We marked the death of Brighton actress Shirley Jaffe, an Equity stalwart and friend of Sussex Playwrights, who with her husband Tony ran the Old Courtroom Brighton venue.

A veteran of Emergency Ward 10, Hammer’s Taste The Blood of Dracula and Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange, Shirley will be sadly missed.

Sussex Playwrights have been left a legacy of £1000 in the will of the late Ken Lucas.

An extract from Revenge Porn by Thomas Everchild read by Sophie Methuen-Turner and Philippa Hammond, with round table discussion and feedback.

Visitors, members and discussions included:

Actor / director / voice coach Jules Craig

Writer Elysa on working on children’s books, audio drama, mystery drama, adapting short stories, taking courses

Actor Wayne Liversedge on his work in festival-successful short films and the business of turning an audio drama into a short film script.

Sophie Methuen-Turner on working on Fringe theatre shows, and taking a production to Italy, plus the business of murder mystery events as potential employment for writers and actors.

John Lawrenson on writing comedy and humour. We read and discussed an extract from his latest 1970s flavoured satirical show The Inspectors – Making Your World A Safer Place – flourescent-bibbed goons are on a recruitment drive for the crusade …

John’s looking for a Captain Mainwaring-type for the project.

Poet, playwright and reviewer Simon Jenner on Playwrights International, the Oxford comma, writing – and rewriting – a play with ‘directors’ notes’ during lockdown.

Discussion on returning to theatre post COVID – what do audiences want? Cosy, comfortable and familiar, or challenging work?