Welsh writer becomes first winner of new Stage & Screen Writers’ Scheme
Welsh writer Martha Reed has been selected as the inaugural writer on Welsh National Theatre and Bad Wolf’s Stage & Screen Writers’ Scheme, which will see her develop an original play for the stage alongside the television adaptation.
Martha, whose television credits include BBC One’s Beyond Paradise and the BBC Two Wales short film Bubble United, is the first writer selected for the initiative.
The Stage & Screen Writers’ Scheme brings together Welsh National Theatre and Cardiff-based production company Bad Wolf to champion emerging Welsh writing talent, offering Welsh and Wales-based early to mid-career writers the opportunity to develop a full original play commission with Welsh National Theatre, while simultaneously developing the television adaptation with Bad Wolf, producers of acclaimed series including Industry, The Other Bennet Sister and His Dark Materials.
Martha’s fictional new work will be set in contemporary Wales and explore “the pressing issues of our times”. She will receive support from both organisations as she develops the project for stage and screen.
Martha was also selected this year for the Royal Court Theatre’s Introduction to Playwriting Group, and her theatre work includes Genesis, which was nominated for the George Devine Award during her time as a writer-in-residence at Theatre503.
Speaking about her selection, Martha said: “I’m so excited to work with Welsh National Theatre and Bad Wolf on this incredible opportunity. It feels amazing to be working with two Welsh companies whose work has inspired me so much as a writer. This is a really innovative scheme, and I’m thrilled to have been selected.”
Martha, who is from Pontyclun, and whose family are from the Rhondda and Cynon Valleys, says the opportunity will allow her to explore contemporary Welsh life and reflect the communities she knows.
“I think people have a perception of Wales that’s shaped by its history, and as a woman who grew up around the South Wales Valleys, it’s really important to me that the stories we tell reflect the humour, heart and tenacity of everyday life in these communities now.
“I loved growing up in Wales, and I love writing in my own dialect, so this is a really exciting opportunity for me to tell a powerful Welsh story.”
Martha says contemporary Welsh storytelling has been an important influence on her own work, singling out Kayleigh Llewellyn’s BBC series In My Skin as a particular inspiration, as well as Owain & Henry playwright Gary Owen’s Iphigenia in Splott.
The scheme’s stage-to-screen approach is particularly exciting for Martha, who has worked across both theatre and television.
“This is my first opportunity to adapt a piece of work from theatre to TV, and I think it’s really innovative that this scheme invites me to think about both versions simultaneously, allowing me to create companion pieces across different media.”
The scheme is part of Welsh National Theatre and Bad Wolf’s commitment to developing new creative talent and creating pathways between theatre and the screen industries in Wales.
Tim Price, Literary Manager at Welsh National Theatre, said: “Martha is the type of bold, ambitious writer this scheme was created to support. She has a distinctive voice, a real understanding of contemporary Wales and an instinct for creating big, compelling stories with characters and communities at their heart.
“We’re thrilled to welcome her as the first writer on the Stage & Screen Writers’ Scheme and to give her the time, space and creative support to develop this new work for both theatre and television.
“Bringing together the expertise of Welsh National Theatre and Bad Wolf gives Martha a unique opportunity to think ambitiously about how a Welsh story can live across different forms and reach audiences in Wales and beyond.”
Jane Tranter, CEO of Bad Wolf, said: “Martha is exactly the kind of talented new Welsh writer we want to champion and ensure there are strong creative opportunities available for her in Wales.
“As Martha herself says, she is deeply passionate about telling Welsh stories in her own dialect and it’s important that organisations like Bad Wolf and Welsh National Theatre in Wales create the space for that to happen.
“We’re hugely excited to partner with Welsh National Theatre on this new initiative and to support Martha as she develops her work for both stage and screen.
“We can’t wait to help bring her idea to life and see what journey her writing takes us and audiences on.”
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