NEW WRITING SCRATCH NIGHT
IN AID OF THE LEATHERHEAD REVIVAL TRUST
WRITTEN
SOMETHING?
LET'S HEAR IT!
A Night of New Writing. A Future for Leatherhead Theatre.
Leatherhead Theatre has been part of our community since 1969. We want it to be here for many years to come.
If you love theatre, you’ll know that a theatre is more than a building.
It’s the place where stories come to life, where strangers share a laugh or a lump in the throat, and where you can experience something you weren’t expecting. It’s where the next great idea might get its first audience.
Leatherhead Theatre is still here. But it needs our support.
That’s why we’re bringing you a Scratch Night: an evening of brand-new writing, fresh ideas and work taking its first steps in front of a live audience. And every penny from ticket sales goes directly to the Leatherhead Revival Trust, the charity that runs the theatre and is working to secure its future.
So, yes, you’ll get a good night out. You’ll discover new work, hear new voices and have a say in what happens next. But you’ll also be doing something that matters. You’ll be helping to support a theatre that has been part of local life for generations.
Come along, give new writing a chance, and help keep the curtain rising at Leatherhead Theatre.
WHAT'S ON STAGE?
Short plays, scenes from larger works still being written, poetry and spoken word. It’s new work in all its exciting, unpredictable stages.
Some pieces might be polished. Others might be a little rough around the edges. That’s the whole point. This is where writers take a risk, performers bring words to life, and an audience gets to experience something for the very first time.
You’ll be among the first people to hear these stories. And we want to hear from you, too. Your feedback will go back to the writers, helping them develop their work and decide where it goes next.
It’s a chance to discover something new, support emerging talent and play a small part in bringing the next generation of stories to the stage.
Writers and performers: we want to hear from you
Have you written something that’s never been heard aloud? Perhaps a short play, a scene from a longer piece, a poem or a piece of spoken word?
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU
We’re looking for short plays and extracts of up to 10 minutes, alongside poetry and spoken word. Playwrights will have their scripts brought to life by trained actors. Poets and spoken word artists are welcome to perform their own work.
You don’t need a list of credits, a particular background or years of experience. Whether this is your first time sharing your work or you’ve been writing for years, what matters is that you have something to say.
No AI-written scripts, please. We want to hear your voice, your imagination and your stories.
And by taking part, you’ll be doing more than sharing your work. You’ll be helping to support the future of Leatherhead Theatre.
NEW WRITING NEEDS AN AUDIENCE. THE THEATRE NEEDS OUR SUPPORT. LET'S BRING THE TWO TOGETHER.
UP TO 10 MIN PLAYS, POETRY, SPOKEN WORD OR EXCERPTS
HEAR YOU WORDS
READ ALOUD
FREE TO ENTER
YOU KEEP
YOUR RIGHTS
FRIDAY 8 JAN
LEATHERHEAD THEATRE
WHAT IT IS
A scratch night is where new plays get tried out before they're finished. Five or six writers, ten minutes each, performed script in hand by trained actors.
You don’t need a cast or a director, and you don’t need to have done this before. Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, whatever you write: if you’ve got ten minutes that only you could have written, we want to read it
WHAT WE WANT
A complete short play, or ten minutes of a longer one
The opening you're stuck on, or the scene you can't get right
Something you wrote years ago and never showed anyone
Your first ever script
HOW TO SUBMIT
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Your script as a PDF. Up to 10 minutes, which is roughly 10 pages. No more than 4 actors.
One paragraph about you. Who you are and what you write.
One line on where the play is up to. First draft, fifth draft, or the opening of something bigger.
Email it to Matthew with "Leatherhead Theatre Scratch Nights" in the subject line.
KEY DATES
1 DEC
Submissions close at Midnight
18 dec
Selected writers told.
8 JAN
A live audience sees the plays performed!
QUESTIONS
Does it cost anything to submit?
No. Submitting is free.
Does it have to be finished?
No. That's the point of a scratch night. Send us ten minutes that work on their own, whether that's a whole short play or part of something longer.
Can I use AI to write it?
No. The whole point of the night is hearing a real writer’s voice, so every word on the page needs to be yours.
Do I need to find my own actors?
No. We cast every selected play with trained actors and rehearse it before the night. You're welcome to come to rehearsal.
Do I need to live locally?
Anyone can submit, but we'd especially love to hear from writers in Surrey and the south east. You'll need to be able to get to Leatherhead on 8 January.
Can I send more than one script?
One script per writer, please. Send us your best ten minutes.
What kind of feedback will I get?
After the performances, the audience will be shown a QR code that links to our website. There, they will be asked questions about the plays, including what what stories stayed with them, where they drifted and what they want to happen next. It's available to you after a few days, and will be honest and kind.
Who owns the play?
You do. All rights stay with the writer. Leatherhead Theatre is looking to move towards a producing house, so some playwrights might be approached about further development.
Will there be more Scratch Nights?
Yes, this is very much going to be an ongoing event
DEADLINE
1st DECEMBER
New Voices Leatherhead, in partnership with the leatherhead Revival trust, is founded and curated by Matthew Bearne, a professional director, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School trained actor and a highly respected drama educator.
Every ticket goes to the Leatherhead Revival Trust, the charity that keeps the theatre open with no council or Arts Council funding.
Tickets for the night go on sale in December.