Playwriting

James Graham talks about playwriting, his inspirations and what is political theatre.

Simon Stephens talks about what inspired him to become a writer, his process when writing and offers advise to anyone interested in playwriting.

An interview with Katori Hall in which she talks about how she came to be a playwright and what she is inspired to write about.

Interview with David Hare talking about writing plays.

Professional playwrights offer their top tips to first time writers.

Every writer works differently, in a way that suits them best. In this film, our playwrights discuss their own writing methods, and talk about how they fit their work into the rest of their lives.

Theatrical metaphors can communicate meaning in a way conventional writing can't. A collection of leading playwrights discuss some of the ways writers can use metaphor to connect to their audience.

Writers work in many different styles, from naturalism to the absurd. Leading writers explain some of the stylistic possibilities open to playwrights, and discuss the importance of finding your own writing style.

Good plays are built from strong scenes, but what makes a scene interesting or exciting? Professional playwrights offer their thoughts on what makes a good scene, and what the key elements are for a compelling piece of dramatic writing.

Dialogue is at the heart of playwriting, and everyone does it differently. A collection of playwrights offer their advice on how best to write good dialogue, and explain how words on the page are different from people speaking in real life.