A young writer says she feels incredibly lucky to have picked as the winner of a Reading-based theatre group’s writing contest for Off The Block.
RABBLE Theatre invited people to enter a script for its Find A Reading Writer contest, with the prize being seeing their work performed on stage later this month.
The company was inundated with entries and had a hard time picking a winner.
But Robyn Hunter’s entry was considered to be the one, and it forms part of the Off The Block event which will be performed at South Street Arts Centre on Friday, January 31.
Dani Davies, RABBLE’s co-founder, is thrilled that the contest has produced a winner.
Congratulating here, she said: “It’s fantastic to see such talent emerging from Reading”.
Robyn is currently undertaking an MA in screenwriting at the London Film School, having graduated from the University of Warwick with a German and Theatre studies degree.
She has been putting into practice what she learnt, having already written and performed numerous plays, including at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and National Student Drama Festival.
And she has a connection with RABBLE, attending its LAMDA school between 2017 and 2019.
Dani adds: “It is especially gratifying that RABBLE played a small part in her earlier journey.
“She was a remarkable LAMDA student and I’m pleased to see that the panel opted to bring her into this year’s Off the Block.
“Exciting times.”
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The young winner said: “I feel incredibly lucky and grateful to have won RABBLE’s FARW Competition.
“This is a very special, full circle moment for me as my playwriting journey was kickstarted by reading plays for my LAMDA Acting classes with RABBLE back in 2017 and so I’m super excited to come back to them as an adult for Off the Block.”
And this could be a springboard to a glittering career for Robyn.
One past participant in Off The Block is RABBLE’s associate writer, Beth Flintoff.
She was recently appointed writer in residence at London’s Royal Court Theatre and writer of many of RABBLE’s plays, including the Telegraph Top 5 and Guardian Top 20 UK Shows, Henry I and Matilda the Empress.
What is Off The Block from RABBLE Theatre?
RABBLE theatre’s Off The Block is a unique theatre experience, seeing four all-new plays written and created in a week.
It starts at 7.30am on Monday, January 26, with the first writer given the opening line of their play. The next morning, their last line will be sent to the next writer, and the process continues through to Thursday, when the plays are completed.
Four directors, four composers and 16 professional actors will then get to work, with the fruits of their labours unveiled at 7.30pm on Friday, January 31 when the curtain goes up.
Joining Robyn as Off The Block writers will be:
• Becca Chadder: Currently directing the UK tour of Hamilton
• Seamus Allen: Celebrated writer, director and mastermind of Mad Monkey Improv
• Nicky Donovan: Awards include Best Screenplay, British Animation Film Festival.
Tickets to Off the Block have sold out in previous years.
For more details, or to book, log on to: https://rabbletheatre.com/whats-on/
Who are RABBLE Theatre?
Since 2012, RABBLE has been a key part of Reading’s cultural scene.
They have performed a range of original plays in unique locations, including the Abbey ruins and Reading Minster Church.
In addition to their performances, which have attracted rave reviews from national newspapers, they hold classes for people wanting to get on stage or learn more about the behind the scenes life of a theatre company. These are for all ages, as it runs a youth group for ages eight upwards.
Its Young Company Musical Theatre group will run a nine-week course for ages eight to 18.
Starting on January 17, and held at The Abbey School, it culminates in a performance of Matilda The Musical.
More details are on its website, https://rabbletheatre.com/young-company-musical-theatre/
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