June brings a duo of meetings in the Coopers’ Loft at Bristol Old Vic in King Street, BS1 4ED.

We’re pleased to report that the theatre’s lift has been back in action again recently, so sign in at reception near the bar and take the lift to the meeting on the top floor. Everyone attending pays £2.

We’ve got plenty of space in our workshop sessions this month and we’d welcome further contributions. Please get in touch using our ‘Book a workshop slot’ form if you have any work in progress, ideas or pitches you’d like to air.

Tuesday, 4 June at 8pm: Open Workshop

It’s A Game of Two Halves tonight, Merlin Goldmans’s Theatre Royal Bath Short Play Festival submission, which reflects the theme of ‘falling’ by focussing on falling in love.

Tuesday, 25 June at 8pm: Open Workshop

Score some midsummer’s workshop time for your latest script by getting in touch using our ‘Book a workshop slot’ form.

 

BOV’s summertime South West script search now on

The Open Sessions typewriter
June is the month in which Bristol Old Vic’s literary department makes its annual call for script submissions from new and experienced writers based in the South West.

The Open Session offers bespoke development packages ‘created in conversation with the writers selected and this ongoing relationship may lead to commissioning opportunities.’ BOV’s literary department will also offer email feedback on its top 15 script picks.

Southwest Scriptwriters Richard Craven and (group chair) Briony Pope placed highly in last year’s Open Session and Ross Willis was one of six writers chosen by BOV to receive developmental support in 2016.

Submit completed, unproduced play or musical scripts — which BOV’s team will assess without knowing your name — between now and midnight on Sunday, 30 June.

Learn more

 

Find Forest 404 on BBC Sounds


You might well have seen or heard the BBC’s TV and radio trailers for Radio 4’s immersive ecological podcast Forest 404 recently. The dystopian futuristic drama is written by Southwest Scriptwriters alumnus Timothy X Atack.

Forest 404 is set in the 24th century, after a data crash called The Cataclysm. Pan, our protagonist, is a young woman with a boring job sorting and deleting old sound files that survived the crash. She uncovers a set of sound recordings from the early 21st century that haunt her.’

Nine talks focusing on the ecological issues raised and nine natural world soundscapes accompany the nine-episode sci-fi drama.

Tim developed his scriptwriting with BOV’s literary department and went on to win 2017’s Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting — the deadline for which this year is at 6pm on Wednesday, 5 June.

Learn more about Forest 404