ITCH Scratch Nights

Submissions – Terms & Conditions:

Before submitting an item for consideration, please read the following terms and conditions in full.

Given the volume of submissions we receive, any deviation from our requirements could result in an item being rejected.

Sorry! We have to control the numbers somehow…

We will consider pieces with a duration of no more than 10 minutes when performed. Pieces should be suitable for an adult audience.

We are holding two Scratch Nights in 2027. They are Mousetrapped! and 1100. 2027 marks the 75th anniversary of the opening of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap and the 1100th anniversary of the creation of England, as a single state, under King Æthelstan.

Submissions for Mousetrapped! should be made by FRIDAY 2 OCTOBER 2026 at NOON and 1100 by FRIDAY 16 APRIL 2027 at NOON.

Submissions must be made using the forms in the To Submit section, further down this page.

All ITCH Scratch Night submissions must comply with the following conditions:

Playwrights/creatives should be resident in the North of England or have a strong association with it (such as being born or raised in the region). Our definition of the North of England is shown on this Arts Council map.
Scripts must be submitted as anonymised PDFs (the writer’s full name, postal code and connection with the North of England should be stated on the submission form – see To Submit below). The script itself should contain nothing that identifies the playwright as this helps us foster an impartial selection process.
The use of generative writing programmes or artificial intelligence (AI) in the writing of the script, including the generation of ideas, structure or dialogue, is strictly prohibited. The use of software which assists with spelling and grammar is permitted.
Material must be the original work of the contributor and must not infringe UK/international copyright or the intellectual property rights of others.
Material should not have been performed before – it must be new.
The submission should run for no more than 10 minutes when performed. Where pieces overrun, we reserve the right to edit material.
Only one submission per playwright/creative can be made for each scratch event.
Pieces should be limited to a maximum of 4 players (of any gender – minors will be played by adults and, depending on actor availability, roles written for men may be played by women or vice-versa).
We do not use minors (anyone under 18 years old) in scratch events so parts written for children will be played by adults.
Actors perform pieces script-in-hand in theatre-blacks: piece-specific costumes or props cannot be provided.
Plays are performed on a basic black box set without set decoration, other than a table and chairs, if relevant.
Lighting is basic (lights up/down) and scripts should avoid special sound cues.
Where the setting or cues (especially sound) are relevant to the audience’s understanding, stage directions will be read-in. Ideally, scripts should establish the setting, etc. through dialogue and/or action.
Playwrights are expected to attend the scratch night in person. They are also invited to attend rehearsals during the day of the event to support the actors and crew in bringing the text to life. Where playwrights do not confirm their intention to attend, their piece could be dropped in favour of another writer who can.
Parts will be played by members of Bingley Little Theatre.
Playwrights agree to Bingley Little Theatre performing their material, if selected, in a scratch format and without payment: the scratch format is a research and development opportunity and, as a quid pro quo, the theatre will share all relevant feedback with the writers/creatives.
Audience feedback from the scratch performance is provided on an as-is basis: we offer no screening or interpretation of the data.
Playwrights will receive free entry to the event for themselves only. Family, friends and other guests should obtain a ticket through our booking system.
ITCH Scratch Nights are produced in a ‘play in a day’ format: the cast and directors meet in the morning to read through and undertake basic rehearsals with a technical rehearsal in the afternoon. Actors often play multiple parts across the event and do not perform ‘off book’.
Playwrights/creators of material selected for performance agree to their names, the title of their material and their image being used in pre- and/or post-show publicity. Playwrights are also asked to promote the scratch event on their personal social media accounts, sharing our publicity materials.
While we accept both self-contained pieces and extracts from longer works, our experience is that self-contained pieces work better for the audience and writers should be mindful of this when submitting.
Writers retain full copyright and all intellectual property rights.
Work that is defamatory, illegal, or incites hatred will not be considered and risks being reported to the relevant authorities.
Sensitive material must be flagged and relevant trigger warnings provided.
Writers grant Studio Productions a non-exclusive, one-off licence to:
- select the material for the event
- present it publicly at the event.
No further use of the material will be made without the writer’s/performer’s express permission.
Studio Productions will not record or distribute video/audio publicly of the event unless the writer/performer(s) expressly agree. Still images of rehearsals and performances will be shared by Studio Productions as pre- and post-event publicity. Any recording of the event, including rehearsals, by the writer or any associate may only be distributed with express consent from the actor(s), director and Studio Productions.
Pieces are selected for performance by Studio Productions, other associated Bingley Little Theatre and Bingley Arts Centre personnel and/or invited readers. The panel’s decision is final.
The performance of a piece at a scratch night does not imply any form of contract or understanding that a fuller piece, created in response to the feedback, will be produced by Studio Productions or Bingley Little Theatre in the future. While we would be interested to know how pieces develop, we will only consider them, alongside other materials, in accordance with our normal selection processes.
Submission does not guarantee inclusion.
Studio Productions reserve the right to adapt the running order or withdraw pieces for logistical reasons.
While every effort will be made to avoid unnecessary changes, the performance date, location and format are subject to revision.
Studio Productions reserve the right to cancel the event for reasons beyond their control (low submissions, venue issues, illness, etc.) without liability.
Contact information will only be used for event administration.
No details will be shared with third parties without consent.
Prior to the event, successful contributors will be asked for publicity photographs and social media profiles. Studio Productions will circulate pre-show publicity on its Facebook and Instagram pages as well as with Bingley Little Theatre members and the wider public.
Successful contributors are asked to like and share publicity material where possible.
Contributors will be notified whether their material has been selected at the earliest opportunity. Due to the volume of submissions received, it is not possible to enter into discussion about individual pieces or to provide feedback.

Playwrights are encouraged to join our monthly Script Writers’ Lab for peer support. Writers should understand that being a member of the Lab does not confer any special privileges when submitting pieces for consideration, nor does it guarantee that pieces developed after a scratch performance will be taken to full production. The Script Writers’ Lab meets monthly, its sessions alternating between meeting in-person and remotely online. To enquire about joining the Script Writers’ Lab, please email in the first instance.

To Submit

To submit for Mousetrapped! click here.

To submit for 1100 click here.

A Google log-in is required to complete the submission forms.

Those unable to log in to Google should contact us via email to discuss alternative submission options.

ITCH Scratch Nights are a part of the ITCH Programme, a new writing & creativity initiative from Studio Productions @ Bingley Little Theatre.