Introduction to Playwriting Groups

Applications for the Introduction to Playwriting Groups 2022-23 are now closed. 

We will be in touch with all current applicants by Friday 31 August 2022 about the outcome of their application. The information below is left here for your reference.

 

 

 

What are the Introduction to Playwriting Groups?

An opportunity for writers with little or no experience and lots of raw talent and big ideas to think more deeply about writing for theatre alongside a group of their peers, guided by produced playwrights working with the Royal Court.

 

Will the group teach me how to write a play?

NO! We can’t teach you to write a play, this is not a course, toolkit or instruction manual, but what we can offer you is an insight into the approach & practices of one of our leading playwrights over 8 group sessions. It’s an invitation to write in the most courageous way you can, whilst being supported by the lead writer and the other group members.

 

What happens at the end of the group?

The writers are invited to submit a play and offered detailed feedback from the playwright/s leading the group, the Associate Directors and the Literary team.

 

Are the groups accessible?

We’re committed to ensuring these groups are accessible as possible. We can support with access needs, travel to London and other costs (such as childcare) of joining a group and we will also ensure that one of these groups will be entirely online. Everyone who is offered a place will be asked to fill in an access questionnaire to ensure we can provide the appropriate resources.

Interpreters will be available in every session for BSL users. There is the option to submit your application form in BSL. More details about how to submit in this way can be found in the video at the top of this page. The group currently culminates in submitting a final script in written English and is facilitated towards writing in English, so we can only accept 10 pages of written English as part of this application. This is something we’re reviewing every year.

There is no fee to take part and applicants must be aged 18 or over and based in the UK or Ireland.

If you have any questions about accessibility, please don’t hesitate to get in touch: literary@royalcourttheatre.com

Information given is strictly confidential and will in no way affect your application.

You can also tell us about any availability issues on the application form.

 

When will the Intro Groups be?

Currently we plan to run a group from Autumn 2022 and another two groups in early 2023. The Autumn Group will take place at the Royal Court Theatre. One of the 2023 groups will take place entirely online. Priority for this group will be given to those who would prefer this option in order to access the group most fully.

Each group runs for eight weeks. Sessions are usually in the evening and last 1.5 hours.

 

How do I apply to the Intro Groups?

To apply, you will need to complete the online form which includes answering the following two questions (up to 850 characters per answer):

1. Thinking about your writing sample, what led you to telling this story as a piece of theatre?
2. Think of a writer whose work you value. What’s one question you could ask that would support you with your playwriting journey?

The form will also ask you to attach a 10 page example of your playwriting. The example can be from a longer play, a complete short piece or unconnected scenes written entirely new for this application but it must be written for live performance (the guidelines below have more details).

Should you have specific access requirements, please see the box at the top of this page for the large-print, BSL and easy-read versions of this information.

The application process requires a 10 page sample in written English but we can also accept video or audio versions of the information from the application form. Please open the Easy Read version at the top of the page for further details.

 

 

Some important points to note:

• Please attach your documents in .doc, .docx, or .pdf format.
• Your extract can be of any genre and feature any number of characters, but must be intended for the stage and not for film, television or radio. It should be an original piece of writing, not be an adaptation of a story from another medium.
• We only accept 10 page samples – we do not accept full-length plays, summaries or treatments
• Please include your name somewhere in the file name of your example document i.e. firstnamesurnamesubmission.doc or firstnamesurnameapplication.pdf
• Do not include any other attachments or materials (photographs, CVs etc).
• You can send us an application if you’ve applied before, but please do not apply for this group if you have taken part in an introductory group at the Royal Court.
• We will not be able to send you feedback on your submission and because of the volume we receive, we can’t take late applications (so send it in early!)
• Once you complete your application, there will be a webpage to notify you of this. You should also receive an acknowledgement email once you have submitted your application – these can sometimes end up in your junk box so please do check there too.

 

If you have any further questions that are not answered here, please get in touch with the Literary Department: literary@royalcourttheatre.com

 

 

How we store your data
We take data protection seriously and hereby undertake to look after all personal data in accordance with General Data Protection Regulation which came into force in May 2018 or any forthcoming data protection legislation. As part of our Introduction to Playwriting application process, all personal data related to submissions will be stored securely on our server for up to 4 months and access limited to the Literary department, who manage the script reading process. The justification for keeping this data is legitimate interest, as we may need to contact writers about their application during the application process. This information will not be shared with third parties. Scripts will only be stored if the writer is selected for one of the Introduction to Playwriting groups. If the application is successful, all personal data related to the chosen writer will be stored securely on our server indefinitely. The justification for keeping this data is legitimate interest, as we may need to contact writers about the script they have submitted or future work. You have the right to request access to your personal data at any time and can ask to be removed from the database.
Please click here for full details of our privacy policy.