100 word writers
We’re looking forward to next week’s workshops with the National Youth Theatre at the Soho Theatre, and everything is in place. As well as the performers and behind-the-scenes team from the NYT we’re lucky enough to be working with some great writers. And here they are…
Monday 28 August
Philip Gawthorne
My experience as a writer: I am a graduate of the young writers programmes at both the Royal Court and The Soho. My work has been performed at both of those venues and also at The Tricycle, The Hampstead, The Pleasance, The Kings Head, Theatre503 and The Cochrane. One of my plays is due to be performed in New York next year by Mind The Gap Theatre company. I am currently working as a writer on the new series of the Sky One drama “Dream Team”. Further information about my plays is available at www.doollee.com
Nancy Harris
I received The Irish Arts Council Professional Development and Training Award in 2003 for my one act play An Hour To Kill. In 2004, I graduated from the M.PHIL B in Playwriting Studies at Birmingham University where my first full length play STILETTO was showcased. In 2005 I was one of six writers taken on a year long attachment with at the Soho theatre in London where I was commissioned to write and develop my second full length play. In July 2005 my ten minute play Girl In A Bath (dir. Natasha Betteridge) was performed as part of a season of shorts at The Soho Theatre Studio and in April 2006 my monologue THE CLEANEST WAY TO END IT (dir. Tamara Harvey) was performed at the Soho Theatre main stage as part of a season of monologues. I am currently developing a Woman’s Hour Drama Series with writer Louise Ramsden and producer Peter Leslie Wild for BBC RADIO 4.
Gbolahan Obiesesan
Gbolahan Obisesan is a Writer, Director and Filmmaker. Writing credits include: HOME (2006) a site specific piece based in St Catharine’s Tower in Leyton. HOLD IT UP (2005) at the Soho Theatre as part of the short nights National Youth Theatre programme. ROADSIDE (2004) premiered at the Lyric Studio Hammersmith. Recent Directors Credit includes Assistant Director on The Astronaut Wives Club (2006) Soho theatre. Director of MY LIFE (2006) Croydon Warehouse theatre, Assistant Director on 3 Days in July (2005) Soho Theatre. Director of HOLD IT UP (2005) Soho theatre, Skippin Rope (2005) Lowry Studio Theatre, Assistant Director on The Ship-wrighters tale (2005). Recent documentary films include “A Day in a Blue Shirt” about Community Wardens and The Bridge about platform attendants at London Bridge Station.
Rafika Razaque
My background includes a Bachelors (Hons) Degree in Creative Writing and Writing for Performance. I have previously been commissioned by M6 Theatre to write a piece in youth theatre as well as being involved in running a writing workshop with another writer/director from M6 Theatre. Recently I have been involved with a writing workshop in Soho Theatre resulting in my play having a rehearsed reading where I collaborated with a director to produce a reading staged in June 2006. I continue to work on my own pieces which explore different areas of writing techniques based on current and social issues.
Aled Roberts
My writing background starts probably when I was a winner in a new writing competition at the Bristol Old Vic and had a short piece performed in the New Vic. After that I wrote two plays which were performed in the Redgrave Theatre in Bristol. At University I was lucky enough to win the Cameron Macintosh Award for New Writing with a short play of mine called ‘Graceland’. Last year another short piece, ‘Too Big For One’ had a reading at the Soho.
Tim Street
I took part in a Soho Young Writers project in 2004, which involved writing a five minute play in a day. The play was called ‘Below Thunder’ and involved two characters, one a female immigrant, one a male policeman, on the Mexico/US border. I then wrote a longer play, ‘The Golden Triangle’ over the course of a week for a rehearsed reading- also at the Soho. Set on a beach on the south-east coast, the play focuses on the dilemmas a young couple from different ethnic backgrounds face. In 2005 I had a short play entitled ‘Isolation’ read at the Arcola Theatre.
Megan Walsh
I have recently completed the young writers programmes at the Royal Court and the Soho theatre and I was short-listed for the Westminster Prize in April. I look forward to being involved in this of process playwriting from start to finish and to working with the National Youth Theatre in bringing the words to life.
Warren Laker
My recent writing experience has included attending two writing courses that I have just completed at the Royal Court and Soho theatre. I am working on my script currently and have a deadline at each theatre. The courses have been valuable input towards the production of my own material.
Tuesday 29 August
Molly Davies
I started writing last year. I come from an acting background, having been to Anna Scher Theatre School, then studying Drama and English at uni and attending Central School of Speech and Drama. The first piece I wrote (’No Fairy Stories’) was for a competition and won a place in the Westminster Prize, and was put on at Soho Theatre. Soho then invited me on to their Young Writers Course, during which I wrote ‘Small’, which was given a rehearsed reading. I am currently part of the Core Writers Group and in the process of writing a piece about supermarkets and farms and people fighting inertia and just getting on with It.
Nick Gill
Nick has never had a professional production of anything he’s written. He does not have an agent. He works full time. He writes in opposition to theatrical conventions, pursuing structural, linguistic, formal and performative innovation, to rapt indifference from everyone. He is filled with jealousy and bitterness towards those who are more successful than he is, even his friends. He is always tired. Tired Of All This Shit. You know? Yeah, you know.
Jessica Hindes
I’m 20 and I am currently an English student at Cambridge University. I had a gap year between school and university – during which I worked in the National Archive for six months and then went round the world – spent time in Thailand, New Zealand and the USA amongst other places. It was Awesome. Now however I have an equally fabulous time poncing around in libraries all day. I did the Soho writing courses when I was in sixth form and am currently trying to write something new that I can put on at uni next year.
Sam Holcroft
I began writing with the Traverse Theatre’s Young Writers Group in 2003. On graduating from the group with their First Bite scheme, my first play George Ordinary received development workshops and is due for a public reading in the Spring 2007. The Traverse Theatre then nominated me for The Fifty, a scheme to support new writers in celebration of The Royal Court Theatre’s 50th anniversary in collaboration with BBC Writersroom. As a part of this scheme my short play Vogue was selected to be performed as a part of Angry Now at the Royal Court Theatre Downstairs, which then transferred to the Latitude Festival in July 2006. I have since been commissioned by the Traverse Theatre to write my second play.
James Pearson
I completed an MA at the Central School of Speech and Drama in Writing for Performance leading to work being produced at the Edinburgh Fringe and Bath International Puppetry Festival. In 2005 I received first place in the Westminster Prize at Soho Theatre and was invited on their Core Writers Group where I have just completed my first full-length play. I have received rehearsed readings at Contact Theatre, Manchester and Talkback Thames TV Studios. I have recently written for Shared Experience Youth Theatre at Trafalgar Studios and am currently completing a commission for Pocklington Arts Centre.
John van der Put
John took part in the Soho Theatre’s ten week programme, and was a member of the 2004/05 Core Writer’s Group. He has had work performed at Soho Theatre and the BAC. He is currently developing a show with his company, STANDnotAMAZED (http://www.standnotamazed.com), blending magic, movement, text and music. He trained as an actor at Central School of Speech and Drama and also works as a director and contemporary magician. http://www.vanderput.com.
Nimer Rashed
In the early 90s, Nimer acted professionally on stage and screen, including roles with the RSC (Macbeth), LWT (Forever Green), and in the feature film Impromptu. Whilst pursuing his degree in English at the University of Bristol, he worked for Miramax Films in London, New York, and at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2006, his play ‘Itchycoo Park’ won 2nd place at Soho Theatre’s Westminster Prize and was performed at the theatre. His fiction will appear in Transmission later this year.
Helen Russell
I’m currently working as a deputy editor with the Telegraph Group but have a background in theatre having worked as an actor and reviewing plays. I also edit a theatre review site and am making tentative steps towards writing something myself. I’m 26 and live in a state of semi-penury in South London.
Wednesday 30 August
Jennie Coles
Having studied English and Fine Art, I worked in an independent film production company, which inspired me to start writing for the stage and screen. In 2002 I joined Writers’ Passage at the Script Factory in Soho and developed a screenplay over the course of that year. My debut stageplay premiered in the Edinburgh Festival in 2004 and won the Promis Prize in the London Writers’ Competition that year. In 2005 I joined the Royal Court Theatre’s invitation group and was shortlisted for the Soho Theatre’s attachment programme. I have recently become a founding member of Burning Houses Productions Ltd. and am currently developing three one act plays.
Oliver Emanuel
Oliver Emanuel was born in 1980. He is currently BBC Writer-on-Attachment at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, and co-Artistic Director of new writing company, Silver Tongue Theatre. Theatre includes: IZ (Edinburgh Fringe, UK Tour, and Vienna, Austria); Bella & The Beautiful Knight (Edinburgh Fringe, UK Tour, and Vienna, Austria); WelcomeHomeWorld (Translation for West Yorkshire Playhouse). Radio includes: By The Light Of The Moon (BBC7). He was selected as part of the Jerwood/Arvon Young Playwright’s with the Soho Theatre in 2005 and was mentored by Richard Bean. Oliver’s new play Shiver opened at the Pleasance, Edinburgh in August 2006 and he is currently writing Magpie Park for the West Yorkshire Playhouse and Joseph & Joseph for BBC Radio 4.
Megan Ford
Megan Ford recently completed training for an MA in Classical Acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama. As a Soho Young Writer she had a reading of her short play, Nantucket, performed at the Soho Theatre starring Olivier-winning actor Toby Jones. At the end of September, Megan will participate in the recall for the Old Vic’s New Voices 24 hour plays. She has submitted her full-length play, Joint, to various London theatres and companies, and is currently working on a submission for the Sphinx Theatre Company’s Brave New Roles Award.
Colin Goodwin
I have just been accepted onto the MA programme at Rose Bruford (majoring in theatrical writing) which will be starting early September. Before this I attended a 12 week course at the university which included lectures by Darren Rapier, Jack Bradley and Jessica Dromgoole. I have attended many writing workshops including a one week Arvon foundation course with Sarah woods, Richard Bean and David Edgar. I have written four ten minute plays (one of which was short listed for the Westminster prize at Soho Theatre), two full-length plays as well as numerous monologues and sketches. None of my work has been professionally produced but I have had several readings. I am currently re-working one of my full-length plays.
Steven Hevey
Just to tell you a bit about myself I have been writing full time for about a year. My work has been read by a number of executive producers (Mike Dormer at Sony, Eleanor Greene at World Productions) and is currently being looked at by agents (Jago Irwin at PFD, Fay Davies at The Agency). I am also a member of both the Royal Court Young writers and Soho Young Writers programme. In June this year my short play baggage received a rehearsed reading at Soho with Lindsey Coulson (The Street, Eastenders) Tony O’Callaghan (The Bill) played the leads.
Lucy Heywood
I live in Stroud in Gloucestershire where I work mainly as a writer/researcher for local theatre companies. In London, I studied Creative Writing at University and wrote Hope and Anchor, a full length play for a youth theatre. I also joined the YWP at the Royal Court and Soho Young Writers, where I made it through to the core group. Last year, I won the New Theatre Works prize in Hereford and since then have been trying to complete various plays. I like to sit outside or near a window with a cup of tea, a notebook, a biro and some time.
Kat Joyce
Kat works as a scenographer and director as well as a playwright, and is interested in the different ways in which drama can be created, recorded and authored, and approaching story from a visual/spatial as well as literary perspective. She is a founding member of Sour Feast theatre collective, which provides a platform for exploring new plays in their early stages. Kat’s first play was shortlisted for the Royal Court Young Writers Season 2004. Her second, Midas Touch was developed at World Interplay, the international Young Writers Festival in Australia, 2005. She is currently working on a new play, The Translator, in which she continues to explore her interest in the potential of drama where more than one language is spoken in performance.
Lisa Lloyd
One of my first plays received recognition of excellence in 1996. I appeared in The Voice newspaper for recognition as best child playwright. Several years later I joined the Royal Court Young Writers Programme were I learnt various writing skills during workshops. At the Royal Court I wrote several plays noticeably Born To Be King and They’re Gone. In 2003 They’re Gone was staged at the Waterman’s Theatre as part of a Kali Theatre production. I have taken part in Eastside Production Writing Competition and won first place. After winning the competition I was advised by one of my mentors to join the Soho Young Writer’s Programme. At Soho Young Writer’s Programme one of my plays, R.I.P Rose, was successfully performed in 2005 at the theatre with a professional cast.
Thursday 31 August
Katie Boyd
Waiting for profile
Michael J Flexer
Michael J Flexer has written eight plays, two short film scripts, two sitcom pilots and one feature film script as well as numerous comedy sketches and a sketch show pilot. His first professionally produced play was Drawn from Life at the Finborough Theatre (2002). He co-wrote Rogue State’s adaptation of Bulgakov’s Heart of a Dog, at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh 2005. This year, he wrote a new book and libretto for a 250th anniversary production of Mozart’s The Impresario for Second Movement and is currently working on a new book and libretto of Offenbach’s Two Blind Beggars for the company. His latest play, My Brother’s Keeper, based on the true story of the last two Jews in Afghanistan, was on at C Venues, Edinburgh this August. He also writes children’s books for HarperCollins.
Dominic Mitchell
I have been writing seriously since graduating from university in 2004. I have written and directed six short films and I have written a number of scripts for film, television and theatre. Last year I was invited to become a member of both the Royal Court’s Young Writers Programme and the Soho Theatre’s Young Writers Programme. After completing the Soho Theatre’s scheme my short play Primary was selected to have a professional rehearsed reading at Soho. In March 2006 Primary was selected to be performed at the Hampstead Theatre as part of their new writing scheme Start Night. I have recently been chosen by The Polka Theatre to take part in there yearlong writer’s development programme. My new full length play National Amnesty is currently being produced by The Crescent Theatre Workshop.
Natalia Nagy
Writing a play which received a rehearsed reading at Soho Theatre was probably the most significant experience of mine as a writer so far. I started writing for stage in secondary school. In high school I wrote and directed many plays and won contests, such as writing a play out of a newspaper cut-out in 5 hours. At the university I encountered experimental writing and developed performance texts for student-productions. Currently I am working on a script for a production with blind and deaf audiences in mind.
Michael van der Put
I’ve always had a strong interest in theatre and have been actively writing for the past five years. In 2004 I worked with the core group at Soho theatre and I’m hoping in the future to work with the Royal Court. In January I left the country for Tanzania, where I taught english for three months before travelling through east Africa. I’d like to think the experience has given me a wider angle on the world and I’m eager to communicate this through my writing.
Laura Stevens
I began writing as a student at Warwick University, where two of my plays were staged and I caught the writing bug. Since then I’ve been working hard on developing my writing on the Soho Theatre’s Young Writers’ Course and recently the Royal Court Young Writer’s Programme. I write because it helps me to understand the world and lets me express how I feel about things. Most of the time it doesn’t turn out how I expected but I always learn something about myself along the way. I am currently working on a play about Global Warming and the G8 summit….the sort of things that make my conscience keep me awake at night….
Frances Tillson
I graduated from Durham University in English & Philosophy (BA Hons) in summer 2004. After my graduation I won an internship at The Observer newspaper for three months during which time I wrote for the Review section. I have been writing on and off as a freelance contributor for different publications since leaving University. Earlier this year I completed the Royal Court ten weeks young writers programme which was my first attempt at playwriting. I really enjoyed the experience of writing a full length play and I think this opportunity to participate in 100 words sounds very exciting.
Hayley Williams
Whilst at University:
Two one-act stage plays, ‘No. 6′ and ‘Limbo’ (a farce).
Adaptations of two Neil Gaiman short stories (’Babycakes’ and ‘We Can Get Them For You Wholesale’) for radio.
Short radio drama ‘Clear’.
Five episodes of ‘Space Rocks!’, a sci-fi/comedy radio soap (all of above broadcast on student radio).
Involvement in story-boarding/character creation for Wandsworth Prison radio soap.
Post-University:
Soho Theatre writing workshop and ten-week writing course, leading to the writing and reading of ‘The Hook in his Bones’.
Devising/co-writing in early stages of ‘Creative Riot’, an autobiographical performance piece. Shown as a Scratch at BAC and soon to be performed in various locations.
Currently working solo on a stage play, and writing for a group devised piece exploring mother/daughter relationships.
Friday 1 September
Sharon Brennan
I have been writing all my life and have had articles published in a national newspaper. During the day I work as a PR consultant regularly writing articles and press releases for my client. My current involvement in Soho theatre is my first attempt at writing a script and signifies a new focus for me from writing fiction to enjoying the rigors of writing for stage.
Will Hammond
I won the High Sheriff competition for new writing from the Stephen Joseph Theatre way back in 2003, awarded and judged by Alan Ayckbourn. I was subsequently commissioned by the theatre to produce Teenage Wildlife for their youth group. Natasha worked on a workshop of an early draft of a play of mine called Pennies, which is now about to do the rounds. I’ve just completed the book on a new musical called Grim, and this is also being seen by producers and the like. I’m currently living on a farm whilst working on a piece entitled Blister investigating post foot and mouth disease in the farming community, more of a case study really, supported by the Arts Council. I’ve also just completed work on a new play called Ashen, and this too is being considered by a number of companies. In addition, I have a micro-musical called Degeneration/Regeneration which is being performed at the moment by Urdang Stage Academy, a small drama school in London.
Elise Hearst
Just to tell you a little about my recent experience, I moved from Australia to London in March this year. In May I had my short play ‘Tough Love’ produced at the Theatre 503. In June I was part of a new writers showcase at the Hampstead Theatre Michael Frayn studio, where excerpts from my full length play ‘On the Threshing Floor’ were read. I am currently attending the Young Writers Programme at the Royal Court Theatre under the tuition of Leo Butler.
Sadie Miller
So far I have taken the Royal Court’s Young Writer’s Programme and hope to take the Soho Theatre’s Young Writer’s course as I was unable to accept a place earlier in the year as I am studying English and Related Literature at the University of York where I am involved in many drama activities, including student written productions.
Ali Muriel
I won the 2006 Westminster Prize with my short play ‘Furnace Four’, which was performed at Soho Theatre and is being made into a film in August. My full-length play ‘Parasites’ ran in Islington for three weeks before transferring to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe festival. Three of my short plays, under the title ‘Gobsmack’, were performed at the White Bear Theatre in Kennington this May.
Nick Payne
For two years I was a member of an Arts Council funded initiative aimed at developing young literary talent in the North of England entitled ‘The Writing Squad’. In March this year, a play of mine was performed at the Soho Theatre as a rehearsed reading and in April I attended the National Student Drama Festival and wrote a short monologue that was eventually performed in the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough. More recently, I have written a play which will be going to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August. In October, I will be starting an MA at the Central School of Speech and Drama in Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media.
Deborah Pearson
I have had four plays produced on an amateur level, four while at university, and one on a more professional level as a reading at the Canadian festival KANADIANA in Berlin. I recently had a short story of mine dramatized for airing on Leith FM in Scotland, and Table Talk, one of my plays, was a finalist for the Rod Hall Memorial Playwriting Award with Paines Plough. I graduated from Queen’s Canada in English Literature and Film, and will be starting my MA in Text and Performance Studies with King’s College and RADA at the end of this September. I have been based out of Edinburgh, where I was a member of the Young Writer’s Advanced group at the Traverse Theatre and a frequent actor and collaborator at the Bedlam Theatre.
Tiffany-anne Tondut
Last July I graduated with a first in Drama and Literature. During my second year I wrote and directed my play, ‘Plagued’ at the University theatre. In my third year I joined the Soho Young Writer’s scheme and wrote a 20-minute play entitled ‘Krudd’s Final Punch’. I was then invited to write for the Youth Theatre Festival focusing on the difficulties of youth in my piece ‘Spirit Boy’. Since July, I have been working on a full-length play exploring the poisonous alchemy of love and self-importance.
Takbir Uddin
My writing debut was in the first “Transmissions” Festival at Birmingham Rep in 1998; after which I wrote two new full length plays for the festival, and headlined in 2000 and 2004. Whilst at University I was commissioned to adapt “A Doll’s House” for Yehlehleh Young People’s Theatre Company, Tagore’s “The Home And The World” for the Dartington Festival and directed for The Red Theatre Company. My play “Ammah” was performed in different versions at Birmingham Rep and York University. I also work as a mentor and dramaturg for young people with Connexions, York University and Live Art in Newcastle.