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Soho Launches Fourth Annual New Writers Festival

London's Soho Theatre launches its annual new writers festival next week. Now in its fourth year, the 2003 Soho Writers Festival comprises more than 100 events, more than double the amount of last year's event. The three-week opens on on Monday 27 October 2003 and continues to 15 November.

Some of the UK's leading writers, directors and industry professionals are taking part in this year's festival, covering a wide range of masterclasses, workshops, seminars, talks and performances. The Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger, Howard Jacobson, Allison Pearson, top comedian Daniel Kitson and DV8's Lloyd Newson will all be giving talks.

There will also be a selection of panel discussions hosted by leading journalists and tackling subjects such as: theatre and politics (Polly Toynbee), the revolution being staged in theatre by black and Asian women (Hannah Pool), TV comedy (Brian Logan), theatre and science (Michael Billington) and writers' block (Charlotte Higgins).

Another headline event is Critics Write a Play in a Day, in which four theatre critics - Dominic Cavendish, Rachel Halliburton, Jeremy Kingston and Patrick Marmion - will be under scrutiny as they turn their hands to writing for theatre. Their play will be written over one day with the help of Soho's Literary Team and performed in the evening by professional actors under the direction of Soho artistic director Abigail Morris.

Other highlights include Gilt, collectively written by Scotland's Stephen Greenhorn, Rona Munro and Isabel Wright, directed by Zinnie Harris and presented by 7:84, Scotland's leading political theatre company. There will also be workshops from Frantic Assembly, Yellow Earth and Amused Moose Comedy, while Host Universal will stage a number of "unlimited theatre" events, and Polka Theatre and Tall Stories will lead a family day of events for under-11s.

For a full festival schedule and event details, visit the Soho Theatre Website.

- by Hannah Kennedy

DON'T MISS our fabulous offer for tickets to eight of the Festival's headline events, reduced to just £8 each!! Click here for info!)

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