Hightide Opens Artistic Director Clare Slater's Inaugural Season With Play Reading Event Hightide Rising

HighTide Rising opens the first season of work under the company's new Artistic Director Clare Slater. This intimate one-day play reading festival on 20 May will showcase new work by playwrights from the East of England. Building on HighTide's celebrated legacy as a new writing company, the day will feature original work by emerging playwrights Tassa Deparis, Guleraana Mir, Eloise Pennycott and Tom Ratcliffe.

Each playwright is being mentored by a leading industry figure. Mike Bartlett, Lucy Kirkwood, Hannah Khalil and Nina Raine will mentor Ratcliffe, Desparis, Mir and Pennycott respectively in their developing practice.

HighTide Rising is being co-hosted by leading playwrights: Suffolk-resident Lucy Kirkwood and Felixstowe-raised Juliet Gilkes Romero.

The day will feature script in hand extracts, peppered with folk music and finishing with celebratory drinks, all in the beautiful, countryside location of Wingfield Barns near Diss, Suffolk.

Playwright and co-host of HighTide Rising, Lucy Kirkwood said today "I'm so thrilled to see HighTide shining a light on the next generation of playwrights here in the East of England. There are so many brilliant artists emerging, or waiting to emerge, from this wonderful, fertile region. I'm excited to see what happens when they are given the opportunity to experiment and explore, hone their craft, and take wild risks, supported by this visionary company."

Playwright and co-host of HighTide Rising Juliet Gilkes Romero said today "Theatre matters because stories have the power to resonate, inspire, challenge and empower. Without playwrights civilization would be very bleak indeed. Here in the East of England we want to find and nurture all sorts of voices to keep this creativity burning bright."

Artistic Director, Clare Slater said today, "HighTide Rising is just the beginning of our new commitment to East Anglian playwrights. Tassa, Guleraana, Eloise and Tom are brilliantly talented writers and it'll be a joyful day getting a taste of their new work in development."

In support of HighTide's renewed focus on nurturing and producing work from the pool of playwriting talent in the region, Juliet Gilkes Romero is also announced as a new member of the HighTide board, alongside Sarah Holmes and Emily Anstead.