Launch of the Write Now festival

Yesterday saw the launch of the second Write Now festival, a showcase of new one-act plays taking place between April 15 – 23 at the Actors’ Studio on Seel Street. Eight works have been chosen to be performed as part of the event, and were plugged with some live teaser trailers at the venue, which was a novel idea that set the tone nicely. It’s a mixed bag of comedies, family shows and melodramas, many with Mersey leanings. The Place Where We Stand, Spion Kop by Craig Brennan, takes in the Boer War while Excess Baggage by David P Griffiths takes place in John Lennon Airport. Most promising among the trailers seemed to be Warrington-based Natalie Hickman’s comedy Monkey Nuts and Dick Curran’s It Works For Us. As well as the plays, other Write Now events include MonologueSlam, a chance for performers to showcase their talent in front of industry professionals, and Ten Tall Tower Tales, a rehearsed reading of ten five minute stories from Merseyside-based writers. For a full run down of the whens and wheres,  visit www.writenowfestival.co.uk.