The winner and finalists were announced at a ceremony at The Gilded Balloon Library Bar on Thursday 24th August at 12.30pm where all nominees and performers were present. The award was presented by Charlotte Colbert, Natalie Denton of the Popcorn Group as well as Jess Loveland of the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom and awarded by last year’s winner Karim Khan of Brown Boys Swim.

Sabrina Ali says, "Winning the Popcorn Award leaves me truly speechless. Just a year after writing Dugsi Dayz, I never imagined I'd be at the Edinburgh Fringe, let alone accepting the Popcorn Award. This achievement owes everything to my incredible directors and cast who breathed magic into Dugsi Dayz. Thank you all for making this journey unforgettable."

The Popcorn Group partnered once again with ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom for this year’s awards, offering valuable one-to-one meetings with each of the longlisted playwrights with members of the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Drama Commissioning team.

Jess Loveland, Head of New Writing at ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom commented, "It's been a real delight for ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom to collaborate with the Popcorn Group on the Popcorn Writing Award for a second year. The calibre of plays on the longlist is truly remarkable and the bold originality of the work captures the mission of this new writing award. We want to congratulate this year's winner, Sabrina Ali, for her tender, funny and joyful play, Dugsi Dayz. Huge congratulations are also due to our three shortlisted finalists for their brilliant and inventive work. The ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom team are looking forward to meeting and getting to know all the talented writers on this longlist over the coming months."

Charlotte Colbert from the Popcorn Group said, "The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is a pure celebration of human storytelling in all in wondrous diversity and originality. It is a world away from the formulaic algorithmic narratives – a platform for risk-taking new voices which the Popcorn Group is so happy to support in a small way. All the submissions blew us away, but we wanted to especially congratulate the winner and finalists of this year’s award: Dugsi Dayz, Lie Low, The Brief & Mysterious Death of Boris III, King of Bulgaria and Public – The Musical."

is a vital springboard for the careers of up-and-coming talent in the arts having in the past launched the careers of creatives such as Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman and Rachel Weisz. The award longlist celebrated new writing from across the Fringe, showcasing the breadth of talent available at this year’s festival.

The prize fund of £6,000 is shared amongst the winner and finalists which include a range of daring, thought-provoking and high calibre new writing from Pleasance, Underbelly and Traverse.

Ciara Elizabeth Smyth’s Lie Low is the first finalist. A dark comedy about a woman, Faye, who’s having trouble sleeping following a break-in at her home, a wild, dark and hilarious new play, directed by Oisín Kearney, that offers a theatrical exploration into the human brain.

Joseph Cullen and Sasha Wilson’s The Brief Life & Mysterious Death of Boris III, King of Bulgaria is the second finalist with an energetic production exploring the suspicious circumstances of the King of Bulgaria's demise, how 50,000 Jewish people were saved from deportation and death, and how the world forgot all about it. The ensemble performs Bulgarian and Jewish folk tunes live while sharing this unique story from 20th century European history.

Stroud and Notes’ Public – The Musical has received a special mention, with this witty and sensitive new musical created by queer-led theatre collective Stroud and Notes. Through catchy bops and heartfelt ballads, Public – The Musical runs the gamut of contemporary concerns. It candidly explores gender identity, the clogged world of toxic masculinity, allyship, the climate crisis, social media and more as these four strangers have their patience pushed to the limit.

See the full Popcorn Award 2023 longlist

The Popcorn Award 2023 longlisted plays are: 

24, 23, 22 by Doug Deans, Underbelly

It’s just an ordinary day. At the beginning of the day, Fran is late for work. At the end of the day, Brendan is bleeding out in the street. Time flows forwards and spirals backwards. Fran progresses through the worst day of her life. Brendan rewinds through his last day alive. Soon they’ll meet in the middle, and we’ll find out what has happened to him, and what will happen to her. 

Asexuality! The Musical by Rebecca McGlynn, Gilded Balloon

Asexuality! is an autobiographical musical comedy about transgender playwright Rebecca McGlynn’s pre-transition life. The story follows Robert, an asexual man navigating a hypersexual world. Through music and comedy, he explores sex, romance, love and loss… and, eventually, HER true gender identity. 

Before The Drugs Kick In by Mike Lemme, TheSpaceUK

A 62-year-old in an insane asylum closes her eyes and becomes a 28-year-old stand-up comedian. But not just any comedian, a comedian who had the potential to become the greatest of all time. A tribute to the mothers society wrote off as crazy, instead of giving them an opportunity to live. 

Bitter Lemons by Lucy Hayes, Pleasance

Bitter Lemons takes the form of two intersecting monologues following the lives of two women: a grieving goalkeeper and an ambitious investment banker, as they both face the biggest professional pitch of their lives. When they both fall unexpectedly pregnant, their lives shift in parallel and collide in unexpected ways. 

Dugsi Dayz by Sabrina Ali, Underbelly

Four students, Salma, Yasmin, Munira, and Hani are in detention on a Saturday afternoon, but the reason remains a secret. During a power outage, they share folktales to break the ice. As they bond, they discover surprising similarities. 

Green Fingers by Adam Sowter, Flo Poskitt and Ben Tansey, Pleasance

A deliciously Dahl-esque treat, about a boy born with gunky green hands. But is there more to these fingers than mayhem and mess? Maybe the answers lie within the mysterious school garden... Green Fingers is a magical, musical story exploring ideas of accepting yourself, and engaging with the natural world. 

GUSH by Abby Vicky-Russell, Assembly

GUSH by Abby Vicky-Russell is a one woman show about the dynamics of a father and daughter relationship, and how they change in the aftermath of a rape. Abby Vicky-Russell plays a fictionalised version of her own father – a plumber who has come to the theatre to fix a leak so a dance troupe can perform their piece. The show then devolves into a piece of character comedy in which the plumber breaks out of his previously closed off demeanour and explores the most difficult situation he’s ever faced. GUSH is a feminist comedy that prioritizes accessibility, hilarity and truth without villainising anyone. 

Her Green Hell by Emma Howlett, Summerhall

A one-woman-monologue inspired by the true story of Juliane Koepcke, the teenager who survived a plane crash and a fall of 10,000ft in Peruvian Amazon in 1971. It explores our fraught power struggle with nature, and is as much about the rainforest’s fight to survive as it is Juliane’s. 

Hive by Ariella Como Stoian, Assembly

The demolition site of a 70s housing estate, reluctant Megacorp conservationist and single mum Ria has been called in to sort a hive. It's halting redevelopment, messing up the bottom line. But Ria's teenage kid Salve was just suspended. And the site manager hints at something more... unusual. More sinister. 

In Everglade Studio by Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller, Assembly

In 1974 London, three musicians and their manager seal themselves inside an underground recording studio to complete an original Americana album overnight. As artistic, social, and racial tensions flare, the atmosphere grows thornier, the music grows stranger, and Everglade Studio’s mixture of creativity and claustrophobia demands its pound of flesh. 

Involuntary Momslaughter by Abigail Paul, Greenside

The unique perspective of surviving narcissistic abuse through humour and wisdom can be a compelling and potentially therapeutic experience for many. 

Kill The Cop Inside Your Head by Subira Joy, Summerhall

Spoken word and performance artist Subira Joy explores their experiences being targeted by the police as a Black, queer and trans person in the UK. Combining striking visual imagery with powerful language, this new work examines the impact of the police in our communities and how we internalise their role to repress and suppress ourselves into submission. Tracing narratives of police encounters while centring themes of violence, gaslighting and abuse of power, this work exposes how we impede our liberation when confronted by our inner cop. 

Lady Dealer by Martha Watson Allpress, Summerhall

For Charly, every day is the same. They used to be different, when there was Clo, but there isn't Clo anymore and she doesn't want to dwell on that. She just wants to chug coffee, blast Beastie Boys and deal drugs. Simple. But when Charly suffers a power cut, she's forced back into the real world; a world of knockoff Morrisseys, disapproving mothers and, ultimately, a world she has to navigate alone. 

Lie Low by Ciara Elizabeth Smyth, Traverse

Lie Low is a dark comedy about a woman, Faye, who’s having trouble sleeping following a break-in at her home. Desperate to shake her insomnia, she enlists the help of her brother, Naoise, to try a form of exposure therapy. But Naoise has a devastating secret that's about to explode. 

Nan, Me & Barbara Pravi by Hannah Maxwell, Summerhall

An epic tale of love, loss and explaining how to use the microwave. In 2021, Hannah Maxwell moved back to the home counties to care for her recently bereaved grandmother. But this show isn’t about that. It’s about France’s Eurovision star Barbara Pravi, who’s just lovely. In between cooking, cleaning and Countdown, Maxwell escapes into an intensifying fantasy of ballroom dances, heartfelt ballads, fluent French and definitely-not-creepy plots to engineer a meet-cute with a random foreign celebrity. 

Public – The Musical by Stroud & Notes, Pleasance

Public – The Musical is a pop/rock show where strangers Laura, Andrew, Zo, and Finley, find themselves stuck for an hour in a gender-neutral public toilet. Through head-bopping songs and

honest, comedic dialogue, they tackle sticky conversations, and confront their biases, exploring the power of human connection in a changing world. 

Strategic Love Play by Miriam Battye, Summerhall

So they’ve both swiped right. Now they’re meeting for the first time. Facing each other. As if that’s a normal thing to do. Welcome to your hot date. With acid wit, Miriam Battye takes a scalpel to modern romance, interrogating what we really talk about when we talk about love. 

Super by Matthew Radway, Pleasance

On Hollywood Boulevard, a group of actors are posing as famous characters for photos with tourists. Right now it's 100°, Batman has just punched Robin in the face and the whole thing is about to be on TMZ. Captain Jack has fainted and Catwoman is screaming. It's all gone wrong. 

The Brief Life & Mysterious Death Of Boris III, King of Bulgaria by Sasha Wilson & Joseph Cullen, Pleasance

This play is about the heroic rescue of the Jewish Bulgarians during WWII by their king, country and the tenacity of Bulgaria. The Brief Life & Mysterious Death of Boris III, King of Bulgaria follows the king through the political maze and to a critical moment of choice, where he stands up for what is right. 

waiting for a train at a bus stop by Mwansa Phiri, Summerhall

Chilufya’s name – meaning ‘the lost one’ – makes perfect sense as lost is how she has felt most of her life. Struggling with low self-esteem and a waning sense of self she finds herself being drawn into a controlling relationship. A gripping story about cultural identity, mental health and coercive control.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Edinburgh in the last of week of August.

Breathless started as a short play. at offered me space in their in 2021 to present three 20-minute pieces. I’d already written two, one as part of and the other, , adapted from the first small commission I’d been given from theatre to write a play for zoom in 2020. I needed a third and it made sense to me to write a monologue. The previous year I’d written a big surreal ensemble play about hoarding disorder, it was due to have a reading at , but then the pandemic hit and that space sadly closed. I knew as an unknown writer no one would ever stage it; I also knew I wanted to write a semi-autobiographical piece about the sliding scale of hoarding behaviours. I initially called the piece Suffocating Stuff and we presented it as a Triptych, fundraising to pay for the creative team. I was keen to develop all the pieces, but the reaction to Suffocating Stuff was so visceral I knew I had to focus on that first.

Ben Lyon Ross encouraged me to apply for the which I was delighted to be selected for. The partnership supports you to take work to the Fringe, giving you a good slot, some financial support as well as a lot of in-kind help and encouragement. I’d been to the festival many times as a freelance publicist, but this was the first time taking my own work. I’d started fundraising and knew I needed to produce it myself as I couldn’t afford to hire anyone. I was fortunate that Theatre Royal Plymouth then decided to give me the remainder of the money I needed to support the play in Edinburgh. I loved pulling the creative team together, buying the set, art directing the marketing images - it was incredibly eye opening. I always knew theatre producers worked hard, but I have so much more understanding of what’s involved now.

at the kindly circulated the details of the Popcorn Award and I promptly sent off the script for Breathless and a 50-word summary. We found out on the first day of the Fringe that I was longlisted (see the 2022 longlist here), it was an incredible boost for me and definitely helped market the show in what is a remarkable, but incredibly competitive and gruelling month. We were really fortunate that Breathless seemed to strike a chord, winning a and being shortlisted for and the . As the only writing competition at the Fringe though I think the Popcorn Award is tremendously important. The Popcorn team also held a drinks reception where I met the rest of the longlist and they kept in touch with us all. The awards then bookended the festival and were a glorious way to finish. Being in the final three meant the world to me, it also opened so many doors I would never have been able to find myself. I had a meeting with the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Drama Commissioning team, who were just marvellous. I had over twenty meetings with television production companies, and a lot of touring interest.

Following the Popcorn Awards Breathless went on a mini South West tour with the support of . The Space awarded me support to run a digital project, , to support our aims in digital audience development. Breathless was programmed at for two weeks with an and was selected for for three weeks where it was a . I was selected to be on the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom Voices South programme and that has been invaluable in supporting me on my journey to write for television. I hope I know the group of people and mentors I’ve met on this course forever; they are the best. I’ve also been working on a number of new plays, one on the , which I really would urge playwrights to apply for.

I would absolutely recommend writers with shows at the Fringe enter the Popcorn Awards. The Popcorn team are just wonderful, they’ve stayed in touch and been so kind to me. You’ve nothing to lose and everything to gain by throwing your hat in the ring. I spent so many years doubting myself and not applying for things, and don’t get me wrong, I have an enormous rejection folder, but I’m so glad I stuck with it as the doggedness is finally paying off.

Find out more about how to apply for this year's Popcorn Writing Award at the Edinburgh Fringe

Applications close at 10am on 23rd June 2023

This year, the partnered for the first time with ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom, offering valuable one-to-one meetings with each of the longlisted playwrights with members of the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Drama Commissioning team.

Jess Loveland, Head of New Writing at ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom commented, “It has been a real privilege and pleasure for ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom to partner with the Popcorn Group on the prestigious Popcorn Writing Award for the first time this year. The quality of all the longlisted plays has been outstanding, and the range of stories and issues explored through the writing nothing short of inspiring. We want to congratulate this year’s winner Karim Khan, on his subtle, nuanced, and funny play looking at the experiences of young Muslim men coming of age today. Huge congratulations also go to the three shortlisted finalists for their brilliant, thought-provoking work. We can’t wait to meet all the talented longlisted writers over the next couple of months and chat to them about their work and writing ambitions.”

The judges for this year’s awards included Bridgerton’s Luke Thompson (Hamlet, Almeida and West End; King Lear, West End), Olivier Award-winning producer Francesca Moody MBE (Fleabag, West End), globally celebrated portrait artist Jonathan Yeo, award-winning comedian Jack Rooke (Big Boys, Channel 4), star of stage and screen Lydia Leonard (Ten Percent!, Amazon/AMC; Wolf Hall, RSC), BAFTA and two-time Emmy and Ivor Novello nominated composer Nainita Desai, and award-winning director and artist, Charlotte Colbert, BIFA-nominated producer Jessica Malik (She Will, Funny Woman), Development Executive Natalie Denton and members of the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom team led by Jessica Loveland.

Francesca Moody MBE said, “Brown Boys Swim is a beautiful and tender piece of writing full of heart. Dynamic and original. A story I’ve never seen on stage and one that I was delighted to read and then watch on stage. I loved it.”

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is vital for launching the careers of up-and-coming talent in the arts, and the Popcorn Writing Award champions new voices from all over the world. Not only does the Popcorn Group award the winner a prize fund of £3,000, but also offers the three shortlisted finalists a share of a remaining £3,000. The shortlisted plays included a range of daring new writing from Pleasance, Summerhall and Traverse.

Awarded £1,500, Jenna Fincken’s one-woman thriller Ruckus is the first finalist. Sending a shiver down your spine with its visceral sound design and exploration of coercive control, each moment of the play has been inspired by real women and real stories. Presented by the award-winning Wildcard at Summerhall, we see how a loving relationship can sometimes be anything but, and how the side effects of coercive control kill up to three women every week in the UK.

From Plymouth Laureate of Words Laura Horton and playing at the Pleasance, Breathless is the second finalist, and recipient of £1,000. This funny, honest and stylish exploration of the knife-edge of hoarding asks: what happens when the things we covet hide us from ourselves? Opening up to new experiences in her late-thirties, Sophie is exploring long repressed sides of herself. When a secret she’s keeping from those she loves, and even from herself, threatens to unravel it all, she has to make a choice. Who or what will she decide to give up?

At Traverse Theatre, Happy Meal by Tabby Lamb transports audiences to the quaint days of dial-up and MSN in a funny, moving and nostalgic story of transition. From teen to adult, from MySpace to TikTok, from cis to trans, the world premiere of this online show irl is a joyful queer rom-com where Millennial meets Gen Z and change is all around. Happy Meal is the final finalist for the award, winning £500.

Popcorn Group commented, “Brown Boys Swim is a vital and moving play. It is the epitome of what we look for with the award – we’re overjoyed for Karim! The standard of work at the fringe has been nothing short of extraordinary this year and it has been particularly hard to narrow down the longlist to 4 plays: it just shows how vital Edinburgh is for new writing and we’re delighted to play a small part in highlighted such brilliant work of Karim, Jenna, Laura and Tabby. They have written some wonderful pieces and we are excited to see what they do next."

See the full list of twenty plays longlisted for the Popcorn Award 2022

Find out more about the entry criteria for the Popcorn Award and the partner venues

Popcorn Group have announced this year’s judging committee along with their longlist of new plays for the Popcorn Writing Award. Partnering for the first time with ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom, Popcorn offers a prize fund of £6,000. Opening the door for emerging writers, ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom are reading all of the longlisted plays and members of the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Drama Commissioning team will offer valuable one-to-one meetings with each of the playwrights. 

Judging the award this year will be Bridgerton’s Luke Thompson (Hamlet, Almeida and West End; King Lear, West End), Olivier Award-winning producer Francesca Moody MBE (Fleabag, West End), celebrated portrait artist Jonathan Yeo, award-winning comedian Jack Rooke (Big Boys, Channel 4), star of stage and screen Lydia Leonard (Ten Percent!, Amazon/AMC; Wolf Hall, RSC), BAFTA and two-time Emmy and Ivor Novello nominated composer Nainita Desai, and award-winning director and artist, Charlotte Colbert. 

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is vital for launching the careers of up-and-coming talent in the arts, having been a springboard for the likes of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman and Rachel Weisz. After two years of cancellations and setbacks, the Fringe is returning with a bang this year to bring theatre back to the forefront of the festival circuit. 

Jess Loveland, Head of New Writing commented, “ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom are delighted to be partnering with the Popcorn Writing Award for the first time in this exciting year for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It has been a real privilege for the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom team to read the longlisted plays and immerse ourselves in the work of these talented emerging voices. We are looking forward to returning to Edinburgh this month and seeing the writers’ words brought to life on stage.” 

Popcorn Group commented, “We are thrilled to be back with the Popcorn Award this year and to be able to champion these wonderful emerging writers bringing their unique voices to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.” 

Francesca Moody MBE said, “Popcorn Group have been instrumental in championing emerging writers despite the continuing challenges that the pandemic has bought, and the Popcorn Writing Award provides a much-needed platform for creatives.” 

The Popcorn Award 2022 longlisted plays are: 

Assisted by Greg Wilkinson, The Space UK

Jordan and Connie want their next-generation AI voice assistant – Alivia – to make their perfect lives just that little bit better. But what happens when the technology starts to take control? A funny and searching exploration of love and domesticity in the near future. 

Blanket Ban by Davinia Hamilton & Marta Vella, Underbelly

“Sometimes, I’m afraid of this play.” Malta: Catholic kitsch, golden sun, deep blue sea, Eurovision – and a blanket ban on abortion. Propelled by three years of interviews with anonymous contributors and their own lived experience, actors and activists Davinia and Marta interrogate Malta’s restrictions on women’s reproductive freedom. Winner of the Edinburgh Untapped Award 2022. 

Breathless by Laura Horton, Pleasance

What happens when the things we covet hide us from ourselves? Breathless is a funny, honest and stylish exploration of the knife-edge of hoarding, from the joy to the addiction and suffocating shame. From Laura Horton, Plymouth Laureate of Words, own experience of clothes hoarding. 

Brown Boys Swim by Karim Khan, Pleasance

Mohsen and Kash are gearing up for the biggest night of their lives – Jess Denver’s pool party. Except they can’t swim. Fierce, funny, and brimming with heart, Karim Khan examines the pressures faced by young Muslim men in this exhilarating new play about fitting in and striking out. 

Caste-ing by Nicole Acquah, Summerhall

Caste-ing explores the experiences of three black actresses using beatboxing, rap, song and spoken word. An entertaining and rhythmic showcase of the realities, structures and pressures of the acting industry, and how black women navigate these situations. 

Cassie and the Lights by Alex Howarth, Underbelly 

When Cassie's mother disappears, the teenager wants to care for her sisters on her own. Is she the right person to be a parent now, or should she let foster parents adopt her sisters and create a new family? Based on real-life events and interviews with children in care and with live music, Cassie and the Lights examines our ideas of what makes a family. 

Daddy Issues by Anna Krauze, Pleasance

Natalia is a Polish immigrant and an unsuccessful painter who works on a sex line, getting calls from older men seeking a “girlfriend experience”. Nat shares insights of her work, slowly revealing details of her own affairs with men, her emotional baggage and troubles of navigating one's life where dreams are overshadowed by family traumas carried from childhood into adulthood. 

Godot is a Woman by Silent Faces, Pleasance

Since Samuel Beckett wrote Waiting for Godot, he and his estate have notoriously challenged – often legally – non-male companies that wish to perform it. In Godot is a Woman, Silent Faces playfully explore authorial copyright, gender barriers in the arts and the cultural significance of Madonna’s 1989 album, Like a Prayer. 

Happy Meal by Tabby Lamb, Traverse

Happy Meal is a joyful queer rom-com. Travel back to the quaint days of dial-up and MSN, and meet two strangers on their journeys to become who they always were. A funny, moving and nostalgic story of transition. From teen to adult, from MySpace to TikTok, from cis to trans. 

How to Build a Wax Figure by Isabella Waldron, Assembly

Bea’s older neighbour was her first love, her first cigarette, her first prosthetic eye. When Bea is invited to the Wellcome Collection to speak about her expertise making glass eyes, she must unpack her mentor’s effect on her work to find who and what she really loves. 

Look at Me, Don’t Look at Me by Rash Dash, Pleasance

A cabaret-style two-hander in which Lizzie Siddal and Dante Rossetti join us in the modern day to hash out the finer details of their artistic life and toxic relationship through dialogue and song with the aid of a synth and a piano. 

Manic Street Creature by Maimuna Memon, Summerhall

A modern day love story, this show takes the audience through the euphoria and distress of two people dealing with their own and each other's mental health. Ria is working hard to complete a new album, but the more she progresses, the more she’s drawn back to the darkness of her past. 

Poles: The Science of Magnetic Attraction by Amelia Pitcher, Pleasance

The Science of Magnetic Attraction is a dark comedy about stripping, loneliness, and the stigma of monetising your body. One night, seemingly by chance, Cora runs into her estranged BFF-turned-GF-turned-ex, before embarking on a mission to prove that she doesn’t push people away, she attracts them. 

Ruckus by Jenna Fincken, Summerhall

Lou is a primary school teacher who’s aware the audience are watching her. She wants to show them exact moments in her relationship, breaking down the progression of coercive control. From establishing love and trust, isolation, monopolising perception, inducing debility and exhaustion, enforcing trivial demands, punishments, rewards, threats and degradation. 

Surfing the Holyland by Erin Hunter, Underbelly

When a wide-eyed American moves to Tel Aviv, how does she navigate the wild waters of the Middle East? She learns to surf! Colourful characters, comedy songs and one woman’s search for chutzpah, blending bighearted storytelling, electrifying ukulele riffs and fearless physicality. A fast-paced solo show, exploring female empowerment. 

Svengali by Eve Nicol, Pleasance

A promising young woman rises to supernatural heights on the tennis court under the hypnotic thrall of a master coach. Mentor and protege battle for dominance – on the courts and off. A one man show performed by one woman, Svengali explores an erotic dynamic of power and control. 

The Beatles Were a Boyband by Rachel O’Regan, Gilded Balloon

Violet's scared walking home. Daisy fights to make the streets safer. And Heather? She's just over it. How do you stop male violence when you can't even see how far its roots go down? The Beatles Were A Boyband is an urgent and unapologetically feminine response to misogyny. 

The Mistake by Michael Mears, The Space UK

An urgent new drama about the first atomic bomb. Through the lives of a brilliant Hungarian scientist, a daring American pilot and a devoted Japanese daughter, The Mistake explores the dangers that arise when humans dare to unlock the awesome power of nature – dangers that continue to this present day. 

Who Murdered My Cat by Roann Hassani McCloskey, Assembly

Are we reliable narrators of our own stories? What if those stories are never interrogated and redefined? An intense subtext for what is a one-woman show, both hilarious and heart wrenching, about being gay, Muslim and growing up in Wembley in the 90’s. Oh, and a murdered cat. 

You’re Safe Til 2024: Deep History by David Finnigan, Pleasance

Deep History looks at six key turning points in the history of humanity since the last ice age. That deep time story is placed against the story of the 2019-20 Australian bushfires. 75,000 years of human history meets 75 hours of escalating danger on one New Year’s Eve. 

The winners will be announced at a ceremony on Thursday 25th August at The Gilded Balloon Library Bar.

Previous winners have gone onto to do so much with their careers. 2020 Finalist Matilda Ibini was chosen as a Screen Daily Star of Tomorrow in the same year, 2019 Winner Bryony Kimmings has gone onto write for screen as well as performance, most notably co-writing Last Christmas with Emma Thompson and 2019 Finalist Claire Rammelkamp was part of ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom's Comedy Room development group. 

We have already had a record-breaking number of scripts in this year but there is still time until the deadline of Friday 24^th June at 10am to get yours in. 

All plays submitted will be considered provided they are:

1. A new piece of writing which has not had a significant run before the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe. (A significant run is deemed as no more than 7 performances or a play that was shown online.)
2. A play that is being produced at this year’s 2022 fringe at one of the partnering venues:

• Assembly
• Gilded Balloon
• Pleasance
• Summerhall
• Traverse
• The Space UK
• Underbelly 

Please send your piece of new writing and a 50 word summary of your play to your respective venue with “Popcorn Writing Award 2022// Title of Play // Writer’s Name // Venue Associated” in the subject heading.

Further details of this year's awards event will follow.

I have been working in new writing for theatre for almost a decade, mostly in subsidised venues, but also reading for touring and commercial theatre. As Literary Manager at the in West London, my job encompasses all the work we do with writers, from reading plays during our annual submissions window to running talent development schemes, commissioning new work, dramaturgy and finding plays for programming. I couldn't put a number on how many plays I have read and writers I have met and I am constantly in awe of the breadth of exciting ideas and talent in this country! It can be difficult to define what makes an exciting theatre voice, or what makes a theatre writer stand out because the definition of what a play is, is so wide-ranging. There aren't really any rules left that haven't been stretched and broken by brilliant theatre makers, and writers needn't feel restricted by the confines of genre or form. But I wanted to share some thoughts and advice from my experience working with emerging writers.

Don't restrict yourself

There are lots of ways that writers can restrict themselves in the early stages of writing a play, but the most common one I find is getting too hemmed in by the possible restrictions of a physical production. The idea that 2 handers are cheaper so are more likely to get put on, or that you could only have one set can get in the way of fully conceptualizing the world of your play. Theatre is a space of collective imagination. Audiences come to live theatre ready to take part in the storytelling and I have often been amazed at how simply sound and lighting can transport us from one place to the next. Trust in directors and designers to find a way to achieve your vision, maybe in a way you didn't expect and don't let cost considerations get in the way of your story living fully on the page!

Forget about the rules

There are lots of brilliant books about playwriting that can be really useful to help when you get stuck in your writing, but I often find that some of the "rules" around structure can be restrictive for new writers. Humans are hard-wired for storytelling and finding ways to communicate with each other, but sometimes finding the right structure needs some time and some playing around with different ideas. Act structure is a brilliant building block, but shouldn't get in the way of you finding the most inspired way of telling your story!

Think about what you're bringing to this idea

The plays that excite me most are ones that come from a place of passion and curiosity, where no one else could have written it. It can sometimes be clear that a writer is tackling a subject because it's in the zeitgeist and they feel they should, but without an emotional drive it can sometimes feel a little lacklustre. At the Bush, I've worked on a number of plays with an autobiographical root and those are really full of heart. But even if you're writing from outside of your experience, it's worth thinking about what you're bringing to a subject that's unique. What are you trying to work out? What viewpoints are you exploring? Why is your take on this issue different from the next writer's?

Beginnings and Endings

When I work with new writers, something that comes up a lot is starting a story too early and finishing too late. Something that can be really fun in a play is to drop an audience in to the middle of a situation so they need to work for a minute to catch up with where you are. Trying to build too much context into opening moments can make for a slow start and building energy is a more difficult task from there. It's also worth noting that a lot of competitions read the opening pages of plays to begin with, so you want to make sure that your opening will grab a reader. So where possible, avoid lengthy descriptions of living rooms etc. and get into the meat of the play early. Similarly, allow your audience some space at the end of a play to draw their own conclusions and have some possibilities to chat through on the way home after the show!

Theatre is collaborative

Plays take time to make it to the stage, and the process involves input from lots of different people - dramaturgs/literary managers, directors, producers, designers, actors etc. So it's really important to find the right collaborators. Before sending your work out to theatres and companies, have a look at their websites to see how they communicate their values and what kind of work they make. Think about how your play or your writing could fit in to their programme. If they feel like a good match, reach out with a personalised email letting them know why you think you're a good match, so they get a sense of you as a person as well as your work. And if you're invited for a meeting, remember that you're interviewing the theatre/company as much as they are interviewing you. What do you need to know to feel comfortable starting a collaboration with them? Are they on the same page as you about what you're trying to achieve with your play?

Think about your audience

It feels a little obvious to say, but the presence of the live audience is what sets theatre apart from film and television for me, and when I'm reading a new piece, I think a lot about what it's offering an audience. Maybe that's a new perspective on a societal issue, or the satisfaction of working out a mystery within the heart of the play. At the Bush, we talk about community a lot, and particularly providing a place for people from underrepresented communities to come together in a space of truth, optimism and joy. And a question I often pose to writers is how you want an audience to feel at the end of the play. Do you want them to be fired up and ready to take on the world? Do you want them arguing about which character was in the right? Do you want to have a different effect on people who have intimate knowledge of the subject matter and those who are new to it?

Don't wait for permission

Having a play produced by a theatre is a brilliant experience. But it's certainly not the only way to make a play. There are terrific festivals and spaces for hire all over the country where your work can reach an audience. Building a community of artists and getting your work up on its feet teaches you so much about your craft, helping you learn what you do well and pushing you forward in your journey as a playwright.

I think it's important for people who engage with new work to be open to new ideas and not too set in what their idea of "good writing" is, leaving room to be surprised by the endless well of writers' creativity. I'm excited by dialogue that feels really natural and everyday, from characters that are recognisable, but can be just as moved by poetic writing that bears very little resemblance to real life. So I think what makes writing stand out for me is when there's a perfect synergy between form, content and delivery. If the writer has found a really interesting story to tell, and is telling it in a way that supports the ideas, through characters that an audience can connect with, that is most compelling to me. Theatre is such a thrilling art form, with so much possibility for affecting audiences. I'm so excited for the plays about to be written.

This blog is part of a series of Theatre Takeovers. Over the next few months different new writing theatres will be sharing their knowledge and resources, to inspire future playwrights.

What is it like taking a piece of work from an idea right through to a live performance?

Deeply satisfying! And anxiety-inducing. And emotional. It’s the rollercoaster of writing a joke and waiting forever to hear whether it actually lands - after hearing it a million times in your head and then in rehearsals and then jumping from an unwavering belief in your work to wondering if you’re in the Bad Place where everything you touch is completely and utterly terrible. But there is nothing like the electricity of a live audience to remind you of all the reasons you created the work in the first place.

Particularly with  - it’s a show that is absolutely aware of who’s in the room and uses it to tell the story without compromise or apology. And that was tricky - writing a show with the intention of recognising, celebrating and uplifting Black people, knowing that the reality of theatre is that most nights you are likely to be playing to a majority white - and often middle class - audience. It worked exactly because this reality was completely integrated into the story itself. And regardless of who was in the audience, on nights when we might have had several Black people in or none - everyone still leaves that space having witnessed a celebration of Blackness in its varied, beautiful and complex forms. Because we presented every single moment on our own terms. And I count that as a win.

What have you learnt from writing theatre that you think writers should be aware of, what do you wish you had known starting out?

When in doubt, always tell people how you feel! After you deliver your script, there will be so many creative, technical and promotional decisions that are made at lightning speed when it comes to bringing the show to life. Because everyone is working on borrowed time and there never seems to be enough of it. Make it clear to the theatre and to the director how involved you want to be. And you might not always know how involved you want to be until much later on - but you do have every right to be involved in the creative decisions, and I think many writers who are starting out might not realise this. Ask questions about the set, the lighting, the sound. Learn. Watching designers at work is a thing of beauty. You might not have much to contribute to early conversations about design and tech, but it helps to be in the room when they’re happening so you can have a full understanding of the process.

Be involved in the marketing - I can’t recommend this one enough. It’s so important that your story is framed the way you want it to be. Don’t ever just assume that it will be. Have a conversation with the marketing team as early as you can, so they understand your intentions, the tone you want to set and who you want to ensure there is space for in the room. Every play is unique, so “this is how we usually do it for our other shows” can’t always cut it. You have agency - and using it in the interest of presenting the truest articulation of your work on every level, in collaboration with everyone else working towards this goal - is something you owe to yourself.

What key craft skills do you think a screenwriter can take away from their work in theatre?

There are so many skills I’ve learnt from writing theatre that I’ve applied to screenwriting. A few that immediately come to mind would include:

1) Pacing

Theatre is so reliant on dialogue as it doesn’t have many of the other elements you get onscreen, but this forces you to get smart with how you tell the story and analyse what every step of the journey feels like to a watching audience. Any lag in the story is so jarringly obvious. So the ‘aliveness’ of theatre and that awareness of an audience has helped my screenplays flow by being able to recognise those dead moments earlier on.

2) Bun exposition

To quote that JP Saxe and Julia Michaels song “I know, you know, we know, we weren’t [buying that exposition] and it’s fine."

So use that to your advantage. If you really can’t find a way of weaving in all the necessary details without making anyone cringe at how bait the exposition is, then find a playful way to acknowledge what we all know is happening. And do it with flair. As far as I’m concerned, there’s always room for play.

3) No dream is too big

You can be as over the top with your vision as you want. As long you don’t lose the intimacy of human connection throughout the story. Often with theatre you are limited by budget, but never by imagination. This has made me more comfortable with exploring surrealism in screenplays and trying to root it in truth. It might not always work (not gonna lie, it might just be really, really, terrible sometimes) - but exploring it anyway will at least open up new opportunities for creative storytelling.

4) Feedback and edits

As many other writers have said, when you’re still in the process of writing and developing the script, how feedback is given and what you then do with that feedback is so important. The truth is that everyone will have an ideal version of the script they wish you were writing. So when you’re getting feedback - just take a beat to work out if the notes you’re being given derive from a place of understanding the version of the story you’re trying to tell. Otherwise you might end up compromising on your truth. New writers need to be told that their instincts are valid and so important. Everyone is ultimately working together to achieve the best version of the story you want to tell - so make sure your voice is being heard and understood all the way through the process.

This blog is part of a series of Theatre Takeovers. Over the next few months different new writing theatres will be sharing their knowledge and resources, to inspire future playwrights. 

LAVA was developed by the .

This interview will also be published on podcast

ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom and The Space are delighted to announce that National Theatre Wales (NTW) is the first winner of a new, biennial Β£20, 000 digital theatre award – – a collaboration between organisations encouraging theatres across the United Kingdom to create a unique theatrical experience that will be shown on The Space website. The announcement was delivered last night, Sunday 10 August 2014, by ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ New Writing Creative Director Kate Rowland at β€˜Think Big’ held in Kings Hall, Edinburgh.

Against the backdrop of the event exploring big new theatre ideas with leading directors, writers, programmers and funders, Kate Rowland praised National Theatre Wales and the 57 other high quality submissions that came in from all across the United Kingdom – including England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, as well as some international theatre companies from Brazil, Australia and the United States - for their bold creativity. The judges for the competition were The Space CEO Ruth Mackenzie, ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom’s Kate Rowland, and Film and Theatre Director Stephen Daldry.

The prize was given to National Theatre Wales’ project Border Games, the development of which is being led by artists John Norton and Matthew Wright. The project’s idea is to create an immersive theatre-gaming experience of two halves - in the live version, the audience will attempt, illegally, to cross a closely guarded border between England and Wales. Simultaneously, an online version will allow a second audience to interact with the live experience, and even make decisions on their fate. This ambitious production will combine elements of the real UK Citizenship test with game play, theatre and absurdity.

Research and Development work will commence on Border Games from Monday 11 August 2014 with further details about the project to be released in September.

To reward and foster the creativity of The Space Prize’s nine short-listed applicants, the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Drama Digital Innovation Unit will run and host a digital theatre workshop for them in Birmingham this autumn. The shortlist included Forced Entertainement, Mez Breeze Design and Dreaming Method, Nuffield Theatre, The Raucous Collective, Slung Low, Theatre Centre, Tinderbox Theatre Company and ZU-UK

John McGrath, Artistic Director of National Theatre Wales, said of the win:

"We’re delighted to hear that NTW has been selected for The Space Prize. Since the foundation of the company in 2009, digital space has been a key arena for us, and some of our best work has grown out of the interactions of site specific and digital theatre. The Space Prize gives us an opportunity to take this work a step further with Border Games - a playful piece about a serious issue, in which real world and digital dramas interact with each other in dynamic and disturbing ways.Μύ We are also delighted through this award to be developing our fruitful relationship with ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom - it’s great that the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ are helping us to explore new ways to tell today’s stories."

Here's what the judges had to say:

Ruth Mackenzie, Launch Director, The Space, said:
β€œIt is amazing how quickly NTW has established itself as a leader of theatrical innovation, all over the Welsh landscape, all over the world through its programme of international partnerships and in the digital domain. Their work is bold, risky, surprising and unforgettable - this winning project is likely to be all of this and more.”

Kate Rowland, Creative Director, ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ New Writing said:
β€œWe were seeking the immersive, the imaginative and the innovative and that’s just what Border Games has given us. NTW has yet again pushed the boundaries of storytelling and created an idea that compels everyone to stand up and take notice.”ΜύΜύ

Stephen Daldry, Film and Theatre Director, said:
β€œProvocative, ambitious, relevant. Border Games is a smart idea and the stand out winner of The Space Prize. I applaud their daring.”

So it’s just over a year since I found out I’d been selected as one of the Writersroom 10. It’s a sunny morning in North London and I’m finishing up on a draft of EastEnders before I can head up to Newcastle to join the other nine writers for a showcase of our short plays at Live Theatre.

It’s a normal day. I’m sat in my writing suit (Primani jogging trousers and hoody) tapping away at my laptop. Rachel De-Lahay (one of the other writers) has text me when and where to meet her at the station as she knows I’m a muppet and will most probably miss my train, get lost, or forget about the whole thing.

Then I hear the sound of voices from downstairs, my housemate has gone to work so it can’t be him, I grab the only thing near me to protect myself (massive cigarette filled ashtray next to laptop) and creep down the stairs to exact some Vinny Jones style vigilante justice on the dim-witted intruder… only to find my landlord and two guys checking the smoke detectors.

If this story has a moral it’s that the daily routine of writers is fundamentally boring. You sit at a desk all day trying to kick start your imagination (see above for the onset of my own Steven Segal type adventure I thought I was about to embark on). That’s why it’s so great when someone asks you to come and see a performance of your work. Even better if it means hooking up with another nine writers in a city you’ve never been to before and chewing the fat with some of the wonderful staff from ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom North – I’m looking at you Henry β€˜Tequila’ Swindell and UsmanΜύ Mullan.

So, I’ll skip the train ride as you don’t want to hear three hours of me and RDL bitching about nights out and what theatre is producing the most dirge in town at the moment (standard writer train journey fodder).

We get to the pre theatre meal at the adjoining restaurant to Live and see that Kate Rowland (the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ’s equivalent of Phileas Fog) has managed to stop by even though she is in the middle of one of her epic writing event tours across the country. After some catching up with the other writers, mocking of Paul β€˜Newcastle’s Own’ Charlton for not being able to attend and making sure Amman had recovered from the last time I saw him (3am two weeks ago on my sofa before my house mate lobbed him and Ishy Din out of my house for being too loud) we head into the theatre to see our pieces brought to life!

The brief for this part of the attachment was simple enough. Ten minute piece using title β€˜THE PARADE’ as inspiration. Only problem with these things is that when you give ten writers the same title they might come up with very similar plays. Fortunately this group are about as diverse as you can get. From a play about two rival pound shop owners going to war, to skin bleaching at a beauty salon, these piece spanned the length and breadth of the country, tackled themes and characters in different styles, using different forms and provided a cracking night of entertainment.

It’s an incredibly exciting thing to be involved with something that has the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ name sat next to it. I’ve been writing for years now and it’s only in the last 14 months things have actually felt like they are going somewhere. So to take part in this event and this night was amazing, and whilst we sipped our half a lager and limes (being dignified practitioners) in the bar afterwards we were all in agreement just what a fantastic process this attachment had been. A joint commission from the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ and nominating theatre, two resource days full of industry knowledge on all the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ departments we could hope to write for, ending in this wonderful celebration of ten very different voices on the Live Theatre stage.

If John Yorke was reading this he would tell me this blog needs pathos now or you’ll forget it. So, to recap; 14 months ago I was skint, I was just about to move out of London and live in a tent by a fishing lake for six months. I sent a play in to the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ before I left communication and electricity behind. Now I’m writing for my favourite soap on ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ 1. I’ve just had a play on at Live theatre. And I’ve made nine new writer friends to remind me where and when I need to be somewhere….and buy me tequila slammers even though I’m far too old to drink them and keep my dignity.

Finish that script. Make it say how YOU feel about the worldΜύ YOU live in.
Make your audience laugh, make them cry, make them listen.
Send it in.
Live that dream.
What have you got to lose?

Peace.

Kenny Emson

Ps Sorry about the grammar. I blame my teachers.

We launched the Writersroom 10 scheme in December 2011 as a new partnership programme for writers and theatres - marking the importance of theatre as the first home for many brilliant writers in the UK, and investing in writers and new theatre writing at an early stage.

Kenny Emson was nominated by the and was one of ten winners on the writersroom 10 scheme, which brought together some of the most exciting emerging writers from around the country.The 10 writers were part of a year-long development scheme and received a seed-commission of Β£1000.Μύ

The Parade at wasΜύone of the many partnership events involving the Writersroom 10 and formed part of Live Theatre’s writing festival.ΜύIt showcased ten brand new short works-in-progress by the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ’s Writersroom 10 group.Μύ

Kenny Emson's Play 'Somewhere between a News Clipping and the Gossip Pages' will broadcast on ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3's , on Friday 13th April, at 10pm.Μύ

Μύ

Childrens drama

We then had Connal Orton from Children's drama talk to us about the world of childrens TV drama. I had just written a play for young people and Connal's workshop confirmed what I'd experienced which was that young audiences love high stakes and massive reversals. He talked us through many of the children's drama shows out there and what young audiences expect: their world as they see it – intense, but with logic and values and ethics they share. And the best writing advice for Children's drama: really hit a beat and don't be woolly!

Tony Marchant

That evening the ten of us were taken in 'The Apprentice' style black cars – waiting outside ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ to BAFTA. Oh yes. We were lucky enough to be watching a preview screening of Tony Marchant's new ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ drama, Public Enemies. There was a Q&A afterwards with Tony Marchant and actor Daniel Mays. Tony Marchant very generously came to talk to us and gave us lots of encouragement – even telling us that he missed the freedom of writing for theatre. So there you go. Tony was jealous of us.

Day 2

Networking Brunch

The next day was a networking brunch. We met with Development executives as well as Radio and TV producers. This was an opportunity for us playwrights to talk to people who are actually looking for writers to commission. This didn't mean we would sit down and they would say 'OK – I'll commission you' . It was a chance for us to understand what a development executive does (looks for writers to pass onto producers – they read a lot of scripts) and how radio and tv producers look for writers (either they approach a writer they like or a writer will approach them either through an agent or sometimes through the Writersroom).

Q & A with Al Smith

Al Smith had been through the Writers Academy and had also exec'd and written his own TV drama 'The Cut'. Al told us about his own route from theatre to television via the Writers Academy. He mentioned something that a lot of blogs on this site say which is once you do the Academy you will be (much) better at structuring drama. They can't teach you writing, but they can give you the tools you need to structure a TV show. Al was very interested in us and our theatre work and once again we heard a TV writer saying he wished he could have the freedom to write for theatre again.

Brainstorming

Finally we spent some time brainstorming with the Writersroom team for a show at Live! Newcastle, where we will be contributing a short play each for a night of theatre in March.

We walked back out into the daylight after two intensive days. Information swirled around my head but I had a spring in my step. From six months ago where I knew a bit about the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ- now I knew much more and had a mentor with whom I was developing a calling card TV drama script.

We're all going to be seeing each other again in March for the showcase in Newcastle where we will see each other's work on stage. I'm looking forward to it. Watch this space!

Amman Paul Singh Brar is one of the selected writers on the Writersroom 10 scheme. Find out more about

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