Date: Mon 6th October – Friday 10th October

Time: 10.30am – 4.30 pm

Cost: Individual practitioners: £550

2 x practitioners joining together or as part of an ensemble: £1050

We have a fee for attending as an individual and a fee for those wanting to come in a pair. We are happy for people to come as individual practitioners or as part of ensemble groups 

Capacity: 20 people (including 2 bursary places)

Venue: Old Courthouse, Brighton

Led by : Toby Park, Spymonkey Co-Artistic Director & Carl Grose Playwright & Spymonkey’s Associate Artist

Suitable for all levels of experience, from novice to seasoned professional.

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To book your place

Fill out the application form here. Please note that the form contains a 5 part section that will take approx 10-15mins.

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About the course

Ever wondered how to write a Spymonkey show?

Yes! Us too! 

Join playwright and associate artist Carl Grose and Spymonkey founder and co-artistic director Toby Park as they attempt to crack open the mysterious, maddening and utterly marvelous process of how to go about writing a show for Spymonkey. 

Who’s it for:

• Actors, Clowns and performers keen to develop their writing skills
• Solo artists and performer-led companies looking to kick start a new project
• Directors and dramaturgs who facilitate collaborations between performers and write
• Writers interested in Devising and other collaborative creative processes
• Writers interested in Clown and Comedy

Why we think it is important:

Spymonkey worked for many years as a devising company. We took a huge step forwards in our creative process when we began working with a writer, and as it happens the first writer we ever worked with was Carl, for Oedipussy. It was a revelation, and we couldn’t understand why we hadn’t done it sooner! The writer brings so much to our intensely collaborative process: provocations for improvisation exercises, hot-seating, taking on the task of dramaturgical structure, of character arc, sifting and compressing the hours of improvisation, creative meetings with designers and directors and ridiculous conversations over tea breaks. And of course for the actual nuts-and-bolts of script-writing. Since then we’ve worked with a load of writers, but we keep coming back to working with Carl because he is brilliant and he understands Clown and our Theatre of the Funny.

What will be explored:

• We’ll open up the bonnet of the Theatre of the Funny creative process, and give you a tour of the workings of our creative engine. We’ll get our hands dirty. There will be cleaning products available
• The difference between writing for a company as opposed to a play.
• Finding the ideal starting points for original shows and adaptations.
• Humour and theatricality. 
• Writing exercises.
• Key improvising and devising exercises which we’ve developed over the years
• How to provide useful material for devising as a writer.
• How to listen to impro (what to run with and what to drop)
• How to eavesdrop on performers during coffee breaks for the real gold. 
• How to prepare, how to play, how to polish
• And much more besides!

Please note: all participants will be encouraged to join in the work and support the development of others so writers come expecting to get up and play, and performers ready with their pen (or laptop). 

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Other Resources

We’ve created a new Resources page featuring recommended books to help you prepare for the workshop. Check it out here!

For our international and out-of-London participants, we’ve compiled a list of accommodation options that you may find helpful. Please note that all bookings are your responsibility and should be arranged independently.

You’ll be able to find accommodation near the Old Town, Brighton via Theatre Digs Booker 

Some hotels include:

1. Premier Inn 144 North Street, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 1RE
2. Travelodge West Street, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 2RE, UK

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Further Enquiries

Please contact Khai at education@spymonkey.co.uk