From 2010…

The Jack Studio has been home to the Jack Writers’ Workshop.

The Jack Writers’ Workshop is a dynamic hub for emerging contemporary theatre writing in southeast London. The group meets at the Jack Studio Theatre on Monday evenings, (7.30 pm – 9.30 pm). Workshops are led by the theatre’s Literary Manager and playwright, David Bottomley.

The course offers 8 sessions, which run over a four-month period. This is an annual workshop programme that is open to playwrights of all experiences.

The course is for writers interested in finding out more about the art of playwriting, providing tools to enable those wanting to start or to develop their own scripts. The workshops will cover different aspects of writing, and you’ll get a chance to hear your work read by professional actors, and get feedback from the group.

For details of our next season, please check back in with us. 

Workshop Programme

There will be 12 places only available on the Jack Writers’ Workshop. We are seeking writers with a strong commitment to attend every session. Please note that places are limited, and allocated on a first-come basis.

The next workshop dates are to be confirmed.

Course cost: £100, £70 conc. (Concessionary rate applies to full-time students, over 65s, and registered unwaged.)
We will also be offering two full bursary places.

Booking

As this is a course run in-person at the Jack, we are not taking bookings at the moment. We will let you know when the workshop can start again.

Session Outline

  1. Platform. What makes powerful new stage writing? A chance to get to know the group members through their personal idea of stage craft and influences in an informal debate.
  2. Synopsis Surgery. Chance to pitch, test drive and hone a blue print for a new or existing play, in order to help shape and develop the theme and story you wish to write.
  3. Character Building. Where do we find our characters? How do they inform and shape the drama?
  4. Improvising Scenes. How scenes work. A chance for writers to experience the building blocks of scenes through the art of improvisation.
  5. Generating Material. Starting scenarios. This is an opportunity to test-drive part of your script, and receive feedback from the group.
  6. Sense of Structure. How to structure a piece of dramatic writing. This session is also an opportunity to consider redrafting and editing your work so far.
  7. Performance & Feedback with actors reading your scripts. A great opportunity to hear readings from your texts by professional actors, and receive immediate feedback for future revision.
  8. Performance & Feedback session 2

The London Womens Writers’ Group

The Jack also provides a space to the London Womens Writers’ Group.

The group is a friendly, free, supportive network of creatives including but not limited to writers, directors, producers, actors and artistic directors. We meet bi-monthly at the  Jack Studio Theatre to share new writing and give positive and constructive feedback.  All genders (and non binary) are welcome however the emphasis is on supporting the voice of women, reflecting the diversity of London and helping women’s stories to be heard.

Our experience is for words for the stage but we’d love to hear everything from first novel ideas to musicals! Please bring no more than 10 minutes for each piece and we will share as many as we can time allowing. We particularly would like to hear from women performers for unrehearsed readings on the night and to share feedback with all. We aim to stage one piece from each meet up at a performance of Scratch at The Jack.

You can find us on Twitter as @LadyWritersLDN, our website https://ladywritersldn.wordpress.com/ and our lively Facebook group with over 100 members https://www.facebook.com/groups/286291038228575/

Serena Haywood – Playwright, Producer of Scratch at the Jack, co-founder of The London Scratch Network, Literary Director The Pensive Federation.