These are challenging times and it’s clear that as an industry we have to adapt to survive. It can be really tough to keep creative, stay positive and, when money is tight, it’s tricky to keep up with your craft or to learn something new.
During this global pandemic we want to make our work as accessible as possible.
That’s why we’re thrilled to be able to announce our Full House programme: a scheme of digital work that focuses on skills sharing and artist development. At its core is connection with one another and growing together during a time that feels determined to drive us apart.
Whether by watching Electrolyte from your home, as participants in our workshops, or by simply downloading and listening to an episode of our podcast, we hope that, wherever you are, you can get something positive from engaging with our work.
Free Workshop Webinars
We’re launching a programme of 12 fortnightly workshops as Zoom webinars from 16th May, totally free! The webinars, covering different aspects of theatre creation, will initially focus on playwriting before broadening out to directing masterclasses and other disciplines. The confirmed practitioners so far include: Emma Dennis-Edwards, James Graham, Simon Stephens, Anna Jordan, Oladipo Agboluaje, Ned Bennett, Tanika Gupta, Patrick Hughes, Paul Smith, Zia Ahmed, Milli Bhatia and Deirdre O’Halloran.
Head to our workshops page to book your free place. Workshops will be announced on a rolling basis so please do keep checking back.
Online Play Reading Submissions
We are also launching an open call for script submissions. Each writer will receive £100 cash, the script will be paired up with a director and Wildcard will present a rehearsed reading of their play following a paid rehearsal. The readings will be performed online and made free to the public. The process will also include a chance for viewers to offer feedback to the chosen writers at the end of each session via an online form.
After months of reading, discussing, umm-ing and ah-ing, we are DELIGHTED to announce the three selected plays for our online play readings! Put your feet up, and come and watch some of the most exciting new writing around.
Information on how to join us on Zoom will be sent out via email 24 hours before any events. Please keep an eye on your inbox and junk folders and get in touch if you have booked a place but haven’t heard from us.
Electrolyte Streamed Online For Free
We were over the moon with the response from the virtual return of our multi-award-winning production: Electrolyte. The 2018 Edinburgh Fringe version of the production, filmed by The Other Richard, was streamed online for one week as part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival to mark Mental Health Awareness Week from 18th to 24th May.
‘Thank you to everyone who tuned in to watch Electrolyte and to those who Tweeted, commented & messaged about it. We’re all so pleased that it still resonated so strongly as a filmed piece of theatre. Please keep following the production, we can’t wait to share the its future plans with you soon.’ James Meteyard
Weekly Acting Workshops to become Pay-What-You-Can
Olivier Award Winner Donnacadh O’Briain, director of Electrolyte, continues his Weekly Acting Workout in a digital setting on a Pay-What-You-Can basis with four classes every week. The workshops are fully interactive and are capped at 10 or 15 participants who are asked to prepare a different play text each week prior to the sessions that week. In the sessions, the participants explore a section of the text using techniques from Donnacadh’s distinctive rehearsal process. A surefire great way to flex your acting muscles each week!
Wildcast
Lastly, we are continuing our theatre podcast ‘Wildcast’. Since the Covid-19 crisis began, Wildcard have put out a special episode explaining all the financial assistance that is available with guests from Equity and Jozara.co.uk. The next episode, available on 5th May, features interviews with Olivier, EMMY and TONY award-winning producer Richard Jordan and Tracy Brabin MP (Shadow Minister for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport) as they attempt to make sense of what theatre will look like in the future.
