EastWord: East of England Playwrights Showcase

Join us for a vibrant evening of new theatre as we celebrate the voices of seven bold and original playwrights from the East of England. Brought together through the Mercury Theatre’s Creatives programme and mentored by nationally renowned new writing company Paines Plough, these emerging writers have each developed powerful and distinctive plays that speak to the heart of contemporary life.

In this special showcase, excerpts from each of their plays will be presented as rehearsed readings, performed by local actors, led by local directors. Not only will you get to experience each of these pieces performed for the very first time, but you will have your chance to feedback and help with development of each play.

Featuring new work by Ellie Hyde, Giannini Hemmings, Sue Bevan, Ben SantaMaria, Fiona Padfield, Emma Bernard, and Ed Ismail, this event is a celebration of creative talent and community in the East of England, and a unique opportunity to experience the next generation of theatre voices.

Come and join us for a night connecting and celebrating the great creative talent the East of England has to offer.

Running Times

• Start time – 7pm
• Act one – 50 minutes
• Interval – 15 minutes
• Act two – 40 minutes
• End time – 8.45pm

Content to Consider

• Euthanasia/Assisted dying in Deadlines
• Mental Illness in Allegation 21 and Burnout
• Violence in Demons
• Abduction in Bitter
• Death and Dying in Deadlines and Enough
• Homophobia in Demons
• Strong language is used in several of the pieces

If you have any questions or concerns, please speak with a member of our box office or front-of-house team, who will be happy to assist you.

Studio Event

Please note that this performance takes place in our smaller Studio Theatre. If it’s your first visit or you are unfamiliar with the Mercury building, you can find out more about our spaces here.