Boxing Clever, A Plethora of Plays - EyesWrite event - iceni Post News from the North folk & South folk

Art & Theatre / Events in Norfolk and Suffolk / Waveney Valley February 23, 2011

EyesWrite and Boxing Clever
www.eyeswrite.org.uk

Over the years EyesWrite has been very successful in bringing new locally written plays to the stage and drawing in audiences to watch them. Although they produce at least one full length play every year by performing a number of short plays they are able to allow a greater number of writers to learn more about the art of writing, not only from the reaction of audiences but by listening to what the directors and actors have to say about their scripts.

This year selected local writers were invited to write a play based round a coffin, hence this event – Boxing Clever. Their brief was to write something that was easily staged, less than half an hour long and entertaining. Not all those asked were able to provide a play while others were able to produce more than one. In the end they received eight different plays of such quality that they decide to stage them all.

EyesWrite

A growing following of people are discovering the vast enjoyment of watching the new and unknown. There have always been those who will buy tickets to watch an Ayckbourn, a Priestley or a Shakespeare and providing the company putting them on has a good reputation known titles will always attract larger audiences. And so those who are willing to part with their hard earned cash to watch something they have never heard of can only be admired for their adventurous natures and thirst for a different kind experience.

By performing a selection of short plays EyesWrite is able to let numerous writers learn more about the art of writing, not only from the reaction of audiences but by listening to what the directors and actors have to say about their scripts. In this way skills are honed and developed allowing writers to improve the way they write.

EyesWrite does not have a membership as such and finding actors is not always easy. We have to seek help for all the other aspects of play production too, including lighting, sound, costume, props, sets and furniture and we are always eternally grateful to those volunteers who come to work with us.

We rarely have the energy or capacity to seek grants and so we are completely self sufficient. In essence our biggest source of income is the production of Gwyn Guy’s murder mystery plays and what we make on these highly entertaining and social evenings allows us to put on yet more plays. EyesWrite will continue to provide outlets for new plays but had we regular financial assistance from a sponsor we would do so much more. However in these austere times sponsors are hard to find. Maybe one day?

This year instead of holding an annual festival of short plays, selected local writers were invited to write a play based round a coffin, hence this event Boxing Clever. Their brief was to write something that was easily staged, less than half an hour long and entertaining. Not all those asked were able to provide us with a play while others were able to produce more than one. In the end we received eight different plays of such quality that we decide to stage all of them. Thank you for supporting this event. Sit back and enjoy your afternoon or evening.