ABOUT US
London Playwrights’ Blog began back in 2013 as a resource for emerging playwrights. Our aim was (and still is!) to bring together the latest opportunities, best resources, and good advice in one place. Since then, we’ve expanded our work to offer workshops, development opportunities, and events to support new writers in developing their work. We believe playwriting is for absolutely everyone who wants to join in! We’re always striving to be more accessible and to help create a level playing field for a diverse range of writers. We welcome anyone who wants to join our community – whether you’re completely new to writing, or just want to expand your network in a supportive environment, we’re here for you!
From workshops, to courses, to blog posts from emerging writers, to opportunities and mentoring…we hope you find find our work inspiring and instrumental in developing your craft as a playwright!
London Playwrights’ Workshop Ltd is a non-profit company and our work is made possible entirely by the kind support from our members. If you’d like to join us and help us grow, find out more here!
MEET THE TEAM
We’re a friendly bunch! We have a team of core contributors who work on running the blog, sourcing opportunities, and creating new resources plus a lovely group of people who work with us on a regular basis to help us deliver workshops and projects.
Kimberley is a playwright and dramaturg. As a playwright, she has worked with the Birmingham Rep, Manchester Royal Exchange, Wolverhampton University, All the Rage Theatre, Luton Culture, and RADA. She has also written and produced comedy sketch shows on the London Fringe. As a dramaturg, she has worked on short films for BBC ideas, tutored playwriting MA students at RADA, and works as a freelance script consultant. As well as managing the organisational side of London Playwrights’ Workshop, Kimberley focuses on Writer Development, creating content and resources for emerging writers such as The Literary Series, as well as mentoring, and leading workshops. Website: kimberleyandrews.info
A.C. Smith (Alli to friends!) is a scriptwriter and songwriter. She has won awards from the RSC and Soho Theatre, and had work performed at venues including Soho Theatre, RADA, Southwark Playhouse, Theatre503, HighTide Festival, Rose Playhouse Bankside, Pleasance Theatre, The Space, and the Tristan Bates Theatre and was a member of the Bush Theatre’s 2016 Emerging Writers Group. She has worked at RADA as a Playwriting Tutor and as Head of Academic Studies, and as a Development Executive at First Born Films, nurturing new feature film projects. As a lyricist and bookwriter for musical theatre, A.C. was shortlisted for the Kevin Spacey Artists of Choice Awards and has had her songs (written with Bella Barlow) performed at the Globe Theatre and on JemmThree Radio. She and Kimberley founded London Playwrights’ Blog and London Playwrights’ Workshop as resources to help writers bridge the gap between their artistic lives and practical goals. She is excited to be expanding this work into new initiatives to support London writers. Website: www.ac-smith.com
Jane is a writer, producer and dramaturg. Before graduating from her MA at RADA & Birkbeck University, Jane staged a play that she had produced and written at the Kings Head Theatre. Credits include producing theatre festivals, to touring productions and has worked at the Almeida Theatre and Polka Theatre. Recently, she has had stage readings of her work held at the Liverpool Royal Court and currently works in opera. This year, Jane was in a Writers’ Room residency with SCC and is currently in the Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse Playwrights cohort 2020/21.
Jane produced the podcast, Making It with Temi Wilkey, in association with the Bush Theatre, One Fine Play and London Playwrights’ Workshop; this received widespread acclaim and was promoted in the Evening Standard as one of the best alternative arts and theatre shows. You can listen to it here.
Sam is a writer, director and producer. He is Artistic Director of Danse Macabre Productions and is currently running the London Horror Festival Playwriting Competition. He is a script reader and regularly runs scriptwriting workshops with the London Playwright’s Blog. He is an alumnus of the HighTide Theatre Academy and Papatango’s WriteWest development programme. Recent writing credits include Host at The Space. Website: https://www.samessame.com/
In addition to working with writers directly as a script consultant for LPW, Nika is also a reader for the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, The Royal Exchange Theatre, The Verity Bargate Award, and the Theatre503 International Playwriting Award. She is a Senior Reader for Theatre503, where she also works with writers in the 1-2-1 Dramaturgy scheme, and has served as Literary Coordinator. She has previously looked after the literary department at the King’s Head Theatre, project managed the Adrian Pagan Award, and been a judge for the Stella Wilkie Award and Durham Drama Festival. Her own work has been performed at the Tristan Bates Theatre, the White Bear, Lost Theatre, and BAC Freshly Scratched, in addition to being a finalist in the BBC’s Script Room Drama. She holds an MA in Text and Performance from RADA and Birkbeck College, and a BA in Drama from UC Irvine. She sounds super busy, but don’t worry – she still travels and climbs up mountains a lot.
Dan is a screen and theatre writer based in south-west London. When he’s not putting his own pen to paper, he enjoys the process of reading and developing other writers’ projects and has provided freelance script coverage since 2020. He has an MA in Screenwriting, co-wrote and directed short film, Ransack (2024), and loves to read, travel and explore London.
Hazel is a playwright from the East of England. Hazel loves to write strong, complex female characters, using comedy to address serious issues around femininity, sisterhood and motherhood. Hazel is passionate about the use of theatre to address societal issues and it’s power to give a voice to those often unheard. Writing credits include The God Of Vaginas and Childbirth (The Platform, Bread and Roses Theatre), How to Put a Nappy on (Pocketful Projects, Haywire Theatre Company), Cake by the Ocean (Page to Stage, The Water Rats Theatre) and Blueberries for the Rainbow (RReads, RCreative & The Bread and Roses Theatre)Hazel was long-listed for Voices From Home by Broken Silence Theatre and reached the second round of the 2023 Papatango New Writing Prize.
Rachael Walsh is a director and dramaturg and a graduate of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Drama Directing MA. She works as a dramaturg with writers and theatre makers to support them to tell the stories they want to tell. Rachael was Director and Dramaturg on Kindle by Hattie Collins which was nominated for a VAULT Origins Award and has worked extensively with Mortal Fools as Dramaturg/Writer-in-the-Room on a number of their Young Company Ensemble projects. She has worked with New Writing North and Live Theatre to deliver creative writing workshops to young people and has worked as a reader for English Touring Theatre, Funny Women and Birmingham Rep’s Victoria Wood Comedy Playwriting Award.
Alistair is a graduate from Queen Margaret University’s Drama and Performance course. He has reviewed theatre for The List; Youth Theatre Arts Scotland; the EU Contemporary Puppetry Critical Platform; the Wee Review; as well as arts festivals in Croatia, Slovenia and Edinburgh. As a playwright he has written for Not So Nice Theatre and Page2Stage. He currently writes and directs short films and sketch comedy with Half/Cut Films.