For Writers

By Writers

Rome wasn¹t built in a day, and neither was any good playwright Both the beginner and more advanced playwright can benefit from Writing for Theatre, a series of courses taking place at the Chelsea Theatre this Autumn.

Level 1 is a ten-week foundation course foundation course that teaches the fundamentals of playwriting. The course teaches not only the creative use of language, but also provides insights into contemporary theatre practice which will result in the students writing a short one-act play.

Level 2 students will produce a skeleton first draft of a full-length play and will benefit from one-to-one guidance from the course tutor. Enrolement in Level 2 is consequently by application only. All applications for this particular course must be recieved by 8 October 2001.

Writing for Theatre (Level 1) taught by Liz Ingrams who has worked as a dramaturg for theatres such as The National, Soho Theatre and The Gate as well as a tutor for Shared Experience Theatre Company and WTC. The course will run on Monday evenings 7.30-9.30 pm from 15 October to 17 December 2001. It is open to playwrights of all backgrounds, ages and levels of experience and admission is on a first come, first served basis. Level 2, taught by Tony Craze (playwright, Theatre Writing Associate for London Arts and former Artistic Director of the Soho Poly Theatre), will run Sundays 12-2.30 pm for eleven weeks beginning 14 October 2001.

All courses will be held at the Chelsea Theatre, World¹s End Place, King¹s Road, London SW10 and cost £175 (fees are non-refundable).
For further details, call 020 7352 1967.

As a result of its recent successes, the Chelsea Theatre has expanded its current range of study programmes by introducing the following Theatre courses. Over a period of eight weeks we hope that our students, by analysing key texts in performance, will develop a greater understanding and enjoyment of theatre as well as acknowledging that studying can be fun!

1) Write Now... The Role of the Playwright in the 21st Century
This course centres around the current position of contemporary writing for theatre. Do we see a positive future in store for playwrights? Are theatre venues, companies and audiences supporting their work? What ideas, issues and topics excite today¹s writers? By discussing the texts of the past few years, from authors such as Ravenhill and Kane, this course aims to provide an answer. Write Now will meet on Wednesdays (7.30-9.30pm) beginning 24 October 2001.

2) Lets Talk About Sex ... The Representation of the Family in Drama
What is parenthood and who can claim the right to be a parent? In the light of social and medical developments have our attitudes towards gender and sexuality led to the destruction of the nuclear family? From Ibsen and Strindberg to Churchill and Lochhead, this course explores the issues of sex and sexuality, gender and the presentation of the family within theatre, through performance texts and also subsequent productions. This course will run on Thursdays (7.30-9.30 pm) from 25 October 2001.

Both courses will be taught by Margaret Metcalf, formerly lecturer in Theatre Studies at the University of North London. They are open to students of all backgrounds, ages, and levels of experience and will be held at the Chelsea Theatre, World¹s End Place, King¹s Road, London SW10.
The cost for each course is £95 (fees are non-refundable).
For further details, call 020 7352 1967.