Ten years ago, in August 2013, the eyes of the theatre world turned – as they do at this time every year – to Edinburgh for the Festival Fringe. In amongst that year's programme of almost 2,900 different shows was a new, one-woman play by actor and writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge, called Fleabag. That premiere run … Continue reading Ten Years of Fleabag: inside the Edinburgh Fringe hit that went global
Playwriting
10 top tips to make your solo show memorable
Solo shows are increasingly prevalent as a theatrical form – but what makes them tick, and why and how do some have a particularly lasting impact on audiences? Here, in an extract from their book Making Your Solo Show: The Compact Guide, Lisa Carroll and Milly Thomas – who are both experienced writers of solo … Continue reading 10 top tips to make your solo show memorable
VAULT 2023: the best new work at London’s VAULT festival
VAULT Festival, London's biggest arts and entertainment festival, is now underway in Waterloo, where it runs until 19 March. With hundreds of events taking place throughout the eight weeks of the festival, including theatre, comedy, cabaret, immersive and VR experiences, family shows, late-night parties and more, there's something for everyone. And to celebrate the publication … Continue reading VAULT 2023: the best new work at London’s VAULT festival
Ladies Unleashed: Playwright Amanda Whittington on her Ladies Trilogy
When Amanda Whittington's play Ladies' Day premiered at Hull Truck Theatre in 2005, it introduced the world to Pearl, Jan, Shelley and Linda – four likely lasses from the Hull fish docks on a day at the races. The play and its sequel, Ladies Down Under, have since been performed around the world, including thousands … Continue reading Ladies Unleashed: Playwright Amanda Whittington on her Ladies Trilogy
In dark times: Two Ukrainian playwrights on life in the midst of the conflict
It has been six months now since Russia invaded Ukraine, but as a double-bill of Ukrainian plays – published this week and currently showing at the Finborough Theatre in London – makes clear, the conflict really began much earlier than that, when Russia invaded and annexed Crimea in 2014. For the two leading Ukrainian playwrights … Continue reading In dark times: Two Ukrainian playwrights on life in the midst of the conflict
‘Write with your heart as well as your head’: Jemma Kennedy on getting started as a playwright
For playwright and screenwriter Jemma Kennedy, plays are something of a paradox: carefully structured works of studied, practised craft, but also filled with unstudied, creative instinct. For a script to truly come to life, it must encapsulate both these qualities. In this extract from Jemma's book The Playwright's Journey, she reflects on her own path … Continue reading ‘Write with your heart as well as your head’: Jemma Kennedy on getting started as a playwright
Theatre for the Climate Emergency: 100 Plays to Save the World
Fighting climate change is an urgent, universal endeavour – and theatre-makers and playwrights have a vital role to play, capturing the reality of an experience we've never faced before, and envisaging our responses to it. Elizabeth Freestone and Jeanie O'Hare's new book, 100 Plays to Save the World, is a guide to a hundred brilliant … Continue reading Theatre for the Climate Emergency: 100 Plays to Save the World
‘Unique visions, supported by common architecture’: David Edgar on the structures and rules of playwriting
Renowned playwright David Edgar pioneered the teaching of playwriting in the UK, founding the Playwriting Studies course at Birmingham University in 1989. In this extract from the new, revised and updated edition of his seminal book How Plays Work, he investigates the fundamental geometry of plays, and why playwrights need to know the 'rules' that … Continue reading ‘Unique visions, supported by common architecture’: David Edgar on the structures and rules of playwriting
‘Sometimes we all need to colour outside of the lines’: Paul Kalburgi on The Writer’s Toolkit
Whilst it can be hugely freeing, empowering and rewarding, every writer knows that writing can also sometimes be a tough and frustrating process. Whether you're trying to crack a problem on a script, come up with a new idea or find the inspiration to start anything at all, sometimes writers need something to kickstart their … Continue reading ‘Sometimes we all need to colour outside of the lines’: Paul Kalburgi on The Writer’s Toolkit
All the way from America – great new drama to discover and enjoy
For over thirty years, we've been proud to partner with Theatre Communications Group, North America’s largest independent trade publisher of dramatic literature, to distribute their books throughout the UK and Europe. To celebrate the arrival of another batch of fantastic American drama – all now available to order – we're taking this opportunity to introduce … Continue reading All the way from America – great new drama to discover and enjoy
The Prompt Book 