Act New Plays New Playwrights : Staged Readings

About

New plays from students of ACT'sIntroduction To Playwriting Course.

Each student on the course has created an original play, and will present a 20-minute extract performed script-in-hand by professional actors. This is a fantastic opportunity to see brand-new writing come to life on stage for the very first time.

The pieces will be performed over two nights - here are the listings:

15th FEBRUARY

Duckling by Michael Bucke
1857, Hans Christian Andersen arrives in England to stay with his hero Charles Dickens. Five weeks later, he hasn't left.
That's How It Is by Ivan Peron
A long time ago in a medieval city few characters want more and their lives get entangled.
Big Cats by Heather Lindsley
Charlotte and John could be a perfect matchif it werent for the cats.
Running up a Hill on a Random Friday by Seyva Bonin-Brigginshaw
The party's over, and from her cocoon Hera listens in on a collage of other people's lives, until suddenly out of the blue, she finds herself awake.
My Sweet Robot Love by Karen Braysher

22nd FEBRUARY

Prisoner No 7 by Martin Quigley
Deputy Fuhrer Rudolph Hess has been held in captivity for 4 years following his surprise journey to Britain in May 1941.
As the Nuremberg trials approach, is Hess mentally fit to stand trial or has he lost his sanity?
Bounded in a Nutshell by Graham Lee
A love story haunted by a voice, a choice, and the moment when thinking arrives too late.
Resolutions by Stamati Crook
A mature couple are welcoming in the New Year together at home when an old flame comes calling.
Whenever, Wherever, However I See you by Anna Sloan
For Whom the Wedding Bells Toll by Ava Aubrey Conboy

The course is taught and directed by Mark Burgess, offering students the chance to develop their work under the guidance of an experienced playwright and theatre-maker.

Enrolment is now open for our next Introduction to Playwriting , with new Course Leader, Nick Myles . Click here for more information:ACT Playwriting Course [https://www.actbrighton.org/introduction-to-playwriting] No prior experience is neededjust a passion for theatre and a curiosity about writing for the stage. Whether you're a complete beginner, a new playwright finding your voice, or a writer from another medium looking to explore playwriting, this course is designed to support and inspire you.

Watch out for details of our new Intermediate Playwriting course, led by Mark Burgess from September andFRINGE WRITES, an exciting, innovative course taking first time playwrights through the whole process of taking their work to Brighton Fringe, running from November 2026 to May 2027.