If you are interested in writing for theatre and would like the
opportunity to receive advice and support from the experts, then take part in a very special partnership between The National Theatre, Birmingham
Repertory Theatre and Birmingham School of Acting.
Twelve places are
available on this project in which artists from the National Theatre
will lead a seminar and a rehearsal day to help you to write a 10 minute
piece of theatre for a rehearsed reading at Birmingham School of Acting
to an invited audience.
Background
The project is inspired by Alan Bennett’s new play, The Habit of Art, in
which he creates an imagined meeting in later life of the poet, WH
Auden and his once friend and collaborator, composer Benjamin Britten.
Therefore, applicants are asked to write a piece of theatre that is
a meeting of two people. These can be real, imagined, from history,
current. You will have access to a cast of 3 actors. You will be able
to work on your scene, be given feedback from the experts and have the
opportunity to see it performed in front of an invited audience.
Details
23rd August 2010 (7pm to 9.30pm)
Matt Charman, the award winning playwright and author of National
Theatre premieres The Five Wives of Maurice Pinder and The Observer will
lead a seminar at Birmingham School of Acting for the 12 selected
writers. You will receive feedback on your script and use the notes and
comments from the seminar to develop a rehearsal draft.
2nd October (10am to 6pm)
Your script will be workshopped in a rehearsal setting with a National
Theatre director and actors. (There will be 3 directors each with a
cast of 3 actors all of whom will be working with a small group of
writers, looking at each piece in turn.) The pieces will then receive a
rehearsed reading in front of an invited audience at The Birmingham
School of Acting at approximately 4pm (tbc). After this performance you
will have a break, then return to The REP to watch the last performance
of the Birmingham run of The Habit of Art.
Cost
The total cost, including a ticket to see The Habit of Art is £60 (£45
concessions). This course is highly subsidised and generously supported
by the Dorset Foundation.
Criteria
1. This opportunity is open to any writer who has not yet had a
professional production of their work.
2. Scripts must be ten minutes in length. (The 10 minute piece can be
a small part of a longer play or a complete story in itself.)
3. Scripts must be about a meeting between two people. (The
characters can be anyone, from any time, real or imagined.)
4. Scripts must not require more than three actors.
5. You must be available for a seminar on Monday 23rd August
7pm-9.30pm, a workshop and performance on Saturday 2nd October from
10am-6pm and the performance of The Habit of Art that evening from
7.30pm.
How To Apply
Please send your script along with your name, address and contact
details to artscripts@nationaltheatre.org.uk before 6pm on 8th August
2010. Applicants will be informed on 13th August whether they have been
successful.
Additional Information
For further information on this project, please email
dingleson@nationaltheatre.org.uk