The New Works Playhouse Workshops: Dialogue: A Symphony with Conor Patrick Carroll

Dialogue: A Symphony with Conor Patrick Carroll

This workshop consists of a series of scene-based exercises, designed to examine the intricacies involved in crafting engaging dialogue and constructing thematically coherent plots. You will be asked to enter the workshop with a strong idea of a scene or plot you are hoping to make more robust and through the various tasks, you will envision different ways to coax out the emotional, story-driven, and symbolic elements of the narrative. The workshop will utilise tangible examples of well-known stories to contextualise and enhance your understanding of scene progression and how compelling characters drive the story forward. Ultimately you will leave the workshop with a better understanding of how to make your characters speak with conviction and in a way that highlights their humanity. There will be plenty of opportunities to share your findings during the workshop and discussion about the topics will be encouraged.

Conor Patrick Carroll is a playwright, screenwriter, and graduate of the MA in Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. He has had work produced throughout the UK with his last full-length play being It Is So Ordered which ran at the Pleasance Theatre London in April 2017. He is an alumnus of the Soho Writer’s Lab and his play Haste Ye Back was shortlisted for the ETPEP Award in 2019.

Learning Objectives: 

• For participants to leave the workshop with a better understanding of how to bring their seemingly separate scenes into a thematic whole.
• For participants to better understand the different tracks that go into writing scene dialogue and to leave the workshop with repeatable exercises that can help them to realise this complexity.
• To provide relatable and understandable examples that help to unlock the participants' understanding of the ideas being explored.
• To give the participants ample opportunity to discuss the plots and characters they are working on, so they have a sense of development through the course of the workshop.
• To make the workshop an enjoyable experience with a sense of community by encouraging the participants to feedback on each other's ideas and work should they wish to.
• To provide useful resources for the participants which they can utilise following the completion of the workshop to expand on what they have learned.

Max number of participants

10

Estimated length

Approx 1hr