Abigail Docherty Alan McKendrick Alan Wilkins Ann Marie Di

Transcription

Abigail Docherty Alan McKendrick Alan
Wilkins Ann Marie Di Mambro Annie
George Becky Leach Brian Logan Candice
Edmunds Cathy Forde Charlotte Allan Chris
Dolan Chris Hannan Christopher Deans
Claire McGarry Davey Anderson David
Greig David Harrower David Leddy Douglas
Maxwell Eleanor Capaldi Ella Hickson
George Aza-Selinger Gregory Burke Iain
F Macleod Ian Low Ian McClure James
Ley James Oakley Jamie Harrison John
McCann Johnny McKnight Julia Taudevin
Kathy McKean Kenny McKenna Kieran Lynn
Lewis Hetherington Linda McLean Lisa Nicoll
Lynda Radley Mairead Martin Morna Pearson
Nicola McCartney Oliver Emanuel Pamela
Carter Peter Arnott Philippa Mannion Phillip
Spencer Rachel Clive Rob Drummond Rona
Munro Rupert Thomson Selma Dimitrijevic
Skye Loneragan Stephen Barnes Stephen
Greenhorn Tanika Gupta Zinnie Harris
April 2007 – March 2010 Review
Front cover: some of the ever growing list of playwrights we worked with during the period of this review.
CONTENTS
A Snapshot of Playwrights' Studio, Scotland...................................... 2
Looking at What We Do – Julie Ellen................................................... 3
Playwrights' Perspectives................................................................... 4
Investing in Talent............................................................................... 6
Playwrights' Perspectives................................................................... 8
Investing in Ideas.............................................................................. 10
A Long View – Stephen Greenhorn................................................... 12
As Seen from Elsewhere – Linda McLean......................................... 13
Investing In Education....................................................................... 14
Playwrights' Perspectives................................................................. 18
Investing in Places............................................................................ 20
Other Activities................................................................................. 21
Image Information............................................................................. 22
Financial Information......................................................................... 24
Playwrights’ Studio Scotland Review 2007-2010 | Page 1
A SNAPSHOT OF PLAYWRIGHTS' STUDIO, SCOTLAND
Board of Directors March 2010
Linda McLean (Chair), Nicholas Bone, Stephen Greenhorn, Matthew
Lee, Colin Marr, Alison Marshall, Rona Munro and Denise Nesbitt
Former Directors 2007-2010
Jessica Burns, David Grieg, Dominic Hill and Philip Howard
Staff 2010
Creative Director – Julie Ellen
General Manager – Claire Dow
General Manager – Emma McKee
Administrator – Alice Chinn
Former Staff 2007-2010
Administrator – Sonja Lowe
Administrator – Suzi Simpson
Arts Management Trainee – Claire Yspol
Aims and Objectives
Established in 2004, Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland is a national
initiative designed to engage the people of Scotland directly with new
playwriting and raise the standard of plays for presentation to the
public. It celebrates, promotes and develops Scotland’s rich culture of
writing for live performance; improving and sustaining artistic quality,
raising awareness, and increasing access to new playwriting.
Our Aims and Objectives clearly relate to our artistic vision and are
constantly referred to when planning new activities.
Playwrights’ Studio Aims to:
1. Improve Access to Plays
2. Identify New Talent
3. Increase Number of New Plays Produced
4. Develop Quality of New Plays
5. Develop Skills & Experience of Playwrights
6. Make Best Use of Existing Skills, Experience and Contacts
Page 2 | Playwrights’ Studio Scotland Review 2007-2010
LOOKING AT WHAT WE DO
Looking at what we do is by its nature
subjective and in the way that looking in the
mirror can’t really show what others see, it
can also be incredibly difficult to see what we
have done. To try to get nearer to an objective
point of view we have framed this document
in two ways; through the guiding principals
of Creative Scotland, our major investor and
most importantly through the words of many
of the playwrights that we have worked with.
Some of the talented individuals we support
have had tangible success. I have just heard
that DC Jackson, one of our first competition
winners, has been awarded a Fringe First
for his play My Romantic History and Wilma
Stark has received her second commission
since taking up playwriting following a 25
year career as a radiographer. For others
progress comes in tiny, invisible ways and
only the individual experiencing change can
perceive it.
Career success in playwriting can take a long
time and although there are many noteworthy
examples we could give, there is no way of
measuring a writer’s artistic development but
I think that the reflections you will read on the
following pages give a sense of how it feels to
be a playwright and the challenges that they
face on a daily basis.
I hope this review will give you valuable
insight into the work of Playwrights' Studio
and that you will join us in supporting,
developing and celebrating the exceptional
talents and achievements of Scotland’s
diverse playwrights.
Julie Ellen
Creative Director
August 2010
We first worked with DC Jackson and
Wilma Stark before the period of this review
document but our relationship with them, as
with many other playwrights, is ongoing. Six
years after the founding of Playwrights' Studio
it is apparent that successive interventions
can have a great effect, what ever stage a
writer is at in their career and sustained, good
quality support is part of our future ambition
as well as our past.
Ian Low
Cathy Forde
I was fortunate enough to have
a rehearsed reading through the
Playwrights’ Studio. Afterward I
chatted to some members of the
audience. It suddenly dawned on me
that I had a responsibility to them off
stage as well.
As a new playwright, the opportunity to
engage professional actors for a whole
day’s development on my script was a
formative and invaluable experience, only
made possible because of the existence
of the Playwrights’ Studio.
Iain McClure
The Playwrights’ Studio was a lifeline. If I hadn’t got onto the
mentoring scheme, I would have totally failed as a writer. Instead,
the Studio and Nicola McCartney (my mentor) gave my self-belief a
shot in the arm that still dwells, helping me to keep ‘failing better’.
Becky Leach
What made the mentoring scheme invaluable for me was simply
the chance to sit with a cup of tea and talk to someone about
my writing. Oddly enough, that can help you focus in a way that
nothing else can.
Davey Anderson
Lisa Nicoll
Sometimes what a playwright really needs,
with a deadline looming and dishes piling
up in the sink, is just a quiet place to write
that isn’t the kitchen. The Playwrights’
Studio have bailed me out a few times by
giving me the keys to their private office
and even supplying me with fresh coffee.
Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland has developed,
expanded and supported me through its
mentoring scheme and other projects allowing playwriting to become a way of life
for me. Their support has been invaluable to
the direction of my career and my creativity.
PLAYWRIGHTS' PERSPECTIVES
Peter Arnott
Lynda Radley
This year I’m getting to do paid
development work on a brand
new script through the Studio and
the RSAMD. The team are always
there to support projects and ideas.
Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland is not
only for beginners.
Playwrights’ Studio has been particularly helpful in creating links
between me and other practitioners. I have met people who
became collaborators at Playwrights’ Studio events and through
Julie’s tireless efforts to promote emerging writers.
INVESTING IN TALENT
In 2009/10, we received 51 applications
for mentoring, 49% more than applied in 2008/09
Mentoring Scheme
Every year Playwrights’ Studio selects new
playwrights for a programme of mentoring by
established playwrights where they work together
for six months to develop a play.
“Nicola’s fantastically supportive, the very fact she is a
dramaturg as well as a playwright made me relax and
put my entire trust into what she thought.”
To Date
•Nicola McCartney has mentored James Ley,
Mairead Martin, Lewis Hetherington and
Kenny McKenna
“It’s been fantastic and I have learned a number
of things about my writing and some hard truths
about self-motivation. Iain was very amenable and
supportive. I very much enjoyed working with him.”
Mairead Martin, Mentee, 2009/10
George Aza-Selinger, Mentee, 2008/09
•Chris Dolan has mentored John McCann, Rachel
Clive, Philippa Mannion, Julia Taudevin, Becky
Leach, James Oakley and Phillip Spencer
Since their mentoring, several participants have gone
to acheive great success including:
•Tanika Gupta has mentored Lisa Nicoll and
Eleanor Capaldi
•Abigail Docherty - Winner of Tron Theatre's Open.
Stage Competition
•Iain F Macleod has mentored Abigail Docherty,
George Aza-Selinger, Lynda Radley and Kieran Lynn
•Kieran Lynn - Commissioned and Produced by
Hampstead Theatre
•Douglas Maxwell has mentored Rob Drummond
and Charlotte Allan
•Rob Drummond - Winner of Creative Scotland's
Vital Sparks Award
•Rona Munro mentored Brian Logan and
Claire McGarry
New Playwright Awards
Funded by the Scottish Arts Council, these bursaries
provide two emerging playwrights with financial
support, as well as professional mentoring to further
their playwriting career. This year’s recipients were
Kenny McKenna and Julia Taudevin.
“I think the most valuable part of the mentoring
sessions was the opportunity they gave me to talk
about my work-I found this really helped me focus
and work out any issues I had. Chris was very good
at enabling and encouraging this. It was also really
useful to discover that professional writers still get
panicky about their writing and sometimes feel
like they’re not good enough (I used to think it
was just me).”
Becky Leach, Mentee, 2008/09
Writers Projects
We continue to expand our engagement with
professional writers. We want to stimulate, provoke,
support and enable them to develop their work in a
way that best suits their creative process. This is part
of our commitment to a flexible, accessible process
where the writer’s needs are at the heart of our activity.
Since 2009, we have donated funds to support the
writing development of four playwrights including
Kathy McKean, Alan McKendrick, Morna Pearson and
Lynda Radley.
We are committed to working in partnership to enable
activity for playwrights across Scotland and beyond.
As part of this commitment we launched Partner
Projects through which organisations can apply for up
to £5,000 to deliver activity with playwrights.
Current partners include:
•Traverse Theatre: Towards the completion of the
Emerging Playwright Attachment with Ella Hickson
•Dundee Rep Theatre: Towards having Douglas
Maxwell as a playwright in residence
Associate Playwrights
Each year professional Associate Playwrights
are appointed to deliver projects, be advocates
and contribute their expertise, knowledge and
understanding to the artistic development of the
Playwrights’ Studio.
They deliver our Mentoring programme, Ignite
workshops and Script Surgeries to aspiring and
emerging writers.
2009/10 – Chris Dolan and Nicola McCartney
2008/09 – Iain F. Macleod, Chris Dolan
and Tanika Gupta
2007/08 – Rona Munro, Iain F Macleod
and Douglas Maxwell
Between April 2007 – March 2010, £91,365 was
paid directly to playwrights
Playwrights' Meetings
Julie Ellen, Creative Director, meets with playwrights at all
levels to discuss their participation in playwriting. Thanks
to our open door policy any playwright is welcome to get
in touch through our website or by phone and arrange a
meeting with her.
Meeting Producers
By understanding the artistic needs and interests of
producers and the creative strengths of individual
playwrights, the Creative Director gives recommendations
and develops relationships between those parties.
Playwrights’ Studio Staff
Our staff are committed to meeting the aims of the
organisation and function as ambassadors for Scottish
playwriting both within the UK and abroad.
Since 2007, as well as our core members of staff, we
have employed an Arts Management Trainee and took on
our first Playwright Fellow.
Our ambition for the Fellowship was to appoint a
playwright of standing from a BME background who
would write a new play in response to the experience of
being our Playwright Fellow, who would be visible to the
professional theatre community, meeting with potential
commissioning directors and would lead a programme
of outreach activities as an inspirational figure to potential
aspiring playwrights.
Tanika Gupta mentored two young writers during her
Fellowship and met and engaged with many groups
and organisations including dramaturgy students
from University of Glasgow, Ankur Writers Group,
Seeds of Thought Urban Poetry Group, Writers/Actors
Collaboration, National Theatre of Scotland and Artistic
Directors from theatres around Scotland.
The focus of the Arts Management Traineeship was to
give direct experience of and training in arts management
within a small arts organisation. The trainee had the
opportunity to form professional working relationships
with a wide range of individuals and organisations in the
theatre sector. They could demonstrate their abilities in a
confidence building, supported environment but also learn
about the make up of the sector and how best to navigate
their way around the potential jobs market.
Apart from being involved in the day to day
administration of the organisation, Claire Yspol was
also assigned projects, notably Creating Space, Up
Close:Glasgow, Illuminate: Dialogue and the Ignite
2009 competition to manage.
“My professional experience has grown considerably
during the 18 months of my Traineeship.”
Claire Yspol
We gave 8 students significant placements
between 2007 and 2010
Lewis Hetherington
There is always a point when I’m working
on something and I get stuck, and it’s great
to have the Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland
Space to use for free, to have an office to just
pop in to for a week or so and write. It is a
chance to have a change of scene, to work
in a comfortable creative environment and,
because of the location within the CCA, feel
connected to a broader arts community.
Julia Taudevin
PLAYWRIGHTS' PERSPECTIVES
Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland has provided me with a boost
of motivation, confidence and emotional and practical support
to not only start writing again but to nurture an idea which has
been gestating for four years into the living, breathing theatrical
world of a two act play.
Rob Drummond
Mairead Martin
The Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland is an
invaluable resource to the up and coming
Scottish Playwright. Their real strength
lies in their diversity - they are able to offer
advice and support in whichever area
you require it, be it critiquing your writing,
putting you in touch with the right people
or simply chatting to you about how your
career is going. They’ve got it all covered
and I’m so glad they exist!
The Playwrights’ Studio’s mentoring
scheme not only confirmed my dream
to be a writer but also played a crucial
part in the next step towards achieving
this. The whole experience for me was
incredibly personal and was, without a
doubt, uniquely tailored for all of us as
creative individuals.
Martin Travers
Without the support of Playwrights’
Studio, Scotland I’d still be stuck
thinking that successful playwriting
is just about good dialogue. Through
the mentees scheme (where I was
taken right back to the pencilled page
by Chris Hannan) and more recently
working on a new play with brilliant
support from Julie I’ve been able to
understand the importance of structure
and character journey. It’s made me a
better writer.
Louise Stephens
I’m very excited to be working on this
project with the Playwrights’ Studio,
Scotland. In the past few years I’ve
seen the real difference the support and
encouragement has made to so many
writers, and I’m pleased to be able to
work on a project that shares those aims.
Skye Loneragan
Wonderful and wide-ranging support has been made possible by
Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland – from dramaturgical development
on Just A Hug, to workshops with Visible Fictions Theatre
Company commission Mish Gorecki Goes Missing, to self-directed
work The Umbrella and The Billow. An essential organisation.
Rupert Thomson
Ella Hickson
I first got in touch with Playwrights’
Studio as a writer, and they supported
me by arranging a rehearsed reading
of my script. It was an invaluable exercise
in helping me learn to translate text
to performance.
I have received funding this year which has given me time to
develop my craft outside of the commercial pressures of the
industry. I consider myself impossibly lucky to have benefited
from the support of Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland and Traverse
Theatre, it doesn’t get much better than that.
INVESTING IN IDEAS
Creating Space
Creating Space is a primary tool in improving
the quality of plays and the artistic experience
of playwrights. Established playwrights are
provided with resources (such as actors and
directors/dramaturgs) to aid the development
of new scripts. The development is writer led,
putting the playwright and their needs at the
heart of the process. Creating Space enables
playwrights to envisage works as theatre
pieces rather than texts.
Cathy Forde’s script The Sunday Lesson,
which premiered at A Play, A Pie and
A Pint (Oran Mor), was developed through
Creating Space.
Skye Loneragan was given the opportunity
to further develop her script, which became
Mish Gorecki Goes Missing and was
produced by Tron Theatre Company
in March 2010.
Vox Motus’ 2008 production of Slick
received script development as part
of Creating Space.
Pamela Carter’s script What We Know was
developed through Creating Space and was
produced by EK Performance and Traverse
Theatre Company.
Writers and organisations that have taken
part in Creating Space development since
April 2007 include Pamela Carter, Chris
Dolan, Oliver Emanuel, Cathy Forde, Annie
George, Lewis Hetherington, Imaginate, Skye
Loneragan, Nonsense Room, Martin Travers
and Vox Motus.
Competitions – Ignite 2009
Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland and BBC
Scotland Radio Drama launched an
exciting competition for writers aged
16 to 26 years, to find stage and radio’s
best young dramatists.
Entries were judged anonymously and the
two winners were selected from a shortlist
of young writers during a workshop day
where the submitted scenes were read by
an ensemble cast of professional actors.
The winners were Philippa Mannion
and Lewis Hetherington.
They receive the exclusive opportunity to
be mentored by a top playwright to develop
their idea into a full length play. Extracts from
the winning plays will also be recorded with
professional actors in a unique one day
radio experience.
“Winning the Ignite competition has given
me confidence with my writing. It is a great
opportunity to meet people that are in a
similar situation, who want to try and ‘make it’
as a writer, but can’t find a way in. I am really
grateful for the chance to develop my ideas
and be given professional support.”
Philippa Mannion, Winner
“And thank you again to….Playwright’s
Studio for the fantastic time I had at the
weekend. Please pass on my appreciation
for all the work that was involved in bringing
this opportunity to young people, it was very
insightful and inspiring.”
Alan Gordon, Short listed applicant
“I was really delighted by the creativity and
imagination that came to the fore in the
entries we received. In addition to the two
winners, the shortlist included several talented
young writers who show great potential.”
David Ian Neville, BBC Radio Producer, Judge for Ignite
•Open access stage and radio playwriting
workshops were held in Glasgow,
Edinburgh, Dundee, Inverness, Dumfries
and Aberdeen.
The Writers & Actors Collaboration
Theatre and Lemon Tree, Aberdeen
The Playwrights’ Studio provided playwright
Nicola McCartney to lead six progressive
development sessions for nine writers
to compliment the existing WAC activity
and also to deliver one to one Script
Surgery sessions.
“Nicola is an inspiration! Her knowledge and
passion for writing is infectious and she is
reminding me of why I wanted to do it in the
first place. I feel very lucky to have had the
benefit of her expertise.”
170 people attended free
Inspire workshops as part of the
competition – Ignite 2009
Fuse
Fuse is a unique Scotland-wide initiative that puts
new plays in front of the artistic directors at the
country’s top theatre companies. Playwrights submit
plays to Fuse, they are read and feedback is sent
to the writer, then that feedback is available to
potential producers.
Current Fuse Partners are Ankur Productions, Byre
Theatre, Catherine Wheels, Citizens’ Theatre, Dundee
Rep, Grid Iron, Horsecross (Perth Rep), macrobert,
Magnetic North, Mull Theatre, National Theatre
of Scotland, A Play, A Pie and A Pint (Oran Mor),
Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Royal Lyceum Theatre,
Stellar Quines, TAG Theatre Company, Tosg, Tron
Theatre and Vanishing Point.
Reach: scripts have come from writers in Glasgow,
Edinburgh, South Ayrshire, East Ayrshire, North
Ayrshire, Aberdeenshire, Argyll & Bute, Inverness,
Stirling, West Lothian, East Lothian, Midlothian,
East Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire, Fife, Angus &
Dundee, Highlands and Islands, Inverclyde, Perthshire,
Dumfries & Galloway, Scottish Borders, England,
Ireland, Wales, France, Italy, Australia and USA.
In 2009/10, three of our Fuse writers’ plays went on
to receive productions or staged readings.
The Next of It by John McCann. Stellar Quines
gave it a workshop and public presentation
at Traverse Theatre.
Smoke by Rupert Thomson. Staged Reading
by RSAMD masters students during Edinburgh
Fringe Festival 2009.
Queer by Steven Dow Cowan. Edinburgh Fringe
Festival 2009.
“Firstly, I would applaud Playwrights’ Studio for just
being there. From a purely personal point of view, I
have already benefited from its script reading service.
The feedback from the professional reader of my
script was both instructive and confidence building.”
The Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland gratefully acknowledges
the National Theatre of Scotland who provided the initial
funding and support for the Fuse Script Reading Service
in 2005/2006.
“I greatly appreciate the comments and suggestions
made and the service you are providing”
“The encouragement and positive feedback from a
professional reader, who was also a producer and
playwright was amazing”
Other writers who had submitted to Fuse also had
scripts produced in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
2009. Maryam Hamidi, Alan Bayley, Paul Charlton,
James Ley, Pauline Lynch and David Purves.
“You will gather from my comments that I have found
the service to be invaluable, especially these days
when many theatre companies do not have the
resources to comment individually.”
129 scripts went through Fuse between April
2007 and March 2010
A LONG VIEW
When I first started to get excited about theatre as a teenage audience
member, part of me thought ‘wouldn’t it be wonderful to write a play’
but the idea quickly fizzled out as I realised I hadn’t a clue about how
to go about such a thing. How to start? Who to send it to? Where to
turn for advice? These were the unanswered questions which stopped
me picking up a pen.
The closest support through these times came informally through
contact with other playwrights. The striking thing about this peer
network was just how many others were in the same boat – asking the
same questions. All of which begged one, much bigger, question …
Why isn’t there an organisation specifically for playwrights which could
actually provide some answers?
It took me years to take my first haphazard steps into writing drama –
finally given a nudge of encouragement as part of a university English
degree. As my first plays began to be produced a whole new set of
questions emerged. What should be the relationship between writer
and director? How do you communicate with actors? What do theatre
companies expect from the playwright? These were questions which
I had to wrestle with on my own – negotiating answers for myself
through trial and error.
Well, now, here I am, proud to be a board member of an organisation
which has been doing just that – and more - since 2004. For me, it
is this direct engagement with playwrights and their specific needs
which is at the heart of what the Studio does – and why it is such a
crucial resource. Free from the pressure of production, it can focus on
supporting and developing the playwright as well as improving and
experimenting with the process of writing drama. It is this fundamental,
vital but unglamorous work which bears fruit and gathers glory further
down the line in front of an audience.
Later still, having become an ‘established’ playwright, the questions
had changed yet again. Now they ranged from the prosaic – How do
I make a living at this? – through the poetic – How can I develop my
‘voice’? - to the paranoid – Is it just me who feels this way? Again,
for the most part, these were questions I was left to try and deal
with by myself.
In fact, it’s probably the audience who benefits most from the Studio’s
efforts. By striving to increase the number, range and quality of both
plays and playwrights, it helps create a deeper, broader level of
engagement between the Scottish public and new Scottish theatre.
The historic importance of this relationship – culturally, socially and
politically – means the Playwrights' Studio is now an essential asset,
not just for the writing community, but for the nation.
Stephen Greenhorn
Board Member
August 2010
AS SEEN FROM ELSEWHERE
Six months ago I was invited to speak to a room full of London
based playwrights; some emerging, some fully fledged and some well
established. They were assembled in that room because they wanted
to hear about an organisation by playwrights for playwrights. I took
with me the list drawn up by Faith Liddell, some years ago:
the blueprint for Playwrights’ Studio and I read our dream list to them.
We wanted everything from a library of our work to a safe space to try
things out, not to mention access to respected colleagues as mentors
and a hub of information about work. As I got to the end of the list
everyone in that room said, ‘we want that’.
Of course they do. In the Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland we have it, in
great part. It continues to grow and develop and will give playwrights
all of its time and energy because it is one hundred percent committed
to making sure that playwrights keep writing for theatre. The fact of us,
in contrast to the theory of who we wanted to be, is in no small way
thanks to Julie Ellen and her staff, who took that list of ours and
turned it into a reality.
Linda McLean
Chairwoman
August 2010
INVESTING IN EDUCATION
Royal Scottish Academy of Music
and Drama
We have developed a strong working
relationship with the School of Drama
in the last three years.
RSAMD MA Classical and
Contemporary Text
Since 2008/09, we have delivered aspects
of the contemporary text module of the
course. Three playwrights are commissioned
to develop a new script along with a directing
student and a group of acting students from
the course. Final presentation of these scripts
takes place at the end of the students’ year.
•2008/09 Linda McLean, Douglas Maxwell
and David Harrower were commissioned
•2009/10 Nicola McCartney, Peter Arnott
and Chris Hannan were commissioned
Showcase performances take place at
Traverse Theatre (Edinburgh), Tron Theatre
(Glasgow) and Hampstead Theatre (London).
125 people attended the RSAMD
WAD readings
RSAMD ‘Tasting…New Talent’ 2008
In association with RSAMD, we organised
three nights of platform presentations of
new play scripts. The process involved 14
final year acting students from the RSAMD,
three emerging playwrights and three
professional directors.
“This has been a valuable exercise and the
students clearly agree. I look forward to
planning next year’s collaborations.”
Hugh Hodgart
Programme Leader in Acting
RSAMD WAD
(Writers, Actors & Directors) 2007
In association with RSAMD, we organised
a series of learning workshops in text
exploration and new play performance. This
process involved 24 training actors, three
emerging writers and three young directors.
Over fifty directors, producers and previous
members of the mentoring scheme, were
invited to the script in hand readings that
finished the project.
“Writers at my stage are hungry for this sort
of opportunity, like oil for an engine.”
In 2009/10, the bookshop sold 1696 plays
“I hope you can repeat this project so that
other writers can benefit in the way I have.
The development project was an amazing
opportunity and one that has helped
me immeasurably”
Illuminate
Illuminate is a series of events investigating
varying aspects of contemporary theatre
practice, as part of the Playwrights’ Studio’s
commitment to exploring and developing
the art form of theatre.
Illuminate 2009: Dialogue
This was an afternoon of debate and new
thinking on the subject of cultural diversity
in Scotland’s theatre industry; open to
established and aspiring artists, decisionmakers, and opinion formers in theatre
writing, commissioning, programming
and casting.
The programme for the day included
contributions from playwrights Oladipo
Agboluaje, Michael Bhim, Pamela Carter,
Tanika Gupta, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Annie
George, Paven Virk, Alan Wilkins and other
industry professionals including Julie Ellen
(Playwrights’ Studio), Vicky Featherstone
(Artistic Director, NTS), Femi Folorunso
(SAC), Cheryl Martin (director) and Leann
O’Kasi (director).
80 people attended the RSAMD
Tasting presentations
“Thank you to Playwrights’ Studio Scotland
for the opportunity to attend Illuminate.
May I say I found the day most stimulating
and helpful, the friendly ambience much
adding to that.”
“I just wanted to say thanks for a quite
amazing day, I never felt quite so much
like I had found my community.”
Illuminate 2007: Ways and Means
This was a two day symposium looking at
ways of working with playwrights in theatre
by different methods.
Contributors to the programme included
playwrights; Peter Arnott, Douglas Maxwell,
Nicola McCartney, Rona Munro, Iain F.
Macleod and Gregory Burke as well as
Tim Nunn (Cultural Enterprise Office),
Philippa Johnston (literaturetraining),
Scottish Society of Playwrights and Pippa
Bailey (Total Theatre).
Up Close
As part of our open access policy, we
regularly run activity for the public to open
the door to playwriting and the work of our
organisation. Activities have included:
•Inspire playwriting workshops at
introductory and further skills levels.
•Script Surgeries - a chance for playwrights
to discuss their work face-to-face and get
professional feedback.
•Plays off the Page - a development
opportunity where playwrights are offered
one day of dramaturgical support followed
by a public reading.
•Open floor discussion with our Associate
Playwrights and a guest speaker.
•Play sales and information point, our
Bookshop is open to participants and
visitors. We sell a wide selection of
published plays by Scotland’s playwrights.
Workshops have been held in Aberdeen
and Glasgow.
INVESTING IN EDUCATION
Up Close 2009
Activities included Inspire playwriting workshops, script surgeries,
Plays off the Page and a play sales and information point.
“I found the session, with Iain F MacLeod, interesting, informative
and encouraging”.
“I found Chris to be very enthusiastic and well-informed. I also felt he
took me and my play seriously. I was left feeling energised about my
work, and with a good idea of what I should look at in the next draft.”
Up Close 2008
Plays off the Page and a play sales and information point.
Up Close 2007
Plays off the Page, play sales and information point and an open
floor discussion.
Play Resource
The Playwrights’ Studio was successful in attaining funding for the first
stage of the Play Resource Scotland. The project has been funded
as part of a CASE studentship by the Economic and Social Research
Council, and will involve a researcher from the Institute of Capitalising
on Creativity at the University of St. Andrews collaborating with the
Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland to produce two projects:
•A database linked to a website, forming the first phase
of the Play Resource Scotland.
•An academic exploration of how new plays are used
in Scotland today.
The PhD student for this project will be Louise Stephens, who will
bring several years of experience working in Scottish theatre, as
well as academic research, to the project.
To find out more about this project, visit the Playwrights’
Studio website.
“Really helpful, I learned lots from this session. I feel totally inspired!”
“Great fun, Viv was very positive which was up lifting, hurrah!”
91 people attended workshops
and readings during
Up Close 2008
I’ve Been Thinking….
The Playwrights’ Studio, invite writers from all levels of experience
to join in a series of informal gatherings and discussions every
other month. Speakers talk about a topic on their minds, leading to
conversations, discussions and debate.
“It was a really fascinating evening for
me and came at a time when I needed to
release some of my personal feelings/anxieties for Iran and discussion
was a really good stimulant.”
“Thank you for the invitation to the event last night. It was very
interesting and Wendy and I felt privileged to be part of a dialogue
which is not easy to come by on that intellectual level in everyday life.”
51 people took part in Illuminate
2009: Dialogue
160 people attended workshops and readings
during Up Close 2009, 43 % more attendees
than the previous year
Play Sales
To promote plays by Scotland’s playwrights and provide ease of
access to those plays, we sell play texts directly to the public including
schools and universities for drama courses.
We provide a touring bookshop of plays and theatre texts at
events throughout the country and plays can be purchased
through our website.
Library & the Space
The Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland has a private office space where
playwrights can book time to write in a working environment, to have
meetings with other writers, press and producers, to hold round the
table script development or to use as a reading room with access to
Plays Library. The library has a catalogue of 385 titles, including plays
by Scottish playwrights, books on writing for theatre and DVDs.
“Thanks again for the room, was extremely useful for me to have a
focused space to come to last week.”
Davey Anderson
“Just wanted to thank you and the others for allowing us use of the
room to meet with Rob the other day. Really useful for us to have a
place to meet… Great resource and am sure we will use you again in
the future!”
Suzanne Lofthus, Cutting Edge Theatre
84 people attended workshops and readings
during Up Close 2007
Philippa Mannion
Annie George
Becoming one of the Ignite 2009 competition
winners has allowed me the opportunity to
develop my ideas with professional support
and has given me confidence in my writing
ability. The support of the Playwrights’ Studio,
Scotland has been completely invaluable!
PLAYWRIGHTS PERSPECTIVES
Nicola McCartney
James Ley
The Playwrights’ Studio has assisted
me in developing my practice as a writer
and has given me the opportunity to make
important connections with other artists,
theatre companies and leading new
writing practitioners
Douglas Maxwell
Kathy McKean
Julie Ellen oversees a uniquely generous
environment in terms of the time and
support offered to playwrights at all
stages, and the Playwrights’ Studio
is inspirational in this and in the calibre
of practitioners and work associated
with the organisation.
Rona Munro
Oliver Emanuel
Pamela Carter
Sometimes you don’t know what to do
with a play. You’ve given it all you’ve
got and it now needs to be seen
and heard. The Playwrights’ Studio,
Scotland offers a safe and supportive
environment to let early drafts of plays
be aired with professional actors and
dramaturges in front of an audience.
Only in the heat of performance do you
know what you’ve got.
INVESTING IN PLACES
Translation Resource
The Translation Resource fund was
specifically for a play which had not previously
been translated into a foreign language, for
presentation at a public production or reading
outside the UK.
Awards were granted to:
•Teatro I (Italy) for the translation of a series
of monologues titled I Confess
•Teatrifico Ass. Cult. (Italy) for the translation
of Normal by Anthony Neilson
•Csiky Gergely Hungarian State Theatre
(Romania) for the translation of Cotton
Wool by Ali Taylor
Edinburgh Festivals
Each year, Playwrights’ Studio runs a
Bookshop and Information Point during the
Edinburgh Festivals. We sell published scripts
by Scotland’s playwrights and are on hand
with information and advice about scripts
for reading or future production,
performances, contacts for playwrights and
other playwriting centred activity.
We also run our own programme of activity
including Converse sessions with playwrights
and other theatre artists and theatre
writing workshops.
Project Applications and Script
Submissions
Since March 2007, we have had applications
and script submissions from:
Glasgow, Edinburgh, South Ayrshire, East
Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, Aberdeenshire, Argyll
& Bute, Inverness, Stirling, West Lothian, East
Lothian, Midlothian, East Renfrewshire, North
Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, Fife, Angus
& Dundee, Highlands and Islands, Inverclyde,
Perthshire, Dumfries & Galloway, Scottish
Borders, England, Ireland, Wales, France,
Italy, Germany, Australia and USA.
E-Bulletin
As of March 2010, our monthly e-bulletin is
sent to 3,151 people in Scotland, England,
Wales, Ireland, Canada, Italy, Germany, Spain,
Austria, Australia, Russia, the Netherlands,
France, Poland, Hungary, Romania, USA,
Lithuania, Belgium, Latvia, Nigeria, Japan,
Czech Republic, Serbia and Montenegro,
Slovakia, New Zealand, Sweden, Singapore,
Finland, Portugal, Mexico, Iceland, Croatia,
Columbia, Republic of Armenia, Greece,
Belgium, Romania, Kenya, Estonia,
Indonesia, Iran, Lichtenstein, Nepal, Norway,
Republic of the Philippines, Switzerland,
Thailand, Turkey, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
Brazil, Ghana, United Arab Emirates, People’s
Republic of China and Israel.
Website
Since 2007, our website has had 31,672
visits from 103 countries/territories including
the UK, USA, India, South Africa, Taiwan,
Chile, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Hong
Kong, Nepal, Egypt and Uganda
amongst others.
International Activity
The staff of Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland
function as ambassadors for Scottish
playwriting not only in the UK but
also abroad.
Since 2007, we have forged relationships with
organisations in Canada, Ghana, Germany,
Brazil, USA, China and Iran delivering work in
all of these countries.
Steve Collins travelled to Ghana as an
Associate Artist.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Many of the writers in our client group work
across the stage, radio and screen. In
2009/10 and 2010/11 we have extended our
partnerships with BBC in radio, TV drama
and comedy development and with Scottish
Screen to include delivery across these
different forms. These partnerships have been
in part service delivery of skills training which
has generated income for Playwrights’ Studio
as well as widening opportunities for writers
of dramatic content.
Writers’ Factory
In 2009-10, we were awarded the contract
to co-ordinate Writers’ Factory activity
by Scottish Screen. The Writers’ Factory
provides screen-industry approved courses
delivered by experienced trainers.
There were two elements to the day; a
writing for Television masterclass lead by
George Aza-Selinger and Amy Roberts from
BBC Scotland and a Q&A session
with Gregory Burke.
“It was nice to meet people from other
communities who settled in Glasgow for
a variety of reasons. Great to share each
other’s stories of home, cherished memories,
traditions and culture.”
The masterclass was aimed at emerging
playwrights and gave them an insight into
writing for television.
•19 people attended this workshop
There was a Q&A with Gregory Burke in the
evening. Julie Ellen interviewed Gregory about
his influences, his techniques, and his career
to date for a public audience.
Wordfringe 2008
As part of this new writing in performance
festival, Chris Hannan and Julie Ellen
delivered workshops on building a character
through dialogue and how to move your
work forward.
“It gave a real insight into a particular writer’s
craft and their creative process which you
wouldn’t otherwise get”
Offering courses ranging from Introduction
to Screenwriting Express through to Feature
Film, the programme has been highly
successful in developing screenwriters, many
of whom have gone on to produce short film
scripts or pursue their interest in writing
at Film School.
Refugee Week 2009 – This Story Is
My Home
Playwrights Studio, Scotland and the
Refugee Council brought together
people from differing origins to share their
experiences, stimulate their creative thinking
and enrich their knowledge of each other.
To find out more about Writers’ Factory, visit
www.writersfactory.co.uk
There was an international group of
participants who were originally from
Algeria, Australia, Nigeria, Scotland and The
Democratic Republic of the Congo. For some
writing was a profession or a pastime; others
studied, worked or raised families.
BBC Scotland “Scotland Writes”
In association with BBC Scotland and the
CCA, we put together a day of activities as
part of BBC Scotland’s on-going new writing
initiative, Scotland Writes.
10 people attended the
masterclass and 61 people
attended the Q&A for BBC's
Scotland Writes
IMAGE INFORMATION
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2
6
5
2
4
3
1
2
1
5
6
2
1
3
Pages 2 & 3
3
4
7
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Pages 4 & 5
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Pages 6 & 7
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Pages 8 & 9
1 Staff 2010 Alice Chinn, Emma McKee, Claire Dow, Julie Ellen
1 Ian Low
1 Mentoring Session Kenny McKenna, Nicola McCartney
1 Lewis Hetherington
2 Julie Ellen
2 Cathy Forde
2 Mentoring Session Nicola McCartney, Chris Dolan,
Colleen MacLeod colleenmacleodphotography.blogspot.com
3 Iain McClure
Philippa Mannion
4 Becky Leach
3 Staff 2009 Claire Yspol, Sonja Lowe, Claire Dow, Julie Ellen
Iain McLean
3 Alan McKendrick
5 Davey Anderson
Stuart Black
4 Arts Management Trainee Claire Yspol
5 Lisa Nicholl
4 Mairead Martin
Iain McLean
7 Peter Arnott
8 Linda Radley
John Cooper
3 Rob Drummond
David Boni
Eamonn McGoldrick
2 Julia Taudevin
5 Skye Longeran
5 Playwright Fellow Tanika Gupta
6 Louise Stephens
Iain McLean
7 Rupert Thomson
8 Ella Hickson
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Pages 16 & 17
3
4
Pages 18 & 19
9
3
Pages 20 & 21
1 Rehearsals God of Soho by Chris Hannan
1 Philippa Mannion
1 Playwrights' Studio Festival Party 2008
Douglas McBride
2 Annie George
2 Playwrights' Studio Festival Bookshop 2009
Iain McLean
Playwrights' Studio Staff
3 Nicola McCartney
3 Playwrights' Studio Festival Bookshop 2007
4 James Ley
3 Rehearsals Hartland by Nicola McCartney
4 Illuminate Julie Ellen, Tanika Gupta, Pamela Carter, Femi
Folorunso, Cheryl Martin, Iain McLean
5 Douglas Maxwell
Douglas McBride
6 Kathy McKean
Own Image
7 Rona Munro
Douglas McBride
8 Oliver Emanuel
9 Pamela Carter
Iain McLean
4
4 Kenny McKenna
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Pages 10 & 11
3
Pages 12 & 13
Pages 14 & 15
1 Candice Edmunds, Jamie Harrison
1 Stephen Greenhorn, Playwrights' Studio Board
Own Image
2 Playwrights' Studio's Office & Plays Library
2 Slick by Candice Edmunds & Jamie Harrison
2 Sussurus by David Leddy
Jethro Collins
David Leddy
3 Chris Dolan, David Ian Neville
3 Linda McLean, Chair Woman Playwrights' Studio Board
Kevin Lowe
4 Ignite 2009 Shortlisted Playwrights
4 Sunday Lesson by Cathy Forde
Lesley Black
3 Illuminate Kwame Kwei-Armah, Tanika Gupta
Iain McLean
5 What We Know by Pamela Carter
Richard Campbell
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
The Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland is a company limited by guarantee no. 265015 and a registered charity no SC 036767.
We are funded through public funds, partnership funding, sponsorship and earnings.
Incoming Resources
Operating
Grants
Interest
2007/08
14,270
119,339
2235
2008/09
27,692
158,448
2,037
2009/10
93,964
163,677
136
Total Income
135,844
188,177
257,777
Resources Expended 2007/08, 2008/09 & 2009/10
Direct Charitable Expenditure inc. Staff Costs
Advertising & Publicity
Management & Administration
Governance Costs
2007/08
105,638
8,336
26,313
3,778
2008/09
142,766
3,236
21,547
3,205
2009/10
199,750
8,249
26,655
3,462
Total Expenditure
144,065
170,754
238,116
Totals for 2007/08, 2008/09 & 2009/10
Totals for 2007/08, 2008/09 & 2009/10
The details given above for 2009/10 are correct at time of going to print; audit in progress.
Operating (earned income) 23%
Grants 76%
Interest 1%
Direct Charitable Expenditure inc. Staff Costs 81%
Advertising and Publicity 4%
Management and Administration 13%
Governance Costs 2%
Back cover: some of our partner and host organisations.
CCA
350 Sauchiehall Street
Glasgow
G2 3JD
Tel: 0141 332 4403
Textphone: 0141 332 3208
[email protected]
www.playwrightsstudio.co.uk
Company No. 265015 Charity No. SC 036767
Designed by
www.derekcollinsdesign.co.uk
7:84 Theatre Company A Play, A Pie & A Pint Ankur Productions
Arts and Business Birds of Paradise Theatre Company Borderline
Theatre Company Byre Theatre Cat In A Cup Catherine Wheels
Central Library Edinburgh Citizen's Theatre Creatve Scotland
Cumbernauld Theatre Dogstar Theatre Co. Dundee Rep Theatre
Eden Court Theatre Edinburgh International Book Festival
Ek Federation of Scottish Theatre Fire Exit Limited Glasgay!
Glasgow Grows Audiences Grey Coast Theatre Hi-Arts Highway
Diner Imaginate Lemon Tree Lung Ha's MacPhail Centre Made
in Scotland Macrobert Magnetic North Mull Theatre National Library
of Scotland National Theatre Scotland New Writing New Worlds
Festival New Writing North Nonsense Room North Edinburgh
Arts Centre Nutshell Oran Mor Orkney Arts Studio Paines Plough
Perth Theatre Pitlochry Festival Theatre Platform Poorboy Random
Accomplice Reeling & Writhing Royal Lyceum Theatre Royal National
Theatre Foundation Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama
Scottish Arts Council Scottish Book Trust Scottish Storytelling
Centre Stellar Quines Suspect Culture SweetScar Tag Theatre
Company Theatre Hebrides Theatre Royal Dumfries Traverse Theatre
Tramway Tron Theatre University of St Andrews Visible Fictions
Vox Motus WAC Aberdeen West Lothian Youth Theatre Writernet

Abigail Docherty Alan McKendrick Alan Wilkins Ann Marie Di

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