Live Writes Winter
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 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.
The four scripts chosen for Live Writes Winter are:
Gap Widow
By Georgia Nicholson
Directed by Emma Roxburgh
Cast - Sammy Dobson
Red lipstick. Eight legs. A cigarette. From the remains of Sycamore Gap, a sharp-tongued Geordie spider bears witness: humans are the real pests, and nature is running out of patience.
The Keen
By Carmen Marcus
Directed by Danny Raynor
Cast - Ruby Allen, Luke Maddison, Patrick Kelly & Danny Raynor
Malin Head, Ireland, 1989, and Joseph Doherty’s wake is on its thirteenth day at the Crossroads Inn. The party can’t stop till Joseph’s soul crosses over, and that can’t happen until Maeve, 23, the last and worst keening woman in Ireland can get her song back. To make matters worse, word has reached the Diocese of Raphoe, and they plan to send rogue convert from Middlesbrough, Father Michael Flynn, 27, up to Malin Head to put an end to the fun and keening with the firm hand of God. Michael’s arrival inspires faith in some and suspicion in others. When Michael and Maeve meet the spark of discord between begins a battle for the souls of the village. But with a queue of souls waiting to cross over, they must work together. Guided by Maeve and the ghosts, Michael discovers a hidden world that the seminary failed to tell him about. Maeve and Michael find more than common ground in their fight for souls - they find each other’s loneliness and doubts, a way to heal and a most unexpected and forbidden love. Keen challenges our idea of death as an event by showing the process of letting go.
Spare Room
By Ellie Carroll & Lucas Heap
Directed by Jemma Martin
Cast - Kieron Michael & Rebecca Glendenning-Laycock
Hannah and Will, two feckless University students and best friends, are faced with a dilemma when their housemate suddenly moves out. They desperately embark on the hunt for a replacement, and they’re hoping you will be a worthy candidate. In an attempt to be open and transparent, they provide a (mostly accurate) re-telling of the events leading up to their housemate’s departure. Expect a series of lies, mishaps and embarrassments. But they didn’t do anything wrong… we promise!
Chopstick Dance!
By Emily Low
Directed by Emily Swaddle
Cast - Emma Mai-Yun
Caitlyn is having an enjoyably awkward time at her dad's funeral - chatting to Chinese aunties and hanging out with glamorous Malaysian gangsters. She's trying desperately to gloss over troubling childhood memories and focus on smiling her way through her dad’s extravagant final farewell. But she's soon forced to confront the dark side of kitsch funeral culture and what it really means to be able to use chopsticks properly…
Before Live Writes on Tue 17 Feb at 5 - 6.30pm join Box Of Tricks Joint Artistic Director, Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder for a PlayMakers Masterclass.
Pay What You Decide - Minimum £1
Page to Stage: The Writer in the Room
Hearing your words spoken aloud by an actor for the first time is both exciting and terrifying. The story that existed solely in your head is now out in the world. Collaboration is key to making theatre, but how do you move from flying solo to being part of a bigger creative team? Join Box of Tricks’ Joint Artistic Director Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder for a practical exploration of the playwright’s role in the development process and how you make the leap from page to stage.
Book your place at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/masterclass-the-writer-in-the-room-with-…
Creative Team
Georgia Nicholson - Writer of Gap Widow
Georgia Nicholson was born in South Shields and grew up in Prudhoe before training at The Academy of Live and Recorded Arts. Georgia is relatively new to writing and is thrilled to have the opportunity to try out new work at Live Theatre. Recently a sketch she wrote was a finalist in “Sketch for Sammy”- for The Sunday for Sammy Trust- who were incredibly supportive during her training. Performing credits include- Madame Bovary in The Massive Tragedy of Madame Bovary (Southwark Playhouse/ National Tour/ Minack Theatre) The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (Embankment), Inspector George Gently (BBC), Mother Goose (Cambridge Arts Theatre), Carrie’s War (Minack Theatre), LovePlay (Ha Hum Ah/Minack Theatre), Hetty Feather (Minack Theatre), Love Play (Minack Theatre), The Dolly Mixtures (Customs House) The Cinder Path (Ion Productions), Aladdin (Whitley Bay Playhouse), The Lambton Worm (Customs House), My Uncle Freddie (Customs House), Beauty and the Beast (Customs House), The End of the Line (Ink Jockey).
Emma Roxburgh - Director
Sammy Dobson - Cast
Carmen Marcus - Writer of The Keen
Carmen Marcus is a writer from Redcar. Daughter of a Yorkshire fisherman and Irish chef, her work weaves together the practical and the magical stories she grew up with as a child. Her debut novel HOW SAINTS DIE won New Writing North’s Northern Promise Award and her first draft play, AND THE EARTH OPENED UP UNDER HER won Faber’s New Play Award 2023. Since then Carmen has been working on a DYCP to explore lyrical storytelling for performance and KEEN has emerged from her deep dive into Irish storytelling obsessions and practices.
Danny Raynor - Director
Ruby Allen - Cast
Luke Maddison - Cast
Patrick Kelly (PK) - Cast
Ellie Carroll - Co-writer of Spare Room
Ellie Carroll is a writer, actor and improviser from the North of England, who recently graduated from BA Acting at Guildford School of Acting. She has performed with various theatre companies like UpYoursCo and Shakespeare’s Speakeasy, and credits during training include Maggie in “Dancing at Lughnasa” and Olga in “Three Sisters.”
As a writer, she has completed courses with Live Theatre and Papatango, and her short play “Pints” was performed at Live Theatre as part of their Your Voice North East season. Ellie loves exploring the line between comedy and drama in her work, and is currently developing a sitcom with her writing partner, Lucas Heap
Lucas Heap - Co-writer of Spare Room
Lucas Heap is an emerging Welsh actor, writer and comedian. Since graduating from the Guildford School of Acting in 2025, he has made an exciting start to his professional career, working with the likes of Dawn French and Taika Waititi. He is best known for his award-winning viral TikTok sketches, where he has amassed over 40,000 followers and 20 million views. Currently developing a brand new sit-com with his writing partner, Ellie Carroll, Lucas has a particular passion for comedy.
Jemma Martin - Director
Kieron Michael - Cast
Rebecca Glendenning-Laycock - Cast
Emily Low - Writer of Chopstick Dance!
Emily is a writer, performer and storyteller based in Newcastle. She was awarded the Channel 4 / New Writing North TV Award in 2024 for her comedy Lucky Cat! Emily spent last summer performing her children’s play inspired by The Magic Faraway Tree, and you’ll often find her clowning around with her friends at The Good Name Cabaret and Mr Funbles. She has been part of Live Playwriting with Live Theatre where she learnt lots from the wonderful folk here. Emily loves seeing people tell their unique stories and for her, it all started with a response play at Alphabetti Theatre!
Emily Swaddle - Director
Emma Mai-Yun - Cast
Panel
Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder - Joint Artistic Director at Box Of Tricks Theatre
Hannah trained at the University of York and Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Recent directing credits for Box of Tricks include: Danesha (Lowry and regional tour 2024); Winter Tales (Arden School of Theatre 2023); Last Quiz Night on Earth (urban/rural tour 2022); SparkPlug (national tour, shortlisted for Alfred Fagon Award 2018 and broadcast on Sky Arts 2021); Narvik (national tour, nominated Best New Play MTAs, winner Best New Play UK Theatre Awards 2017). Recent freelance directing credits include: God Save My Northern Soul (Park Theatre, London 2025); The War Bride of Mormon County (rehearsed reading at HOME 2024); FADE (The Lowry and Leeds Playhouse 2024); Macbeth (University of Staffordshire 2023).
Ed Cole - Artistic Director at Alphabetti Theatre
Ed is Artistic Director at Alphabetti Theatre in Newcastle, and co-founder of Middle Child Theatre in Hull. Ed trained at Drama Centre London, which included time spent working at the Shakespeare's Globe and the Vakhtangov Institute in Moscow. He is passionate about script work, authentic storytelling and new writing.
Laila Noble - Queer Director & Playwright
Laila Noble is a Queer Director and Playwright from Wales, based in Scotland. She was the Associate Artistic Director at A Play, A Pie and A Pint (PPP) until the beginning of the year and is now stepping into the role of Creative Director and CEO of the Ayr Gaiety. Directing credits include Gary McNair's 'Pinocchio' (Cumbernauld Theatre), Greg Hemphill's 'Poker Alice' (PPP), Róisín Sheridan Bryson's 'Lost Girls/At Bus Stops' (PPP) and the award-winning national tour of Alice Mary Cooper's 'The Bush'. Laila has directed stand up for Radio 4 and is a multi-award-winning writer. Recent writing includes 'Mererid and the Mallard' (The Tron), ‘Flick and Pie Go Fishing’ and 'Dungeons, Dragons and the Quest for D***' (PPP) as well as the award winning 'Y Dyn yn y Llong Danfor' (Perth, The Byre).
