Writing House, which launches today on World Theatre Day, brings all the College’s new writing projects together under one umbrella.
Alongside its flagship NEW writing festival, the College is introducing Writing House workshops where new writers and directors will be funded to workshop with the College’s acting students, developing ideas for new plays from their very earliest stages.
Reality is one of the plays commissioned for NEW 2018. The main photo shows Albatross.
“The workshops will bring together an eclectic range of writers and directors,” said the College’s dramaturg, Jude Christian.
“We’re inviting artists to diversify the canon, and empower the next generation of actors.
The first workshops will start in May with writers and directors Sonali Bhattacharyya and Tinuke Craig, and Chris Monks and John O’Hara. Welsh writer and Bruntwood Prize finalist, Alan Harris will also be working with director Adele Thomas.
Adele Thomas directing NEW 2016’s All That I Am
“We’re really proud of the proliferation of brilliant female artists involved in RCWMD’s new writing work,” continues Jude, “and we’re working hard to redress other historical imbalances in the voices which are heard on stage; to ensure that the theatre we’re making, and the people making it, are richly representative of Wales, the UK, and the world we live in today.”
Annes Elwy in Fe Ddaw’r Byd i Ben, a co-production with The Sherman Theatre, commissioned from Dafydd James
“This project builds on the College’s active relationship with the industry,” continues David Bond, Head of Acting at RWCMD.
“Writing House workshops give our students further opportunities to work with experienced writers and directors on new plays, benefitting both their training and exposure.”
NEW 2018 transfers to London’s Gate Theatre next week, 3- 7 April.
Alongside the NEW festival the College has always been an active producer and supporter of new writing, to be performed by its final year acting students.
Other commissions have included work by Gary Owen (who wrote the multi-award winning Iphigenia in Splott), Brad Birch, Elinor Cooke and Alistair McDowell, as well as a new children’s puppetry script each year from writers including Dafydd James, Richard Hurford and Emma Williams.
Among other playwrights, Hodge International Chair in Drama Simon Stephens regularly works with RWCMD students on projects he’s developing, most recently Rage, currently in development with Vicky Featherstone.
Acting graduates Melangell Dolma and Mari Izzard have just been announced as the Welsh writers in residence at Theatr Clwyd (April, 2018).
For the full press release see our Press & Media Centre
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