At a special event on Thursday 17 November we'll be gathering to announce details of the Call For Scripts for our ninth season of new plays. 11 exciting and original one-hour productions will be premièred in non-theatre spaces in Manchester city centre from 20 - 27 July 2012.

Join us at the Black Lion, Chapel Street, Salford M3 5BZ at 6:30pm for the official launch and a chance to meet others in the network. As space is limited, please CLICK HERE to guarantee your place.

Comprehensive information will be available on the 24:7 website after the launch, together with downloads. The application process will go live on 1 December and close on 9 January 2012.

We need as many writers as possible to hear about our Call For Scripts. We all know that personal recommendation is the most effective form of marketing, so would you mind forwarding the website address to a few people for us? Many thanks for your help in this. It may be the kick-start your writing friend needs!

You can also receive our regular eNews and keep up to date by clicking on the link above and entering your name and email address.

So what is 24:7?
Well, it depends on your viewing angle! 24:7 is an annual festival of theatre-making, serving and involving writers, adjudicators, producers, directors, actors, technicians, front of house teams, back office staff, funders, sponsors, other practical supporters and, of course, audiences. All parties have some practical say in how the Festival turns out.

To get things started, though, it's about the scripts. From the writer’s viewpoint, there’s the challenge of putting your work forward for testing. In return, we help take the script on to production. You get to see what it looks like, hear what it sounds like, and assess the reaction of an audience. You then decide what to do with the script: either develop it further or leave it be and work on something else.

Writers, please note: it's non-theatre theatre...
While you're writing, do remember that we use non-theatre spaces with the most elementary of technical facilities. Our mantra, as always, is "make the text and the actors do the work". So, for 2012, our aim is for all productions to be performed in the round or on three sides. We've discovered that this allows for the most flexible productions and the best viewing.

The application process in brief
Every script submitted to us is considered by a panel of experienced readers. Scripts are read "blind", so even if you have no reviews or track record, it’s not a barrier to applying. Many participating writers have seen their first production staged at 24:7.

We will accept applications from 1 December to 9 January 2012. A non-refundable fee of £30 is required for each script (discounted by 10% to £27 for online submission). This will allow us to pay for the management of the process, arrange and pay expenses for readers, and collate the feedback on every script.

The decision on the participating scripts will be announced in early April 2012, when feedback from all stages of the process will be made available to writers.

And if you don’t live in the Manchester region, don't worry. Every year we have had writers from outside the North West. We can introduce you to local people who will help bring your script to performance.

Further details here.

London Comedy Writers does not endorse any of the competitions or opportunities listed on this site and cannot be held responsible for their administration. We provide these links in good faith. You must make your own judgment and do your own research before entering any competition or partaking in any opportunity. If you have had a bad experience with any of these competitions or events listed on the website, please contact us so it can be removed.