In with the New: Traverse Cubed

With a flashy mathematical title that can be written any way you like, Traverse Cubed is bringing focus to new work this fall. Any place where contemporary artists are promoted, produced and supported is where you will find some of the most enthusiastic art-makers around. With funding from the Scottish Arts Council, Traverse Cubed (the 'cubed' represents the fine art triumvirate of theatre, music and visual arts) will be presenting full productions of three new plays by writers at the start of their careers as theatre folk.

As part of this month-long presentation, the Literary Department at the Traverse is organising a series of four "first glimpse" presentations of plays that have been commissioned by the Traverse, the Soho Theatre and the National Theatre Studio. Two young theatre companies are also receiving funding for productions, as well as artistic support from those who have been in the theatre business for a while, giving these companies a solid foundation from which to grow. The Traverse's Artistic Director and Literary Manager will mentor the companies Highway Diner and 12 Stars as they receive funds to work on their productions for this season. Any group would grasp at a chance to be given such attention, kept afloat financially and perhaps saved from going the way of the countless theatre groups that form enthusiastically and disband unwillingly, unable to keep interest and finances flowing. Not to suggest that these groups wouldn't survive without the Traverse, but they will certainly be able to feel a little more solid in telling the world that this is, in fact, their job.

Morna Pearson, whose play 'Distracted' is being produced as part of Traverse Cubed, has been working for several years as a library assistant, slowly beginning to earn most of her living from her writing career rather than her day job. "The whole of this year I've basically managed to support myself with writing," she says gladly. Having her play chosen for production has been a major event in her career, and Traverse Cubed is obviously of overwhelming importance to her. Along with some other playwrighting successes in recent years, Traverse Cubed is giving Pearson another push toward being a full-time playwright: "I do feel I'm a writer first. I used to say, 'I'm a library assistant and a writer.' Now I'm quite confident to say that I'm a writer."

Thankfully, Pearson has had reasonable success from the start, having her work read and produced regularly. "There are lots of outlets for the whole of the UK. Everyone's looking for new writing, there are so many competitions to apply for."

Without this kind of attention to and support for new work, the theatre world would likely be swamped with endless adaptations of Chekhov and Brecht, productions funded most likely because of the notoriety of either those producing it or of the play itself. Classic plays command respect and interest just by their famous titles or well-known authors; but it is those creating new work, getting contemporary, fresh ideas produced and seen, that need the attention and exuberance of the theatre community, not to mention the great necessity of financial backing.

As theatre-goers, there is room for the classic but there must also be attention paid to the new. Traverse Cubed is an opportunity to view the work of artists who are hopefully at the start of long careers in the arts; and the Traverse has decided that they are certainly worth a good look.