The Marlowe Writers’ Room

Led by award-winning playwright and resident Marlowe Dramaturg Leo Butler, the Marlowe Theatre Writers’ Room brings together aspiring and emerging writers in the local area. In his series of weekly courses, Leo offers a safe space in which to learn, experiment, and meet new people – whether it be the start of a career in writing or a fun new thing to try. Beyond the sessions, participants become part of the growing Writers’ Room community, with long-term access to helpful resources and an ever-larger pool of fellow writers as they continue their writing journey.

The following courses are currently available to book. If you have any questions, please email us.

Writing Children’s Theatre

Have you ever thought of writing a play for kids? How do you make brilliant theatre for pre-schoolers or older kids or teenagers? Should children’s theatre have a message or just be pure fun? Do you want to adapt an existing story, or dream up an original story of your own?

This brand-new 12-week course, led by playwright and resident Marlowe Dramaturg Leo Butler, explores different styles of children’s theatre and encourages the group to write plays or adaptations of their own.

No experience necessary.

Sat 26 Apr – Sat 19 Jul 2025 10.30am – 1.30pm
(Note: there will be no session on Sat 31 May)

Max. 10 participants
Location: Canterbury
Age: 16yrs+
Book your place now.

Pay what you can
We don’t want cost to be a barrier to your involvement in this course. When booking your place, you’ll be able to select from a range of prices at level that you can afford. Recommended price: £60.

About Leo Butler

Born and raised in Sheffield, Leo Butler is an award-winning playwright. His debut play, Made of Stone, was produced at the Royal Court Theatre’s Young Writers’ Festival in 2000.  In 2001, he won the George Devine Award for Redundant, which premiered at the Royal Court Theatre Downstairs.

Leo followed Redundant with Lucky Dog (2004) and Faces in the Crowd (2008), also staged at the Royal Court.

As the Writers’ Tutor for the Royal Court’s Young Writers’ Programme between 2006 and 2014, Leo taught and mentored a new generation of acclaimed playwrights.

Other career highlights include the critically acclaimed Boy for the Almeida Theatre, I’ll Be The Devil for the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Early Bird for the Queen’s Theatre Belfast, All You Need is LSD (which toured the UK with Told By an Idiot), a new version of Woyzeck written for the Birmingham Rep, and Cinderella for Theatre Royal Stratford East.

Leo co-composed (with Dan Persad) and performed in Alison! A Rock Opera at the Royal Court, King’s Head Theatre and in live music venues across London.

Other work includes three plays written specifically for teenagers: Decades (Brit School/Bridge Theatre Company), Devotion (Theatre Centre), and Innocent Creatures (NT Connections).

Film and TV work includes Self Made (Gillian Wearing/UK Film Council) and Jerusalem the Golden (BBC Four).

Leo has a number of new stage and screen projects in development. His plays are published as single editions and as anthologies by Bloomsbury.

Previously available courses
Introduction to Playwriting, Sat 30 Sep – Sat 16 Dec 2023
Introduction to Playwriting, Wed 27 Sep – Wed 13 Dec 2023
An Introduction to Movie Screenwriting, Sat 20 Jan – Sat 16 Mar 2024
Write a Team Play, Wed 1 May – Wed 10 Jul 2024
Write a Play in a Day, Wed 7 Aug 2024
Verbatim Theatre for Writers, with Alecky Blythe, Sat 10 Aug 2024
An Introduction to Playwriting, Sat 14 Sep – Sat 7 Dec 2024
An Introduction to Playwriting, Sat 11 Jan – Sat 5 Apr 2025