The Stage

Big names join forces to find fresh stage writing

Published Tuesday 3 October 2006 at 12:15 by Liz Thomas

Oldham Coliseum, the BBC and Tamasha Theatre Company have joined forces to get new work by upcoming writers on stage.

Entitled British Asian New Generation (BANG), the scheme is targeting talent living in the north of England and offers to opportunity to work with established professionals with a experience producing original drama. The winners will also receive a cash bursary of as much as £1,000 and support from mentoring groups.

Holby City and No Angels star Sunetra Sarker said: “New writing is extremely important as it allows fresh voices to come forward and challenge what has come before. The British Asian experience especially is one that is fluid, changing from generation to generation, and from individual to individual.

“While some young people have the ideas but are unsure of how to develop them, others have fully developed plays but struggle to get them into the hands of the right people. BANG offers potential writers the opportunity to win the support of companies who have the experience and the know-how to develop scripts into full productions.”

The competition is open to all writers in the north of England and of any level of experience. Entrants must submit a ten to 15-page script either in the form of a short story or an extract from a longer play, but the work must not have been published or performed. The deadline for completed manuscripts is January 8, 2007 and the winners will be announced on February 28, 2007.