Now in its fifth year, the Royal Welsh College’s new writing season continues to produce challenging and provocative new writing, culminating in a week of premieres in Cardiff and London this Spring.
“NEW has become woven into the fabric of what we hope to be as a College:
It confirms our desire and passion to be a creative force in the industry, facilitating the work of exciting playwrights and directors while giving our students opportunities to test themselves against challenging new work,” said head of actor training, Dave Bond.
The College is once again working with long-term collaborators The Royal Court Theatre, Paines Plough and Sherman Theatre, to create four new plays by some of the most exciting new talents in the UK.
David Mercatali directs Katherine Chandler’s Buddy, his first play in his new role as Sherman Theatre’s Associate Director, and Albatross, Isley Lynn’s play, is directed by Anna Himali Howard for Paines Plough.
Director Rania Jumaily is working with Charley Miles on Spilt, and director Grace Gummer with Stuart Slade on Reality, both for Royal Court Theatre.
“Artist development, particularly of Welsh and Wales based talent is a huge aspect of the Sherman’s work, so the chance to work with young actors who are currently based in Wales is a really important thing for us to be involved in,” said David Mercatali.
The College is in a really strong place and the NEW season has been a huge part of that. It’s a fantastic thing for a drama school to be able to do: new writing is such a major part of our theatre ecology and it’s hugely beneficial for actors to have that experience before graduating. I’m really glad the Sherman can be a part of it.”
“NEW at RWCMD is an such an essential part of the students training: It’s vitally important for drama schools to work on scripts by writers who are in the same room with the students,” adds Isley Lyn, writer of Albatross.
“The Royal Welsh College has a radical approach to its training. They don’t just employ individual professionals to give their students these essential experiences, but they outsource the commissioning to important industry players, who manage these relationships in the real world.
So the students develop relationships not with companies and venues, not just individuals, and I don’t know anyone else who is partnering with advocates for artists in this way.”
Tues 20 – Thurs 22 March
Royal Welsh College
of Music & Drama, Cardiff
029 2039 1391
www.rwcmd.ac.uk
Tues 3 – Sat 7 April
Gate Theatre,
Notting Hill, London
020 7229 0706
www.gatetheatre.co.uk
For the full press release go to our Press & Media Centre
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