Everyword festival 2009

The Everyman and Playhouse theatres have released details of the fifth Everyword festival.

Amongst the many highlights it includes one of the most prominent British playwrights Howard Brenton answering questions on his work for stage and screen. He will discuss his most-known collaboration with David Hare whom he wrote Pravda for the National Theatre. Brenton has gained great success writing for screen, most notably for the BAFTA award-winning BBC One series Spooks (2001-2005).

The festival opens with The Times We Live In, an exploration of the world today through five short pieces from North West writers including Nick Leather (Billy Wonderful), Jonathan Larkin (Paradise Bound) and successful television scriptwriters Johanne MacAndrew and Eliot Hope.

Rehearsed readings from Liverpool writers, including Lizzie Nunnery, will also feature and a performance from Yorgos Karamalegos and Elinor Randle from Tmesis Theatre.

Television company Lime Pictures, based in Childwall, Liverpool, are sponsors of this year’s festival. Everyword will also screen the premiere of four short films from emerging Liverpool writers co-produced by Channel Four, the Everyman and Playhouse and Lime Pictures for the 3 Minute Wonder slot on Channel Four later this year.

Since it opened in 2005, Everyword has seen the first readings of Paradise Bound, Unprotected, Intemperance and Lost Monsters, all of which have progressed to full-scale Everyman productions making it a vibrant breeding ground for the next generation of Liverpool’s playwriting talent.

Closing the event will be the return of Nabokov who sold-out last year when they brought Present:Tense to the Everyman. A group of local theatre practitioners will once again be challenged to select the most significant news story and create a piece to perform to an audience to close Everyword just a week after they are set the challenge.

The Everyword festival takes place at the Everyman from Monday 29 June to Saturday 4 July.