Scratch That!

An evening of short plays centred around the theme of communication.

Over the last year, communication has been more important than ever. Join us as we celebrate the new work of four female playwrights as we dive into their world of stories and experience the highs, the lows, and - ultimately - the importance of communicating with each other.

Interested in the writers inspiration?

Keep scrolling to find out more about the creative team.

Originally Streamed live to YouTube

23rd April

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The Plays

FAILURE

by Ariella Como Stoian

After the recall scandal of an app-based implant that controls menstrual hormones, the CEO, Head Scientist and Executive Assistant of a Femcare corporation are interviewed on their failure, interrogating who is culpable and why.

EVERGREEN

by Lucy Davidson

Something is missing in Rob and Mary's relationship. Can a surprise gift convince them to try again?

ALOHA APOCALYPSE

by Marcia Eppich-Harris

Ed and Sophie wake up on January 13, 2018, to learn that their Hawaiian holiday is being interrupted by nuclear war.

GRAMBO

by Áine King

Grambo has fallen and can't get up. Again and again they call their much-loved grown-up grandchild who is too busy to answer the phone.

The Writers

Ariella Como Stoian - Writer of Failure

Ariella is a playwright and theatre-maker who grew up between Romania, Australia and the UK, now based in East London. Her play Dissolution (2016) transferred from the Sydney Fringe to a critically acclaimed run at the Subiaco Arts Centre, Perth with female-led company Tempest Theatre (2018). She co-founded new writing company Distracted Rat in 2019, is Resident Dramaturg as well as a rep writer for site-specific theatre company Šite Productions and was a member of the queer arts collective Sibils in Sydney. Ariella’s recent work includes a sold-out New Writing Festival at the OSO Arts Centre (2019) as well as directurging new solo-show Mooncalf (writ. Nell Barlow) for the Camden People’s Theatre (2019). Ariella creates womxn-focused work that centres queer stories, engaging with themes of care, grief, the uncanny and speculative futures. She has just finished her MFA in Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media at the Central School of Speech and Drama.

What was the inspiration behind your play?

Lucy Davidson - Writer of Evergreen

Lucy is a Scottish Playwright living in London. She recently completed an MA at RADA and trained with the National Youth Theatre. Her work explores the intersection between gender, class, and power. She has developed scripts with the Traverse Theatre as part of their Young Writers Group. Her play 'Rent' was chosen to be workshopped by playwright James Graham and The National Youth Theatre and was later developed by Candlewasters Theatre Company. She currently has work in development with Lambeth Walk Films, Creative Sparkworks, and Emma Tempest Productions, and recently completed The Literal Challenge's '28 Plays Later' challenge.

What was the inspiration behind your play?

Marcia Eppich-Harris - Writer of Aloha Apocalypse

Marcia is a founding member of the Indiana Playwrights Circle (IPC) and is the discussion leader for IPC's weekly Scene Nights. Marcia's writing is influenced by the literature and history of the ancient Greeks and Romans, the Medieval period, and the Renaissance, as well as current events. She writes about family, gender, politics, the arts, and culture. She lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.

What was the inspiration behind your play?

Áine King - Writer of Grambo

Áine is a dramatist, director and designer. An Irish East-Ender, she studied at St Martin’s, Brighton, Sussex and R.A.D.A. Much of her work is based on real-life stories and on giving voice to those who are often overlooked, particularly working class women. Her stage plays include Gunn Woman at The Arcola Theatre, March 2020, Mother’s Pride at the Chapel Playhouse, Battlesong at the Rialto, Brighton, Flotsam at Theatre Deli and Rum Shack Glasgow, Grambo as part of Faces of the Day, Southwark Playhouse and an adaptation of Nick Burbridge’s Hard Chair Stories at the Rose Theatre, Bankside. Her immersive, mad-house ensemble adaptation of Dracula for Otherplace Productions in 2011 won a Fringe Report award for Best Auteur. Her screen short, Running Out was filmed by National Theatre of Scotland / BBC Scotland for Scenes For Survival 2020. Radio plays include The Handfast Bride, BBC Radio Orkney 2020, Bloomin’ Adolf and The Witch Of Walthamstow, Writer’s Block Radio, Scotland, Gunn Woman, Radio Reverb, Brighton and The Evacuee, Talking Stories Radio/ East London Radio. Áine is currently writing an audio play about invisible disability for Birds Of Paradise Theatre. She lives in the Orkney Islands.