Theatre News

Paines’ Grieve & Perrin Announce First Season

18 May 2010

Paines Plough’s newly appointed artistic directors James Grieve and George Perrin have announced an ambitious inaugural programme, featuring new work by 67 playwrights in venues across the UK.

The majority of those playwrights will be involved in the Come to Where I’m From project, in which 63 writers – including David Edgar, Mike Bartlett, Alia Bano, Joel Horwood and Michael Wynne – will create and perform original works inspired by the town or city they are from.

Showing at 14 partner venues across the UK including Sheffield Theatres, Sherman Cymru in Cardiff and Bristol Old Vic, Grieve and Perrin said today the calibre of the playwrights involved was “testament to Paines Plough’s treasured reputation”.

The new season will also feature a new collaboration with Glasgow’s Òran Mór, showcasing new plays by April de Angelis, David Harrower, Marie Jones, Linda McLean and Gary Owen to take on the road as part of the award-winning A Play, A Pie and A Pint series. Following performances at Òran Mór, the productions will tour to Traverse Edinburgh, Newcastle Live, Bewleys Dublin and The Belgrade, Coventry.

Grieve’s directorial debut for the company is Tiny Volcanoes by Laurence Wilson, which will show at Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse ahead of a run at Latitude Festival and a national tour later in the year.

In addition Paines Plough will reunite with Drum Theatre Plymouth to present the world première of Mike Bartlett’s yet-to-be-titled new play. The production, directed by Grieve, will open at the Drum Theatre before touring – further details will be announced at a later date. Bartlett will also join the company as associate playwright.

New development schemes

Two new schemes – The Big Room and the Associate Companies Scheme – have been established to help playwrights and companies to develop their work and make useful contacts.

The Big Room will offer desk space in the company’s Aldwych headquarters as well as networking opportunities to emerging playwrights, while the Associate Companies Scheme will offer “mentorship, support, advice and advocacy” to new writing theatre companies.

Paines Plough has also entered into a collaboration with Rose Bruford College which culminates in May and June with The Future Perfect Season. The company has nurtured six emerging playwrights through the Channel 4/Film 4 supported Future Perfect scheme, giving them the platform to write and showcase their work for large casts.

Paines Plough was founded in 1974 by writer David Pownall and director John Adam. The company, which is not venue based, has won numerous awards over the years, and premiered the work of writers including Sarah Kane, Mark Ravenhill, Dennis Kelly, David Grieg, Enda Walsh and Bola Agbaje. Grieve and Perrin, who were formerly with new writing company Nabokov, took over at the end of last year from Roxana Silbert.