Playpens
One-to-one professional feedback sessions for playwrights at any levelWritinG IS…
I know the feeling. There you are, happily writing away, but despite knowing what it is you want to achieve something just isn’t working.
You’ve spent hours reading and re-reading, but can’t see what needs developing or changing, and you can’t bear to cut anything in case you make it worse. You’re so far inside that picking it apart feels impossible.
Or maybe – hopefully! – the script feels great, but you want to test it in a safe, trusting and sympathetic way that’s still constructive and encouraging.
…REWRITING
Whether you’re a first-time writer or under commission, a Playpen session will give you all of this and more. They’re designed to support you with honest, constructive feedback from an experienced dramaturg, helping you find the time to be a working playwright.
They’re 100-minute sessions that get to heart of your play, providing you with detailed questions and suggestions and a clear path towards your next draft.
PLEASE NOTE: Playpens are now booking for June 2024 onwards.
ONE-To-ONE SUPPORT
Live one-to-one support – an opportunity to really interrogate your craft – is invaluable. Some of the best lessons I’ve learned about my own playwriting are the ones that arrived through putting protected time aside and offering my work up for discussion.
The results impact not just on the script itself, but also on your continuing development as a playwright and how you learn to identify and hone your unique voice.
A Playpen is an ideal opportunity to push a script to the next level, receiving professional advice and strengthening your writing process.
I have never considered myself to be capable of writing a play prior to this and am so grateful for your clear and practical help. I have loved this whole process and your hugely useful feedback has given me the fire to crack on and make this play.
I found it incredibly thought-provoking and inspiring. Finding it quite difficult to let the play lie and resist the temptation to get back to it. You were drawing my attention to some significant issues and I was kind of having a succession of “yes!” moments.
Thank you so much. Your notes and the work we did together the other day have been phenomenal. It all feels so clear now.
How Much?
- 100 minutes of 1-to-1 support on your script
- Identifying strengths, weaknesses and potential
- Practical suggestions and critical reflections
- Pre-session exercise and post-session recording
The details
During the Playpen we’ll have a conversation that discusses the big picture of your play – its structure, intentions and content – as well as delving deep with a section-by-section consideration of the script.
I say conversation as it’s a two-way road of discovery. I don’t have all the answers prepared, so I want to uncover suggestions and questions with you and see how they feel.
To maximise the time we spend together you’ll also receive a preparatory exercise prior to our call, to help me better understand how you see your play and your writing.
I’ll then spend committed time reviewing these responses alongside your script, so I can closely tailor my feedback.
THE PLAY'S UNIVERSE
Plays are comprised of numerous elements – time, space, character, language, structure – and each of these exerts different forces on how the story is experienced. We’ll consider the universe of your play, and the elements really organising its craft.
THE PLAY'S STRENGTHS AND POTENTIAL
Often what you’re doing really well in the play holds the key to what can be strengthened and solved. We’ll look at how you might adjust your approach and your thinking in areas where things aren’t working so well, helping you move forwards.
THE PLAY'S NEXT STAGES
Rewriting can often feel like a labyrinth of unknowns. Our aim is to cut through to the fundamentals, sending you away with three or four consolidated points of focus for re-writing so you’re not bamboozled by hundreds of suggestions.
He has the great skill of giving amazing clear notes, whilst at the same time letting new ideas come out of you. I think because he has a practice himself he understands creative process: this is evident throughout the Playpen.
A lot of notes you often receive are simply what someone else would do with the material. David helps you turn a play into what it is supposed to be.
More than just looking at the script, you were working through it with my objectives in mind and most importantly, the outcome enabled me to move forward to a place that I couldn’t seem to get to before the session.
NOT SURE IF A PLAYPEN IS FOR YOU?
It can be intimidating handing over your work for what feels like judgement. Believe me, as a writer I have been on the other side of this relationship many times, waiting for notes!
My aim is always to listen. To listen to the play, your concerns, your aims and desires, and then consider how my reflections might best support you. There is no ‘one way’ that all plays should work, just as there is no ‘one way’ to go about writing a play that works for all writers.
If you’re still not sure, just get in touch via the Contact button at the bottom of this page, and I’m happy to discuss how we can work together to progress your writing.
FAQ
How Do I Book?
Once you’ve made your purchase, you’ll be taken straight away to a confirmation page where you’ll be asked to fill out a short form indicating your availability. I’ll then respond directly by email so we can sort out a date and time for your Playpen.
Do We Meet Up?
Playpens take place online via Zoom, or on the phone if you’d prefer. However it’s always nice to be able to see each other and share a virtual coffee as we go! If we’re on Zoom I can send you a recording for reference too.
Will You Fix My Play?
No. Only you can fix it. Dramaturgs facilitate a detailed conversation with a writer, offering questions, suggestions and strategies to investigate what works and what doesn’t. Only the writer can put these into practice.
Do I Get a Script Report as Well?
No, but we’ll consolidate our conversation into key questions and areas of focus for rewriting. Discussion gets you much deeper, much more quickly than a one-sided script report. If a reader ‘misses the point’ of your play, notes can end up feeling redundant. You can read more about why I stopped writing reports here. If however you definitely feel like a report is for you, we can discuss that as an alternative.
Have You Done This Before?
I’ve been working professionally as a dramaturg and playwright for twenty years, reading scripts for the Royal Court, Soho Theatre, RSC, Old Vic New Voices and Theatre 503, among others. I’ve initiated regional playwright development programmes and supported companies, writers and organisations.
I don't have PayPal - how can I buy?
No problem, we can arrange a payment via invoice before your session: just send me a message via the Contact page and we can sort it out.