Calling all theatre tragics and would-be playwrights! Learn the art of the scene from the playwright responsible for the adaptation of the sold-out season of Pip Williams’ The Dictionary of Lost Words, Verity Laughton.

With a career spanning main-stage adult dramas, adaptations, plays for children and families, puppets, dance and radio plays, a promenade community event, and even a musical, Verity will teach you what you need to set up or refine your playwriting toolbox.

As a starting point, we’ll focus on the essentials of the writing of a scene, which is after all a kind of ‘mini play’. Verity will guide you through her process and follow through on how that scene might fit within your larger play. You can either evolve a new work or use material from a current project. We will leave time for broader discussion of your questions or problems, for example – you may have written a book, but would like guidance on how to adapt it for the stage. Or perhaps you have written a memoir – how might you adapt that as a one-person play? If you have queries on large topics such as these it would be helpful to submit them ahead of the workshop.

You’ll gain a deeper understanding of the building blocks of playwriting and learn:

• How to motivate your characters.
• How to use a setting to amplify your themes.
• How to use objects as metaphor.
• How to fine-tune dialogue.
• The place of subtext in showing and telling your story.

Members $88 / Non-members $140

Venue: Morgan Thomas Room, Institute Building, Corner of Kintore Avenue and North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5000

—Not a Writers SA member? Members receive more than 30% off the full price of this workshop, you’ll also get a free 20 minute consult, expert advice about your career and your work, and join a community of like-minded creatives. Join now for as little as $60! 

—Writers SA members must be logged in to receive the member discount. If you would like to use a workshop credit to book in, please contact [email protected] at least five working days before the workshop commencement date. Our staff don’t work full time and we don’t want you to miss out!

—If you are a member of another state based writers centre, SCBWI SA or Editors SA, please contact [email protected] at least five working days before the program commencement date to get a code for the member price.

—Writers SA provides complimentary membership for First Nations writers and for writers experiencing economic hardship. Please contact [email protected] to redeem.

About Verity Laughton

Verity Laughton is an award-winning South Australian poet and playwright. She completed a doctorate in creative arts in 2020. Her 30+ produced works have been seen in Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Japan, the UK, and the USA. They include main-stage adult dramas, adaptations, plays for children and families, radio plays, a promenade community event, and a musical. Her most recent production is an adaptation of Pip Williams’ The Dictionary of Lost Words, that has had sell out seasons in Adelaide and Sydney in 2023 and a further season in Melbourne in 2024.