The Everyman & Playhouse’s annual celebration of writing, Everyword, returns this year from Wednesday 22nd to Sunday 26th October at the Everyman, the Playhouse Studio and rambling across the city with a series of new plays, workshops and literary happenings with contributions from some of the city’s brightest talents including Lizzie Nunnery, Jeff Young and Luke Barnes.

The cornerstone of Everyword is always readings and performances of new works that are in development. This year there’s the chance to catch Lewis Bray’s beautiful, funny one-man show about his family which transports us into the world created by his autistic brother: Cartoonopolis. Three sisters come of age in a crumbling British Legion club in In Wonderland written by Luke Barnes and directed by Everyman & Playhouse Associate Director Nick Bagnall. The festival rounds off with The Sum by Lizzie Nunnery, a big new political play with brilliant songs for our times.

Part performance, part workshop, part installation, Ray + Julie on London Road invites you to see London Road through the eyes of the mysterious lovers celebrated in a piece of graffiti on London Road. 10 years ago artists Alan Dunn and Brigitte Jurack sank two metal chairs into the concrete for Ray and Julie, should they ever return. Now writer Jeff Young teams up with Alan Dunn to find ten collaborators who will create a performance in commemoration to the pair and the site.

Every night of the festival the Everyman gets its own Speakers’ Corner with Platform, curated by writers Alison Down and Paddy Hughes. On 24th October there’s storytelling over a pint or two with Liverpool Rambles as Alan Barnes hosts eight writers who all have stories to spin and worlds to conjure, all for your enchantment.

There are Q&As and Talks with Northern Stage as they scout for shows and companies to take to their Edinburgh venue next year. Lloyd Newson of the world-renowned DV8 will give a free talk free talk about his working methods and the U.K. première of his new show, JOHN, which is at the Playhouse week, while A Good Night Out is an exploration of popular, political theatre and the ideas of Everyman legend John McGrath.

Finally, on the 23rd, 23 miniature events in 23 places around the city for 23, which is linked to Daisy Campbell’s Cosmic Trigger in November at Camp and Furnace. In bookshops and pubs and out on the streets, in the Everyman Theatre in the bar and on the stage and in the cupboard under the stairs,  inside hidden corners and from the cracks in the walls, from the topmost window and at the bottom of your glass. 23 is utter nonsense, and the key to the universe. The extraordinary found within the ordinary. The number 23 is everywhere.

Platform

Curated by writers Paddy Hughes and Alison Down
Wednesday 22nd October– Saturday 25th October
6pm
Everyman, Theatre Bar
Free

Ray + Julie on London Road

Wednesday 22nd October
9.30am-1pm
London Road
Free but places are limited and by application

Cartoonopolis

A play written and performed by Lewis Bray
Directed by Matt Rutter and Chris Tomlinson
Wednesday 22nd October
8pm
Playhouse Studio
£5/£4

23

Thursday 23rd October
Maps available from 2.30pm at the Everyman Box Office
In 23 places including the Everyman
£4.23

Northern Stage Edinburgh Roadshow

Friday 24th October
10am – 12noon
Everyman Theatre Bar
Free but ticketed

A Talk with Lloyd Newson, Artistic Director of DV8 Physical Theatre

In association with Homotopia
Friday 24th October
5pm – 6pm

Liverpool Rambles

In association with Seven Streets and Scottie Road Writers
Friday 24th October
8pm
Everyman Theatre Bar, EV2
£5/£4

In Wonderland

By Luke Barnes, directed by Nick Bagnall
Saturday 25th October
8pm
Playhouse Studio
£5/£4

Ray + Julie on London Road

Sunday 26th October
2pm
Everyman, EV1
£5/£4

The Sum

By Lizzie Nunnery, directed by Cora Bissett

Sunday 26th October
4pm
Everyman, Rehearsal Room
£5/£4