This professional nine-month course covers every aspect of writing a play and asks a selected group of eight promising writers to write three plays, starting with a 15 minute play in the first term and moving towards a full-length play in the third. You might be a brand new writer, or someone who has written a great deal but has yet to break through fully on to the professional stage or radio – or you might have published and want to build up your skills as a playwright. The deadline for applications is 31 July 2018.
The weekly two-hour sessions will cover language, narrative, voice, character, dialogue, place, time and a range of other significant topics such as writing for different audiences or for radio. Unique to this course are the three Performance Days that take place in December, March and May – over three hours, each writer group sees 15-minute extracts of their plays performed by professional actors and then discussed with a live audience. Individual tutorials take place for each writer three times over the course of the year.
The classes run either in the afternoon or the early evening. Once the writer has chosen their slot, they will stay with the same group for the entire period. The group will be restricted to eight writers, ensuring close personal attention to each individual throughout the year.
Admission is by interview, plus an extended sample of the applicant’s written work.
John Retallack has written over twenty plays and adaptations for theatre and for radio. Amongst other nominations and awards, he has won three coveted TMA/SWET awards, two Herald Angels and one Fringe First, plus an Olwen Wymark Award, the Writers' Guild Of Great Britain's award for the encouragement of new writing. He has been a theatre director for over thirty years.
Course Dates 2019-2019: Course A and Course B follow an identical programme, but take place in different time-slots:
Course A Mondays 2 - 4pm 10 September, 2018 - 3 June, 2019
Course B Mondays 6.30 - 8.30pm 10 September, 2018 - 3 June, 2019
Location: Vincent’s Club Dining Room, 1A King Edward St, Oxford OX1 4HS (just off the High Street)
Course fee: £2,750 (for 80 hours)
Full details available here
The deadline for applications is 31 July 2018. Places fill up quickly, so early application is encouraged.
If you have any questions, please e-mail John at john@oxfordplaywriting.co.uk or ring him on 01865 709922.