The Writers Bloc organised by the Mumbai-based theatre group Rage and the British Council has become a promising laboratory to produce young playwrights. But after two editions,in 2004 and 2007,the biennial event was delayed due to lack of funds. The much-awaited do,however,is back this year. We have received some funding and are inviting playwrights from across India to submit their entries by July 15, says Shernaz Patel,one of the co-founders of Rage along with Rahul Da Cunha and Rajit Kapoor. Since the lack of original writing is much-lamented in contemporary Indian theatre,the training offered by the Royal Court Theatre Britains home of new writing during the workshop offers a great opportunity. All the applications are screened by the Royal Court Theatre,which selects 12 playwrights for the workshop, says Patel. The chosen dozen will attend a two-week,all-expenses-paid,residential workshop near Nashik in October. After that,they work on the first draft. Six months later,another workshop is held to develop the script further. For the second workshop,we often get actors and directors to work with the writers, she says. The process is explained on ragetheatre.co.in along with other details. This one-and-a-half-year-long event culminates in a festival,its also a great way of acquainting the Indian theatre community as well as the audience about the new writings. The Writers Bloc festival,which has premiered 20 plays in the past,is likely to be held towards the end of 2011 next. We,at Rage,work as facilitators. We try and find producers,directors and actors for some the plays that develop during Writers Bloc, she says. One of Indias longest running plays,The President is Coming,is a product of Writers Bloc. Other prominent plays to come out of this national playwright camp are Crab,Pune Highway,Smell and Turel.
