Now in its fourth year, Emerging Writers’ Week continues to grow and diversify, driven by the wealth of new writing nurtured within the Chickenshed Writers’ Group. The week will showcase an array of new work as well as two longer pieces as cornerstones to the evening: Blackton Back in Action and The Devil's Music. Along with the programme in the Studio each night there will also be Offstage fringe events taking place in and around the building before and after the evening performance: readings of new plays, extracts of work in progress, sketch shows and more.
Audiences are set to enjoy fresh and energetic new writing that wears its heart on its sleeve during this informal, entertaining and inspiring week.
The Plays:
Blackton Back in Action
In a London invaded by stock characters from 1970s detective movies, we find Officer Jackie Blackton. He’s a cop who don't play by anyone's rules, especially the rules of a madman who’s trying to destroy Jackie's beloved city. Armed with his ‘fro and a handful of clichés, and haunted by nightmares of his father's disappearance, can this bad-ass brother save the city, get the girl and keep his flares immaculate? Only time will tell... Ya dig?
‘Conchies’
(or Conscientious Objector: a person who, because of principles of religious training or political or moral belief, is opposed to all war regardless of its cause.)
What fundamental belief defines you as a person? What resistance would you offer in order to uphold it? To what lengths would you go in order to defend your country?
Set during the Great War, strong opinions and passionate natures collide as the world rips itself apart. Is there a line you wouldn’t cross?
The Devil’s Music
‘The blues are the roots and the other musics are the fruits.’ Willie Dixon
In 1938, legendary blues guitarist Robert Johnson was mysteriously poisoned in a Mississippi bar room. In 1964, his mentor and great bluesman, Son House, was rediscovered after a self-inflicted exile of twenty-six years in Rochester, New York. Being interviewed for the first time in his life by musicologist Dick Waterman, Son relives his time on the road with Johnson and is forced to face the demons that ended his career.
Session 66
Being evil isn’t a pretty job, but someone’s got to do it.
Behind the shrieks and screams, all the most terrifying mythical menaces want deep down is to be liked and respected. This is certainly the case for one particular group of monsters – including The Grim Reaper, the Monster in the Closet and one extremely creepy Clown – as they attempt to find self-acceptance through a visit to a place that is unspeakably frightening in its own way: Group Therapy.
Play in a Day workshop
If you have an interest in the creative process, from writing to seeing a play directed and then performed to a live audience, there’s a whole day’s Play in a Day workshop to come and get involved with on Saturday 21 February - find out more.
Dates: Wednesday 18 - Saturday 21 February
Running time: approx 2hrs 10mins including interval
Ages 14+
Offstage fringe events: Thursday - Saturday, 6.30pm (pre-show) and after the evening performance
Access Performance
Sign Interpreted: Friday 20 February at 7.30pm
Schools Workshop
Friday 20 February at 12pm - contact Box Office for more information.
