Words in Progress: Writing for the Stage

Words in Progress returns to the Sheffield Plate on Thursday 12 November, with this edition themed 'Writing for the Stage'. It's the rebranded name for the live literature night that replaced 'Sounds About Write', run by Beverley Ward, who each month sits down with a literary guest to chat about their work in progress. The November guest is Eleanor May Blackburn, a disabled writer/actor/theatre-maker/facilitator from Sheffield.

Blackburn has created 3 solo shows to date that have toured all over the country and to the Edinburgh Fringe. Eleanor had her first full collection of poetry Sleeve Heart published in 2025 by Stairwell Books and a chapbook published previously. She has just received an ACE grant to tour her Leeds Playhouse script window shortlisted play Virtuous to the Lowry. Other notable projects include: Pidge the narrator for the Royal Ballet and Opera's: Tales Untapped, playing lead roles in JW Theatre's The Witching Hour and The Devil's Game, Robin Hood in Same Difference Art's Robin Hood, starring in Apartness alongside Sylvester McCoy and Linda Marlowe, playing the lead in Kevin Short's Bonnie & Clive. She likes to make work about mental health, disability and feminist narratives.

It starts at 18:45 at the Sheffield Plate, 31-33 Orchard Square, Sheffield City Centre, S1 2FB. Entry is pay-what-you-can, though open-mic slots require a separate 'Open Mic' ticket and run up to five minutes each.