Coronavirus has been affecting us all, but some groups of people are feeling it more than others.

As the world starts to un-pause and we leave our digital selves behind for the real world, we feel a sense of urgency to chew the fat and see how we can all be a part of addressing these imbalances in our daily lives. Why don’t you join us: Watch, Listen, Talk, Share.

Last weekend our production of Winsome Pinnock’s powerful new play ROCKETS AND BLUE LIGHTS aired on BBC Radio 3 as part of the Lockdown Theatre Festival and the BBC’s Culture in Quarantine.

ROCKETS AND BLUE LIGHTS: PANEL EVENT

How does the way we tell stories and who tells them define us and our lived experience? Stella Kanu, Executive Director of LIFT Festival and Chair of Eclipse Theatre Company hosts this final panel discussion. Joined by former RET trustee Tony Gordon and actor Wyllie Longmore among others, this discussion will begin to ask how fiction and journalism have affected the lives of Black people in the UK and what is needed to affect change, reshape history and improve quality of life.

It is an incredibly tough time for the theatre industry and we need your help now more than ever. These productions have been created by both our fantastically skilled in-house team and brilliantly talented freelance artists. Whilst the majority of our staff are on furlough, so many freelancers, who make theatre happen, are unable to work, and many are falling through the cracks of the government support schemes. With this in mind, any donations made will be split between the Royal Exchange and the artists that worked with us to make these pieces.

To support please visit royalexchange.co.uk/donate or you can donate by text message for each production:

Text 5ROCKETSAND to 70450 to donate £5, Text 10ROCKETSAND to 70450 to donate £10, Text 20ROCKETSAND to 70450 to donate £20.

For every donation received, 50% will go to the artists and creatives involved in creating the production, 50% will go directly to support the Royal Exchange Theatre.

Text is only available on UK networks and will cost your donation amount plus one standard rate message.

In this workshop Winsome and the playwrights explore the idea of the “big” play.  Using discussion, playtexts and exercises you will experience how your work is enhanced when it moves between the domestic and the epic.  Starting with character we will examine how “ordinary” people react to and are affected by huge political events.

In this workshop Winsome will ask you to begin with a character who is different to yourself. Some questions to consider:

• What is their age, gender, name,
• What are their physical characteristics?
• How do they make money?
• Where are they at this very moment? What are they doing?
• What do they need?
• Do they have a secret?
• Do they have a problem?
• Do they have a memory?
• What is something they believe?
• What is something they wish for?

You may want to continue to work with the character created in this workshop- Winsome has shared some additional tasks

Winsome Pinnock 

Winsome Pinnock was born in Islington, North London. She is an award-winning playwright, academic and dramaturg. Her work has been produced on the British stage and internationally since 1985. She was the first black British female writer to have a play produced by the Royal National Theatre.

Winsome is Associate Professor in Drama at Kingston University and was Senior Visiting Fellow at Cambridge University. She has worked as a dramaturg with the Royal National Theatre’s New Views scheme as well as with the Royal Court’s International Department. The prizes awarded to her work include the George Devine Award, The Pearson Plays on Stage Award and the Unity Theatre Trust Award.

For more archived livestream workshops please see https://www.writeaplay.co.uk/writing-resources/?media=online-workshops