We are looking for a Dramaturg to join the National Theatre New Work Team on 9 Month Fixed Term Contract.
The Dramaturg is a key member of the dramaturgical team, working closely with the Director of New Work and the artistic leadership in proposing and preparing plays for production.
They will be asked to suggest plays for commission and production, to develop titles for adaptation, revival and versioning, and to identify writers, artists and companies for development at the NT.
From there, the Dramaturg oversees a slate of projects towards production, supporting the artists and process.
As such, the role includes workshop and show dramaturgy, as well as talent and project-based research and development toward the stages of the National Theatre.
The role will require an understanding of literary development, the commissioning process and the creative journey between idea and production.
It requires the ability to offer an articulate and informed dramaturgical conversation with senior artists, and to build productive working artistic relationships, to identify artists, projects and material of promise and to forge connections between creative practitioners and the opportunities within the New Work Department and on NTs stages.
As the dramaturg will regularly be asked to engage with material for adaptation and development, the role requires an extensive knowledge of canonical classics and understanding of the processes of adaptation; at the same time, the role requires extensive reading of new plays and a familiarity with the new writing landscape both in the UK and beyond, particularly drawing on an up-to-date working knowledge of the UK and international theatre ecology.
Finally, the position requires a strategic overview of the NTs repertoire to guide artistic choices, as well as a proven track record in working with senior artists and bringing ambitious and excellent ideas to life.
The successful candidate will have the following: Demonstrable experience of literary development and an understanding of the commissioning process with a track record as an incisive, articulate and assiduous reader and assessor of scripts Experience in seeding collaborations, building creative teams and holding relationships with a range of artists towards production, in particular senior artists and productions at scale Extensive experience in production dramaturgy and artistic development at every stage from inception to production, steering new work into production with writers, directors or other theatre makers Strong working knowledge of the Western literary canon and the criteria and processes for supporting adaptation and versioning of canonical texts by living writers, with experience leading such dramaturgical processes An in-depth knowledge of contemporary British and international theatre, and the National Theatres role within this context