WHY DID THEY WRITE IT LIKE THAT? THE WRITER AS PUZZLE-SETTER, THE ACTOR AS DETECTIVE

Monday 18th January brings us a talk by acclaimed acting teacher John Hartoch, who leads an evening exploring how actors interpret the clues in the writer's words. Somewhere between a talk and a workshop (A Talkshop?) the evening will play with the extremes to which creative brains can go when concentrating on possible subtexts, and how easy it is to make inaccurate assumptions about characters we find on the page. Writers will be invited to contribute an instant rewrite of the exposition of a famous text so by all means bring along writing materials. Open to all, but newcomers will be asked for an annual membership fee of £12.

John Hartoch was until 2015 Head of Acting Courses at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, where he began training actors in 1979. He has a successful record as a theatre director and has written a number of stage adaptations, notably Kipling's Jungle Book, (Samuel French) which he directed at the Adelphi more years ago than he cares to remember.

7.30 at the North London Tavern.