Burnham Library in the Community
Slough Writer's Drama Showcase V
One thing about putting a show on the stage is that you know, by the audience reaction, if it’s working or not. Even the traditionally reserved audience found in places like Burnham give themselves away with subtle signs – like disappearing at the interval, chatting with their neighbours or falling asleep!
None of which occurred at Slough Writer’s Fifth Drama Showcase at Burnham Library in October. In fact we had unsolicited email praise. Nancy Wright summed up the general tone – ‘…It was fantastic: such a variety of stories, each drawing you in and sustaining interest and so well performed …’
And the compliments did not stop there ‘…I really appreciated your original, quirky, thought provoking works.’
We entertained almost 200 paying customers over the two nights raising over £1700 for the Friends of Burnham Library.
More About SW Activities In The Community
We all know that the act of creative writing is a solitary activity and easing this solitude is part of what SW aims to provide. So it's interesting that without having a masterplan or a grand strategy, Slough Writers has found itself increasingly involved with the wider community despite the normal solitary image of the writer at work.
Wycombe Sound radio
Outside the walls of our little meeting room at The Palmer Arms, we have found ourselves enjoying an ongoing relationship with Wycombe Sound where we have broadcast Christmas stories for the past two years, been talk show guests on several occasions and of course our own Robert Kibble does his weekly radio rant every Friday.
Berkshire Arts Festival
Since 2016 we have sponsored the teenage writing award in the Berkshire Music and Arts Festival plus our writers have featured every year in the results of the adult writing competition.
Write Start is our next community activity on December 1st at Moor Hall in Cookham where SW member Mike Pearcy will present a one-day writing course. Resource Productions approached us three years ago looking to add writing to the film production courses they offer - one result was Write Start. This course concentrates on five of the essential elements of storytelling - structure, characterisation, conflict, transformation and dialogue. Whatever genre you work in - long or short prose, film and TV, theatre or radio - a well constructed story is vital. We present this and another course three times each year at either Moor Hall or The Curve in Slough. Contact Resource Productions for details
Burnham Library
At Burnham Library we have become a major feature of their calendar with our two night Drama Showcase which has just completed five years of vital fund raising for the Friends of Burnham Library. (See report above.)
Maidenhead Advertiser
Our chair Terry Adlam writes a regular opinion piece in the Maidenhead Advertiser as well as numerous theatre reviews for the same newspaper, which have brought us into contact with many amateur theatre groups.
Favoured by Theatre Groups
Last year Stoke Poges Players used two of our drama scripts in what they described as one of their most successful and well received productions. Currently we are developing links with Burnham Amateur Dramatic Players which will provide more writing opportunities in 2019.
2018 SUMMER COMPETITION RESULT
Members of Slough Writers took on a challenging brief this summer when they were asked to write a short story from the viewpoint of an inanimate object. The short story competition produced a variety of unusual tales and subjects including famous works of arts, a humble rubbish bin, a cynical engagement ring and an historic glass decanter.
The winning story was about the adventures of a lost wedding ring and its 10 years in the family garden. The judge, poet and former English teacher Richard Palmer, said, “The competition produced some imaginative and daring writing. I was impressed with the way stories were constructed and the humanity shown in the way writers treated their characters. I also learnt a lot about Scottish history, quantum theory and the manufacture of fine Bohemian glassware!”
The winning stories were:
• First – One Carrot Gold by Lorraine Forrest-Turner
• Second – CFEF by William Campbell
• Third – Eleanor’s Engagement by Robert Kibble
Highly commended stories were The Lippinazer Glass by Carol Breuer and Dave and Mike by Julian Davidson (who could not be with us at the presentation).
On explaining to the group how he’d chosen the winners, Richard said,
“The most successful stories, in my view, held most firmly in mind the fact that a tale was to be told - there had to be some kind of narrative drive. Another important consideration was the personality of the object even though it was an inanimate object. That personality needed to be coloured by the material or shape or function of the object, and the more successful stories did this. Many writers were able to show their objects exhibiting pride as well as empathy with the human characters involved.”
Past/Present/Future
Anna Jones and her team at Creative Junction are running free creative events for all ages concentrating on creative writing and art.
Past/Present/Future includes over twenty free events marking 175 years since the publishing of ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens and 100 years since World War One Armistice.
Charles Dickens' link to the area will be celebrated at many of the events including two events hosted by the world famous London based Charles Dickens Museum. Entitled Discover Dickens these are both at The Curve in Slough on 24th November and 1st December.
Anna said, "Our arts activities happen at libraries across Slough including The Curve and at the new community Home Shop in the High Street. The final event of creative community celebrations will be in the beautiful heritage site of The Mere at Upton Court in Slough on 1st December."
The Mere was the home of Richard Bentley who was one of Dickens' publishers.
Anna explained, "Local people can discover more about our hidden history and share hopes for the future and for a National Peace Archive."
There will be performances by local artists, alongside renowned outdoor arts company Emergency Exit Arts whose creation ‘Paper Peace’ – a 14 foot high illuminated poem - will be at The Mere as part of a national tour.
Anna added, "You can take part in art and cultural activity across Slough throughout November and December which offer a chance to respond and reflect on both anniversaries by exploring themes of redemption, forgiveness, community and what makes us truly rich."
Slough Writers Sally Clarke, Terry Adlam and Mike Pearcy will be presenting specially written poems and flash fiction at the Past/Present/Future event finale at The Mere in Slough on Saturday 1st December. Our theme will be reflections on the end of World War One.
Copyright © 2018 Slough Writers, All rights reserved.
One thing about putting a show on the stage is that you know, by the audience reaction, if it’s working or not. Even the traditionally reserved audience found in places like Burnham give themselves away with subtle signs – like disappearing at the interval, chatting with their neighbours or falling asleep!
None of which occurred at Slough Writer’s Fifth Drama Showcase at Burnham Library in October. In fact we had unsolicited email praise. Nancy Wright summed up the general tone – ‘…It was fantastic: such a variety of stories, each drawing you in and sustaining interest and so well performed …’
And the compliments did not stop there ‘…I really appreciated your original, quirky, thought provoking works.’
We entertained almost 200 paying customers over the two nights raising over £1700 for the Friends of Burnham Library.
More About SW Activities In The Community
We all know that the act of creative writing is a solitary activity and easing this solitude is part of what SW aims to provide. So it's interesting that without having a masterplan or a grand strategy, Slough Writers has found itself increasingly involved with the wider community despite the normal solitary image of the writer at work.
Wycombe Sound radio
Outside the walls of our little meeting room at The Palmer Arms, we have found ourselves enjoying an ongoing relationship with Wycombe Sound where we have broadcast Christmas stories for the past two years, been talk show guests on several occasions and of course our own Robert Kibble does his weekly radio rant every Friday.
Berkshire Arts Festival
Since 2016 we have sponsored the teenage writing award in the Berkshire Music and Arts Festival plus our writers have featured every year in the results of the adult writing competition.
Write Start is our next community activity on December 1st at Moor Hall in Cookham where SW member Mike Pearcy will present a one-day writing course. Resource Productions approached us three years ago looking to add writing to the film production courses they offer - one result was Write Start. This course concentrates on five of the essential elements of storytelling - structure, characterisation, conflict, transformation and dialogue. Whatever genre you work in - long or short prose, film and TV, theatre or radio - a well constructed story is vital. We present this and another course three times each year at either Moor Hall or The Curve in Slough. Contact Resource Productions for details
Burnham Library
At Burnham Library we have become a major feature of their calendar with our two night Drama Showcase which has just completed five years of vital fund raising for the Friends of Burnham Library. (See report above.)
Maidenhead Advertiser
Our chair Terry Adlam writes a regular opinion piece in the Maidenhead Advertiser as well as numerous theatre reviews for the same newspaper, which have brought us into contact with many amateur theatre groups.
Favoured by Theatre Groups
Last year Stoke Poges Players used two of our drama scripts in what they described as one of their most successful and well received productions. Currently we are developing links with Burnham Amateur Dramatic Players which will provide more writing opportunities in 2019.
2018 SUMMER COMPETITION RESULT
Members of Slough Writers took on a challenging brief this summer when they were asked to write a short story from the viewpoint of an inanimate object. The short story competition produced a variety of unusual tales and subjects including famous works of arts, a humble rubbish bin, a cynical engagement ring and an historic glass decanter.
The winning story was about the adventures of a lost wedding ring and its 10 years in the family garden. The judge, poet and former English teacher Richard Palmer, said, “The competition produced some imaginative and daring writing. I was impressed with the way stories were constructed and the humanity shown in the way writers treated their characters. I also learnt a lot about Scottish history, quantum theory and the manufacture of fine Bohemian glassware!”
The winning stories were:
• First – One Carrot Gold by Lorraine Forrest-Turner
• Second – CFEF by William Campbell
• Third – Eleanor’s Engagement by Robert Kibble
Highly commended stories were The Lippinazer Glass by Carol Breuer and Dave and Mike by Julian Davidson (who could not be with us at the presentation).
On explaining to the group how he’d chosen the winners, Richard said,
“The most successful stories, in my view, held most firmly in mind the fact that a tale was to be told - there had to be some kind of narrative drive. Another important consideration was the personality of the object even though it was an inanimate object. That personality needed to be coloured by the material or shape or function of the object, and the more successful stories did this. Many writers were able to show their objects exhibiting pride as well as empathy with the human characters involved.”
Past/Present/Future
Anna Jones and her team at Creative Junction are running free creative events for all ages concentrating on creative writing and art.
Past/Present/Future includes over twenty free events marking 175 years since the publishing of ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens and 100 years since World War One Armistice.
Charles Dickens' link to the area will be celebrated at many of the events including two events hosted by the world famous London based Charles Dickens Museum. Entitled Discover Dickens these are both at The Curve in Slough on 24th November and 1st December.
Anna said, "Our arts activities happen at libraries across Slough including The Curve and at the new community Home Shop in the High Street. The final event of creative community celebrations will be in the beautiful heritage site of The Mere at Upton Court in Slough on 1st December."
The Mere was the home of Richard Bentley who was one of Dickens' publishers.
Anna explained, "Local people can discover more about our hidden history and share hopes for the future and for a National Peace Archive."
There will be performances by local artists, alongside renowned outdoor arts company Emergency Exit Arts whose creation ‘Paper Peace’ – a 14 foot high illuminated poem - will be at The Mere as part of a national tour.
Anna added, "You can take part in art and cultural activity across Slough throughout November and December which offer a chance to respond and reflect on both anniversaries by exploring themes of redemption, forgiveness, community and what makes us truly rich."
Slough Writers Sally Clarke, Terry Adlam and Mike Pearcy will be presenting specially written poems and flash fiction at the Past/Present/Future event finale at The Mere in Slough on Saturday 1st December. Our theme will be reflections on the end of World War One.
Copyright © 2018 Slough Writers, All rights reserved.