Player Playwrights
Update: Monday 5 October - Player Playwrights returns
Players Playwrights is returning to what we love – showcasing new dramas and comedies from our members.
For Covid reasons we cannot, as yet, return to our usual home at the North London Tavern. So for now we are holding our regular Monday night plays online and available to Members to watch in your own home.
The first production:
Monday, 5 October - THE DALBY SPOOK by Rob Fearn
The year is 1935 and the Irving family – James, Margaret and 17-year-old daughter Voirrey – live an isolated existence on the Isle of Man, suffused by the supernatural. According to the family, their remote farmhouse is “haunted” by a talking mongoose, named Gef.
Gef and Voirrey are said to share a particular bond and stories of the mongoose's antics have brought the family a modest fame. But when two visitors from the mainland arrive to investigate the mystery, the truth of the Irvings’ claim is called into question and an uneasy peace in the family is shattered.
An offbeat play about family, fear of the outsider and the human desire to believe.
Click on the button to find out how to watch
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
We are always open to new Members. You could be an experienced or an aspiring playwright. You might be an actor excited about working with new writers and on new plays. Or maybe you’re just someone who loves theatre and gets excited being among the first to see new work. You're all very welcome.
The best way to get involved is simply come to one of our Monday evening events in the upstairs room at the North London Tavern. Anyone can come to any of our events. Simply pay £4 on the door.
If you like what you see, you become a Member (it’s £12 a year). You can then attend events, from new play readings and contest nights to seminars with theatre experts, at reduced admission (£2.50).
More importantly you can put your own work forward for one of our play reading evenings; you can become part of the rota of actors we need to stage plays; you can enter our regular short play contest nights.
You can become a Member on the door or by post. For more details contact Tony Diggle on
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
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
events
AT A GLANCE diary of play readings and events for the spring season
All events Monday, 7.30pm, North London Tavern, 375 Kilburn High Rd, London, NW6 7QB
contact us
FIND us
Created by Caleb Estes