I'm excited to say that there have been lots of enquiries from lots of people who haven't been involved in Development Week before, asking for more details. So I thought I'd address some of those FAQs in a blog.
First and foremost - anyone can get involved in Development Week, regardless of track record. If this is your first ever piece of work - great; this is exactly the right place for you to try your work out before you take it to the next stage. You'll get feedback from the audience to help with your next draft, you'll meet loads of people who can help you take it to the next stage and you'll have good fun your event together AND (most importantly) your work will have progressed from the page and into the real world, making re-drafting much easier. If you're an established playwright or practitioner - great; for exactly the same reasons.
Development Week runs from Mon 20th - 26th Feb. Most events are in the Studio at The Kings Arms Theatre, 11 Bloom St, Salford M3 6AN.
I'm keen to open up the week to varying art-forms - we've had loads of rehearsed reading of plays (which is our essential bread and butter at WriteForTheStage) but we haven't had that much by way of stand-up comedy, performance poetry, film or other movement based forms. If that's your thing, let me know. Our space is limited, but I'm sure we could sort something out.
Everyone gets an hour to share their work. You can't go over the hour (unless with prior agreement) as the timetable is tightly packed. There is no charge for being part of the timetable. The event is supported by Arts Council England, but our budget doesn't extend beyond the basic organisation of the event, unfortunately. Most events are free to attend, but there is a donations bucket at the door for audience to contribute what they want. 50% of donations go to the visiting company, the other 50% goes to The Kings Arms Theatre to help with electricity / heating etc for the event as they give us the space for free and we think it's only fair that we contribute something back.
Most events take place in the Studio at The Kings Arms Theatre. It's an intimate space with minimal tech. These are the basic guidelines -
1. Tell us you want to put on a reading / performance of your script. Rehearsed readings work particularly well and they're much easier to put together.
2. Technical requirements (lights / sound etc) MUST be a bare minimum to zero. If you need complicated tech for your show, you need to provide a technician who knows your play, as get-in / get-out time will be very short.
3. You'll need to cast it, direct it and produce it.
4. Plug your performance like mad.
5. Don't pull out once it's been advertised.
Once you've told us you want to be involved, we'll allocate you a slot and then the rest is up to you. Your audience will be given a feedback form that they can fill in at the end of your performance and that feedback goes directly to you - we'll make a copy of it for our records and for ACE evaluation purposes.
In past Development Weeks we've had open rehearsals (the audience are invited to watch a rehearsal of a piece), script in hand performances, rehearsed readings, stand-up comedy, live radio plays... We haven't had much music (bear in mind tech, though - so this is suited much more towards the intimate) or storytelling. We're also happy to show films. We're prepared to go for the wild and wacky. It's up to you - you suggest it and as long as it's possible, we'll go with it.
For timetabling purposes, the deadline for inclusion in the timetable is Friday January 13th.
If you're interested in getting involved, but not sure you have the people to help you put it together, we might be able to help connect you with people who can. Alternatively, come along to Development Week and meet people - the crowd is friendly and open and, in the words of the late, great Anthony Wilson -
This is totally our ethos. Use Development Week how you will - it's a great place to meet your producer, your director, your actors, your writers - whatever you want it to be, we'll help you do it (technicality allowing!)
If you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
For more information about Studio Salford, click here.
