In this album, some of our current and most well-respected playwrights offer an insight into the mechanics and beauty of writing for the stage. Contributors include Alan Ayckbourn, David Edgar, Bryony Lavery and Willy Russell, who discuss their own work and the pleasures and pitfalls of crafting a script. All of the fundamental topics, from character and structure to dialogue and editing, are covered in detail in a series of entertaining and insightful interviews. This material forms part of The Open University course A176 Start writing plays.

Latest episodes of the podcast Start writing plays - Audio

• Start writing plays
• Transcript -- Start writing plays
• Starting out in playwriting
• Transcript -- Starting out in playwriting
• Developing a play
• Transcript -- Developing a play
• The importance of character
• Transcript -- The importance of character
• How to write dialogue
• Transcript -- How to write dialogue
• The structure of plays
• Transcript -- The structure of plays
• The editing process
• Transcript -- The editing process
• Politics and the stage
• Transcript -- Politics and the stage