Creative Writing for Live Performance: Level 2
This eight-week course is for any writer who has made a start on an idea (from a synopsis to a first draft) and the focus will be on developing and redrafting this piece.
Key information:
- Course dates:
- Wednesday evenings, 20 Jan – 10 Mar 2027
- Course times:
- 7pm–9pm
- Age:
- 18+
- Art form:
- Drama | Writing
- Fees:
- £400
- Deadline:
- Bookings will close at 5pm, Friday 15 January 2027 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 26 October. Join our mailing list before Friday 23 October to receive priority booking.
Ages 18+
Course Dates & Times
Wednesday evenings on 20, 27 January, 3, 10, 17, 24* February, 3 and 10 March 2027
7pm-9pm**
* The session on 24 February will last 2.5 hours.
** The session on 10 March will take place online.
About Creative Writing for Live Performance: Level 2
This eight-week course is for any writer who has made a start on an idea (from a synopsis to a first draft) and the focus will be on developing and redrafting this piece.
This is the perfect next step for writers looking to complete a solid first or second draft of their script. There will be an opportunity for the participants to see their work performed by actors in one of the sessions.
The course will focus on dialogue development, structure, redrafting, character development and tone.
Who is this course for?
-
This course is for writers or writer/performers who have some writing experience or have participated in the Level 1 Creative Writing for Live Performance course.
-
Whilst Level 1 is all about getting out of your head and onto the page, and seeing your work performed for the first time; Level 2 is for anyone who wants structure, inspiration and deadlines to push them to the next stage in their writing journey.
What can I expect?
Throughout the eight weeks, you will work on dialogue development, structure to enhance your story, redrafting, detailed character journeys, using form to elevate your question and tone. Midway through the course there will be a Q&A with an established, visiting playwright who will offer insight and advice on their craft and how to break into the industry.
On week six the participants will have their work performed by actors and in week eight, the course tutors will offer individual feedback.
The aim is for you to leave the course with a solid first draft of something that you can move forward with.
Do I need anything for the course?
Ideally you will have a basic understanding of writing, either by completing the Creative Writing for Live Performance, Level 1 course or have created work in the past. To get the most out of the course, we recommend you come with an idea/play you are already developing. No full drafts are expected but some decisions should have already been made. We will need something for you to be able to use and redraft from week 1.
You will need to be available for all the sessions and bring either pen and paper or laptop to the sessions, whichever you feel more comfortable with.
Course Fee
£400
Public booking opens at 11am, Monday 26 October. Join our mailing list before Friday 23 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
About the Course Tutors
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 actor and award-winning writer-performer, nominated for the BBC Audio Drama Awards 2026 (Best Comedy Performance) and Best Writer at the NE Culture Awards 2025 for his BBC Radio 4 sitcom Tom and Lauren Are Going OOT, co-starring Lauren Pattison and Julian Clarey.
As an actor, his recent screen credits include Daddy Issues (BBC), Vera and Emmerdale (ITV), Hullraisers (Channel 4), and regular sketch roles on The Emily Atack Show (ITV) and Every Blank Ever (Comedy Central). Theatre highlights include an Off-Broadway debut in the Carol Tambor Award-winning Life According to Saki, Offie-nominated Outlying Islands (King’s Head Theatre), Hand to God (English Theatre Frankfurt), and multiple runs of News Revue.
As a writer, Tom is a BAFTA Connect member and winner of Best Short Script at the UK Film Festival, Los Angeles Motion Picture Film Festival, and Changing Face International Film Festival for A Spoonful. He wrote and starred in the Channel 4 comedy short Junior Doctors Padz and is a core member of award-winning comedy troupe zazU, with four sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe and Soho Theatre. His debut play Ticker was published by PlayDead Press and received critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe.
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