Advice

Writing for Theatre

by Peter Straughan

Writing for theatre offers a unique combination of private and public processes for the writer. You get to spend months developing a script in solitude and then share that private world with a community of directors, actors, designers, technicians and finally audiences. In no other genre can you follow and witness the impact and effect of your work on others so intimately, so immediately. It can be an exhilarating experience.

It can also be a frustrating experience – as you suffer their intervention in, and interpretation of, what has been, up to this point, your private vision. Most writers will find that their view of the play – what it will look and sound like on stage – has altered considerably by the time the piece is finally produced. This is inevitable. The play on page is only half the job done – it only comes to life in rehearsal and production and so the writer must learn to initiate and maintain relationships with other artists if the creation of the piece is to be finished.

SOME BASIC DO'S AND DON'TS

DO read/see plays as often as you can. You may not like everything you see but you have to know the rules before you can break them. Many people who feel drawn to drama have some aptitude for dialogue – but plot is more of a technical accomplishment. The construction of a successful plot is something you can learn and one of the best ways to learn is by observing how other writers do it. There are also various How to Write… books. Try some; they can help you to view the process of playwriting in a more structured way.

DO, however, try to develop an individual voice. It's OK to copy the style of your favourite writer for a while – you can learn a lot – but in the end you have to leave everyone else behind and find your own voice. Be adventurous – so many weak plays are depressingly familiar. You are up against thousands of other writers – who's going to notice your play if you're not original?

DO plan your plays thoroughly. There are no rules and everyone has their own method, but generally speaking the more you have worked out a plot line in advance the less re-writing you will have to do. For some writers overtly-thorough planning can kill the imaginative process and leave them feeling bored and mechanical as they move through the plot. If this is the case, find a happy medium devising a helpful plot structure which still offers enough space for change and innovation to keep you interested. Think of your structure as the spine of your play.

DO listen to and actively seek criticism. More often than not a writer is too close to their work to see its faults. You can either put the script away for a long period then return to it with fresh eyes or give it to someone else to read. Unless you know someone whose opinion you particularly value it's probably best to send it to an impartial reading service, such as The Literary Consultancy or Writernet.

DON'T let adverse criticism get you down. It's often the negative stuff that's of real use in improving your writing. Be open to criticism (as long as it is constructive) but don't disregard your own opinions either – the reader isn't necessarily an expert. You have to have a curious mixture of humility and arrogance to survive intact. Most of all strive to be clear sighted about your own ability – develop what Hemingway called the "shock-proof bullshit detector" and apply it to yourself.

DO get out there and involved in the arts community: join the organisations, meet the directors and agents, meet other writers. No one is going to discover you in your garret. Many opportunities arise in theatre through one-to-one encounters. It's called networking – learn how to do it.

But, DON'T think meeting every director in the country or being a member of every organisation will get you far if your work isn't good enough. In the end it is your writing you will be judged on – be disciplined and work hard. It's notoriously easy to avoid writing: making tea, staring out of the window etc. Make yourself write – preferably every day. Find a schedule and stick to it.

DON'T be unrealistic. Understand if this is your first script it's unlikely to be snapped up by a major company. Give yourself time to develop – it can take years – don't expect too much too soon. That way any lucky breaks you get come as a pleasant surprise.

DO get to know the schemes, awards and bursaries available from the Arts Council etc. Apply for everything you can. If you don't win someone else will. You'd be surprised how under-subscribed some awards are.

DON'T give up. Develop stamina. A play can take a lot of effort to write. And then there are the rewrites. And then you have to interest a theatre company, or an agent, or find a competition to enter it in. And then start on the next play. Stick with it and have faith in yourself. If you have talent it will be noticed, sooner or later.

COMPETITIONS AND AWARDS

Along with getting out to meeting other writers, theatre companies and directors, one of the best things you can do is enter competitions and apply for awards. Play competitions often have large cash prizes attached and even more importantly often carry the promise of your play being produced by a professional company.

Just entering competitions, whether you win or not, can help you feel you are doing something with your script – it's being read and not gathering dust in the bottom drawer. This can be invaluable in preventing that sense of writer's isolation.

Awards are offered by Arts Council England and other associations. Many can be quite specific in their requirements (eg, many are aimed at writers who have already had a play produced) so make sure you fit them before you waste the stamp. Even more so than competitions, awards can help bring you to the attention of theatre companies and funding organisations. Be realistic – enter everything but understand you've got a better chance of winning a smaller local competition than a large national/international one.

If you don't win, spend four minutes in mourning then plan which competition to enter next. Some competitions offer a report on your work. As with all criticism – take notice but don't let it get you down. You will only get better by facing your weakness with absolute honesty. Here are a few regional and national competitions. As always, you'll find a fuller list in The Writer's Handbook or Writers' and Artists' Yearbook.

The People's Play – £1,000 prize and five nights performance at the People’s Theatre, Newcastle. For more details contact New Writing North.

CP Taylor Bursary – £2,000 paid over two years for a writer to develop an uncommissioned play. Details from New Writing North.

Arts Council England Grants for the Arts – various awards for writers. Contact the Arts Council for a funding booklet or visit their website.

Verity Bargate Award – £1,500 option paid for production of the winning play – offered bi-annually by the Soho Theatre Company for unperformed full length play by a writer who has had less than three professional productions. Contact the literary officer at Soho Theatre for full details. Tel: 020 7287 5060, website: www.soho-theatre.com.

George Devine Award – £5,000 for promising new playwright – given by the Royal Court Theatre every year. Tel: 020 7565 5050.

International Playwriting Festival – professional production awarded to the winning entry by the Warehouse Theatre, Croydon. Deadline usually the end of June, festival showcasing winning plays in November. Send an SAE for an application form to the Warehouse Theatre, Dingwall Road, Croydon, CR0 2NF, tel: 020 8681 1257. Entries for the 2005 festival will be accepted from 1 January 2005, when details on how to enter will be published on the website at www.warehousetheatre.co.uk.

GET IT ON

So – you've done the courses, you've honed your skills, you've applied for the awards, and you're entering the competitions – now you want to see your play produced. How do you go about it?

First things first – getting a play professionally produced is hard. Plays cost money and unless you've a track record as a successful writer why should a theatre company risk its limited resources on you? But how do you get a track record if no one will take the first risk? Welcome to the world of the playwright.

There are several ways to have your work produced. Many writers get their first break by winning a competition which involves a professional production as part of the prize. But you also can begin with community theatre, amateur theatre companies and profit share.

COMMUNITY THEATRE

Many community drama groups are producing good quality drama, are looking for new writers and have the ability to take the financial risks involved. Go out and find which community groups are interested in drama – introduce yourself – convince them that they should be doing your play. You are quite likely to end up pitching in as an actor, director, make up artist or set builder as well, but finding out how plays actually happen is very good experience. Apart from the quality of many productions in themselves, community theatre can offer you:

Access to an audience and a section of society which may otherwise feel intimidated and alienated by conventional theatre.

A greater freedom to experiment with your work away from the financial pressures and contractual constraints of a professional project.

A relaxed and supportive environment in which to cut your dramatic teeth – away from the critical gaze of the professional community.

On the down side, your budget is almost certainly going to be tiny, and you would be lucky indeed if the community centre happens to have top rate actors, directors, technical staff and equipment lying around back stage (if there even is a stage). It's probably going to be a rough and ready affair – but if you understand that at the outset you could be in for a rewarding and strengthening experience.

AMATEUR COMPANIES

Many of the same good and bad points apply to amateur theatre companies. The main difference between the two is probably that many amateur companies tend to stick to mainstream plays – either because of the taste of the membership or, more generally, in an attempt to sell enough tickets to pay the rent/lease on the theatre.

Some will consider new pieces however: The People's Theatre in Newcastle, for example, offers a week's production of the winning new play in their People's Play Competition, whilst university drama societies and drama/performance courses may also be interested in producing your work.

You may find some amateur companies will have better resources and skills than community groups – some owning well equipped theatres for example – but as with community theatre you will almost certainly have to go to them and convince them of the value of your play.

PROFIT SHARE COMPANIES

Possibly the greatest proportion of new writing is produced initially by profit share companies. These are usually small, new companies or companies who have lost funding and as a result cannot afford to offer professional contracts and union rates. Instead, actors, writer, director and others involved share a percentage of any profits made by the show (the emphasis is firmly on the "any").

You are highly unlikely to make money in a profit share. On the up-side, profit share companies can contain extremely professional, highly skilled and highly committed individuals, who often are interested in new work and are able to offer the writer a potentially nurturing and creative relationship. Many companies begin as profit-shares then go on to receive funding. Writer/company relationships can be forged in profit-share and continued into a full commissioning process.

YOUNG PEOPLE’S THEATRE

Specialised companies well worth considering are those theatre companies dedicated to producing for children and young people. Many such companies are interested in new writing. As with other companies, contact by phone or letter first and find out exactly what kind of work they are looking for.

APPROACHING A COMPANY

SENDING IN AN UNSOLICITED SCRIPT

First things first – get ready for rejection. It's horrible and it's demoralising but it's going to happen unless you are extremely lucky, and the only consolation is that it happens to every writer. Learn to live with it. Many theatre companies receive hundreds, sometimes thousands, of unsolicited scripts every year. The chances of getting your script to a person who likes it enough to spend hard cash on it are slim.

But – companies do read the scripts – and if it is good enough, in the end it will be noticed. It's probably more likely that the company will express an interest in your work and ask to see something else or even discuss the possibility of a new project. It's rare for an unsolicited script to be accepted for production. The trick is to maximise your chances and this depends upon targeting your companies accurately. Try to find out what kind of work they are interested in/committed to and only send your play if it fits these criteria – otherwise you are going to be wasting your time (not to mention stamps).

Remember it's perfectly acceptable to send the same play to a number of different companies – as long as you have not made a formal agreement concerning the play with one particular company.

Always include a covering letter and SAE for your script's return. If you think it will help, include a CV.

If your play is rejected this does not necessarily mean it is not good. It could be it did not fit the particular house style of the company – or that there were technical difficulties in the staging or simply that it was not to the particular taste of the reader (it is impossible to avoid an element of subjectivity in these matters). Remember most theatre companies only put on one or two new plays per year – if that.

Some companies offer a written report on your play which can be enormously helpful – though you may be asked to pay for this service.

Finally, remember that you may have to wait several months before you hear anything at all. Don't get irate – the company is quite likely to be working its way through a mountain of scripts. If more than three months pass, ring or write to ask politely what's going on.

While there are many companies who welcome unsolicited scripts, not all do and it's best to check first. Here are a few companies who do accept scripts – you'll find more in The Writers’ Handbook or in New Playwright's Trust guide (ring them on 020 7284 2818 to get hold of a copy) to outlets for unsolicited work:

REGIONAL COMPANIES (NORTH EAST)

Live Theatre – 7-8 Trinity Chare, Newcastle on Tyne, NE1 3DF, tel: 0191 261 2694, website: www.live.org.uk.
"Aims to produce accessible high quality theatrical productions, primarily in the Arts Council England North East region, particularly for those audiences currently alienated from traditional theatre." Jeremy Herrin (email: jeremy@live.org.uk) is the Associate Director – New Writing at Live and he will read unsolicited scripts and provide feedback. As you can imagine, Live Theatre does receive a lot of scripts – so be patient.

Northern Stage – Newcastle Playhouse, Barras Bridge, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 7RH, tel: 0191 232 3366, website: www.northernstage.com.
Major regional repertory company, building-based with occasional touring, education and outreach programme. All scripts are read, and if considered suitable are passed on to the relevant director. But – it's best to phone in advance, and bear in mind that Northern Stage plan far in advance.

NTC Touring Theatre Company – The Playhouse, Bondgate Without, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 1PQ, tel: 01665 602586, website: www.ntc-touringtheatre.co.uk.
Professional small-scale touring theatre company which aims to provide "touring theatre of the highest quality, particularly to theatre-less zones in predominantly rural areas... work which is genuinely accessible and relevant to it's audience .." NTC welcomes unsolicited scripts – all of which will be read – though very few will be taken on into production. You may have to wait up to six months for a reply.

Quondam Theatre Company – Tel: 01768 864 513.
Produce "accessible new plays for general audience, from a touring theatre company devoted exclusively to new writing". Quondam is interested in new writing but you should ring first to discuss your ideas before sending a script.

Bruvvers Theatre Company – Ouseburn Warehouse Workshops, 36 Lime Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 2PN, tel: 0191 261 9230.
"Touring company specialising in family shows and young people's theatre work. 3-5 productions per annum." Writers should familiarise themselves with the Bruvvers style of work before contacting the company about sending in a script.

NATIONAL THEATRE COMPANIES

The Bush Theatre – Shepherds Bush Green, London, W12 8QD, tel: 020 7602 3703, website: www.bushtheatre.co.uk.
The Bush is a major producer of new writing from around the country. It is a studio-sized space situated above a pub in Shepherds Bush. For submission details, see the information for writers section on the Bush's website. Literary Manager: Nicola Wilson.

Finborough Theatre – 118 Finborough Rd, London, SW10 9ED, tel: 020 7244 7439, website: http://finboroughtheatre.itgo.com.
One of the major pub theatres in London. Ring for submission details. Artistic director: Neil McPherson.

Hampstead Theatre – Swiss Cottage Centre, 98 Avenue Rd, London, NW3 3EX, tel: 020 7722 9301, website: www.hampsteadtheatre.com.
A medium scale producer of a range of new work from across the country. See the Writing section of the theatre's website for information about its submissions policy. Associate Director (Literary): Frances Stirk.

The National Theatre and National Theatre Studio – Upper Ground, South Bank, London, SE1 9PX, tel: 020 7452 3333, website: www.nt-online.org.
The National Theatre premieres new work by established and new writers. The National Studio works in a more organic way to develop a range of writers and productions. In the first instance scripts should be sent to the Scripts Department.

Paines Plough Theatre Company – 4th Floor, 43 Aldwych, London, NW5 3NQ, tel: 020 7240 4533, website: www.painesplough.com.
As well as touring new plays nationally, Paines Plough works with writers to develop their skills and voices through courses and workshops. Literary Associate: Lucy Morrison.

Royal Court Theatre – St Martin's Lane, London, WC2N 4BG, tel: 020 7565 5050, website: www.royalcourttheatre.com.
Perhaps the most famous producer of new writing in London. The Court has both a studio space and a large scale space (upstairs and downstairs respectively) and they operate extensive writer development programmes. Submission guidelines are on the website. Literary Manager: Graham Whybrow.

Soho Theatre Company – 21 Dean St, London, W1V 6NE, tel: 020 7287 5060, website: www.sohotheatre.com.
Offers a free script-reading service, workshops and readings plus many courses for new writers. Scripts should be sent with an SAE to the Literary Officer.

Nottingham Playhouse – Wellington Circus, Nottingham, NG1 5AF, tel: 0115 941 9419, website: www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk. Artistic Director: Giles Croft.

West Yorkshire Playhouse – Quarry Hill Mount, Leeds, LS9 8AW, tel: 0113 213 7800, website: www.wyplayhouse.com.
Committed to producing new writing and also does readings and workshops of new plays. Has a script reading service. Ring or write before sending a script. See the New Writing section of the website for more details. Literary Manager: Alex Chisholm.

Birmingham Repertory Theatre – Broad Street, Birmingham, B1 2EP, tel: 0121 245 2000, website: www.birmingham-rep.co.uk.
Literary Officer: Caroline Jester.

Traverse Theatre – Cambridge Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2ED, tel: 0131 2283 223, website: www.traverse.co.uk.
Address scripts to Neil Coull, Literary Assistant.

CHILDREN’S THEATRE COMPANIES

Cleveland Theatre Company – Arts Centre, Vane Terrace, Darlington, DL3 7AX, tel: 01325 352 004, website: www.ctctheatre.org.uk.
Artistic Director: Paul Harman.

Unicorn Theatre – St Mark’s Studios, Chillingworth Road, London, N7 8QJ, tel: 020 7700 0702, website: www.unicorntheatre.com.
Literary Manager: Carl Miller.

THE COMMISSIONING PROCESS

Getting commissioned means a theatre company pays you to write a new play specifically for them. A company will only do this with a writer whose work they know and respect and it can take time to build up this relationship. If a company is interested make sure you want to work with them, and that you value and respect their work. For the commission to succeed, both sides must trust each other. If you are not entirely sure about the relationship then don't waste your time or theirs.

If you do get commissioned it will probably take somewhere in the region of a year from the signing of the contract to the first night of the play. Some companies may want a treatment at an early stage – this should be one or two pages of A4 with a synopsis of plot, main themes and characters outlined.

When this is agreed the writer will be expected to produce a first draft, which will be shown to the director, and then following drafts until the final draft – with which the company will begin rehearsals. Companies work in different ways to develop scripts and you may be offered readings and workshops to explore and develop the play as it moves along.

It's not over yet – you will almost certainly be expected to make further changes throughout the rehearsal process until you have the final script which will be performed on the opening night. Don't feel offended at any suggestions of re-writing made by the director. It is virtually unheard of for a play to be performed as it was first written and the re-writing process is as important in the creation of a strong piece as the initial draft.

It is very important to maintain close contact with the company and the director throughout the commissioning process – make sure both sides are happy with the way things are going – and that the company are up to date with any problems you may be encountering. The key to a happy commission for both sides is good communication.

When the play goes into rehearsal the writer can find themselves in a slightly awkward position. You have every right to attend as many rehearsals as you wish, but the best policy is to agree upon your role with the director in advance. When in rehearsals resist the temptation to give notes directly to the cast – try to voice your opinions and suggestions through the director. Generally speaking, it's best to takes notes in rehearsals and discuss them with the director afterwards.

CONTRACTS AND RIGHTS

You should sign a contract at the beginning of this process – make sure you know the contract thoroughly and that both sides agree before signing. Some theatre companies will have an in-house contract but it should still run in accordance with one of the union contracts. If you have any doubts look at the Independent Theatre Council website: you will find details on the site of rates of pay and the range of useful guides produced by the ITC, including A Practical Guide for Writers and Companies.

Most contracts will offer a staggered system of payment – one half of the total fee paid on signing the contract, followed by one quarter on delivery of the first draft and the final quarter on the company's decision to produce the play (ie, not payable if the company decides not to produce the piece).

Finally, even if commissioned and bought by a theatre company, the play remains your property. With the signing of the contract you licence the company to use the script. With the completion of the contract all rights return to you. As the author of the play you automatically own the copyright of your work. You may want to display the international copyright symbol (©) on your script along with the date of creation and the wording "All Rights Reserved". You may wish to defend yourself further by depositing your script in a bank deposit box, or sending the script by registered post to yourself and not opening it. In this way if a dispute over ownership goes to court you have proof of the date on which you wrote your script.

Peter Straughan, 1999 (updated 2004)

Peter’s stage plays include A Rhyme for Orange (Winner of the 1997 People’s Play Award), Bones (which was premiered to much acclaim at Live Theatre in 1999) and Noir in 2002 (a co-production between Northern Stage and Live Theatre in Newcastle). His short fiction has won several awards and been selected for inclusion in the British Council’s New Writing Seven anthology. He has been awarded the CP Taylor Playwright Award and the BBC Alfred Bradley Radio Bursary and is currently working on projects for Radio 3 and 4 as well as a feature film for Contagious Films.