The National Play Festival celebrates Australian playwriting excellence and showcases the best new Australian plays from 27 – 30 July in Melbourne at The Coopers Malthouse.
A celebration of the richness and imagination of playwrights, the National Play Festival showcases new Australian stories. There will be public readings from some of the most dynamic new plays by leading writers and the freshest new voices. A series of public talks will explore the role of the writer in society; plus a range of masterclasses and workshops to discover new frontiers in the craft of writing.
The National Play Festival is a key annual event for industry and audiences alike.
This year, the key note address will be presented by one of Australia’s most celebrated playwrights, Michael Gow, entitled The Agony and the Agony.
As one of the most produced writers for the stage he will share some of the treasures of his hard won lessons on life and craft as he gives, in his words ‘A Totally Impractical Guide to Playwriting: Randomly covering things seen read and overheard that have meant something to me’ … expect a beautiful and unexpected order asserting itself from the writer of Away,Europe, Sweet Phoebe and Toy Symphony.
Six Showcase Plays will be presented during the Festival. They will have full public readings with professional actors and include: The Zen of Table Tennis by Melissa Reeves; Skylab by Melodie Reynolds-Diarra; King of Pigs by Steve Rodgers; I Sat And Waited But You Were Gone Too Long by Olivia Satchell; Hell’s Canyon by Emily Sheehan (Winner 2015 Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award); and Pedagogy by Chris Summers (Winner 2016 Max Afford Award).
‘This year’s National Play Festival presents a snapshot of some of the most inspiring, uplifting, revelatory and jolting stories being written in Australia,’ says Tim Roseman, Artistic Director, Playwriting Australia. ‘From outer space to motel rooms, we peer into the magical minds of great artists and let our imaginations run wild. For four days, Malthouse Theatre in Melbourne will be host to a hive of wonderful new plays, panels, workshops and lectures, all celebrating the unique brilliance of new writing for the stage.’
The full program of events will be released 20 June 2016.
Now in its ninth year, the National Play Festival is hosted annually in a different State.
Playwriting Australia is the national organisation supporting new writing for performance, investing in the creative development of new works and offering professional development opportunities to writers at all levels and from all backgrounds.
The National Play Festival is supported by Malthouse Theatre.
2016 National Play Festival, 27-30 July at The Coopers Malthouse, 113 Sturt St, Southbank. Early bird Festival passes are now available. Bookings: www.malthousetheatre.com.au (03) 9685 5111
