>In the light of the discussion (and more) over at Fin Kennedy’s blog, I was going to write about how playwrights came together in the 90s to change the rules of engagement between theatres, funding bodies and writers. The playwrights could have concentrated on fighting each other for the diminishing number of new writing production slots, but they didn’t – they formed collectives and changed the theatrical landscape. Then I found this article by David Edgar which encapsulates most of what I wanted to say and points out that the collective impulse had started much earlier – so read that. David Eldridge’s reflection on the “and more” is also worth a read.
Playwrights may be individual artists, but there is common cause, whether it be the year on year business of re-negotiating standard contracts, collating and sharing information and research, campaigning for a broader vision, or a one off campaign to, say, shame the ACE for dropping the John Whiting Award. We don’t have to like each other’s work (or even each other), but there is common ground and it is important.
I have scared myself with the portentousness of this. Next time I will write about the shed.
Meeting about the Birmingham Rep play tomorrow.
First verbal plumbing quote in.
Lance Woodman 