NEW WRITING AND DRAMATURGY
SCRIPT REPORT SERVICE
Together with Broken Silence Theatre Company, I provide dramaturgical feedback and guidance to playwrights.
Using extensive experience and knowledge of the theatre industry, our affordable script reports can help you during the drafting process or when submitting to theatres, playwriting competitors or programmers.
For more information and details on how to receive a script report, visit: Broken Silence Theatre - Script Reports
I also offer reports independently, so please get in touch with me directly.
BST PLAYWRIGHTS HIVE
Together with Broken Silence Theatre Company, I co-lead a flagship writing course for playwrights.
This is a year-long writers programme designed to help playwrights develop their craft and support them in writing a new full-length play.
During 10 online monthly sessions, this exclusive community will give you the chance to receive guidance from our experienced mentos, share your ideas with peers and showcase your writing within the group.
For more information and details on how to sign up, visit:
FREELANCE
I have worked as a freelance script reader and dramaturg for
Paines Plough, Broken Silence Theatre Company, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and independent writers and directors. I have worked on all stages of the new writing process, from the initial draft to final production and publication. I have experience conducting R&D for new work and developing work from workshop phase through to the next stages of development.
I am available as a script reader and to conduct formal script reports, so please get in touch.
I love hearing from writers, so please get in touch if you have a script that you'd like to collaborate on or discuss.
To send me a script, email: sophie_drake@icloud.com
TESTIMONIALS
Laura Wyatt O'Keeffe, multi award-nominated theatre maker: Director/Dramaturg on her play Vessel "Sophie creates a safe space for you to really explore the nooks and crannies of your script. With Sophie I was able to create a well thought out plan for my writing process, dividing each section into smaller units and actionable steps. She challenges you through gentle questioning allowing you to understand what is at the core of your story, why you are telling it and how this story needs to be heard. Sophie goes above and beyond for every artist she works with!"
Philip Blake-Jones, Artistic Director of London Festival Opera: Director of R&D for his play I Lived for Art "I so appreciated your skill as a Director and Dramaturg and thank you for doing so much research into the period in advance. You brought inspiration and calm to the rehearsals and we achieved so much in the short time."
Lewis Wood, Playwright: Director of R&D for his play Speak "I worked with Sophie on a rehearsed reading of one of my plays. She has an innate ability to uncover parts of text that you hadn't considered, unlocking new ways to work within the framework that even as the writer, you didn't know existed. Sophie is a fantastic presence in any rehearsal room, with great demeanour working with creatives and a well-developed dramaturgical eye."
Ben Allen, award-winning writer & actor: Dramaturg of his play: "Sophie provided quality interrogation and conversation about my play which really helped me to move it onto the next level."
Chris Fung, West End actor & writer: Dramaturg on his play Society For New Cuisine:
"Sophie Drake listened to me. She looked into the heart of what I wanted to write and why, and together we asked and answered questions that codified the rules of this world I was building. Gently, gently, she raised my eyes from the rockstrewn and difficult path at my feet, and instead I started seeing more of the sky and the mountain, and the horizon.
Sophie gave me play recommendations that might inform the tone I was aiming for, and we talked about books that we both loved and specifically why. We talked notable examples in the one-person format, and how others before me had answered the same problems we were dealing with like how do you want to clearly show conversation when you don't have anyone to talk to, and how do you weave between talking to the audience and then describing things to them? We applied our thoughts surgically to my writing. We began together with a mountain, and now we have a mountain sized statue that we have chiselled together. Our statue is of a pair of adventurers climbing a mountain, one guiding the other, both laden with tools to chisel.
My play is undeniably better informed and detailed because of our interrogation together."