Despite sneaking my feet as far under the National Theatre Wales table as possible since coming back to Cardiff this time last year, November’s Stories Of The Streetz was one of the first truly TEAM events I’ve had the chance to get involved with. (as assistant Director to Ryan Romain.)

Conceived and produced by playwright Kelly Jones, Stories… gives writers of varying experience the chance to watch and inform a company working with their script, hear it in actors’ mouths, see it on it’s feet and find out what people think. Opportunities for this are invaluable in the development of writers, their ideas and their processes. Stories… comes from a need for this and it’s unpretentious, collaborative approach comes from Kelly.

Kelly gives each writer a place as their inspiration. It might be a nightclub toilet, a busy bus station, a park bench, a checkout. They must visit it, eavesdrop, imagine and write a ten-minute play. Then the far-flung corners where the stories began are brought together at one location, in a promenade performance.

The casting and call outs happen via the Community and TEAM makes it all possible with financial, organisational, invaluable support.

Stories… is fast theatre. We spent three days eating biscuits in the low ceilinged, dated but loveable “Celebrity Restaurant” at St. David’s Hall and on the evening of the third day lots of you came to see what we’d been up to (thanks!).  The atmosphere on the night echoed that of the preceding days (substitute biscuits for gin), it was laid back and generous and fun. Working on Stories… felt collaborative and like a real reminder that in theatre, there is no substitute for getting up and getting on, sharing your work and starting conversations around your ideas.

If you’ve been to or been involved with Stories of the Streetz it would be great to hear what you thought, just down there…

To hear about the next Stories of the Streetz follow the TEAM group and to get involved contact Kelly: storiesofthestreetz@gmail.com.