Out and Out
Writer: Joy Beresford Frye
Venue: Mercury Theatre
Date: 18th April 2024
Conditions: Writers based in the East of England
Number of Submissions: 54
Out and Out portrays the stories of women whose lives were decimated by dismissal from the armed services solely because they were gay. This practice came to end in the year 2000 yet still they await reparation.
Hearing their stories and honouring these veterans should be high on society’s radar, particularly as these people fought for the freedoms we now enjoy. The scenes in the play are set in 1995 and 2005 and feature three women from different ranks and backgrounds.
One performer plays three different women – Private Mary Archer, Sergeant Marian Marsh, and Lieutenant Colonel Caroline Montagu – in this fast-paced drama inspired by the true story of gay veterans.
North/South
Writer: Tommy Pullen
Venue: PEN Theatre
Date: 6th and 7th June 2024
Conditions: Scratch Night
Number of Submissions: 68
North (South) chronicles the night two individuals spend together in South London, unveiling their deepest regrets, desires, and fantasies. Through their candid conversations, we witness their struggles and dreams.
As their stories intertwine, the narrative probes the nature of their meeting: is it mere coincidence or an intricate design of fate? This captivating tale delves into the complexities of human connections and the mysteries of life's seemingly random moments.
Finish Line
Writer: Jacob Utzon Krefeld
Venue: PEN Theatre
Date: 6th and 7th June 2024
Conditions: Scratch Night
Number of Submissions: 68
Phil is one hundred and twenty kilometres into his first ultra marathon. He’s bloody and battered and in no state to deal with his unforgiving past, which seems to catch up with him. Can he make it to the finish line?
Press to Exit
Writer: Steve Arber
Venue: PEN Theatre
Date: 6th and 7th June 2024
Conditions: Scratch Night
Number of Submissions: 68
Press to Exit is a two-hander, taking place inside a hypnotherapist’s office (or a patient’s mind?). The piece explores themes of guilt, manipulation and consciousness.
How would you react if you were told that you were responsible for a horrific accident that you can’t remember?
(Not) Planning Ahead
Writer: Graham Bibby
Venue: PEN Theatre
Date: 6th and 7th June 2024
Conditions: Scratch Night
Number of Submissions: 68
(Not) Planning Ahead takes a snapshot of the first meeting between Janet and Susan, a Mother and Daughter who are strangers since Janet gave her daughter away at birth.
As the conversation reveals unexpected details, can it be said that Janet and her husband-to-be had it all figured out, or were they not planning ahead?
Space League
Writer: Shaun Nolan
Venue: PEN Theatre
Date: 6th and 7th June 2024
Conditions: Scratch Night
Number of Submissions: 68
“What does a car game have that I don’t?”
He has always understood space, so it’s no bother that his boyfriend needs to take a rain check - don’t sweat it! But how else are you supposed to cope when your partner’s way of unwinding is completely different to yours? As desire turns into raging jealousy, self-doubt starts to rise, in a way no kind of filter would ever be able to catch.