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Writers

An official National Theatre Wales group

Writers who want to be part of National Theatre Wales, share ideas, get feedback from each other, and hear about opportunities

Members: 481
Latest Activity: Jan 30, 2023

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Discussion Forum

Looking for Welsh Playwrights for Scratch Night in London.

Started by CHIPPY LANE PRODUCTIONS LTD. Aug 7, 2016.

Collaborators Needed! 2 Replies

Started by Camille Naylor. Last reply by sean donovan Dec 1, 2015.

Looking for a writer to collaborate on an idea. 2 Replies

Started by Caley Powell. Last reply by Catrin Fflur Huws Mar 3, 2015.

NTW Dramaturgy Project - Beginnings

Started by Richard Hurford Oct 20, 2014.

ONiiiT: The Power of Words

Started by Sophie Chei Hickson Aug 21, 2014.

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Comment by Franklyn Jacks on May 13, 2013 at 4:48

Hiya folks

Hope you're all well and still inspiring one another. I am putting this out to everyone as i need some advice, i'm going to be tight lipped for now but i am creating a new theatre company and i would like to know from you guys what are the best initial steps forward. I have to be honest the idea of setting up a business terrifies me as i am an Actor with a Drama degree, not a businessman.

So please one and all could you offer me some advice and encouragement on what are the best steps forward. I've got a couple of pieces in the pipeline so there is material there. I just need some wisdom and encouragement, thank you.

Comment by carmen medway-stephens on May 12, 2013 at 2:02

Hi Matt, writers thought that perhaps NTW was more about collaborations rather than individual writers - but there have been plays just with a writer/director relationship I think? e.g. Rad. Bradley Manning maybe others too but some were not sure about collaborations - whether they would like to see individuals nurtured? or maybe the word collaboration may seem 'big' to them or daunting??but not sure...

I think for example I am used to collaborations as I went through a university process where we devised and worked with choreographers/theatre practitioners but I can understand someone who begins writing without going through this route may feel its challenge or not understand the process - I can clarify this comment next Forum,

Regarding Read throughs John - I think any form of read through from cold readings where work is heard completely objectively to rehearsed readings really helps the writer. A regular session once every two months ?? would help immensely but maybe actors would prefer some sort of payment in order to do this (most prob) (or strike up a relationship with a University/College in Cardiff) and then there's free space needed?? It could be manageable/low budget.

Comment by Matt Ball on May 10, 2013 at 5:15

@carmen - can you expand on what "Work for writers as writers rather than collaborations." means? and that's not a loaded question, I just want to understand it better.

Comment by Kevin Johnson on May 10, 2013 at 4:32

I've learned so much from these discussions, it's like a cyber university. My thanks to you all.

 

The only thing I've got to say is that I read something years ago which said that 'just as a shipwright fashions ships, a playwright fashions plays' and the key word that stayed with me was  'fashions', not writes.

 

The barriers between different genres are artificial anyway, so if it works, use it, be it music, audience interaction, dance, even Twitter. Don't forget the basics, but without experimentation there's often stagnation.

 

Having been lucky to see some of the stuff coming out of both National Theatres - Wales & Scotland - and with Vicky Featherstone now at the Royal Court, I think the future is in good hands.  

 

 

Comment by National Theatre Wales on May 10, 2013 at 3:09

Thanks for the update and feedback Carmen.  Dirty, Gifted and Welsh in October should give us a chance to try out a 'read-throughs' format.  It would be good to get more details on what the writers were thinking this would involve. Are they looking for rehearsed readings? 

Comment by carmen medway-stephens on May 8, 2013 at 21:44

Great Forum @ Sherman Cymru on Saturday, thanks to all those who attended and shared their voice and work.

We discussed a lot of the things that keep coming up on here since NTW Writers began and in the writers scene in general.

Some of the main issues are more opportunities for writers of 'all' ages, the forum feels that many schemes are aimed at young writers. New writers could mean that someone of 40, 60 or even 80, they have something important to say too, they may have left a career or began to work time in order to pursue their dreams - but then what happens - lots of rejections?? They're wondering why?

Want for transparency also came up.

Another thought - Work for writers as writers rather than collaborations.

More 'Try Outs' - Could NTW do more informal read throughs? Even if its twice a year - to allow for a diverse range of voices and ages. Yes there are companies that do this but could NTW also help nurture and mentor? Just some thoughts from the day.

Lots was discussed about the Welsh Scene and honestly too.

New Writers Course begins next week @ Bridgend College - This term we look for that 'play' that only you can write - writing what you know of - your world, also mentoring for your calling card script and entering the up and coming Theatre Competitions.

Comment by Lisa Hunt on May 6, 2013 at 8:51

I love a bit of anarchy me.  Thanks for that Fiona.  I've arrived a bit late for this discussion but its got me remembering how I used to think that a novelist or poet creates energy on the page, whereas a playwright deals in creating energy within an active space.  A playwright needs to be aware of and anticipate the exchange of energy between audience and stage space, and to somehow mould that potential into something an audience can take part in.  I saw Praxis Makes Perfect on the weekend and more than in any other production I have seen recently, this exchange was evident.  To dance or not to dance, to form a fist and raise and arm or not, to pass a manuscript or not... every capitulation, every resistance to instruction made a difference to the energy in the room.  As an audience member I too had become an author of the overall experience.  I think sometimes practitioners forget this, that the audience have this part to play - and they do play it, even if they do it by just sitting and listening (as opposed to moving about the space in Praxis)  Active listening is a powerful energy  - an actor can feel it.  A well crafted piece of theatre will engage an audience in whatever setting it finds itself - standing, sitting, moving about, so long as a playwright has identified certain points of energy exchange and presented them for response.  Call it a three/five/eight act structure or compelling narrative or whatever you like but basically it's the moulding of energy.  A playwright deals in the seeding of palpable energy.  Have I written the word energy enough times do you think? Anyway, what I'm saying is that playwrights understand this and are able to address it - it is their craft.  I would love to hear from a novelist on here who is writing a play to compare notes. 

Comment by Fiona Roberts on May 5, 2013 at 21:01

Nothing to add accept someone elses words re playwrights, poets, artists....

“The artist, and particularly the poet, is always an anarchist in the best sense of the word. He must heed only the call that arises within him from three strong voices: the voice of death, with all its foreboding, the voice of love and the voice of art.” Federico Garcia Lorca

Comment by Kaite O'Reilly on May 5, 2013 at 2:59

Re-Adele's anecdote, below, about the often rigid processes certain theatres may provide for commissioning new work: Last Spring I was on a panel at West Yorkshire Playhouse with Lyn Gardner, David Eldridge, Fin Kennedy and Suzanne Bell debating exactly this - and our conclusion was the dire and immediate need for change and flexibility in the 'development process' many building-based theatres put their writers through.... Links to various angles on this, below, but also WYP's literary manager Alex Chisholm's original essay, which prompted her to invite us to come discuss this issue....

http://kaiteoreilly.wordpress.com/2012/06/15/the-end-of-new-writing/

 

http://exeuntmagazine.com/features/the-end-of-new-writing/

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/theatreblog/2012/may/18/new-writing...

Comment by National Theatre Wales on May 4, 2013 at 22:03

I do love the idea of the great Kaite O'Reilly being denounced as the author of a 3 acter for Brimingham rep and expelled from the performance art party!  Maybe Tim and I both have spent too long in the last few weeks thinking about the Soviet manuscript approval system during our Praxis Makes Perfect adventure!!

 

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