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Comment by Tim Price on July 6, 2011 at 3:01

Hi Amy, thanks for you continued posting here it really is reassuring that the SC is interested in these thoughts.

 

Everything you've outlined in your post sounds really exciting and firmly puts the Sherman Cymru where we all want it to be, a place for writers to develop and grow and get their voices heard. Spread the Word sounds like a truly great initiative, our country is not blessed with ease of movement so these kind of things can have a momentous impact on writers living outside the metropolitan centres. (Can I suggest hitting the valleys!) I think the SC should be applauded for this thoughtful plan and I'm sure it will bear fruit.

 

Playing devil's advocate here:

Putting Spread the Word to one side, everything you've listed (and it is an impressive list) are things the SC is already doing.

 

You could say, the Sherman's plans for the new era in the building is: more of the same, augmented by a new building, plus Spread the Word.

And that's brilliant, I'm glad your commitment to the writers' groups, and advanced groups, and workshops are continued, that is so vital. And I don't want to labour the point because it'll seem disproportionate, to my delight that your development work will continue.

 

But this has been a lively thread for a reason.

 

And I think that's because people want to see some kind of change.

 

What that change is, has been the fuel for this thread and you can see there's been some agreement and plenty of disagreement.

 

I guess Venue 2 could answer lots of the questions here, but I don't understand how you're going to fund that anymore than you did previously if you're keeping everything the same.

 

If you said for example 'We're cutting all the youth work and we're putting that money into producing 8 studio plays a year in Venue 2, by emerging and established writers' I'd have a sense of a vision and commitment for Venue 2. I might not agree with it, but I'd know what was going to happen for the next 12 months.

 

I'm not really sure what I'm getting at. I guess I've spent so long dreaming about the new building; now it's nearly here I want to know what it's going to be like.

 

Once again I'd just like to say how great it is Amy and Chris, have taken the time post here, you don't have to and it shows a real willingness to roll sleeves up with the community, and I think Chris and Amy should be allowed, just as we are, to not have all the answers right now.

 

 

Comment by meredydd barker on July 6, 2011 at 0:30

I was paid correctly by Clwyd, expenses and all. Never ever a problem there. But none of us playwrights is paid enough. Outside London we all get the same. We all work above and beyond.

Comment by Othniel Smith on July 6, 2011 at 0:24

Point of information re pay: here are the Writers' Guild/Independent Theatre Council minimum rates for playwrights.

Comment by meredydd barker on July 5, 2011 at 23:18

Ah yes. Money. I did the sums when Clwyd staged a play of mine four years ago. For all activity - writing first draft and subsequent drafts, travelling for research and for meetings, rehearsals well, you get the picture - £1-98.7 pence an hour. I know this because certain things in my life at the time demanded I keep quite a rigid writing timetable. The only advantage to earning such a small amount is that anyone who isn't a writer and disagrees with some of the notions on this forum - as is their right, and they may even be right to disagree - is going to have trouble doubting the motives. Most of what we do is beyond the call of duty.

As for maxing credit cards to get work to Edinburgh I can only suggest Wales gets a festival together. If Llangollen can do it..?

Comment by meredydd barker on July 5, 2011 at 22:24

@AceMcCarron. No arguments, stuff there I didn't know or was unaware of. But an argument can be made about the pro's and cons of everyone. I put those quotes there because I'd co-incidentally had a an e-mail correspondence with Tim Price where I'd mentioned this meeting. I thought it worth mentioning to one and all. Clark was saying this because I was about to be directed by Terry Hands and, callow as I was, there was no doubt who he was, let us say, having a pop at. I've seen myriad productions by both and give me Hands every time.

Yes The Method is viable, if not essential to certain plays. But by implication it isn't necessary to certain others. I just wish Max Rheinhardt was mentioned as often than Stan the man. But that's me.

 

I haven't the time to keep going. Anon.

Comment by Rebecca Gould on July 5, 2011 at 13:51

Still on my phone. My last word too. I didn't mean to come across as angry.....and certainly didn't want you to name and shame...I've enjoyed the discussion but it's very hard to express what you really mean- thank god for writers! Let's move on

Comment by Greg Cullen on July 5, 2011 at 13:24

I really think this is my last word on the subject and probably on any forum.

 

I have written to order as a craftsman and made the very best of it I could, bringing as much of my soul to bear upon the drama as ever I have with a self-penned piece.  So yes Rebecca I too make a living and compromise. 

 

You may request recent examples of horror stories, but I have no intention of naming names, or situations, because and I'm sorry if this sounds rude, that is my business and not yours. Nor is it "ancient history".  Nor do I lack sanity. The Sherman has the possibility of creating something amazing and I want them to. Amy's last email is open, inclusive and inspiring. Meanwhile it is entirely appropriate for writers to say what they want and what should be guarded against without defensive reactions shutting us up.  

 

I have worked with wonderful directors and script editors. I have had an education from these people. I have also been subjected to dis-empowering directors who think writers are there to serve their vision. You may feel angry, but believe me some people should never be allowed near a writer. It takes a certain type of director/producer and I don't think that's an extraordinary observation to make.

 

In the main I stand by what I said, writers need to be brought into a more equal relationship with the companies that have responsibility for new writing.  A writer's forum within Sherman Cymru would be a valid idea.  Writers are often individual artists and can become isolated from the creative process once the script is delivered.  Please guard against this. Young writers in particular need to learn the interactive roles of all theatre workers.  This increases their understanding of the the world their writing is going to be realised in. It's part of an apprenticeship if you like.

 

Have directors taken writers on and then discarded them? Have writers been used to further other people's careers?  I'm sorry to say "Yes", but by no means always. Should we be alert to this and make sure that Sherman Cymru doesn't do this, why yes of course we should as we should be with S4C, BBC and any other body who uses writers.

 

I have started a company so that I can explore the medium in my own way. It's with a choreographer, Phil Williams and is called Shock n Awe Performance Co.  We are taking our show "Muscle" to the Zoo Roxy at this year's Edinburgh Festival. We perform at 8pm every night. We have raised the money and spent a small fortune from our own pockets putting our money where our mouth is, but more importantly so that we can work with writing, dance, music and actors in ways we wish to.  We open for a few warm up shows at Chapter between the 28th and 30th of July.

 

Meanwhile, I continue to hope that Sherman Cymru and others adopt a flexible approach to how writers wish to create and do embrace the writer being a part of the creative hub, not just the front loaded part of the process.

 

Now enough of this. My best wishes to all who want the very best from our writers and who genuinely want them to succeed.

Comment by Ace McCarron on July 5, 2011 at 12:19

Adult chat about Max Stafford Clark.

I lost interest in Max when I realised that his finely-honed lawyer-like skills were being deployed in very particular kinds of play. He would favour plays that were very didactic and worked to demonstrate a political point, but built out of components which were rather ordinary. While his perceptiveness and articulacy was of a very high order, it was deployed to rinse any flourish of instinct from the performance, and one suspects, the text. As the London scene was shifting towards the dreamscapes of Shared Experience and the stand-up dramaturgy of Complicite, Max was justifying his position, and his lavish salary, at the Royal Court on the basis that there was no-one to replace him. I'm convinced that he had never heard of Steven Daldry at the point when the board appointed him as his successor, and was unaware of his huge charm and talent and his desire to make drama that was vital and extraordinary, and this despite the national press habitually packing out his first nights at the Gate, Notting Hill.

So I remain a little unconvinced by his argument that 'new writing directors' are few and far between. There are many plays which should not be handed over to directors who are emotionally anemic. A good director will identify the qualities which each kind of production must exemplify, and be able to adjust their technique and practice to suit. 'The Method' is a viable, if not vital tool to unlock the value of certain new plays.

For this reason, I habitually refer to Max's company, Out of Joint, as Out of Stock.

Comment by meredydd barker on July 5, 2011 at 10:33

Hello Angharad and Kate. I'm on a roll here doing my work so a quickety quick response. Yes Kate, you're lucky, but then I've resolved to argue harder and more persuasively when it comes to all aspects of the production of my work in future. That's if there is a future. But this is all rather subjective. Yes, there are method directors of new work. 

Angharad. There is I think a need to speak openly about concerns of every shape and colour, not just directors. Everyone might know about the Antelopes group in London which was borne of frustration with the prevailing status quo and much more. David Eldridge's open letter - which everyone might want to re-read -  was published on this forum and got one response. One. It should have got hundreds. If there was Herod like cull of playwrights theatre would continue. Everyone would have a job and keep their job; administrators, directors, designers, actors and all. There's plenty of written work already out there. That's why writers tend to be afraid of speaking their minds and I just really wish they weren't. This thread is supposed to be about The Sherman but I think if we obviate fear of speaking out over, for example, what kind of relationship do the theatres of Wales really have with writers then that can only be good. Yes, we need to talk about The Sherman. Yes we need to talk about directors. But more than anything we need to talk full stop.

There we go. Newsnight's on, another hour butchered!

Comment by Angharad Lee on July 5, 2011 at 9:27

Suffice to say I think it's high time writers felt enabled enough to have an adult chat about directors. And I think the time is now.

 

LOL.....I sense a whole lot of pent up frustration somewhere in amongst all these comments.  Are we not all striving for the same thing Meredydd, as 'emerging talent'? I love writers. I can't create and work without them. They are my best friends. 

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