The New Works Playhouse

27/09/2024

UPDATE:

IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE ANYTHING HAS HAPPENED WITH THE NEW WORKS PLAYHOUSE. A COMBINATION OF PERSONAL CHALLENGES MIXED WITH LACK OF FUNDING HAS KEPT THINGS DORMANT FOR A WHILE.

I RECENTLY REAPPLIED FOR ARTS COUNCIL FUNDING BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE DIDN’T GET IT AGAIN DUE TO A LACK OF EVIDENCE ON OUR IMPACT FOR THE THEATRE INDUSTRY.

THIS IS TOUGH NEWS FOR ME TO READ AS I REALLY BELIEVE WE CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON SUPPORTING ARTISTS FROM VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS; GIVING VOICE TO MORE PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.

I GAVE IT MY ALL AND I CERTAINLY
DON’T WANT TO GIVE UP, BUT WITHOUT FUNDING, WE SIMPLY CANNOT REVIVE THE NEW WORKS PLAYHOUSE.

IF YOU KNOW OF ANY SOURCES OF FUNDING WE CAN LOOK INTO OR CAN PROVIDE ANY THOUGHTS/IDEAS, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR THEM.

FOR NOW, I HAVE HOPE WE CAN SUCCEED IN OUR MISSION TO PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR WRITERS AND PERFORMERS IN THE NEAR FUTURE AGAIN.

ROBERT

31/01/2023

Welcome back to The New Works Playhouse! We have some exciting news - our new digital production Greatest Britain by Harry Cowper is out now on-demand on our website.

‘Settling in a new minister is a bit like house training a Labrador. You just have to keep them warm and fed, give them a comfy seat, and make sure they don’t s**t on the carpet.’

A new parliament means a new start for British Politics. For junior minister Rupert, this is the chance to really make a difference. He might not know much about the process of power, the people of his country, or even what his job is, but he is determined to do something. His senior advisor Julia, however, has other plans. As the government lurches from one crisis to another, Rupert soon learns that sacrifices must be made to get ahead and that no-one is irreplaceable...
Greatest Britain is a satirical comedy about power, nationalism, and corruption.

This digital production contains strong language.

CAST

Julia - Siân Mar​ie
Martin - Miles Kinsley
Rupert - James Georgiou
Radio Announcer - Courtney Ward

Tickets: https://www.thenewworksplayhouse.org/event-details/digital-production-greatest-britain-by-harry-cowper

Pay what you can from £5 - support our performer and writer members!

22/01/2022

A week to go until our latest table read event - ‘A Lovely Light’ by Hannah Land! Tickets available via the link in our bio!

Based on true events, A Lovely Light follows poet Edna St. Vincent Millay on a 1921 trip to Paris that was supposed to make her career. Instead of finding literary success, she spends her time abroad dealing with a disabling illness, heartbreak, writers’ block, and the consequences of her own mistakes. In order to save her writing career and seize a second chance at love, Edna must do something previously unthinkable: admit her weaknesses and ask for help. A Lovely Light introduces audiences to the q***r, disabled poet whose writing still captures readers a century later.

CAST
Edna - Emma Howarth
Cora - Barbara Saxberg
Norma - Eleanor Healing
Arthur - Steven Broad
Eugen - Ana Anderson
George - Alex Granville
Gustave - Petri Stefanescu
Germaine - Vere van den Broek

Join our table read for brand new short plays to be one of the first people to hear brand new works!
Please note that this is just a table read and by no means a completed script, nor a full production. You will also be given an opportunity to provide feedback at the end of the session to support our writers.

All ticket holders of the live stream will also be able to access the on-demand run for one week once it is released.

15/12/2021

Less than 3 hours to go! Tickets are still available from just £2 - full details and content warnings are available via the link below. See you there!

NEW TABLE READ

The Last Straw by Jordan Willis

Pip arrives at the train station hungover after a big night out with his new workmate Tom. Pip and his partner Hayden just moved to London from Australia and know no one and so he’s putting in all his efforts to make this work. As he’s got a long ride ahead of him, Pip figures he’ll use his time to try to catch up with his best friend back home, Nikki, as their time difference has been a nightmare. That is until he’s reminded that his mum and her new partner are visiting and want to get dinner tonight. Pip has a loving partner, beautiful friends and family, and a job in London—so why is he still so miserable all the time?

(Full synopsis on website - link in bio)

CAST
Mum: Laura Alexander
Nikki: Oré Sanderson
Hayden: Mollie Semple
Pip: Marcos Descalzi
Dad: Petri Stefanescu

Join our table read for brand new short plays to be one of the first people to hear brand new works!

Please note that this is just a table read and by no means a completed script, nor a full production. You will also be given an opportunity to provide feedback at the end of the session to support our writers.

All ticket holders of the live stream will also be able to access the on-demand run for one week once it is released.

11/12/2021

NEW TABLE READ

The Last Straw by Jordan Willis

Pip arrives at the train station hungover after a big night out with his new workmate Tom. Pip and his partner Hayden just moved to London from Australia and know no one and so he’s putting in all his efforts to make this work. As he’s got a long ride ahead of him, Pip figures he’ll use his time to try to catch up with his best friend back home, Nikki, as their time difference has been a nightmare. That is until he’s reminded that his mum and her new partner are visiting and want to get dinner tonight. Pip has a loving partner, beautiful friends and family, and a job in London—so why is he still so miserable all the time?

(Full synopsis on website - link in bio)

CAST
Mum: Laura Alexander
Nikki: Oré Sanderson
Hayden: Mollie Semple
Pip: Marcos Descalzi
Dad: Petri Stefanescu

Join our table read for brand new short plays to be one of the first people to hear brand new works!

Please note that this is just a table read and by no means a completed script, nor a full production. You will also be given an opportunity to provide feedback at the end of the session to support our writers.

All ticket holders of the live stream will also be able to access the on-demand run for one week once it is released.

01/12/2021

Tickets are now available on our website for our latest table read, ‘The World Will Be Right’ by Harry Cowper, performed live over Zoom on Friday 3rd December at 7pm UK time.

Tickets are available on a pay-what-you-can basis from just £2!

ABOUT THE SHOW

‘No-one’s that nice! Under those fake smiles, there is something dark and pustulent and wrong. I know it.’

The Community. A place where people can finally be free, away from the pressures of the outside world. But Niamh is sure that something is terribly wrong in paradise. Where does all the funding come from? Why would anyone do something so selfless? And just who is the enigmatic Frances? Niamh is determined to find out, no matter the cost.

CAST

Niamh - Chanel Fernandes
Frances - Ana Anderson
Andy - Angela Legg
Mark - Alex Granville

30/11/2021

Today is your FINAL day to watch ‘Love on Tape’ - a cutting edge new play, performed by four actors in different countries, filmed and edited to create a play/film hybrid performance which is unlike anything you’ve seen before.

Take a listen to the writer and cast, and let them explain to you why this isn’t a performance to be missed…

(Link to tickets are in the comments below!)

14/11/2021

Find out what the team of LOVE ON TAPE has to say about their digital production!

(Link to tickets in our bio!)

Leni’s department produces films – but she doesn’t like to talk about what’s on them.

Trying to stay afloat in a world of state surveillance, police raids, and faceless leaders, she finds a friend in Elia, a new arrival to the office, and a fellow rebel. They soon hatch a plan to bring down the state and carve out new lives for themselves – but how much of their plan is fantasy, and how much is real?

Love on Tape is a dystopian office drama that questions the limits of complicity and rebellion.
The play centres around s***f films (the concept of real deaths being filmed) which may be distressing.

Written and Directed by Victor Rees
Edited by Victor Rees and Nick Johnson
Starring
Emily McLean as Leni
Hjalmar Norden as Elia
Amy Leis as Sara
Tim Nicholson as Damien

Tickets are sold on a pay-what-you-can basis. You will receive a link and password to the online production. 50% of the funds raised will be split amongst all those involved with the production, while the remaining 50% will be reinvested into The New Works Playhouse.

You are free to view the production as many times as you wish during its run. The ticket will not be valid for future runs. Please do not share access details with anyone.

Run time: 1hr 57mins

31/10/2021

WE ARE BACK!

A massive thank you to all of our members and
supporters for the incredible patience and kind words over the past few months.

We are back and kicking off with our fantastic digital production of Love on Tape by Victor Rees featuring Emily McLean, Hjalmar Norden, Amy Leis, and Tim Nicholson!

Grab your tickets now via www.thenewworksplayhouse.org and help support our performing artists and writers!

30/10/2021

Quick reminder to our current members - please make sure you send in the new signed agreements by 11:59pm UK time today to continue your membership with us! Don’t forget to check your junk mail 😉

22/10/2021

28/09/2021

WHAT WE DO:

TABLE READS

Table reads are a great opportunity for writers to hear their work being read out loud by our performer members. Table reads are streamed live over Zoom and tickets can be purchased from our website on a pay-what-you-can basis from just £2. Audience members will get to watch a brand new play being read in real time by professional actors, and also be able to take part in a post read discussion, where you can share your thoughts and opinions (through the video or chat function), ask questions and open a dialogue with the actors and writer, helping the playwright develop their work further, and making connections with talented and creative people all across the world.

DIGITAL PRODUCTIONS

Digital productions are rehearsed, filmed and edited performances - audience members can buy access to the private recording on a pay-what-you-can basis from £5, and can view the production as many times as they wish during the online run of the piece. Actors are auditioned for these roles and chosen by the writer, so that the casting is representative of the writer’s original intentions. Our digital productions aim to serve the script in whatever way possible - this means that the actors will film their roles separately after rehearsing with the writer and the cast, and the footage is edited together to create a play/short film hybrid which is artistically designed to create an unique piece of digital theatre, leaving endless opportunities for original ideas!