The power of collective strength

Google searches for ‘how can I join a union’ went up by 500 per cent at the end of June, driven by coverage of the rail strikes and by the growing number of planned industrial disputes fuelled by the cost-of-living crisis. My short play for GEM OF A PLACE – about women penmakers being urged

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

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.

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.

Too many crumbs

When we started discussing Power of Invention, I knew I wanted to write a female character but as the Lunar Society didn’t allow women to join, or even take part in their meetings, I knew it was probably going to be a tough call. I then read about 18th century scientist LADY CATHERINE WRIGHT who’d

Itchy feet

I’ve been going around the loop. The Loop being a circular walk in the village where I live. And it’s great. Honest, it is. There’s cows and ducks and geese to look out for. And an old phone box which has been requisitioned as a book swap so you can even pick up some reading

Digging up the past

I recently rediscovered a picture of my teenage self. On the front cover of an old archaeology textbook. I’ve been asked to write a piece for a project on ‘voices from the past,’ hence my search for the battered copy I knew I still had somewhere on a bookshelf. I spent several summers on a

Not so dry January

I’m totally rubbish at New Year resolutions. I was one of those children who’d ask for a diary for Christmas and would have abandoned keeping a journal by the time we went back to school. I do, however, usually manage ‘dry January’ (or, as it’s known around our house, ‘almost dry January’) but, like a