March 6th 2022 meeting

Members and friends’ news:

Jenny Rowe is currently appearing in the tour of the Connaught Theatre Worthing resident production company Conn Artists’ production of JM Barrie’s Mary Rose. https://www.conn-artists.co.uk/mary-rose

Simon Moorhead & Emily Rosen-Rawlings’ production of the short film “Breathe” directed by Josh Merrit, made for Screen South, Arts Council and the BBC, showed at the Komedia Brighton as part of a package of short films for the Oska Bright Film Festival.

James Allen’s short film currently in post production will be shown at the DAFTAS, parodying 2021 films at the ‘Rotunda’ (Pop-up on Regency Square) on May 15th 4.30pm. And he’s about to have his first stand up comedy gig in London, following a stand-up writing and performance course. https://www.brightonfringe.org/venues/the-daftas-comedy-short-films-screening-159799/

Wayne Liversidge’ true story is told in the book Love’s Poison, and will shortly be coming out as an audio book on Audible. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Loves-Poison-novel-based-events-ebook/dp/B08WRF4MYN

Also in the Fringe:

Lin Robinson’s play Mala Sororibus is at the Rotunda, Regency Square

Philip Willet appears in Crunch by Sarah Archer at the Latest Bar

Both will be presenting extracts at the next meeting.

More details and ticket info at https://www.brightonfringe.org/whats-on/

March’s event saw several new short script readings:

The Frontline by Lin Robinson, was read by Philippa and Lin. Jason wants a job in the Prison Service – but what’s he really after? Funny, insightful look at what really drives some people to join the prison service, the police, the army? Dark undertones for today.

We agreed we’d welcome a return to sketch comedy over the current cheap panel and reality shows currently dominating the TV schedules.

Pickman’s Method (working title), written and presented by Adrian Jameson, a regular at Cabaret Lab and now reinventing the horror story. A two hander work in progress set in an art studio in a creepy old Boston house sparked great conversation around Gothic horror and Grand Guignol theatre, M.R. James and Christmas and Halloween horror stories on TV, film and stage. Adrian is planning live theatre around short, punchy, explosive tales.

Discussions ranged around:

The Warren will not be present at the Fringe this year.

The financial impact of lockdown for venues, production companies and individual performers.

What makes a venue?? Fly tower, lighting equipment, backstage facilities …

Critiquing some current films

And the Amazon/Apple/Netflix phenomenon – it’s a new world out there for writing and production – a new creativity, new studios and huge new TV series on the horizon.

February 6th 2022 meeting

No meeting held in January.

February’s meeting saw a friendly gathering

News:
 
Wayne’s story Love’s Poison will soon be available as an audio book on Audible.
 
James has several short films currently in production.
 
Louise is appearing in Let The Right One In at Northbrook College.
 
Robert announced his novel Architecture for Beginners is to be published by Hobart Books.
 
Sarah and Philip are in pre production with Sarah’s new comedy drama play Crunch, with Philip in the leading role, for their Fringe run at the Latest
 
Neil is teaching performing arts to 16-18 year olds and is involved with a playwriting competition from the National Theatre.
 
Jenny’s had a short story published, is rehearsing Mary Rose for a tour beginning at the Connaught Theatre then working with the Maydays improv troupe at Brighton Fringe.
 
Thomas & Philippa continue with a range of writing and training/coaching projects.
 
Wine and conversation covered …
 
Taking your play to the Edinburgh Fringe
Brighton Fringe venues, publicity & promotion, fliers and fees
Writing your show’s Fringe brochure blurb
Brighton Hippodrome Theatre
Arts Council England funding – and the practicalities of starting and running a new theatre venue in the region with no funding
Touring company tales – scenery that doesn’t fit the venue spec, lighting issues …
Casting your play and actors’ pay – lo/no pay and the national Minimum Wage
Things especially when filming your script on location that could potentially involve the police …
Taking your film to Cannes
Sending your script to film festivals
Sussex Playwrights are looking to start a short plays publishing project – news to come
Possible future collaborations for Sussex Playwrights with teen writers, workshops at the New Venture Theatre

December 5th 2021 Christmas party

In December, we held our first Christmas party in two years. We enjoyed great conversation, Thomas Everchild’s fiendish Christmas quiz, won by Robert Cohen, and drinks and nibbles.

As the days grow short …

And the nights grow long …

And the winter solstice approaches …

We’ve always gathered together round fire and feasts to share tales of what might be out there … beyond the firelight …

Lin and Russell read some spooky solo short stories, to get into the winter spirit!

Members’ and Friends’ News

Our Honorary President William Nicholson was special guest at Brighton and Sussex Equity meeting

Our Honorary Vice President Judy Upton has published two novels, Out Of The Frying Pan and What Maisie Didn’t Know, and a book of plays Judy Upton: Plays Two with Methuen.

Rose Collis’ documentary film The Boy And The Bear is winning multiple awards at film festivals round the world

Howard Ford’s horror feature The Lockdown Hauntings, largely filmed in the Brighton area, is having great success

Meetings 2022

Sussex Playwrights has resumed our monthly face to face meetings.

2022

January – no meeting
February 6th
March 6th
April 3rd Fringe Preview
May 1st Fringe time meeting
June 5th
July 3rd Summer Party
August 7th
September 4th
October 2nd Spooky tales for Halloween 
November 6th
December 4th Christmas Party

Fred Partridge: an appreciation by Trevor Harvey

Fred Partridge, who joined SPC in 1972 and who was still attending the occasional meeting until about eight years ago, has died in Lancing at the age of 101. 
 
Fred was an accountant by profession but he also had a great love of playwriting.
 
Before moving to Brighton, he was a member of the Progress Theatre, Reading where, for twelve years, he was also the manager. Four of his play translations from the French were among works that were staged there.
 
He was a full-time member of The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain and one-time Chairman of their Associates Branch.
 
A number of his plays, from the 1960s through to the late 1980s, were broadcast on BBC Radio as well as on radio stations in Germany, Holland and Australia.
 
He joined SPC in 1972 after his adaptation of Tolstoy’s MASTER AND MAN had been given a reading by the club.  His play, THE ENGAGEMENT, was chosen by The New Venture Theatre as their 21st Anniversary production in 1979 and, later, a professional production of his play A SWEET EMOTION formed the nucleus of an Anglia TV Arts programme. Several of Fred’s plays (full-length and one-act) were published for the amateur market and he also wrote short stories and articles.
 
He was a keen and talented photographer and, for many years, was a member of Southwick Camera Club.
 
Many of Fred’s plays were first read at SPC meetings and, as members had come to expect, the writing was always of a high standard. He made helpful observations and gave useful advice during the discussion of other members’ plays and he was always supportive of the club and his fellow writers.
 
Fred was kind, able and he had a gentle sense of humour. It was a pleasure to have known him.
 
Trevor Harvey 

October 3rd 2021 meeting report

Sussex Playwrights had a quiet time over lockdown, but on October 3rd 2021 we had our first face to face meeting at the New Venture Theatre Bar in eighteen months.

We might call it a soft re-launch – a careful, quiet coming back together again in a space, over a glass of wine, to chat about how we’ve been, what we’ve done, what we’ve seen.

As theatre gradually came back to life, we began seeing shows again over the summer and you can read some of our reviews over the year at this site.

We’ve met at the NVT bar the first Sunday of the month for decades with lockdown being our only break [we were all there in spirit!].

Our next meeting will be Sunday November 7th 7-9 pm.

Keep an eye on the website and the Facebook Page for the first formal Event notification.

We hope to see you then.

Philippa Hammond, chair