Devising: A weekend intensive with Billy Barrett

8 & 9 Nov 2025

Written by Billy Barrett

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Focusing on devising original performance from source materials – whether those are historical records or images, recent news items, or even artworks or works of literature, this intensive 2-day course will include group improvisations and devising exercises. . Billy will ask you to bring in something you are interested in responding to. Tasks will look at structure, generating ideas and exploration of the source material. The weekend will culminate with a fleshed out proposal for a full performance piece based on your original source material.

This is for any writer or theatre-maker who wishes to further their skills in devising original work.

Saturday 8 November & Sunday 9 November 2025, 10:00-18:00

This will take place in-person at Theatre503’s Studio.

If you have any access requirements, you can let us know by contacting filling out our Writer’s Programme Accessibility Form or contacting Theatre503 via our Writers’ Programme email, writersprogramme@theatre503.com or by calling 02079787040.

For further details of Theatre503 Accessibility, please visit the Access page of our website.

Thanks to our Share The Drama scheme, we want to make sure those of you who are struggling in the current climate can still take part in our Writers Programme. If you would like to book a Share The Drama bursary for the Writer’s Programme, please call our box office on 02079787040.

Billy Barrett

Billy is a theatre director, writer and the co-Artistic Director of devised/ documentary theatre company Breach. His work includes After the Act (Royal Court, Traverse Theatre, UK Tour), a verbatim musical about the homophobic legislation Section 28, Joan of Leeds, a musical about a runaway medieval nun, and It’s True, It’s True, It’s True (New Diorama Theatre, UK Tour, BBC4) a courtroom drama re-staging a 17th Century rape trial. He is currently developing new productions about the Spy Cops scandal and about the true story behind Ibsen's A Doll's House. Billy has directed musical theatre as well as devised work at drama schools including Mountview, RADA and Guildhall. He often leads workshops on devised and documentary theatre, most recently for the National Theatre’s Speak Up Programme, and the Old Vic Theatre.