For details of the last Present : Tense event click here

The toughest creative challenge in town

Some of the UK’s most exciting talent has one week to respond to the most important news story of the moment.

A group of playwrights, directors, film-makers, poets, musicians and more convenes to select the most momentous story on the news agenda. They each have seven days to create a piece of work that responds to the story they choose before it is performed for you the public - exactly one week after they began.

Throughout the week you can follow the artists' progress on the Present : Tense blog.


Past : Tense

Present : Tense / One // Two // Three // Four // Five (2005 - 2007)
Present : Tense / Six (Southwark Playhouse, April 2008)
Present : Tense / Seven (Southwark Playhouse, June 2008)
Present : Tense @ Hotbed 2008 (The Junction Cambridge, July 2008)
Present : Tense @ Everyword 2008 (Everyman Theatre Liverpool, July 2008)
Present : Tense / Eight (Southwark Playhouse, September 2008)
Present : Tense / Nine (Southwark Playhouse, November 2008)
Present : Tense / Ten (Southwark Playhouse, February 2009)