what is the point of a literary manager / how should literary managers learn their craft?

Convener(s): Shelley Silas – Nic Wass

Participants: James Flynn, Maddy Costa, Vicky Ireland, Dan Esztan, Stella Duffy, Siret Paju, Rikki Tarascaz, Carolina G, Ed Collier, Victoria Willing, Toma Dim, Sharon Kean, Zoe Waterman, Sam Howey Nunn, Sam Jones, C Metcalfe.

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

The difference in titles – literary manager v dramaturg. Some literary managers are more creative than others. Not forgetting it’s also an admin job. Some theatre do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. Who decides who is able to read a script?

Devised theatre v written. Ownership.

Knowing how buildings work.

Do some literary managers hold back writers?

Literary managers who are writers – this is not production for the writer.

Will readers read for free?

BRING BACK REP.

New writers should have 2 play deals. This is sometimes problematic because if a first play does exceptionally well, the writer gets offered tv/bigger theatre – so getting them to write a second play often doesn’t happen.

Is Amateur Theatre a way forward for unproduced plays? Or is there a snobbery about the word amateur? i.e. do we as theatre writers think it is not good enough for our work? Amateur theatre is very selective about what it produces – they won’t do any old shit.

London is given a hard time over its theatres, i.e. London based writers are often seen as having it easier than their out of London counterparts. BUT how hard is it for London based writers to have their work taken seriously in venues outside London, and do these venues look after their local writers first?

The German definition of DRAMATURG – to a greater or lesser extent some or all of the below:

PRODUCER

LITERARY MANAGER

CASTING DIRECTOR

DIRECTOR

FORMULATOR OF THE PROJECT

SETS THE TONE OF THE PRODUCTION

Should a literary manager try to be this, or define themselves against this? I.e. carve out more clearly the literary bit.

Trust between the writer and the literary manager.

Do directors trust dramaturgs? If not, why not?

Literary managers as administrators.

Q: ARE WE A WRITER OR DIRECTOR LEAD CULTURE?

Director.

If we were writer led would the role of the dramaturg increase in importance?

Is it bad that there is such a thing as a ‘Hampstead Play’ or a ‘Bush Play’.

Who decides the artistic policy?

Should writers write the play they want or think of the venue they are writing for? What comes first the play or the venue?