I Started A Fire by Miriam Battye

Contact: 0161 833 9833

Manchester-born playwright Miriam Battye is to see her Bruntwood Prize shortlisted play – I STARTED A FIRE – receive its first public reading in The Studio at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre.

I STARTED A FIRE focuses on school girl Alice, who has a crush on older boy Jamie. But when she sees him looking at her, Alice mistakes the look for one of love, which soon takes her on a spiralling journey of self-destruction and ultimate heartbreak. It doesn’t help that people also thinks she’s a little bit crazy.

I STARTED A FIRE is a tragic and dark comedy about unrequited love and young foolish naivety.

A cast of professional actors (TBC) will read from the play, giving the audience a unique insight into the script development process and the work the Exchange does to support playwrights and nurture local talent.

Miriam Battye grew up in Manchester and has been a theatre lover her whole life. She started writing poetry during her teenage years before trying her hand at writing for stage. At the age of seventeen she was accepted onto The Twelve playwriting programme at the Royal Exchange and since then has written avidly. Currently studying at Bristol University she's had her work staged in productions and rehearsed readings at her university union in Bristol and the Bristol Old Vic Basement.

I STARTED A FIRE was one of the shortlisted plays in the 2011 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting - the biggest national competition for playwriting.

Bruntwood-In-Progress is part of the WORD series of events on writing and celebrating the spoken word, and continues the Royal Exchange Theatre’s dedication of nurturing new talent and working with local writers in their development process.

Price: £3.50

Time: 1:00pm