Scriptwriters Group Lates – How to work with a dramaturg

Join us for an in-person industry insider panel discussion and social hosted by our Scriptwriters Group (SWG). Catch up with fellow scriptwriter members and chat with the SoA staff team. This Scriptwriters Group Lates will include a discussion on how to work with a dramaturg, hosted by SWG chair Rhiannon Tise with panellists Juliet Gilkes Romero, Gail Babb and Neil Grutchfield.

The panel will offer advice on working closely with a dramaturg and how to make the experience and relationship work for you and how you might want to tailor discussions to suit the individual needs of your script. There will be plenty of time for you to put specific questions to the panel. 

Places are limited and subject to availability. Please note that there will be limited seating at this event.

In Person: SoA Lates events – £9.50 for SoA Members | £19.50 for Non-Members

Not a member? Sign up here.

Programme

• 6pm – Event starts – welcome drinks, nibbles and networking
• 6.30pm – 7.15pm – Welcome and introductions from SWG Chair, Rhiannon Tise followed by a panel discussion on ‘How to work with a dramaturg’ with panellists Juliet Gilkes Romero, Gail Babb and Neil Grutchfield.
• 7.15pm – drinks, nibbles and networking
• 8pm – Event close

The Line-up

Gail Babb

Gail Babb is an award-winning director and dramaturg specialising in new writing and experiments with form. She has created shows for theatres, found sites – including museums and swimming pools – as well as national and international touring. Recent credits include work with Fuel, Brixton House, Royal Exchange Manchester, Tamasha, China Plate, Soho Theatre and Hackney Showroom.

Neil Grutchfield

Neil Grutchfield is the New Writing Manager at Synergy Theatre Project where he works with prisoner and ex-prisoner playwrights as well as professional writers writing about criminal justice. 

A freelance dramaturg for over 20 years Neil has worked with emerging, mid-career and senior playwrights on their plays at all stages of development.

Recent dramaturgical credits include Ordinary Decent Criminal by Ed Edwards (Paines Plough) and The Boy by Joakim Daun (Soho). For Synergy: Lifers by Evan Placey (Southwark Playhouse) and Providers by Ambreen Razia (Brixton House).

Website: www.neilgrutchfield.com

Juliet Gilkes Romero

Juliet Gilkes Romero is an award-winning writer for stage and screen.  She was Writer in Residence at the National Theatre 2022/2023 attached to the New Works Department.

Juliet is the recipient of the Alfred Fagon award for Best New Play 2020, the Roland Rees Bursary 2019, named in honour of the co-founder of the Alfred Fagon Award, the Writer’s Guild of Great Britain Best Play Award 2009 and the BBC World Service Alexander Onassis Research Bursary.

Her plays include; The Gift, a retelling of Medea filmed for Jermyn Street Theatre’s 15 Heroines of Greek Tragedy season 2020, The Whip performed at the RSC’s Swan Theatre 2020, Day of The Living performed at The Other Place as part of RSC’s Mischief Festival 2018, Upper Cut at the Southwark Playhouse 2015, At The Gates of Gaza, Birmingham Repertory Theatre & tour, winner of the Writer’s Guild of Great Britain Best Play Award 2009.

Screen and audio include – Soon Gone; A Windrush Chronicle co-produced by Sir Lenny Henry’s production company Douglas Road and the Young Vic Theatre, and One Hot Summer broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

Juliet has an MA in Writing for Performance from Goldsmiths College, London University. She is currently an MA Writing for Performance associate lecturer. Juliet is a Trustee at HighTide theatre and the Film & Television Charity.

Website: Juliet Gilkes Romero | Instagram: @JulietGilkesRomero 

Rhiannon Tise

Rhiannon Tise is an award-winning writer for theatre, radio and television. Her original dramas and adaptations have been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 3. Her first radio drama The Waltzer won the Richard Imison Award, and recent adaptions include Louise May Alcott’s Little Women and George Eliot’s The Mill on The Floss, which won the VLV Drama Award for Best Radio Drama. Her short story Byres Road was recently broadcast on Radio 4, produced by Sweettalk Productions and read by Sharon Small. Rhiannon is a consultant Fellow and mentor for the Royal Literary Fund.  She is currently chair of the Society of Authors Scriptwriting committee.

Instagram: @rhiannon_tisewriter | LinkedIn : rhiannon-tise

About the Scriptwriters Group (SWG)

The Scriptwriters Group (SWG) is a community of scriptwriters and broadcasters. It represents writers and makers across digital, broadcast, AV and theatre.

We support members and associates by providing professional, individual advice, negotiating collective minimum terms agreements with organisations such the BBC, and lobby on policy and legislation to promote the interests and protect the rights of scriptwriters.

In addition, we manage a series of seminars, panel discussions and ‘in conversation’ style events throughout the year, on matters of concern and interest to members working across these industry sectors. We also publish interviews and develop resources for publication on the SoA website and via our quarterly journal, The Author.

The Group is made up of an elected committee and the Group Chair is Rhiannon Tise. Whilst the committee directs the work of the group, the day-to-day administration is handled by Co-Administrators Sophia Jackson and Theo Jones. Contact either Sophia or Theo with any scriptwriting-related topics, concerns or suggestions that you might wish to raise with the committee.

Accessibility

• Our Events space is located on the ground floor of our office. We have a wheelchair ramp at the side entrance of the building. We also have an accessible toilet by the side entrance.
• If you have any access requirements, please email events@societyofauthors.org

Feeling unwell?

We recommend the following:

• Staying home if you’re feeling unwell or have flu-like symptoms
• Washing your hands when coming in from the outdoors and / or before touching your face
• Applying alcohol hand sanitiser (we will have these on site)
• We advise attendees to wear a face mask if they feel comfortable doing so

Booking

Book your place using the booking from below. Places are limited.

Please read our event booking Terms and Conditions: https://societyofauthors.org/legal-privacy/event-terms/