Michelle Sewell writes
about INK and the free playwriting workshops which she will be offering as part
of this fabulous Festival:
"As a playwright based in
East Anglia, the opportunities to develop and share work are
somewhat… well… dull… compared to the spotlight promised by London... although that
comes with quite a hefty price tag! Which is why opportunities to see and be
part of new writing festivals in East Anglia are so valuable. INK Festival,
based at The Cut Theatre, Halesworth, is one such event that inspires audiences
to come see professional emerging writers, directors and actors create new
work.
The Festival itself is
led by a determined team. Emma Struthers, the Festival director, and Julia
Sowerbutts, the Artistic Director, are two kick-ass women who form part of a
team which has created this Arts Council Funded event with their own set of awards
and further development and networking opportunities for artists in the region.
The INK Festival is dedicated to promoting new work in the East Anglian region.
Fifteen short plays will be performed, numerous short films will be screened,
there will be poetry, music, talks and workshops led over a weekend- all
dedicated to the notion that theatre is alive and well in East Anglia and we
need not look so far to London for a little light in our aspirations to be on
the stage.
 |
| Michelle Sewell |
Last year, my play,
Write Into A War, was performed at the INK Festival. It was such an incredible
opportunity to see my play performed in front of a full house. This experience
led me on to be a writer on attachment with Arcola Theatre, Menagerie Theatre and
the North Wall. It inspired me to write plays that have been on in festivals
around the UK, such as my play, The Tinder Game, which has been published and
performed at The Hotbed Festival and is currently in development for a tour to
Edinburgh Fringe Festival. My play that will be performed at INK this year is
Border Control. It’s a post-dramatic performance that scrutinises a
relationship from the point of view of workers at the UK Border
Authority.
For two days of the
Festival, I’m proud to be hosting a series of free creative writing workshops.
They have been designed especially for INK; where professional and aspiring
writers- or even those who just love to write- can come and share a bit of what
they know and learn a bit from others and hopefully gain a little bit of craft
from myself. I’m currently a script reader for Theatre 503 in London and so I
hope to share a little knowledge from the point of view of a writer and reader
for a professional theatre and share tips on how to get past the first entry
gate and get your script on the stage!
Playwriting can be such
a lonely and difficult art form, and it’s a form that requires the assistance
of others to bring it to life. INK Festival is being led by some truly
inspiring women in East Anglia who are paving the way to a brighter future for
theatre in the region."
Come along to watch new
performances by artists in East Anglia:
Where? The Cut Theatre, Halesworth
When? 8th-10th April; 11am-9.30pm
More Info? http://inkfestival.org
No comments:
Post a Comment