2011 – ANGLE at the Bush 'call for plays':

In the summer of 2011, ANGLE Theatre ran a 'call for plays' across West London. On high streets and in supermarkets, we worked tirelessly to find new writers from all backgrounds. We worked closely with community groups to reach as many people as possible.

ANGLE also worked in partnership with new writing powerhouse the Bush Theatre, launching its latest campaign to find raw and distinctive voices that will breathe new life into the theatre.

ANGLE at the Bush will be a double bill of the winning plays, directed by Blanche McIntyre. It will run from 30th January - 11th February 2012 (not on Sunday 5th). Performance times: 7.45pm evening, 2.45pm Saturday matinees.

Click here for more information and TO BOOK

" ANGLE seeks to unearth raw and charismatic new writing and takes its inspiration from local people. We are delighted to launch our search for the next generation of playwrights at the Bush theatre with its extraordinary track record in discovering new talent. It is great to be part of the Bush theatre's story, particularly at this moment in its illustrious history. Its new premises in Shepherds Bush will secure the theatre's links with its rich and diverse community." Charlotte Gwinner, Artistic Director ANGLE Theatre.

ANGLE would like to thank all the writers who submitted their work to the 'call for plays' and wish you well in all your future playwriting. We would also like to thank our brilliant script readers, Marcelo Dos Santos, Naia Johns, Sade Banks, and Elinor Cook, and our judging panellists: Roy Williams (Playwright, The Royal Court, The National Theatre) Paul Miller (Associate Director, Sheffield Crucible) Tamara Harvey (Associate Director, The Bush) Nancy Harris (Playwright in Residence at The Bush) Alistair Smith (Editor of The Stage) ANGLE had discovered five new playwrights through its previous East London 'call for plays' in 2009.

2010-2011 – ANGLE commissions:

Shamser Sinha and Mina Maisuria.

Both these writers were discovered through ANGLE’s previous “call for plays” in East London. Shamser Sinha had never written a play before, and found an ANGLE leaflet in his local cafe in Leytonstone. Following their productions at the Hackney Empire they began developing their second plays at ANGLE’s start night at Hampstead Theatre, we are thrilled to be able to take them on the next step of our journey.
 
Shamser was invited on a writer’s attachment at The Royal Court Theatre and had scenes from his new play "Chicken n Chips" performed at this years ANGLE launch. Mina is currently under commission to the Bush Theatre.

Both are now represented by leading literary agents.

TriANGLE09 2010 - QUADRANGLE at Hampstead Theatre:

In February 2010 ANGLE was invited to curate a start night at Hampstead Theatre in the Michael Frayn's Studio and asked 5 of its writers, discovered through its previous East London campaign to submit early drafts of new work. The writers involved were: Sharon Raizada, Saeed Taji Farouky, Shamser Sinha, Mina Maisuria.

Audience members at Hampstead Start Night:

"The play brings humour to a difficult subject and the satire makes it watchable taking sentimentality out of the situation."

"I loved the energy and changes of pace and tone between each scene."

2009 - TriANGLE 09:

Tri ANGLE 09 reached an audience of 1,125 people over a total of 26 performances at the Hackney Empire Studio.

"It has benefitted me as a writer and as a person in general. I can look back one day and say I've done it, as well as look ahead and say I must keep on doing this." Luciana Saldanha, "The Sea At Night"

"I wrote a play! and feel maybe, just maybe, there might be opportunities for me to tell more stories - because I have done this one - maybe I can do others. It has given me a real insight into working with actors and directors." Shamser Sinha, "Khadija is 18"

COMMERCIAL RD by Mina Maisura ( 3 week run 3- 20 June)

Commercial Rd charts a group of dispossessed asian workers in an East London petrol station, as they work the night shifts and run circles around their tyrannical and desperate boss, Girish. When a new worker joins the group; hilarious jokes, steely ambition and arguments escalate reaching a violent climax and masking the deepening despair of Krishnan, a young Tamil "freshie".

Directed by: Charlotte Gwinner
Music and sound composed by: Elizabeth Purnell
Designed by: Garance Marneur
Cast: Kal Aise, Ravi Aujla, Ashley Kumar, Alton Letto, Rina Mahoney

THE SEA AT NIGHT by Luciana Saldanha (2 x performances 14th June)

The Sea At Night explores the yearning and longing at the heart of the immigrant experience. Set amongst Italian immigrants living in Sao Paulo; Estela awaits the arrival of her daughter whom she abandoned to pursue her lover Pepe in Brazil. As the couple anticipate her arrival: dreams, fears and guilt rise to the surface and tensions mount as their future together becomes increasingly uncertain.

Directed by: Charlotte Gwinner
Music and Sound designed by: Elizabeth Purnell
Lighting designed by: James Whiteside
Cast: Yolanda Vazquez, James Clyde, Daphane Alexander, Gabriela Saldanha Blackwood.

KHADIJA IS 18 by Shamser Sinha (2 performances 21st June)
 
Khadija is 18 explores the tragi comic dilemmas of two teenage refugee girls in London; Liza and Khadija. Pressure mounts as the two girls compete for boys, friends and a place in multi-cultural Britain.
 
Directed by: Tim Stark
Music and sound designed by: Elizabeth Purnell
Cast: Eric Abrefa, Jason Frederick, Shamaya Blake, Olga Fedori, Megan Bernard

Events:

BEHIND THE SCENES: TRI ANGLE09 Angle Theatre was delighted to invite community groups reached through its original "call for plays" to participate in "behind the scenes:" and experience: "live trailers" of the plays, opportunities to meet the cast and creative team.

Readings:

TRI ANGLE09 featured readings of the following new plays, drawn from our New Writers Award 2008:

"Hard Time Killing Floor" by Saeed Taji Farouky (public reading)
"The Bog Down in the Valley Oh" by Michelle Forde (closed reading)

Directed by Roisin McBrinn

2008-2009 – ANGLE 'call for plays' campaign in East London

During the first ANGLE campaign, we received 100 submissions. 50 of these plays were from first time writers and 40 of the writers were from a BAME background. 4 scripts were from non English speakers.

5 new playwrights won the 'call for plays' 2008: Michelle Forde, Saeed Farouky, Shamser Sinha, Mina Maisuria and Luciana Saldanha.3 of these plays (by Shamser Sinha, Mina Maisuria and Luciana Saldanha) were produced in ANGLE’s inaugural season of plays: Tri ANGLE 09 at Hackney Empire Studio.

2008 - New Writers Awards 2008:

In 2008, Angle Theatre launched a unique New Writers Award, that sought to celebrate and reflect the international voices of the communities of East London on stage. We were delighted to receive scores of scripts from writers across East London, most of whom had never had access to professional theatre before.

The recipients of the New Writers Awards 2008 were:

Mina Maisuria for COMMERCIAL RD .
Luciana Saldanha for THE SEA AT NIGHT
Shamser Sinha for KHADIJA IS 18
Saeed Taji Farouky for HARD TIME KILLING FLOOR
Michelle Forde for BOG DOWN IN THE VALLEY OH/IN TESCO FOR A FIVER

New writers Awards 2008 was a new scheme, dedicated to providing a platform to budding playwrights from all backgrounds in East London. It had a commitment to provide access to the theatre for writers who may otherwise be left unheard. Angle issued a multi-lingual call for new plays from playwrights from all backgrounds living in East London. For this, inaugural Award we strongly encouraged submissions from writers of international origin and ethnic minorities based in East London who had something to say and wanted it to be heard.

We received over seventy submissions from our "call for plays" in East London. Our submissions brought a broad spectrum of talent including: young people, pensioners and non- English speakers, all who were read by ANGLE 's band of professional script readers and using bi-lingual readers where needed.

Each submission received professional written feedback and a panel of theatre professionals helped us to select five talented writers for our inaugural season at Hackney Empire. Over six months our five selected writers received sessions with established playwrights, directors, tickets to see new plays in London, development sessions with directors, translators.

Our eminent team of theatre professionals included:

Panel members:
Paul Miller (National Theatre, Sheffield Crucible) Lin Coghlin (National Theatre, The Bush), Dinah Wood ( Faber and Faber), Simon Bent ( The Bush, The Ambassador Theatre Group),Dawn Walton (The Royal Court, Eclipse Theatre,)

Development to production:
Paul Miller, Dawn Walton, Tim Stark (The National Theatre Studio, The Manchester Royal Exchange,) Jane Fallowfield (Paines Plough, The Bush,) Roisin McBrinn (The Tricycle, The Arcola), Mark O Thomas (The Royal Court.)