Creative Writing for Live Performance: Level 1
This six-week course will develop your creative writing skills and provide you with inspiration to bring an idea for theatre to life.
Key information:
- Course dates:
- Wednesday evenings, 21 Jan – 25 Feb 2026
- Course times:
- 7pm–9pm
- Age:
- 18+
- Art form:
- Drama | Writing
- Fees:
- £315
- Deadline:
- Bookings will close at 5pm on Friday 16 January 2026 or when the course reaches full capacity
- Level of study:
- Short Courses & Summer Schools (ages 18+)
- Mode of study:
- In-person
- Venue:
- Guildhall School of Music & Drama
- When:
- Evening Courses | Spring Courses (January–March)
Course info
Public booking opens at 11am, Monday 27 October. Join our mailing list before Friday 24 October to receive priority booking.
Ages 18+
Course Dates & Times
Wednesday evenings on 21, 28 January, 4, 11, 18, 25 February 2026
7pm–9pm
About Creative Writing for Live Performance: Level 1
This six-week course will develop your creative writing skills and provide you with inspiration to bring an idea for theatre to life. The course will focus on sparking ideas and creating theatre through text, with an active approach to playwriting and creative writing that will bring writers away from their desks.
Who is the course for?
Anyone aged 18 and over who has an idea for a story and wants to bring it to life, or anyone who wants to write for performance but doesn’t know where to start. This could be a play, a screen project, poetry, spoken word or performance art pieces.
What can I expect?
You can expect to:
- Learn how to write stories for performance
- Develop writing techniques through exercises, including improvisation
- Gain an understanding of structure, form and character development
There will be optional tasks for you to complete between each session, with the aim of having a completed piece of writing by the end of the course. You will have the opportunity to hear your writing performed by actors in the final week.
Do I need anything for the course?
- There will be required reading and a brief written exercise prior to the start of the course.
- You will be given optional homework (written and/or practical) of which completion is recommended to gain the most out of the course (about one hour per week).
- Attendance of all six sessions is recommended to allow progression of learning and for the benefit of the group as a whole.
Course Fee
£315
Public booking opens at 11am, Monday 27 October. Join our mailing list before Friday 24 October to receive priority booking.
Eligibility
- We welcome participants from all ages 18 and over
- Participants must have sufficient English language skills in order to fully engage with the course
- No prior experience required
About the Course Tutor
The course is taught by award-winning writers and performers Maddie Rice and Tom Machell.
Maddie Rice is known for her work on Fleabag (2016), Every Blank Ever (2018) and Handy (2019).
As a writer she is currently developing television projects with Apple TV, NBC Universal, AMC, Mammoth Screen, HatTrick, Rocliffe and STV and her first pilot HANDY was aired on RTE in April 2019.
Maddie is currently under commission to write a new play for SOHO Theatre and Drywrite as one of the SOHO SIX.
Her debut play Pickle Jar won the 'Three Weeks Editors award' in Edinburgh, transferred to SOHO Theatre and is now being developed for television with NBC Universal.
As an actress Maddie most recently won critical acclaim starring in the smash-hit Fleabag UK and Australian tour. She writes and performs with comedy groups zazU and Lead Pencil.
Tom Machell is an award-winning writer/performer from Newcastle upon Tyne. His debut BBC Radio 4 sitcom ’Tom and Lauren are Going OOT!' begins August 2024 starring Julian Clarey, Lauren Pattison, and himself. He is currently optioned by Conde Nast Entertainment LA, Candle & Bell with NE Screen and The BFI, and Roxo on television projects. His new play Toast F**K directed by Tessa Walker will premiere in 2024.
He won the UK Film Festival, Los Angeles Motion Picture Film Festival & Changing Face International Film Festival's ‘Best Short Script’ 2021 award for his short film A Spoonful. The film script was a shortlisted finalist at 12 other festivals around the world. He was selected for BAFTA Connect 2022-2025.
PlayDead Press published Tom’s debut play Ticker which ran at The Underbelly, Edinburgh Fringe before transferring to Alphabetti Theatre & Northern Stage and the Turbine Theatre to rave reviews. His first comedy short 'Junior Doctors Padz' was made for Channel 4 in partnership with FNA films and North East Comedy Hot House. Alongside his individual work, Tom has been working with his award-winning comedy troupe zazU, who have had four sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe and Soho Theatre respectively, and are developing their work for screen and audio.
As an actor Tom has recently appeared in Vera (ITV), Hullraisers (Channel 4), Emmerdale (ITV), Our Friends In The North (BBC Radio 4), The Emily Atack Show (ITV 2), Every Blank Ever (Comedy Central) as well as several Features, Shorts and Off-Broadway /Off West End Productions including Life According to Saki (New York Theatre Workshop) & Atticist’s office nominated Outlying Islands by David Greig.
Praise for Ticker
★★★★★ A Younger Theatre - Machell’s creation does not miss a beat from one moment to the next; he has all the gifts of a fireside storyteller, tempered with the poise and control of a great tragedian.
Find the Short Course that's perfect for you
Explore our Short Courses & Summer Schools
