What comes before Scratch? The itch, of course!

Scratch Nights have always been a helpful method for creatives to share and gain feedback on work in its early stages. But what about the ideas stage (the itch)?

Want to vocalise your bare bones vision? Give it a try! Need to stand up and show without a ticketed audience? Go for it! Maybe you would like to hear people read your script out loud? Just ask! New to this and have a curiosity about making something from scratch? Start here!

Little Scratch is an informal, safe and nurturing space for local creatives to not only talk through their ideas, but to connect with fellow creatives about the kind of work they want to create, on a monthly basis. Imagine a pressure-free environment with zero expectations, a little bit of optional deadline and lots of support – that’s Little Scratch!

This is an evolving concept that will be shaped by its participants, and led by Scratch Night co-producers Will Adamsdale & Katy Danbury, alongside Associate Artist Eliza Fraser.

Meet Your Little Scratch Hosts

Will Adamsdale has been co-running scratch nights at the phoenix for 2 years and building work through the scratch process for over 20! His shows (almost all built through scratch, usually at the bac in London) have appeared at The Royal Court , Bristol old vic and brits of broadway in New York; they’ve been published and won awards including a fringe first and the Perrier award for comedy. And all started with a five minute half idea in front of a tiny, understanding audience. He co-runs weekly new material comedy night Locally Sourced in Exeter and says ‘ I am delighted to be involved with scratch nights at Exeter Phoenix , especially this exciting new spin off, the mystical step before the scratch, the Little Scratch!’

Katy Danbury is the Performance Programmer at Exeter Phoenix, and co-producer of Scratch Night. Katy was formerly the Artistic Director of the Old Red Lion Theatre in London where she won the inaugural London Pub Theatres Magazine Commendation Award for her commitment to nurturing early-career artists and increasing access and inclusivity in theatre. For seven years Katy ran the London Horror Festival, the UK’s original and largest festival of live horror performance, where she platformed and championed hundreds of new and emerging artists through her annual fringe programmes and playwriting competitions. She is a freelance performer and producer, co-producer of the inaugural Green Phoenix Festival, and a member of the Exeter Phoenix Equality, Diversity and Inclusion team.

Eliza Fraser. Eliza is a Devon-based artist working primarily in live performance as an actor, writer and stand-up comedian. Eliza is an associate artist of Exeter Phoenix, 2024.

Future Dates 

Little Scratch will be running on the last Wednesday of each month in 2025 (except summer and December).

Weds 29th Jan

Weds 26th Feb

Weds 26th March

Weds 30th April

Weds 28th May

VENUE: EXETER PHOENIX, THE WORKSHOP