Just stumbled upon this.

Contest for a one page play. That's more like a sketch, isn't it?

http://www.menagerietheatre.co.uk/hotbedfest/one-page-play-competition-athon/

Thanks Mikey, I'd seen this, but thought it's not for me, it's a play. But of course you're right, what's the difference from a sketch? So I sent one.

Quote: Griff @ June 30 2009, 7:44 AM BST

Check out One Million Tiny Plays About Britain for some great examples of one-or-two-minute plays. They are different from sketches in the same way that a half hour play is different from a sitcom.

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I'm not so sure. Plays are generally very different to sketches in that they have much more time to develop character, plot, etc, and to retain interest over the whole piece requires tremendous skill. Sketches by definition are short. Plays are very rarely written this short for a reason - they don't really work as plays. They're more a chance for writers to show they can write dialogue, funny or otherwise. I'd seen the Guardian tiny plays, but they didn't work for me. I find it hard to differentiate between short "plays" like these and character-driven sketches by someone like Peter Cook or Ronnie Barker or any number of good sketch-writers.

Quote: Griff @ June 30 2009, 10:25 AM BST

Fair enough, I guess a tiny play *can* be very like a sketch, or they can be very different. Sketches are usually pushing towards a punchline, often very broad or exaggerated characters and situations, whereas these tiny plays are often just little mood pieces or impressionist snapshots.

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Yeah, it's just a minute is so short to create any kind of mood, I think.

I went to an evening of five minute plays by Zeitgeist theatre, who you obviously know Griff, and it just about worked there, but five minutes is a lot more to work with than one.

By the way, I hope your play went well. I hoped to go, but wasn't able to make it in the end. My partner had a play in the same World at One series in January, only that was about Facebook.

I was hoping to spark and interesting debate on this, as I wasn't really sure of the difference between a short play and sketch.

I've just read a couple of those One Million shorts.
Ah, so basically, it's just a short convrsation.

Surely though, one page in play format (ScriptSmart) is less that the number of lines of those examples.

Use a 4 point font and you could probably get fifteen/twenty minutes into a page...

Dan

I've done a few of these. Just short pieces "saying" something - rather than being funny.

I'll give it a go.

Ooh, thanks Mikey. I have sent one along.

I know nothing about writing a play, so they got a one-page sketch.

Is it me or do the rules say everything will be performed (unless they have too many entries) and then the audience choose one winner they will notify.

I imagine it's a long trip for many to Cambridge so there's no way of knowing if they use your piece or not and if they do, what sort of reaction it gets, unless you win. Hmmm.

Unless, you know, you ask them or they email people to tell them how it went.

Quote: Afinkawan @ June 30 2009, 3:05 PM BST

Unless, you know, you ask them or they email people to tell them how it went.

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It's unlikely they'll bother doing that.
But I see in the small print they do tell you if it's going to be performed. I imagine most of the audience will consist of writers then! And what if each writer than votes for their own!

"The winner - decided by the audience - gets to donate £250 to a charity of their choice."

Is that out of your own pocket? Because that sounds like rather elaborate way to force someone to donate a chunk of money to good causes.

Bloomin' well hope not! (gasp!)

Well, I sent my entry.

I thought it said on the website that 24 plays will be chosen to be performed. (I could be wrong)

++++++++ EDIT +++++++++++
Sorry, ignore me. I'm thinking of another play contest.

but I found this

Terms & Conditions
All plays will be performed anonymously. If a play is to receive a performance, the writer will be notifed as early as possible. All plays will be produced by Menagerie. Menagerie cannot guarantee that every play submitted will be performed; in the event that the competition is over-subscribed Menagerie will select the best plays available; Menagerie's decisions regarding the selection of plays are final. The winner will be decided by an audience vote.

Quote: Mikey Jackson @ June 30 2009, 5:23 PM BST

Bloomin' well hope not! (gasp!)

Well, I sent my entry.

I thought it said on the website that 24 plays will be chosen to be performed. (I could be wrong)

++++++++ EDIT +++++++++++
Sorry, ignore me. I'm thinking of another play contest.

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The main thing for a play is to have three acts. Sketches don't have to have them.

Just one entry Mikey I thought you would have written 150 of them by now!