The third edition of Writers Bloc with artists from across India commences in October The Writers Bloc organised by 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 event,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,who formed Rage along with Rahul Da Cunha and Rajit Kapoor. Since the lack of original writing is much lamented in the 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 expense paid,residential workshop near Nashik,Mumbai,in October. After that they will work on the first draft. Six months later another workshop will be 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 the longest running plays,The President is Coming,is a product of the Writers Bloc. The other prominent plays to come out of this national playwright camp are Crab,Pune Highway,Smell and Turel.
