Brainstorm Café offers writers space to talk through a specific writing problem they have been facing with an experienced playwright. This could be a question about a particular element of a play you are working on, or about writing life in general.
This festival Playwrights' Studio have an opportunity to meet with one of our current associates: Associate Playwright Annie George or Associate Reader Jenna Watt.
These one-to-one chats give you the chance to talk through the problem in a relaxed way to gain a different perspective and uncover possible paths forward.
Each session is up to 45 mins in length and will take place in person at our pop-up bookshop at the Traverse Theatre. These sessions are not suitable for discussing an entire play, but associates will be able to read a particular scene in advance if helpful to your question (please let us know at time of application if you'd like to do this).
Upcoming Dates
Brainstorm Café with Annie George
Wednesday 19th August
2-6pm
Brainstorm Café with Jenna Watt
Thursday 20th August
1-5pm
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Annie George
Annie George’s plays include COAST (A Play, A Pie and A Pint), HOME IS NOT THE PLACE and TWA, a recent Made in Scotland double bill and Summerhall Meadows Award winner.
She was a playwriting mentor for Playwrights' Studio, Scotland (2020-22); director/dramaturg of I KNEW A MAN CALLED LIVINGSTONE (National Library of Scotland, Scottish International Storytelling Festival, Storymoja Hay Festival, Nairobi); and NZINGA: WARRIOR QUEEN (Edinburgh Fringe 2016), both by Mara Menzies. She trained in directing at Contact Theatre Manchester; radio drama directing at the BBC, London; and was actor/producer with CAT. A. Theatre Company in the 90s.
Annie was awarded Scottish Book Trust’s Ignite Fellowship (2019); the Inspiring Scotland Bursary (Saltire Society/Scottish Book Trust 2016); and a Real To Reel Award for her short film CURRY AND IRN-BRU (2004), which she directed and produced, which screened at film festivals in the UK, Durban, Rotterdam, Pakistan, Suriname and Spain.
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Jenna Watt
Jenna Watt is a multi award-winning Scottish theatre maker, director, and playwright. Her acclaimed works include Tetra-Decathlon, Faslane, How You Gonna Live Your Dash, and Flâneurs. In 2022, her debut work of non-fiction, Hindsight, was published by Birlinn and long-listed for the Highland Book Prize. A previous recipient of a Playwrights’ Studio Scotland, Play Development Bursary, Jenna also works as a mentor and affiliate tutor at the University of Glasgow, supporting emerging voices in theatre and performance.
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You can apply for a slot if you are a playwright based in or from Scotland and are available to meet in person on the date you have selected. If you are a playwright from elsewhere, you are more than welcome to drop by the bookshopto chat with Playwrights' Studio staff and ask any questions you might have.
As we have limited sessions available, there is a short application process to help us select writers for these chats. You can apply by completing the short form below.
The deadline for applications is midday on Sunday 16th August.