Welcome to the our third annual New Writing Festival.

Each year we pick promising scripts from our scratch nights (or shortlisted) plays and programme them in our week long event that aims to showcase some of the best working class talent and stories. We have had so many good writers through our doors at Spotlight this year and below is a selection of writers and plays that we think have real potential. Each show has been drafted from their orginal 15 minutes to 1 hour of material.

Headlining the event is 'Our Big Love Story'. After being in the race scratch May 2017 it has gone on to have a three week run at 'The Hope Theatre' with mutplie 4-star reviews.

Monday 23rd July: 7pm 'Owls' by Jayne Woodhouse and Directed by Calum Robshaw

Tuesday 24th: 7pm 'The Unspoken' Written and Directed by Jody Medland

8.30pm 'Dry Run' Written and Directed by Cressida Peever

Wednesday 25th: 7pm 'Dry Run' Written and Directed by Cressida Peever

8.30pm 'The Unspoken' Written and Directed by Jody Medland

Thursday 26th: 7.00pm 'Delete' Written by by Nina Milns and Directed by Imogen Butler

8.45pm ‘Brittle Britain’ Written and Directed by Tom Stocks

Friday 27th: 7pm 'Taking Liberties' Written by Caroline Gray and Directed by Lucrezia Pollice

8.30pm 'Toad in the Hole' Written by Simon James and Directed by Stephanie Silver

Saturday 28th: 3pm & 7.30pm 'Our Big Love Story' Written by Stephanie Silver and Directed by Kevin Russell

Owls

Written by Jayne Woodhouse

Directed by Calum Robshaw

CAST: STEVE David House

ANNA Kate Austen

PAVEL / DARREN Neil Gardner

Synopsis: One night on the roof of a multi-storey car park, two strangers collide: Anna, who is about to jump, and Steve, the hapless security guard who finds her. As they begin the search for some connection, Steve discovers that if he wants to save Anna’s life, he must first save his own. ‘Owls’ uses humour to create a bold and unflinching view of attempted suicide and mental illness. It builds the hope that, eventually, everyone can fly.

The Unspoken

Written by Jody Medland

Directed by Jody Medland

CAST: MAGGIE Played by Suzy Gill

JIMMY Played by Eric Whiting

FATHER ALDERTON and DR. ROSE

Played by Elliot Blagden

Synopsis: Northern England, 1972. When the miner’s strike threatens a state of emergency, a seemingly abusive coal miner fools his blind daughter into thinking they live a life of luxury. However, his unorthodox methods serve as a device to protect her when he succumbs to a fatal disease.

Dry Run

Written by Cressida Peever

Directed by Cressida Peever

CAST: Jess - Aoife Smyth

George - Stewart Prentice

Veronica - Charlotte Forster

Chris - Alex Britt

Synopsis: 'Maybe we look like prawns. Hairy, lumpy prawns...' Four teenagers, one night, a hundred things they couldn't say out loud. Dry Run is a new comedy drama about discovering sex and sexuality.

Taking Liberties

Written by Caroline Gray

Directed by Lucrezia Pollice

CAST: Caroline Gray

Synopsis: If you've ever wondered where Cumberland sausages come from, this show is not for you.

Amy's having a shitter of a day...week...month...well, year. Listen as she tells you the tale of how things went from bad to downright shite, but when you're this good at lying the truth is neither plain, nor simple

Delete

Written by Nina Milns

Directed by Imogen Butler

CAST: Illona Linthwaite, Sharlene Whyte & Matt Hebden

Synopsis: Longlisted for the PapaTango Award, Delete is a funny, poignant play about an unlikely friendship between three very different women in a world saturated with online abuse, addiction and sexual harassment. Tanya's Community Service sentence sees her brave the streets of Barnes to teach sixty-year-old Patricia how to use the internet. Her parole officer Sue is immersed in the online dating scene, but a chance encounter with a selfie sends her a journey of self-discovery that sees her navigating the treacherous world of revenge porn. An activist in her heyday, Patricia becomes involved in online activism and her lack of internet etiquette sees her plunging deeper into a mess of political coverups and direct action that culminates in tragedy.

Brittle Britain

Written and Directed by Tom Stocks

CAST: Elliot Blagden, Hue Cox, Sarah McKenzie & Stephanie Watkins

Synopsis: Brittle Britain is a collection of satirical sketches about the current state of Britain. It covers Uber ambulance, Brexit, politicians, reality tv, immigration and moody hipsters.

Toad in the Hole

Written by Simon James

Directed by Emma Shaw

CAST: Tom Mcnulty, Nicola O’ Keeffee, Yasemin Gurbuz

Synopsis: Three primary school friends have found themselves split onto different tables, all because of their teacher’s new ‘minibeast’ labelling system: they are now Butterfly, Moth and Worm. But while the trio are working out how the hierarchy of their new learning groups could have a negative impact on social order, there’s a much more immediate threat on the way, creeping ever-so-slowly from the corner of their lives. Will they spot it before it’s too late?

Our Big Love Story

Written by Stephanie Silver

Directed by Kevin Russell

CAST: Holly Ashman as Destiny

Alex Britt as Jack

Grace Hadleigh as Katie

Sulin Hasso as Anjum

Ikky Elyas as The Teacher

Synopsis: 4 teenagers, 1 Teacher, 1 Terror Attack - Post July 2005. 5 people's lives intertwine in OUR BIG LOVE STORY; a tale of faith, prejudice, love and healing looking at radicalisation of young people and the struggle to keep your faith after a traumatic event. How does it feel to be a British Muslim? How does it feel to be a teenager in a world with conflicting messages and trying to fit in? OUR BIG LOVE STORY is a thought provoking, heartwarming and at times funny look at how love, faith and coming together as a society really does make the world go around! Review: http://www.swlondoner.co.uk/heart-wrenching-and-laced-with-emotion-our-big-love-story-at-

the-hope-theatre/

We are excited to have a new cast members and a brand new director for the upcoming performances. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Carn’s Theatre ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Miro Magazine ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Breaking The Fourth Wall ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Secret London Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ SW London Reviewer