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!
NAILS
Written by AMY MAINS
Directed by LYDIA DAVIDSON
Performed by ABIGAIL LAWSON, ALEX TAHNEE & CHARLOTTE WRAITH
Ash, Beth and Clare have just lost their mam…and possibly the plot. The debts are rising, the bins are wrong, and their mother’s left a message that’s anything but peaceful. But these sisters aren’t just grieving normies - they’re ex-assassins with a very particular set of skills. Set in Bensham, this sharp, dark comedy asks: what happens when deadly women are forced to live ordinary lives… and then the past knocks at the door?
FAULT
Written by CARMEN CURRAN
Directed by SAMANTHA SANFORD
Performed by AMY FOLEY & CARMEN CURRAN
A fiercely independent and forthright woman has to navigate her way through three relationships - one past, one present and one future - amidst the fallout of revelations contained in her recently discovered adoption file. Using recorded voiceovers, live actors, a live singer/musician and on-screen graphics, this piece explores themes which include historic and contemporary racism, secrecy versus privacy, and the betrayal of moral values by those appointed and assumed to uphold and promote them.
THE SNIFF OF SISYPHUS
Written by JAMIE MORREN
Directed by LAURA LEE DALY
Performed by JOE BLAKEMORE, JACK FAIRLEY & DEAN LOGAN
Marnie, a working class Paediatric Nurse, is trying to enjoy her night off work. Her peace is interrupted by Gollum, an assistant Cocaine dealer and familiar face, and his new friend Jamie, who he has just met in a bar in town. They are looking for Gollum’s boss and Marnie’s landlord, Mister Pfister, to get more drugs and continue their night of debauchery in the comfort of Marnie’s house. Mister Pfister is, as usual, another unwanted visitor to Marnie’s house and her patience wears thin while Jamie, Gollum and Mister Pfister indulge in more and more drink and drugs throughout the night. This comes to a head when Jamie and Mister Pfister begin to differ in their views on art, class, life, sex, death, politics, and purpose, which leads to uncomfortable questions being asked and realities faced that could have a lasting impact on the relationships and way of life of all involved, and finally put to an end Mister Pfister’s reign of terror over all he looks down on.
LISTENBOURG
Written by WILL CHARLTON
Directed by DAVID ANTHONY THOMAS
Performed by LUCY DAVIS, ANGELO IVIN & ETHAN WALTON
Based on true events that were made up, ‘Listenbourg.’ the play centres around the fictional country that was created as the subject of an internet meme in October 2022. French Twitter user Gaspard Hoelscher shared a doctored map of Europe with a red arrow pointing to the outline of a pasted country adjacent to Portugal and Spain, and joked that Americans would not be able to name the country. The nonexistent nation went viral on social networks, with users expanding on the fictional history of the country and some major brands, national politicians, and official organisations playing along with the joke. But what if not everyone was in on the joke? Will Charlton’s play is a satirical take on social media, trolling and cyber abuse.
