Writing Space

《写作空间》将围绕两个周末(3天)在温彻斯特大学共享对话和实际工作展开。我的意图(见“主要目标”)是为了促进一项以大学为基础的写作倡议，该倡议涵盖各种形式的戏剧和表演写作，是无等级的，由概念性和正式的调查驱动。随后，我将作为新兴戏剧实践的一个例子来讨论和分析这一过程及其结果。大纲七位作家和我将在最初的周末各自提出想法，致力于讨论围绕21世纪戏剧叙事的概念问题。什么样的故事是可能的？叙事是个问题吗？目前存在哪些有趣的方法，可能会构思什么？戏剧表现的惯例，包括人物、情境和对话，固有的困难或可能性是什么？选择这个主题是为了回应人们对近年来新作品中对叙事结构和故事制作过程的迷恋。作者将被鼓励将目光投向自己眼前的项目之外，以便带来影响、刺激、轶事和表演实践，与他人分享。作家可能会带来文学作品(不一定是戏剧)、研讨会、电影、讨论问题或其他发人深省的贡献。每个人都会进行一次简短的会议--每次大约一个小时。两位专业剧作家将被邀请观察这个周末，以考虑它为戏剧实践提供信息的潜力。然而，希望所有出席的人，包括我自己，首先作为作家参与进来，共同从事挑衅和创作工作。因此，被邀请参加的戏剧演员将被挑选出来，部分原因是他们也有自己的艺术实践。在第一个周末结束时，参与者将被邀请写一篇简短的表演文本，以回应各种讨论和刺激。他们将被鼓励尝试新的想法和冒险，而不是试图写出一定要成功和完整的东西。合作是可能的。实验方法将得到积极的鼓励。这些文本将由温彻斯特大学戏剧模块的学生分析和上演，只要作者愿意，就有可能与学生合作生成或修改文本。学生将被鼓励思考课文提出的建议，并在他们的舞台上做出创造性的回应。换句话说，与学生之间会有一种流畅的交流感，而不是期望表演者在那里为作家服务。作家们将再次相聚一天，观看这些文本的表演。然后将讨论工作和产生的想法，然后是一个单独的讨论项目和‘写作空间’的潜在发展。成果和传播该项目有两套结果。如前所述，我自己的主要目标是分析这一过程，检查其对新写作发展的实际和潜在贡献。然而，该项目还将产生八个试验性的、正在进行中的文本，并将作为其文件的一部分。项目成果将通过“作家网”网站和“词与词之间的空间”网站上的一份报告、文学管理者论坛的一次会议以及同样在2008年由词与词之间的空间举办的一次会议来传播。一篇文章也将被提交给同行评议的期刊。书面文件，包括照片，将分发给所有参与该项目的人。

'Writing Space' will be based around two weekends (3 days) of shared dialogue and practical work at the University of Winchester. My intention (see 'main objectives') is to facilitate a university-based writing initiative which embraces diverse forms of theatre and performance writing, is non-hierarchical and is driven by conceptual and formal enquiry. I will subsequently discuss and analyse the process and its outcomes as an example of emerging dramaturgical practice.OutlineSeven writers and myself will each contribute ideas towards an initial weekend devoted to discussing conceptual questions surrounding narrative in the 21st century theatre. What kinds of stories are possible? Is narrative a problem? What interesting approaches currently exist and what might be conceived? What are the difficulties or possibilities inherent in theatrical conventions of representation, including character, situation and dialogue? The subject has been chosen in response to an observed fascination with narrative structures and the process of story production in new work of recent years. Writers will be encouraged to look beyond their own immediate projects in order to bring influences, stimuli, anecdotes and performance practices to share with others. A writer may bring a literary work (not necessarily dramatic), a workshop, a film, a question for discussion or some other thought-provoking contribution. Each will run a short session - about one hour each. Two professional dramaturgs will be invited to observe the weekend, in order to consider its potential for informing dramaturgical practice. However, it is hoped that all those attending, including myself, will participate as writers in the first instance, engaged in offering provocations and creating work together. For this reason, the dramaturgs invited to attend will be selected partly because they also have their own artistic practice.At the end of the first weekend, participants will each be invited to write a short performance text in response to the various discussions and stimuli. They will be encouraged to try out new ideas and to take risks, rather than to try to write something that is necessarily 'successful' and complete. Collaborations are possible. Experimental approaches will be positively encouraged.These texts will be analysed and staged by students on the 'Dramaturgy' module at the University of Winchester and where writers desire, there is the possibility of working together with students to generate or revise text. Students will be encouraged to think about the offers that a text makes and to make creative responses in their staging. In other words, there will be a sense of fluid exchange with students, rather than an expectation that the performers are there to serve the writers.The writers will meet again for one day, to view the performances of these texts. There will then be a discussion of the work and ideas that arise, followed by a separate discussion of the project and the potential development of 'Writing Space'.Outcomes and disseminationThe project has two sets of outcomes. My own principle objective, as outlined previously, is to analyse the process, examining its actual and potential contribution to the development of new writing. However, eight experimental, work-in-progress texts will also be produced as a result of the project and will form part of its documentation.The project findings will be disseminated via a report on the 'Writernet' website and the 'Space Between Words' website, at a conference for the Literary Managers' Forum, and at a conference held by Space Between Words, also in 2008. An article will also be submitted to a peer reviewed journal. Written documentation, including photographs, will be distributed to all those involved in the project.