A note from Tabby, Fort's playwright -
"I started writing the play which would become ‘Fort’ on a Royal Court Introductory Group in 2019. During lockdown, I redrafted the play and then sent it to Rohan Gotobed, whose dramaturgical wisdom has helped to shape and hone the script over several years. We were lucky enough to have a week on Poole Lighthouse’s Sanctuary programme in the summer of 2022, to R&D the script with two local actors, and through workshops in local schools, before sharing a rehearsed reading with an audience in the Lighthouse Studio.
We ran a week long summer school at Taunton Brewhouse in summer 2023 which helped shape the play further, and it has also been twice performed at The Script’s The Thing at Dorchester Arts. The script was shortlisted for Masterclass Pitch Your Play award in 2023, with an extract performed at The Other Palace theatre in London to industry professionals. It has also been longlisted for The Bruntwood Prize. The play has been shaped not just by Dorset stories, landscape and history but very much by Dorset and South West arts organisations, and young people themselves, for which we are very grateful."
We are thrilled to be supported by Arts Council England for the next stage of 'Fort', taking it to venues across the South West and Theatre503 in London. However, we still require further support, to make the show as accessible as we can and share the show with as many people as possible.
Here are some of the ways we will spend the money we raise:
£10 will subsidise a ticket for someone to see Fort who otherwise could not afford one
£50 will pay for the performance of an emerging Dorset-based artist before a show of Fort
£100 will pay for the running of the captions for one performance
£150 will pay for a school workshop exploring the themes of Fort with one member of our team
We truly appreciate anything and everything you can give - thank you.
About Dorsetborn:
We are a young company, here to discover new stories deserving of new audiences. You can find us making new work across Dorset and the South West.
Since being formed in February 2022, Dorsetborn have generated 30+ paid opportunities for freelancers and engaged with over 2000 audience members/participants.
We have partnered with organisations including Artsreach, Dorset Libraries, the New Diorama, Pavilion Dance South West, and Taunton Brewhouse. We are an Associate Company of National Youth Theatre and been featured on ITV Meridian and BBC Radio Dorset.
We are just getting started.