Sat 6th Dec 10-6pm
Fee £40 (paid in full to secure place)
Location: The Playhouse Derry
Spaces are limited to 12 participants
Tea & Coffee provided
Please note we require full balance to be paid to secure your place
A full-day, hands-on workshop hosted by The Playhouse Derry for anyone with a passion for telling stories for the stage.
Led by accomplished playwright and Commedia of Errors Co-creative Clare McMahon (The Gap Year, I Am Maura, Shakespeare’s Women), this immersive playwriting workshop is designed to help writers at all levels develop their voice, structure compelling narratives, and generate bold new material.
Whether you're beginning your first script or refining your tenth, this workshop will guide you through the craft of playwriting using:
Creative writing exercises
Script analysis and story structure breakdowns
Group discussion and feedback
Time to write and test new scenes
The day begins with a relaxed introductory session — and a tea or coffee on us (because every playwright needs a proper start). The atmosphere is informal, supportive, and focused on writing for live performance.
All participants will also receive exclusive access to a recorded Commedia of Errors production — a behind-the-scenes look at how a script becomes a staged performance.
Whether you're looking to start a new play or reignite a stalled project, this workshop offers the tools, space, and inspiration to move your writing forward.
Clare is an experienced playwright, actor and facilitator and has taught creative writing workshops for The Lir Academy, Lyric Belfast, Young At Art & QUB amongst others. Her main stage play ‘The Gap Year’ (2022/2025) played to over 16,000 people in the North as well as one off sharings in New York with the Irish Rep. Other work includes ‘Mary Ann, The Forgotten Sister’ (Kabosh), BERNIE (VR FILM/UU), ‘Shakespeare’s Women’ (GOH). She holds a distinction in her Playwriting Master of Fine Arts from The Lir Academy/Trinity College Dublin where she was the Patricia Leggett Scholarship awardee. She graduated from Royal Central School of Speech & Drama (BA Acting) in 2009 and has worked professionally across the UK & Ireland. She is the Co-Creative of Commedia of Errors and is based in Belfast.
Booking your place
To book please drop us an email below, we’ll be in touch with payment details and confirm your spot. Places are first come first serve.
If you have any access needs please just let us know in your email.