New writing
- 5 new plays produced in 2009/10
- 40 writers currently under commission
"The influence of Shakespeare's dramaturgy with its huge depth and range of reference, from the metaphysical to the ordinary, from the crude to the divine, will continue to inform the way we talk to, work with and commission writers."
Michael Boyd, RSC Artistic Director
When the modern RSC was established in the early 1960s, it was with the belief that new writing was as important an element as Shakespeare. Michael Boyd's tenure as Artistic Director has seen a renewed commitment to this principle.
Through our working philosophy of ensemble, we have embedded writers within our acting companies, reconnected the playwright with the rehearsal process and enabled our actors to inspire and engage during the writing period. We now have playwrights writing pieces for the actors they are working with, just as Shakespeare did.
We are increasing the scope of our new writing output: new translations and adaptations, musical theatre and new plays are all being commissioned, along with explorative site-specific performance art in public spaces and festivals.
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Find out more about new writing at the RSC
The RSC Literary Department is generously supported by
THE DRUE HEINZ TRUST