The Writers Room Open House Day ↓ Leave a comment
Writing for Performance - Open House
Bristol Old Vic
Thu 15 May 2008
6.30pm 8.30pm
Scriptwriters in the region are invited to an evening at the Bristol Old Vic, hosted by Board members, Dick Penny and Catherine Johnson.
This open and informal session will be an opportunity for writers to discuss with Dick and Catherine the future development of new work at the theatre, and to launch a debate on how the theatre might be able to facilitate the making of that new work.
To support this event, the theatre will be adding a new section to its website specifically for writers. The Writer’s Room, in the first instance, will contain a blog where you are invited to ask questions, post comments and start debates prior to the meeting. For those of you who may not be able to attend the session, a podcast of the meeting with Dick will be published after the event.
This event forms part of the ongoing process of consultation with all our ‘audiences’ and is only the beginning of what we hope will be a useful and continuous dialogue.
To confirm attendance on the 15th please email Sharon Clark on clark.sharon@blueyonder.co.uk
charley bramley says:
brilliant lesson last time (Y)
um ust thought would say
April 30th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Rina Vergano says:
The Writers Room is a welcome initiative, if it leads to more new writing productions. There seems to be a lot of money and energy expended on new writing initiatives and writing networks - what writers really need are productions of their work, a lab space in which to “play” with other theatre-makers like directors and actors. In order to have a really fertile creative theatre scene in Bristol, there has to be a space where we can all meet each other creativly, and have creative theatrical “love affairs”. This has to happen if we’re going to move away from endless recycling of existing classical and old works, or adaptation of classics into an innovative brave new writing world for theatre. Bristol has never really had this, and that’s why the theatre scene has stagnated here so badly. It feels like the time is right for turning that around. Theatre starts with writing and writers. If writers aren’t supported and encouraged to do their thing - and commissioned properly and paid! - then we all get worn out, disillusioned and frustrated, and there is no renewal. So Writers Room yes, bring it on! if it’s linked to real opportunities for productions and collaborations with other theatre-makers. Just what Bristol needs.
April 30th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Peter Kesterton says:
I agree whole heartedly with Rina. At the moment emerging writers like myself, who have had a couple of professional productions, have to look to London to take our careers forward and get commissions. This is wrong.
There should be a place in Bristol where work can be tried out and tested, perhaps through rehearsed reading, such as the excellent Script Space initiative. But then there also needs to be a route through to a professional full scale production.
In order to enable this, there needs to be someone at the Old Vic who can champion new work. I don’t think we need a script reading service but rather someone who finds the best writing talent in the region and helps them develop their work to the highest possible level. So that plays from Bristol can hold there own nationally and international as being works of quality. Now that would put the BOV on the map!
May 1st, 2008 at 9:42 am
Catherine Swingler says:
I agree with Peter - someone at the Old Vic to champion new writing is definitely needed. I also think there is scope for rehearsed readings and script workshops where writers get the opportunity to work with actors to develop their work, ideally to production level. To get a real collaboration between all theatre practioners would be great and really strengthen the Old Vic.
May 7th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Andy Graham - (Chair) Southwest Scriptwriters says:
The Old Vic should be the first theatre any writer in the South West thinks of when they’ve written a new play. Unfortunately, it’s been a long time since that’s been the case.
Traditionally, the theatre has provided major productions of established plays in the main house, challenging new work in the studio and basement, and a commitment to develop new writing throughout the area.
Over the last few years, though, the last function in particular has been allowed to wither on the vine. This is a situation that’s completely unacceptable in a city of the size, diversity and vitality of Bristol.
The Old Vic needs a full-time Literary Manager with a commitment to finding and developing new writing. The studio needs to be more than just a space for hire with a similar commitment to presenting new work. At the same time, we need initiatives such as workshops and master classes with recognized writers, directors and actors. A Writer-In-Residence could work in conjunction with the Lit Manager, possibly mentoring local writers. A regular new writing competition would help to raise the profile of the theatre in the area. None of these ideas are new and are already well-established in cities such as Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow. They should be happening in Bristol too.
It’s clear that Bristol is the cultural centre for many smaller communities in the South West. It should therefore be taking a lead as a focal point for new writing.
Ultimately, a publicly-funded civic theatre like the Old Vic has a social responsibility. That responsibility is to nurture the creative aspirations of the community it serves.
May 10th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Jim Mortimore says:
Any process which helps writers develop their skills and fulfil their needs without turning them into soapy melodrama-drones deserves a gold star.
I’d be interested in discussing “Instinctive Writing vs Reasoned Writing” if anyone’s up for it.
May 11th, 2008 at 9:00 am
William House says:
It looks like the tide is turning with BOV and new writing. This website and the meeting this week are really good signs, so we writers must do our bit by committing our talent and enthusiasm. But what is really needed to create the heady, vibrant, innovative atmosphere we would like? Some ideas:
Inspiration: BOV could set an example by hosting productions of innovative theatre from elsewhere - probably in the smaller spaces - demonstrating a commitment.
Providing physical space for meetings and workshops: the sense of place really matters - there is something about groups and meetings within the theatre that can inspire - energy in the walls or something!
Organisation: using BOV’s infrastructure to put writers and collaborators in touch with one another and with production teams. This is where the literary manager is needed.
Offering the possibility of the best work being developed and produced at BOV - as readings and full productions. Of course, this would need to be competitive but short or miniature works gives more writers a chance.
Bringing together creative people - of course actors and directors, but also dancers, choreographers, composers, musicians, puppeteers - for workshopping ideas and showing what is possible. This is very difficult for independent groups to accomplish.
Encouraging theatre that is in and of the people: linking with community groups, giving voice to the voiceless, promenade pieces, improvisation and other models that blur the actor/ audience divide. This could mean integrating with groups that use theatre in education and healthcare and politics, such as ‘Theatre of the Oppressed’.
All this costs money - but not megabucks! If BOV can provide the structure - give us the creative ’space’ - including permission to break new ground - then it’s up to us to make it work. Real creativity has to be bottom-up.
May 12th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Anna Farthing says:
The Bristol Old Vic is still a strong brand name in the rest of the country and beyond, despite our immediate local difficulties with getting it up and running again. This is an asset that should not be ignored.
Supporting new writing is one of the best ways of developing a confident regional cultural voice and strengthening the identity of the city. Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow have been cited as writer friendly cities, and it is true that they have professional drama writers who still live there, writing about what they know for a national audience. This has helped put those cities on the national stage (and screen)
An open and supportive environment for writers can have beneficial effects above and beyond the work that is actually produced. Supporting writers means supporting creativity, risk taking, ideas, questions, research and plural perspectives. That has to be a good thing for the cultural life of the city as a whole.
While it is crucial to support beginning writers, emerging writers, and new voices, it must also be remembered that this does not necessarily always mean “young” writers. Voices develop at different ages and stages of life. But at whatever age they begin, a structure needs to be put in place so that we do not lose to elsewhere the writers that we nurture here. As Pete says, routes through to professional production need to be put in place from the off.
Given the multi-platform world we live in, writing for drama at BOV could also encompass the potential of developing work in other media, in addition to the theatre itself. Is there something that can be investigated regarding sharing Intellectual Property so that the theatre can benefit when success is found? The models of Salad Days and Peter Pan come to mind……..
Andy is right to talk about social responsibility and nurturing creative aspirations, but professional writing can and should be profitable too. These two strands can co-exist and support one another. A self sustaining writing development fund may just be a pipe dream, but it would be less vulnerable than one dependent on the whims of external funders.
Bristol Old Vic should be the natural home of new writing in the South West. Lets make it so.
May 13th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
phil john says:
Good on yer for that. Look forward to future developments!
May 15th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Sharon Clark says:
It was really great to see so many writers in a room at the Bristol Old Vic on the 15th. Your comments were extremely useful and we are busy collating them so we can use them to map out ways in which the Bristol Old Vic can engage with and provide a home to the writers in its city and region.
I am afraid that on the night we suffered from technical gremlins and the recording didn’t work - so there is no podcast. I am extremely sorry for this.
We will be inviting you all along shortly to hear the ideas that we have come up with for the future of writing at the theatre. If in the meantime there are any points you wish to raise or comments you’d like to make please use this blog which we check daily.
Looking forward to seeing you soon.
May 28th, 2008 at 10:08 am