Player Playwrights
Players Playwrights in now on its Easter break.
We will return on Monday 12 May at the North London Tavern with a play by Karen Rigby.
Air Raids and Good Hair Days is set in Mosul, Iraq in 2013-14. A hairdresser’s shop is smashed to pieces when Isis occupies the city. Hannah and her friends move the salon underground where they have the freedom to be who they are and defy their oppressors.
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A story about the choices women will make when facing extreme adversity, previously from foreign invasion and now from within their own community. It explores the power of friendship but also the trauma underpinning radicalisation and how compassion brings hope and change.
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Karen Rigby works as a lecturer in English Literature. She previously worked in television drama as a script editor, storyliner, and producer. Her first play, Throws like a Girl, was shortlisted for the Lancaster Playwriting Prize and longlisted for the Papatango. Air Raids and Good Hair Days is her second play.
ABOUT US
When Player Playwrights was founded in 1948 its aim was laid down as follows:
“To encourage the writing of plays by its members, by providing an opportunity for such plays to be presented and criticized by the Society; to widen the knowledge of all aspects of playwriting, by inviting to its meetings Speakers and Lecturers; to explore all avenues whereby members’ work may be presented to the public.”
Player Playwrights, which is still run by its actor and playwright members, continues to bring together professional actors and writers with weekly play readings, actor and writer workshops, plus guest speaker events for its members.
Join US
You’re an established or aspiring playwright. Or an actor excited about working with new writers and on new plays. Or maybe you’re simply someone who loves theatre and enjoys seeing new and developing work.
Writers who become Members are eligible to have their scripts read by one of our experienced mentors who will provide feedback. The best of these will receive a staged reading by established professional actors at one of our weekly live or Zoom readings, and receive objective feedback from an informed audience.
We also welcome new Members from the wider theatrical community, including directors, agents and producers.
Player Playwrights is a collective in which our members support each other’s work. We ask that members attend at least some of our weekly Monday evening play readings to provide feedback on colleagues’ work, and help fellow writers to take their scripts to performance level.
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In addition to script readings we run other events including guest lectures, theatre workshops and themed short play competitions, and host social occasions.
To be considered for a Player-Playwrights' reading, writers are required to join Player-Playwrights.
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To be eligible to have your script mentored and considered for a reading you must be a paid-up member of Player-Playwrights. The purpose of the mentoring is to help develop and improve the script with the aim of getting it closer to being produced.
READINGS, MEMBERSHIP FEES AND OTHER INFORMATION
The majority of script readings are held Upstairs at the North London Tavern, Kilburn (NW6 7QB) at 7.30 on Monday evenings. Some readings take place online via Zoom.
You can join us for a one-off annual membership fee of £15 for new members (annual renewal is £10).
Members attending our live Monday night events pay £3 on the door.
Non-members including friends and family are always very welcome to come along, and pay £4 on the door.
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For more details on becoming a member of Player Playwrights please contact Tony Diggle at: tonydiggle@cainct.co.uk
Meet the team
Co-Presidents
Laurence Marks & Maurice Gran
Bafta-winning writers of numerous ITV and BBC series' including Birds of A Feather, Goodnight Sweetheart and The New Statesman. Theatre Includes Save The Last Dance For Me, Dreamboats and Petticoats and Love Me Do. Marks & Gran were crowned 'Living Legends' by The Comedy Society in September 2015.
"In 1973 we had the good fortune to stumble upon Player Playwrights. Over the subsequent months, in a semi–derelict theatre in Fitzroy Square, we were exposed to short plays, long plays, good plays and bad plays, written and performed by members of the club, professional and amateur.
Although by then Laurence was a journalist, and Maurice was selling the occasional short story to top shelf magazines, neither of us even fantasised about a career as a playwright, although we were both enthusiastic fans of radio and television comedy. But after a few months hearing other members’ scripts, we decided separately to take the plunge, and enter the regular sketch–writing competition."
send us your scripts
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At its heart Player Playwright is a collective of writers and actors who are supportive of each others work.
We schedule readings of new works, drama and comedy, created by our Members. The work is then critiqued by fellow Members. The aim of our criticism is always to guide and aid the writer to improve their work.
Many plays that get their first outing at Player Playwrights go on to full professional productions on the London stage, often with actors from Player Playwrights appearing in them.
To find out more about how Members can put their work forward for a reading click here
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coming events
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All events at North London Tavern unless stated otherwise.​​​
17 March The Front Line by David Hutchinson ON ZOOM
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Members pay £3 on the door to attend any readings or events at North London Tavern. Non-Members pay £4 on the door.
contact us
Our annual membership fee at £15 for new members. Renewal of the fee after that is just £10 a year.
Members attending Monday night events pay £3 on the door. Non-members are very welcome to come along and pay £4 on the door
For more details on becoming a member contact Tony Diggle on tonydiggle@cainct.co.uk
For any other queries:
FIND us
Created by Caleb Estes
Player Playwrights meet 7.30pm Mondays
Player Playwrights meets Upstairs @ North London Tavern in Kilburn
The North London Tavern is less than two minutes walk from Kilburn Station (Jubilee Line) and Brondesbury Station (Overground Line) at 375 Kilburn High Road, NW6 7QB. gal in the street outside.
