Here’s our late winter programme. Please put all these dates in your diary now. Meetings are held in the Cooper’s Loft at the Theatre Royal, King Street, Bristol 1. Ask at the bar on the first floor for directions. Everyone attending pays £1 (£2 on 4 March).
Tuesday, 28 January at 7.30pm: Open Workshop
Tuesday, 4 February at 7.30pm: Open Workshop
Tuesday, 11 February at 7.30pm: Bellingham by David Niven
A rehearsed reading of new member David’s radio play. Set around 1812, it tells the true story of a man abandoned by his country and driven to assassinate the British Prime Minister.
Tuesday, 18 February at 7.30pm: The History of Theatre with Gordon Ellis
Gordon’s third talk covers the period between the late 15th and the 19th Centuries — both European and in other parts of the world.
Tuesday, 25 February at 7.30pm: Open Workshop
Tuesday, 4 March at 7.30pm: Steve Hennessy on Writing for the Theatre
Steve will give insights into his experience of professional rehearsed readings. Entry tonight is £2.
Jessica takes up residence at Hampstead Theatre
Many congratulations to Jessica Townsend who has just been appointed writer-in-residence at the Hampstead Theatre in London by a selection panel that included John Mortimer and Michael Billington. Jessica still plans to attend Southwest Scriptwriters meetings as often as possible. Meanwhile, her radio play Raising Patrick Hegarty has been entered into the commissioning process by a BBC producer.
Steve’s rehearsed reading double
Steve Hennessy’s stage play Act of Union, which was given a rehearsed reading by Show of Strength earlier this month, is being rewritten as a result of comments received, and will be given another rehearsed reading at the Everyman in Cheltenham on Monday, 3 February.
Show of Strength is also planning to give a rehearsed reading of Steve’s play Stairway to Heaven (set on the side of a pyramid in ancient Egypt) on Saturday, 22 March at Quaker’s Friars.
BBC launches New Comedy Awards
The BBC has launched this year’s New Comedy Awards competition. The Comedy Writing Award boasts a first prize of £1000 plus a BBC Radio commission for a 30-minute comedy show. Entries, consisting of a one-page synopsis together with a five-minute sample script should be submitted before 28 February.
People Like Us at the Folk House
On Friday, 31 January at 2pm you can see a play by award-winning Royal Court playwright, Pete Lawson, for free. People Like Us, a play about mental health, is at the Folk House, 40 Park Street, Bristol, for one performance only.
Crumbling Walls seeks scripts
Bristol-based Crumbling Walls is looking for 30- to 60-minute scripts for its First Night series of rehearsed readings.
Don’t forget to see Crumbling Walls’ pantomime Aladdin at the Hope Centre, Hotwells, Bristol, on 7, 8 or 9 March.