Illustration of the phrase 'Playing with words' written in cursive script with a yellow ink pen drawing a line through the word 'words' on a black background.
Text on black background reads: 'A playwriting course Led by Lin Coghlan Produced by Playing ON Funded by Arts Council England'.

Playing ON Words is a new writers programme, for people who have already taken part in Playing ON projects. It will be led by Playing ON Writer in Residence, multi-award winning, Lin Coghlan.

The course will take place over six fortnightly Saturday morning sessions from May 13th to July 22nd. It will culminate in rehearsed readings of your work, which will be performed by professional actors to a live audience on September 1st.

Detailed feedback, mentoring and peer support will be given throughout the course.

A woman with shoulder-length light brown hair, wearing a mauve sweater, sitting at a table with a neutral facial expression, in a room with wooden paneling in the background.

About Lin Coghlan

Lin Coghlan teaches playwriting and screenwriting to MA level primarily at University of the Arts London and Cambridge University. In 2019 she won the University of the Arts Teaching Award.  She has worked in theatres including the National Theatre, The Bush, Soho Theatre and Bristol Old Vic. Her screenplay 'First Communion Day' (BBC Films) was winner of the Dennis Potter Play of the Year Award, and 'Some Dogs Bite', a feature length drama (Kindle Entertainment/BBC) was winner of the Audience Prize at Nantes Film Festival. Her play for Clean Break, 'Apache Tears' won the Peggy Ramsay Award. She has numerous credits on British and Irish television, she has created an original series in 13 parts for CBBC, has worked as lead writer on a gaming experience for Lionhead Studios, as well as writing many dramatisations for BBC Radio 4. Alongside her writing work, Lin has supported the script development process of many writers at all stages of their careers

FAQs

  • Anyone who has taken part in our theatre programmes and has always wanted to write a play.

  • You will be part of a mutually supportive writers group creating content, which speaks to your experiences and encourages others to become engaged with the creative sector.

  • No, in fact for those who are selected we will pay £50 per session.

  • It will take place at The Brockley Jack Theatre, 408 Brockley Rd, London SE4 2DH

  • Not at all, as long as you have taken part in a Playing ON programme and want to write a play, you are eligible to apply.

  • Sessions will run from 10am-1pm on the following Saturdays:

    May 13th and 27th, June 10th and 24th, July 8th and 22nd.

    The rehearsed reading will be on 1st September.

How To Apply

Write to us (no more than one page of A4) and/or send a short (1-2 minute) video/audio explaining why you want to take part and send us an example of your writing.  It could be something you have already been working on, something new or just an idea of the kind of thing you want to write.  It does NOT have to be polished.  Anything to help us gauge your passion for writing. 

Please send your applications to rhian@playingon.org.uk by 5pm on 31st March 2023