Live Writes
“A North East that writes its own story and fights for a more creative future” - Live Theatre vision
What is Live Writes? …it’s a Scratch Night, with a twist.
Live Theatre’s brand new writing showcase and development event with all creative positions filled from Open Calls for North East based Writers, Directors and Actors. A whole host of opportunities for theatre creatives of all experiences to flourish in a safe and supportive space, with live feedback, networking and championing of the amazing artists of our region.
Live Writes is all about the words on the page, for writers to experience their work in progress up on its feet and have a panel of theatre experts share their thoughts to help develop their script and future craft going forwards.
Each Live Writes event will see a handful of writers chosen from an open submission window to have their work performed in a scratch setting in our main theatre space in front of a panel of industry experts and a full house audience. Rehearsals, tech and performances all happen over one wild day, with no set and minimal props and tech.
Directors and Actors for each piece will also be selected from open windows, getting to choose which script they would like to be considered for from the synopses and character breakdowns of the four pieces.
Not only that, our open calls take place 4 times a year, and are only open to artists based in the North East.
These are all paid opportunities with every creative receiving the same day fee of £150. For writers, this is intended as a rights fee to perform your work and not a commission fee.
We can’t wait to see your creativity hit our stage!
NO MORE MORRISSEY
Written by DANNY RAYNOR
Directed by KAREN TRAYNOR
Performed by EMILY ASH & DEBBIE HONEYWOOD
It's Jo's 50th birthday. Her daughter, Beth, has planned a big party for her but all Jo wants to do is drink neat gin and listen to Morrissey. She feels that her life has been one disappointment after another. Beth tries to convince her that she should have this party and that life isn't so bad. When Beth reveals that an old friend has travelled from Canada to see her Jo remembers who she used to be and that maybe life isn't so bad after all. Maybe she can have this party? Maybe she doesn't have to listen to Morrissey?
PARTITION PLAY
Written by AKSHAY SHARAN
Directed by JONLUKE MCKIE
Performed by MARYAM ALI, UMAR BUTT, CATHERINE DRYDEN & ANGELO IVIN
Hari witnesses his grandmother’s accident. Riddled with guilt he commits to a medical procedure he had been contemplating anyway. It is called partitioning. The doctor puts Hari through simulations which evoke his deepest fears and allow her to identify, pinpoint and separate the relevant neurons in his brain. Once she has partitioned them she inserts a chip and when Hari wakes up the next morning those parts of him have been healed. He feels better about his best friend, his half-sister and his partner but now he blames his father for what happened to his grandmother. Something went terribly wrong in his partitioning, so much so that he asks the police to release the boys involved in the accident and focus on his father. His dad is pushed to the limit and ends up hiring a lawyer to defend himself. This lawyer believes partitioning to be a scourge on our society and will pursue Hari’s father’s justice to ends of the world. What exactly happened in Hari’s simulations? And is this doctor with her “miracle magical medicine” of partitioning really that altruistic? Or is she someone else entirely that she hasn’t yet claimed to be?
CRUMBLING WALLS
Written by STEVE BYRON
Directed by DANI ARLINGTON
Performed by MICKY COCHRANE & COOPER MCDONOUGH
We are introduced to Charles "Charlie" Thorne, a gangland figure and his son Jamie. Charlie has dementia and is moving into a care home as he is becoming a risk to himself and others. This is set as Charlie is about to leave his family home with his son for the last time and explores his challenges, his past and his relationship with Jamie, their loving yet fractious and sometimes volatile relationship. A prologue to a longer piece currently in development.
HENNED IN
Written by HANNAH SOWERBY
Directed by LUCY CURRY
Performed by BECKY CLAYBURN, ISOBEL DONKIN, ERIN MULLEN & LAUREN PATTISON
All meek and mild bride to be Arabella wants to do is have a quiet hen do in a cosy cottage in Cumbria which was advertised as the “gateway to the lakes”. Sounds simple right? Turns out that “cosy” means tiny and “gateway to the lakes” means nowhere near a bloody lake. And as for quiet? Not if her raucous friends have anything to do with it. Soon enough decade long arguments start bubbling to the surface. Cue feuds over who should have been the maid of honour, saucy games that go way too far and a Ouija board session gone very wrong… And when the “hunky” stripper turns out not to be who he said he was and is actually someone they know… it all starts to get a bit, well, claustrophobic.
Prior to Live Writes, Box of Tricks is presenting a Playmakers Masterclass in our undercroft from 5pm.
For more information and to book a place use the link below.
Find Out More & Book Here
Creative Team
Karen Traynor - Director of No More Morrissey
Karen is an award-winning Scottish actor and theatre director, living in the North-East of England. Over the past 3 decades, she has worked extensively as an actor across theatre, radio and television with companies such as the RSC, The Young Vic, Northern Stage, BAC, The Lyceum Edinburgh, Hull Truck and Live Theatre. She has devised and collaborated on new writing & classic texts alike. Most recently Karen played the lead role in the Christmas production of ‘Blitzen on the Tyne’ here at Live Theatre. She can currently be seen in ‘Becoming a Karen’ on BBC THREE and BBC iPlayer. In recent years Karen has been inspired to direct through working with acclaimed theatre directors Erica Whyman, Rachel O’Riordan and Rebecca Frecknall. She was awarded the JMK Assistant Director Bursary in 2018 to work on 'A Christmas Carol' at Northern Stage and returned the following year with 'The Snow Queen'. She has worked extensively at Alphabetti Theatre, where she recently directed 'Tiny Fragments of Beautiful Light' to widespread critical acclaim (The Guardian ****, The Reviews Hub*****) and remounted a highly successful national tour, this year, supported by Arts Council England. As a director, her focus is predominantly in new writing, nurturing the director/writer relationship to create a truly connected experience for audiences.
Debbie Honeywood - Performer in No More Morrissey
Debbie Honeywood is an actress from Wallsend North Tyneside.She landed her first role in the Ken Loach movie 'Sorry We Missed You' in 2019 and won the Silver Hugo for best actress from #ChiFilmFest .Other roles include Responsible Child-2019 Birds-2021.The Old Oak-2022.The inheritance 2023.
Emily Ash - Performer in No More Morrissey
Emily is a native North East actor who trained at the Arden School Of Theatre. Recent credits include : A Christmas Carol (Northern Stage) Thank You For Visiting (Royal Exchange Studio) CC: Emily (Focus Features) Angela (Alphabetti Theatre).
Jonluke McKie - Director of Partition Play
Jonluke McKie is a multidisciplinary artist who's work spans illustrator, facilitator and theatre director. As a director he specialises in new writing, often working with writers from the earliest seed of an idea. His work is intimate, contemporary and unpretentious, often centring working-class and LGBTQIA+ issues.
Maryam Ali - Performer in Partition Play
Maryam is an actor and theatre maker based in the North East. She returned to acting last year after a career break, and has recently worked with November Club, Kitchen Zoo & Northern Stage, Theatre Space NE and Sounds Good Audiobooks. She was selected as a reaction artist by Alphabetti Theatre to create an original piece for their production of ‘My Name is Rachel Corrie.’ Maryam is currently developing her debut play ‘Voice Notes to my Mate’, and will R&D this project in October through ARC Stockton’s Make New Work programme.
Umar Butt - Performer in Partition Play
Catherine Dryden - Performer in Partition Play
RADA trained Catherine Dryden was born in County Durham. She began her acting career age three as part of Chester-Le-Street Theatre Group. Catherine is a passionate storyteller and singer and is a proud Geordie faithful to her roots. She was supported by the Sunday For Sammy Trust to complete her BA in Acting. Since graduating from RADA in 2017, Catherine has worked across the board in theatre, TV & radio. Theatre credits include: The Play That Goes Wrong (West End and UK National Tour); Mary Stuart (Almeida Theatre); The Pitmen Painters (UK National Tour) ; Wor Bella (Newcastle Theatre Royal) ; Seconds Away (Live Theatre) The Watch House (Papatango) TV credits include: Vera (ITV) and Traces (Red Productions) Film Credits include: Bank of Dave: The Sequel Radio credits include: Home Front (BBC Radio 4).
Angelo Ivin - Performer in Partition Play
Dani Arlington - Director of Crumbling Walls
Dani trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, London and also The HB Studio, New York. Dani recently made her West End and Broadway debut's playing Tessa in Suzie Miller's Olivier Award winning play PRIMA FACIE. Dani has also recently worked, as both an actor and director at Hampstead Theatre, New Diorama and The Finborough.
Micky Cochrane - Performer in Crumbling Walls
Cooper McDonough - Performer in Crumbling Walls
Lucy Curry - Director of Henned In
Lucy is a theatre director specialising in movement & intimacy. She's passionate about creating rehearsal rooms where everyone feels seen, supported, and empowered. She is the co-founder of Peachplant Productions, where she has co-written Whale of a Time and Subterranea, and solo written When All That’s Left for ARC Stockton. Her directing work includes co-directing Subterranea by Peachplant Productions, Cold at Alphabetti Theatre, Uterus Life for 4 New Plays, Act 1 Beginners at Greenhouse, and co-directing Pinball by Olivia Hannah. She has worked as Movement Director on Gerry & Sewell at Live Theatre and Theatre Royal. Her movement and intimacy credits include Artful Dodgers (National Theatre), Eastlake Productions, and Curious Monkey on various productions, as well as A is for Amy and Dogs on the Metro at Live Theatre. As a certified mindset and wellness coach, Lucy brings a person-first approach to every rehearsal room, blending creativity with care and collaboration. She’s currently thrilled to be directing at her first Live Writes, especially alongside such a brilliant team of women.
Becky Clayburn - Performer in Henned In
Becky is an actor/musician from the North East. Recent credits include Gerry and Sewell (Theatre Royal, Live Theatre), Tits Up (Laurels) and Doomgate (Laurels).
Isobel Donkin - Performer in Henned In
Isobel trained at The Manchester School of Theatre, her theatre credits include: Theatre: Pride and Prejudice Sort Of* (UK Tour 24/25), The Tempest (TSNE), Macbeth (TSNE), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (TSNE), The Secret Rapture (MST), Babies (MST), Vinegar Tom (MST)..
Erin Mullen - Performer in Henned In
Erin trained at Guildhall School of Music and Drama and since appeared in Midsomer Murders, feature film The Last Breath and Gerry & Sewell at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle.
Lauren Pattison - Performer in Henned In
Edinburgh Best Newcomer Nominee 2017 and Edinburgh Best Show Nominee 2022, Lauren is a comedian, actor and writer. As an actor her credits include Drunk History (Comedy Central), Where It Ends (BBC1), Jerk (BBC3) and Climaxed (BBC3). Bursting out of the North East and onto the international comedy circuit, Lauren has performed at numerous national and international festivals. As well as the prestigious Just For Laughs in Montreal ,she has performed at Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, New Zealand and Kilkenny International Comedy Festivals, and in Autumn 2017 she toured India for two weeks with Soho Theatre.
