Name: Scratch Night Preston
Start: 2025-03-19T19:30:00+00:00
Location: The Ferret

Come and see a diverse collection of performances, ranging from theatre and comedy, to spoken word and performance art – literally anything goes.
Scratch Nights are exciting for audiences – they get to see a number of performers and performances from different genres. Expect new work, experimental work, excerpts from longer shows.
Expect performance to be between five mines and 30mins long. Performances will be selected via a call out (deadline February 16, 2025). Expect between four and eight different pieces. Full details of the works being performed will be published after the call out deadline.
Scratch Nights offer an evening dedicated to the development of brand-new work. A chance for artists to put early ideas in front of a live audience to see what sticks. You might be seeing the early beginnings of ideas that will one day turn into fully formed shows.
These informal nights bring new live work to audiences and create a supportive platform for artists to experiment, take risks, test ideas on stage and share new work with peers and wider public. The audience will be offered the opportunity to provide feedback for the performers.
Please note earlier start time of 7.30pm.
What is a Scratch Night?
A Scratch Night is an informal event where artists, playwrights, directors and performers present works in progress, usually in front of an audience.
The ‘scratch’ term comes from the idea of showing something that’s in its early, raw, or rough stage, like a scratch of an idea, as opposed to a fully polished production.
These events are often used as a testing ground for new ideas, and they might feature short performances, excerpts from larger works, or experimental pieces.
Scratch nights are popular in theater and performance arts but can also apply to other creative fields, like dance, music, and film. The audience’s feedback can be an important part of the process, helping creators refine and develop their work further.
They are often more casual, with minimal staging and a focus on the concept or performance rather than elaborate production values.