Colchester-based Write Up Front have selected my script Absolutely Nothing for a reading event in either August or October!
Not sure yet whether this will be a staged performance or a rehearsed reading.
Author: planbsteve
Resident Writer, Dialect X/Lake 32. Bristol Old Vic Open Session writer, winner BBC Solent Radio Playwright competition. MA in Scriptwriting from Bath Spa University.
Salisbury Playhouse Original Drama – Endgame gets second reading
Just heard today that my one act play Endgame has been chosen for a second reading in the Salisbury Playhouse Original Drama project!
I’m not 100% sure whether the winner of the process gets their script performed or just considered for a commission for something brand new, but I’m still delighted to have made it through to the second stage.
Endgame is set at the end of the Trojan War, on the night following the death of Achilles, last of the great Heroes. The spirit of the late Iphiginiea (daughter of Agamemnon, sacrificed by her father in order to appease the Gods and get the Greek ships to Troy) appears in a dream and tempts Odysseus with a scheme involving a Wooden Horse to trick their way into Troy. But is Odysseus actually dreaming, or is Iphigineia’s scheme merely Odysseus’ cunning way of allowing himself to work out a truly dark plan? What really happened, what did Odysseus actually do to bring an end to the war?
Finders, Keepers now online!
After much time amending and tweaking the recording, I have now posted the final version of the piece online here.
Bread radio Workshop
To London last night, to the Actors Guild radio drama workshop at the Spotlight rooms, just off Leicester Square.
Jack Bowman of the Wireless Theatre Company led the read-through of ‘Bread’ and gave some very useful notes, more for the cast to use in their reading, but fascinating to hear from a writing viewpoint.
Lots of laughs, and the final plot twist entertained even the cast.
Finders, Keepers recording session 1 (28th October)
Into the studio last Monday to record Finders, Keepers for Corinium Radio.
I was very nervous beforehand, not having met all the cast yet, and not sure we would get everything done in the time available, but in the end all went extremely well. As with ‘See You Later, Elevator’ we rehearsed each scene briefly before recording it, and I had worked out a simple schedule sheet to keep track of which scenes needed which actors.
Corinium’s Cameron did a great job manning the recording desk and Liz was also on hand to laugh at the jokes!
The final scenes to be recorded on Saturday 9th November, and then I have to mix them in time for the broadcast on the 29th(?).
Bread runner up
Delighted to hear that my short radio play ‘Bread’ was a runner up in the Actors Guild Write Bites competition! The play will now get a reading/workshop in conjunction with the Wireless Theatre Company in London on 31st October 2013.
Slightly disappointed not to win, but it’s still a great opportunity to make contact with the Wireless Theatre Company, whose first commission for BBC R4 (Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk) was broadcast this month.
Bread Shortlisted!
Back in June I submitted an amended version of Breadmaker to the Write Bites competition, run by the Actors Guild in conjunction with the Wireless Theatre Company, and last week I heard that I had made the shortlist!
The winner gets their play recorded and broadcast later in the year, while 3 runners up will get their pieces workshopped.
Fairy Tale Ending published
New Edinburgh-based magazine Far Off Places published their inaugural issue this week, including my own short story, ‘Fairy Tale Ending’, which finally sees (online) print after 8 years!
Fairy Tale Ending
My short story Fairy Tale Ending will be published in the inaugural issue of Far Off Places, a brand new literary magazine based in Edinburgh.
It’s a dark, twisted retelling of a familiar fairy tale originally begun in 2005 – strange how a story only 250 words long can take to be completed.
MA in Scriptwriting
As of today, I am now officially a student again, having enrolled in the MA in Scriptwriting course at Bath Spa University. I am taking the 6 module course part time over two years, 3 modules this year (Dramatic Structure from now until Christmas) and 3 modules next. The course works through weekend workshops – 3 for every module – held at the Corsham Court campus (near Chippenham, seat of the Methuen family – a beautiful house, complete with roaming peacocks) where we have to read out what we’ve been writing and hear/give feedback on it.
There are 12 people on the course – although I am the only part-timer – and they all seem very bright and friendly and I am looking forward to working with them all. It will be good to have some targets, dates to aim for – it’s all to easy to drift when you’re writing for yourself, on your own.
Stephen Connolly Writer 