|  | Transmissions is Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s scheme for young playwrights. Each year a group of young writers aged 12-25, from across the Midlands, work with professional playwrights on alternate Saturday mornings to develop their skills and ideas.
Over the course of the year they produce their own scripts, which are showcased during a two-week festival in July.
This gives them the chance to see their work on stage in The Door, The REP’s studio theatre, and gain the experience of working with professional theatre practitioners.
Below is Farrah Savero's experience of being part of this unique scheme.
| Transmissions 2003 - by Farrah Savero |
If someone had said to me 2 years ago, that by 2003, I’ll have had a play produced at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, I’d have laughed, (after trying to string out a grammatically correct sentence ridiculing the concept).
And here I am – 2003, blushing, and the concept is no longer a figment of intangibility.
 | | Farrah Savero at the Transmissions project |
Having an assembly of professional directors, actors, and dedicated mentors working on my new play, the life of a young writer couldn’t be more satisfying.
It’s this stubbornly consistent desire, which keeps the Transmissions team a strong one.
Writing is a very lonely sphere, and it’s only because of the existence of this circuit that I have the ability to learn from others around me, and share my own aspirations.
And the result: A biological reaction even cultural scientists couldn’t stop – if you get too close, you’ll burn.
Passion and dedication
The Transmissions workshops always start off with a group of passionate and dedicated young people, the motive: seeing their show in action - that’s where the peak of success is.
Eight months later, after extensive lessons on location, turning points, language, characterisation etc, the workshops end with a group of passionate and dedicated young writers.
This is normally the turning point for our final pieces and for our newly caricatured personas.
My fears
During my first play, I was unnerved and scared. Of what? Confrontation of course. I wasn’t a real writer. Not even an amateur; I couldn’t begin to think of myself as a writer – what gave me the right? How could I possibly confront the world of theatre confidently? How could I say what I wanted to say, and what would make people interested?
It’s only because of the team of mentors I had, which kept me focused and committed to my passion. Without them I wouldn’t know the difference between dreaming and succeeding.
I was given a platform of support and a field of motivation – as cheesy as it sounds, it’s true. If you listen carefully, you‘ll even hear the violins.
A culture of new writing
 | | Transmissions |
The fortunate thing for me is that the culture of new writing at The REP is taken seriously. We are taken seriously. All our voices are heard and they are driven to their individual destinations, however dangerous the journey.
The best thing for me now, two plays later, is that I no longer feel scared, or unnerved. Instead, I feel proud of our culture and of our community.
I feel it has given me the right to say ‘I am a writer’.
Transmissions doesn’t only broadcast new writing – it saves it. And if you get close enough to the stage, you might feel that burning intensity.
Farrah’s play about a convicted murderer, 'The Straine' can be seen at The REP on Wednesday 9th July at 7.45pm.
Transmissions Festival runs from 2nd - 12th July.
For further information visit the Birmingham REP's website or contact the Box Office on 0121 236 4455.
If you fancy writing a play and would like to take part in Transmissions, then The REP is starting to recruit for next year. Who knows - next year we could be featuring you on the website!
For further details contact Caroline Jester on 0121 245 2000 or email: caroline.jester@birmingham-rep.co.uk.
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