good independent theatre production is all about.
“The best work we commission usually comes from those we’ve developed strong artistic relationships with over time. Not from open submissions, which is why we are moving away from that model in 2018. If you want to work with us, and we don’t already know you and how you write, come to Write Something.”
The theme of the pieces to be developed over the five sessions will be association—in honour of Alphabetti's forthcoming Associate Artists scheme.
The cost of taking part will be just £15, which includes all working sessions and a ticket for the showcase. There will be a maximum of 15 participants and places should be booked online.