Fresh Ink: Hull Playwriting Festival 2025
The second edition of an annual festival showcasing plays by Hull writers
The second edition featured script-in-hand performances in a marquee on Stage@TheDock, an amphitheatre by the river Hull, alongside a sharing of short scenes by the Middle Child Writers’ Group and a teaser of Isabelle, Middle Child’s 2026 play by Marc Graham, which was originally commissioned for Fresh Ink 2024.
The programme also include writer workshops and industry talks at the pop-up space on Pier Street and keynote speeches by Ola Animashawun of the National Theatre and Hull playwright, Maureen Lennon.
Fresh Ink 2025 was produced by co-founders Middle Child and sponsored by co-founders Wykeland, with support from the J F Brignall Charitable Trust, Hull City Council, the University of Hull, Hull Truck Theatre and the Garrick Charitable Trust.
19-20 July 2025
Stage@TheDock
Humber Street, Hull
Pop-Up Space
Pier Street, Hull
Plays
Keeper
Ellen Brammar
No Scrap, No Chips
Jim Norris
Everyone We Know Has Kids
Samuel Sims and Jay Grainger
Colonel Gaddaddy
Noor Sobka
The Pull Up
Sean Climie
Roll to React
Michelle Kelly
Meet You at the Corner
Laura Wilson
Middle Child Writers’ Group
Various Writers
Isabelle
Marc Graham
Workshops
How to Experiment with Form
Javaad Alipoor
How to Write Class
Holly Beasley-Garrigan
How to Write Across Media
Lydia Marchant
How to Write About Place
Nathan Queeley Dennis
How to Start Writing Plays
Tom Wells
How to Write Plays that Change the World
Winsome Pinnock
Talks
How I Act in New Plays
Samuel Edward-Cook
How I Explore Transfem Rage on Stage
Tabby Lamb
How I Review New Work
Holly Williams
How I Amplify Real Voices
Matt Woodhead
Keynote Speech
Ola Animashawun
Keynote Speech
Maureen Lennon
Socials
Bring Your Lunch: Creative Networking
Rabbey
Bring Your Lunch: I’m Looking for…
Ruby Thompson
Writers
Rosie Race
Ellen is a Hull-based writer. She has had two plays produced by Middle Child, I Hate Alone and Modest, the latter of which toured the country and closed at the Kiln Theatre in London in 2023.
She was one of BBC’s Northern Voices in 2020, where she turned I Hate Alone into a TV pilot.
Ellen lives in Hull with her husband and two young children.
Jim Norris
Jim has lived and worked in Hull for most of his life. It’s his home and a whole part of his identity in one.
He started writing when he applied for the Middle Child Writers’ Group, which gave him the confidence to keep going with it and from there Jim has written for Middle Child and Hull Truck Theatre.
Samuel Sims and Jay Grainger
Samuel is a writer from Hull, who has written extensively about his experiences as a queer person for publications like The Guardian. He also works for Hull Independent Cinema and recently programmed an entire season of LGBTQ+ films. He took part in Middle Child's 2022 Writers' Group.
Jay is an actor who trained at the London School of Musical Theatre. In 2023, he was instrumental in Autistic Pride's involvement in the city's wider celebrations at Hull Truck Theatre, something he is very proud of and that he hopes will continue into the future. He took part in Hull Truck's 2022 Playwriting Group.
This is their first commission as playwrights.
Noor Sobka
Noor is a Libyan theatre-maker with a particular interest in comedy and telling Middle Eastern and North African and global majority stories.
Having lived in Hull during formative years in her childhood, she has fond memories of Hull.
Noor has been a part of various programmes including Soho Theatre’s writing programme and The Old Vic Theatre Makers. She is also a trained dramaturg and script reader.
Sean Climie
Sean hails from the middle of nowhere around Glasgow, but came to Hull to study drama at university. Like many, he wanted to be an actor when he joined, but left having written two plays and growing an appreciation for characters and world building.
Sean graduated in the pandemic and went back to nowhere in Scotland, where there weren’t many employment opportunities, and decided to move back to Hull as he missed the people there.
He took part in Hull Truck’s Introduction To Playwriting course last year and attended workshops at Fresh Ink 2024, finding both very inspiring.
Michelle Kelly
Michelle is an actor, voice actor and singer who is passionate about storytelling through a queer, neurodivergent lens and platforming the work and talent of people of colour.
This commission is her first-ever professional writing opportunity and she is excited and terrified in equal measure.
Laura Wilson
Laura is a writer and a local business owner. Born and bred in Hull, she performs, writes, sings and enjoys making people laugh.
She began performing from an early age at every opportunity, playing violin and various roles in school plays and local theatre.
Laura has recently graduated with a BA in Creative Writing & English.