The Royal Welsh College launches its second year of NEW, new writing to provoke, challenge and inspire. This year the College is commissioning new work in partnership with National Theatre Wales, as well as The Royal Court Theatre and Paines Plough Theatre Company.
“It’s exciting to work with actors at this stage of their careers. They are hungry to learn, to talk about their craft and be involved in the creative process. This play will become what it is because of these actors.”
Brad Birch, playwright
Featuring four new plays by four playwrights, this hugely ambitious project again involves all 32 graduating actors, as well as students from the design and stage management courses, who will collaborate with some of the country’s most exciting young directors. The plays will premiere in Cardiff before transferring to Notting Hill’s Gate Theatre.
David Bond, Head of Actor Training explains why the College is taking such bold steps to promote new writing: “We’ve been commissioning new plays in English and Welsh for more than ten years,” he says. “Working with new material benefits our students not only creatively but also professionally – collaborating with exciting new writers, and young directors, can lead to future opportunities. A whole season of new writing is an extraordinary thing for a drama school to take on but it is allowing us to make an important contribution to the industry the students are about to enter.”
The tentacled Cthulhu mask created by student designer Isa Shaw-Abulafia for RWCMD’s production of Pomona, was also used in The Orange Tree’s acclaimed production
Gary Owen returns, and will be joined by three more plays, each a world premiere, written by some of the UK’s most promising new writing talent, Brad Birch’s play is being developed in association with National Theatre Wales, Melissa Bubnic with Royal Court, Luke Norris with Paines Plough and Gary Owen with Royal Welsh College.
As part of this celebration of new writing, the College has invited leading contemporary playwrights to talk about their work.
Pomona, one of the four new plays commissioned by the College last year, opened to rave reviews at The Orange Tree in London in November, and was described by playwright Simon Stephens as ‘one of the most exciting experiences of a new play I’ve had in years.’ The College and the original cast members are credited in the script, which has since been published by Bloomsbury.
The NEW: season runs at RWCMD from 31st March until 3rd April, and at the Gate Theatre from 7th to 11th April. Details of all performances and events are on the website: www.rwcmd.ac.uk/whatson
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