2017 Meeting review January

Introducing the February meeting and reporting on the January meeting

Sussex Playwrights February meeting and January report

Contents

February meeting – special guest James Payne
Constance Cox playwriting competition latest – reading committee now recruiting
Members’ and Friends’ news
Follow and share
January meeting – play reading and discussion report
Arts Council funding
Work in progress and for sharing

February meeting preview
Sunday February 5th 7- 9pm at the New Venture Theatre bar Brighton

Special Guest Speaker Brighton based screenwriter James Payne.

Winner of the 2015 British Soap Awards Best Single Episode for the East
Enders 30th Anniversary live episode.

James will talk about his work as a scriptwriter on Hooten and The Lady [which he co-created], East Enders, Mr Selfridge, Death in Paradise, Hustle, Ashes to Ashes, The Musketeers and many more.

James is also a trustee of Brighton Open Air Theatre.

Read more about James and his work here:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1600439/?ref_=nmbio_bio_nm

Call for work in progress Do you have a ten minute or so sketch, script or excerpt from your work that you’d like to hear read at the February meeting? We’re always interested in presenting rehearsed readings of members and visitors work for discussion.

Do let us know at chair@sussexplaywrights.co.uk or call Philippa the current chair on 07017 037590.

Meeting details

News, networking for writers, producers, actors and those who love new drama – and good conversation
Wine or juice
Free to members, visitors £2 per person.
Please could you let us know if you’ll be coming along, and if you’ll be bringing a guest? chair@sussexplaywrights.co.uk

Constance Cox playwriting competition

Latest The competition is now closed [deadline was New Year’s Eve 2016].
We’re delighted to tell you that we’ve had over forty entries so far, including scripts from Japan, Malta, Canada, Russia and the USA.
We’ve started accepting payment via PayPal too, which makes it much easier if you no longer have a chequebook or don’t use sterling.

Competition reading committee

Thank you to those members who’ve volunteered to join the play reading committee to decide the winners. More will be welcome – If you’d like to be a reader, please let us know. chair@sussexplaywrights.co.uk

If you’ve submitted a script, you will now be eligible to join the committee!

We’ll be having a committee members’ meeting soon.

Scripts are submitted and forwarded as PDFs via email, rather than print copies.

Rules

We invited writers to submit a half hour radio play in the thriller / mystery genre for 2-6 actors. The writers of the top three plays will receive rehearsed readings and recordings of their plays as well as cash prizes.

All entries will be read by professional audio drama producer, Simon Moorhead

Full details, advice and prizes: www.sussexplaywrights.com/competitions/constance-cox-competition-2016-closes-31-december-2016

Website news

The Sussex Playwrights website is currently having a major overhaul and will be reborn shortly with a new address, new look and user-friendly format. We’ll let you know as soon as it comes online.

Thank you to Ian Black for all your work creating and maintaining the original website – much appreciated! The Committee and Members.

Members’ and Friends’ news

Judy Upton A video of her short story in the SISF Ghost Story Competition: Writing on the Wall Halloween reading http://youtu.be/5qJrQ_eEKlw

Christine Foster

Hit Pub Theatre returns to Rottingdean! MIXED DOUBLES is BACK by POPULAR DEMAND For THREE NIGHTS ONLY. We’re writing to everyone who came out and enjoyed Cliffhanger Production’s Mixed Doubles in October, to let you know that we’re reprising our opening programme of ten-minute plays:
How Nice Of You To Ask, Dragonflies, Goat, The Ladies’ Loo and Epiphany. This delightful evening is the perfect antidote to the winter blues, and still a bargain at just £5! We hope you’ll spread the word and tell anyone who missed it that there’s one last chance to see this great show. And as always, book early as seating is limited!

February 9th, 10th, and 11th at 8pm Doors open at 7:30
Tickets are on sale right now: online at https://ticketsource.co.uk/mdr or in person at MadWax Candles on Rottingdean High St.

We will also be announcing our all-new programme of ten-minute plays in time for Spring, so be sure to follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/thecliffhangercompany) and remember… a lot can happen in ten minutes!”

Philippa Hammond appeared in a series of podcast audio dramas by Peter Gardiner of Two Bit Productions. The latest new drama The Everyman is online now. A dark mystery surrounds a world-changing experiment to launch the first time traveller. Hear it here: http://www.twobitproductions.com/podcast/

Rose Collis‘ latest work, her Arts Council-supported adaptation of her own book ‘Col Barker’s Monstrous Regiment,’ will receive a rehearsed reading at the Purple Playhouse as part of the Hove Grown festival on Sunday March 26th 8pm. Thomas Everchild will direct and the cast will include Rose Collis, Philippa Hammond, Guy Wah and Keith Drinkel.

Meanwhile Rose will also be giving a talk on the Colonel and the new play Tuesday 28th February 12.10 – 12.50 at Worthing Library. Free event, just drop in.

Competitions

We’ve heard about the Yeovil Literary Prize for poetry and prose – details here: http://www.yeovilprize.co.uk/

Constance Cox

Paul Tomkies is directing Constance Cox’s adaptation of Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime at Medway Little Theatre in Rochester in April. He’s preparing an article about her for the programme and front of house display and have found some very interesting pieces. He couldn’t find a photo – but Trevor Harvey pointed him at The Keep, where Trevor sent our 80 year long archive. Thank you from to Trevor from Paul, who will send us a copy of the article.

Please send us all your latest news either to chair@sussexplaywrights.co.uk or to the Facebook Page.

January meeting review

Featured a rehearsed reading of: ‘Anaphylactic Shock’ a short play by Tony Briginshaw with Cherie Cherie, Anita Gilson, Thomas Everchild, Philippa Hammond and guest actors Lucy Mepsted and John Dutton.

Post-reading discussion with audience, actors and the playwright.

Notes by Judy Upton:
Thomas felt that the writer’s strong feelings about the state of the NHS and the unjustified rewards reaped by those at the top came across powerfully in the piece.
Rebecca felt a little more research was needed in places, as slight inconsistencies at times made her doubt the narrative voice. Thomas added that when a play is so issue-based it needs underpinning with strong research.
Anita and Andrew both thought that the phrase in the play ‘lessons will be learnt’ was key as it is now so often used it has become trite and nebulous. It was suggested by Andrew that it might be a better title for the play.
The deaths of the consultant and CEO drew mixed reactions. Simon felt the two ex-nurses should’ve done more to help. Matt thought it would be good to see more of the consultant and CEO becoming victims of their own policies, e.g. long wait for an ambulance. Rebecca suggested the tone could be more that of a dystopian nightmare as in ‘Black Mirror’.
People generally found the topicality of the play refreshing and stimulating of debate.

 

Work in progress or for sharing

We’re looking to members and guests to take an active part in meetings and showcase their work.

If you’d like to read or perform an excerpt from your latest fiction or non fiction at a meeting for discussion [10 minute slots]

If you’d prefer to have us arrange for someone to read it for you, if you’re happier writing than speaking [10 minute slots]

If you’d like to have actors read an excerpt from your latest script in progress for discussion [10 minute slots]

If you’re an actor who’d like to read

If you have a longer script you’d like considered for rehearsed reading / discussion

Please contact us

Regards

Philippa Hammond [Chair], Thomas Everchild [Secretary] and the committee