ATG Entertainment West End Creative Learning, the Bush Theatre and the Producers of Shifters today announce Shifting The Narrative: Radical Love Commissions, inviting eight Global Majority artists to write short-form responses to the West End production of Benedict Lombe’s hit play Shifters, which is at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London, until 12 October.
Shifters is produced in the West End by Eleanor Lloyd Productions, Chuchu Nwagu Productions and Sonia Friedman Productions, alongside Idris Elba, Maya Jama and Little Simz.
Successful writers will be invited to watch a performance of Shifters and write a short piece responding to the themes of the play, centring on the stimulus of ‘radical love’. Each successful playwright will be paid a micro-commission fee and will receive dramaturgical support from the Bush Theatre’s Artistic team.
The short pieces will be performed in a rehearsed reading in front of industry leaders in early October at Shifters’ West End home.
Lynette Linton, Director of Shifters and Bush Theatre’s Artistic Director said, “At the Bush we’re all about supporting writers to build sustainable careers, and Shifters is the product of working with Benedict Lombe through our artist development schemes and over the course of three commissions. With SHIFTING THE NARRATIVE: RADICAL LOVE COMMISSIONS, we are proud to be able to continue to make opportunities for early-career playwrights, platforming their work at the heart of the West End, and cementing the legacy of Shifters creating a culture shift in the theatrical landscape.”
Conor Hunt, Senior Creative Learning Manager (West End) said, “It’s brilliant to be partnering with the Bush Theatre and the Producers of Shifters on SHIFTING THE NARRATIVE: RADICAL LOVE COMMISSIONS. Shifters is a beautiful play celebrating love and connection, and I can’t wait for us to find and support brilliant, early-career writers to tell their stories responding to Benedict Lombe’s incredible world. Supporting the next generation of talent is at the heart of ATG’s West End Creative Learning, and these commissions are a fantastic way for playwrights to get involved!”
Applications are currently live via an online form at Shifting The Narrative : Radical Love Commissions | Cognito Forms with a deadline for applications of Wednesday 4 September.
Shifters is this summer’s sizzling romance, starring Heather Agyepong (Amazon’s The Power) and Tosin Cole (star of Netflix’s hit new release Supacell). Both reprise their electrifying performances, which received critical acclaim in the original Bush Theatre production, at the Duke of York’s Theatre, St Martin’s Lane, London.
This epic and universal love story is about the enduring power of memory and first love. Shifters’ transfer marks a ground-breaking moment for Benedict Lombe who is the third Black British female playwright to have her play staged in the history of the West End.
Shifters was originally commissioned by the Bush Theatre as part of its Staged by Jerwood scheme, an artist development programme for alumni of the Bush’s Emerging Writers’ Group, supported by the Jerwood Foundation.
