In 2016, as part of their Shakespeare 400 commemorations, Cambridge University Press invited submission of short plays inspired by the works of the Bard. Ali Kemp and Deborah Klayman of Whoop ‘n’ Wail Theatre Company submitted their short play, My Bloody Laundrette to the “Channel the Bard” competition, and were delighted to win! The full interview and playscript can be found here. An Interview with Whoop ‘n’ Wail Theatre Company Deborah Klayman & Ali Kemp (L-R). Photo credit

Guest blogger, actress and award winning writer Dani Moseley says  if put yourself out there, you’ll find out. Last year summer my best friend had started acting in short, one off theatre showcases and going on about how great they were and how I should get involved. I turned my nose up at the idea, thinking: ‘I don’t need to do work like that anymore’. I know, right, who did I think I was? Lol. But, work was getting quiet and I, wanting a change from just doing youth theatre

This month, Sienna Miller revealed that she turned down a Broadway play, a two-hander, because she was being offered less than half the pay of her male co-star. Turning down an opportunity like this is a brave move career-wise, and revealing the fact braver still. As we well know there are far fewer roles for women in theatre, film and TV – and as a result, actresses can ill-afford to be turning any roles down, even if you are a Hollywood star. Emma Thompson acknowledged that

Whoop ‘n’ Wail are delighted to announce the six successful playwrights for their February showcase: Whoop ‘n’ Wail Represents…Desire. We have been absolutely delighted with the response to our open submission brief, with almost seventy brand new plays from all over the world winging their way to the Whoop ‘n’ Wail submissions inbox. Our reading team received scripts from Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the UK and the USA, and were overwhelmed by the innovation and talent shown

Whoop ‘n’ Wail are getting ready to announce the successful playwrights, selected from responses to our open submission brief. Our reading team has received almost seventy scripts from both sides of the Atlantic and beyond: brand new plays from Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the UK and the USA. Currently they are still  locked in debate over which of our ten shortlisted submissions should make the final cut, but tomorrow at 17:00 is the absolute deadline and we will announce h

Many thanks to all those who have submitted their work for Whoop ‘n’ Wail Represents…Desire. Our reading team are going to be working overtime to get through the more than sixty new plays we have received – we are feeling very inspired and excited to see such a variety of subjects and settings that place female characters in central roles. Watch this space for updates and announcements…. All the best, Ali & Debs Whoop ‘n’ Wail #WhoopnWailRepresents #newwriting #Represents #Wh

Happy New Year! 2014 was a great year for Whoop ‘n’ Wail, particularly because of the sell-out launch of our new writing showcase Represents… The submission window for our next night, Whoop ‘n’ Wail Represents…Desire, is at 17:00 today – still time to get your short play to us! The submission brief can be found here. Please remember all plays must pass the Bechdel Test and be sent in Word format to: submissions@whoopnwail.com. Looking forward to an exciting, innovative and en

What is Represents…? With brand new plays from both male and female writers, Represents… is a showcase with a difference. Whoop ‘n’ Wail have committed to achieving gender equality on the UK stage by creating a night of entertaining, engaging theatre with all plays having significant roles for women. Consisting of six short plays, each piece of writing must pass the Bechdel Test – they must include at least two named female characters who, at some stage, talk to each other ab

What do women talk about? Whatever it is, it has got to be different from what normal people talk about, right? While Ali and Debs were preparing to launch Whoop ‘n’ Wail Represents… (more of which later) they were more than a little amused to read a quote from Jenifer Kessler’s book,  “Why film schools teach screenwriters not to pass the Bechdel test”. While a scriptwriting student at the University of California, Los Angeles, Kessler was told by professors that the audience