Admitting we’re only human after all

I’ve just come back from a restorative trip to Greece. Sun, sea, sand… yes and storms, wind and rain. It was too cold for the beach in the first week so I went on walks in the hills and gorges. This period away was intended to allow me time to stop. To get off the

The purpose of purpose

We’ve all sat in groups or meetings, or even down the pub, with a fixed-on smile while we quietly wonder why we bothered showing up.  (Be honest, it’s not just me.) You have nothing useful to say on the subject, or no-one listens to you –  either way, it’s a waste of your precious time

On retreat

I’ve been to the seaside. To the stunning Welsh coast. Yes, it was cold and wet and windy at times, but we had some sunshine too. And it was wonderful. I was with a group of writer friends. A week in a rented house by the sea. Each day spent writing, with breaks to walk

Description prescription

I write prose as well as drama.  Writing is difficult.  Going from writing drama to prose is difficult in its own peculiar way.  For years I’ve been receiving feedback on my (lack of) description from other prose writers.  I’ve been writing for long enough to know how vital it is to get input from gifted, experienced writers.  I’m lucky to

Open Door at The REP

In 2013, BOLDtext Playwrights initiated discussions with Birmingham REP about presenting New Writing nights, and the OPEN DOOR initiative emerged. We pioneered it by presenting eight individual pieces of work-in-progress to a growing regional audience hungry for new work that reflected their lives. Click ‘continue reading’ or scroll down for older posts about the shows.

Power of Invention

Lockdown and the closure of Birmingham museums meant a nine month postponement for this site-specific production about Matthew Boulton’s ground-breaking Lunar Society. We reconfigured the show as an outdoor production in the gardens of Soho House in Birmingham, to make it covid secure.  Click ‘continue reading’ or scroll down for older posts about the show.

Bolder, Better, Brilliant

We’ve come a long way since we started in 2014. Beginning in The DOOR at the Birmingham Rep, we’ve burst out onto the streets of Digbeth, into the garden of a mansion, and even taken over a jail. We figured it’s about time we wrote down what it is we do. Read our manifesto below.

Follow Me

In summer 2019 it was anounced that the Birmingham Weekender would be going ahead. Planned for the beginning of October, it left us with less than three months to devise, pitch, and produce a show for the festival. To find out what we came up with click ‘continue reading’ or scroll down for older posts.

Behind Bars: Ghosts of the Lock-Up

Our first site-specific production, Behind Bars took place within the walls of a 130 year-old Victorian prison. Kicking off with nine performances in October 2018, the show’s notoriety got it sent back to the clink for a further twelve performances the following year. Click ‘continue reading’ or scroll down for older posts about the show.

Other writers – your competitors?

There’s strength in numbers in a writing group – West Midlands playwrights collaborating rather than competing