- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
Notes from a Working-Class Playwright
About this book
Award-winning British playwright, Leo Butler looks back over 25 of writing for the stage and his extensive experience teaching and mentoring emerging playwrights through the Royal Court Young Writers' Programme.
With honesty and humour, Leo Butler shares his experiences from his working-class upbringing in Sheffield, including his disastrous state education, his years on the dole, to his breakthrough into the professional theatre industry.
This personal account criss-crosses his life and career, exploring the influences and experiences that informed critically acclaimed plays such as Redundant, I'll Be the Devil, Lucky Dog and, more recently, Boy.
Throughout, Butler includes a wealth of tips and practical exercises, tried and tested on his students, to help the reader with their own playwriting development; discusses the challenges of how to actually make a living from this work; and considers how the landscape has changed today from 25 years ago.
Through recollections of collaborations with professional peers and ex-students (including Polly Stenham, Anya Reiss, and Nick Payne), Leo Butler gives an insight into the intricacies of the early 21st century theatre scene in which playwriting skills were developed and shared. He also includes excerpts from personal rejection letters, rehearsal notes and his notebooks to bring his playwriting journey to life.
Brutally honest, often surreal, often funny, this book will entertain and inspire anyone who has ever thought of writing, a play, or is interested in the life and practice of a playwright.
With honesty and humour, Leo Butler shares his experiences from his working-class upbringing in Sheffield, including his disastrous state education, his years on the dole, to his breakthrough into the professional theatre industry.
This personal account criss-crosses his life and career, exploring the influences and experiences that informed critically acclaimed plays such as Redundant, I'll Be the Devil, Lucky Dog and, more recently, Boy.
Throughout, Butler includes a wealth of tips and practical exercises, tried and tested on his students, to help the reader with their own playwriting development; discusses the challenges of how to actually make a living from this work; and considers how the landscape has changed today from 25 years ago.
Through recollections of collaborations with professional peers and ex-students (including Polly Stenham, Anya Reiss, and Nick Payne), Leo Butler gives an insight into the intricacies of the early 21st century theatre scene in which playwriting skills were developed and shared. He also includes excerpts from personal rejection letters, rehearsal notes and his notebooks to bring his playwriting journey to life.
Brutally honest, often surreal, often funny, this book will entertain and inspire anyone who has ever thought of writing, a play, or is interested in the life and practice of a playwright.
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Yes, you can access Notes from a Working-Class Playwright by Leo Butler in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Media & Performing Arts & British Drama. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Contents
- List of illustrations
- About the Author
- Acknowledgements
- Note
- 1 The hidden play
- 2 Getting started
- 3 I know my place!
- 4 Tungsten carbide drills or what is a working-class playwright anyway?
- 5 Make it up as you go along!
- 6 I can play the lion too!
- 7 How to write a play
- 8 The multi-locational life and times of (insert name here) and other structures
- 9 Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes!
- 10 Births n’ rebirths n’ rewrites n’ bellyaches
- 11 The magic toybox
- 12 What the f*ck is a dramaturg?
- 13 Now and then
- Appendix
- Bibliography
- Index
- Copyright