We're delighted to be working with Lauryn Redding as Writer in Residence throughout 2023 as part of the Peggy Ramsay Foundation with Film4 and the Maria Bjornson Memorial Fund.
This scheme is awarded to six writers to be resident in theatres across the UK and is absolutely vital in celebrating and supporting emerging British writing talent.
The initiative awards six bursaries a year to new theatre writers. Four bursaries are supported by The Peggy Ramsay Foundation (one is dedicated to the memory of literary agent Tom Erhardt) and two by Film4. Each bursary is worth £10,000.
“I am beyond excited to be supported by this Scheme to create a new piece of work for the Royal Exchange Theatre. The Royal Exchange nurtured me and my play ‘Bloody Elle – a Gig Musical’ with care and expertise. I’m buzzed to be back in these magic walls to create my next play. It’s important to me that we use theatre to experience those stories we rarely see – and use art to make a difference. Also – to have a wicked night out! With the financial aid of the bursary and the integrity and support of the team at the Royal Exchange – it’s a perfect collaboration and opportunity to create something special. I’m going to go sharpen my pencils.”
Lauryn Redding
Meet our 2023 Writer In Residence
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Lauryn Redding
Writer In Residence
Lauryn is an actor, writer, musician, composer and lyricist. Lauryn started her performance career as a singer songwriter busking and gigging the north until signing with a record label aged just 17 – she then went on to train as an actor and musician at Rose Bruford College. Her debut play Bloody Elle, which she also composed and performed, re-opened the Royal Exchange Theatre in June 2021 before transferring to the Traverse Theatre in 2022, where it won the Holden Street Theatres Edinburgh Fringe Award. And most recently ran at the Soho Theatre, London for 3 weeks.
She was nominated for ‘Best Composer, Lyricist or Book Writer’ for Bloody Elle in the 2022 Stage Debut Awards, and the show was also nominated for the WhatsOnStage Awards 2022 for ‘Best Regional Production.’
Lauryn is recent alumni of the BBC Writers’ Academy after being selected as 1 of the 8 people in 2022 and has also been awarded The Peggy Ramsay Foundation and Film4 playwrights’ scheme bursary for a year long attachment with the Royal Exchange on a brand new play, in 2023.
Before venturing into writing – Lauryn worked and continues to work extensively as an actor.
Some theatre Credits include: BLOODY ELLE – A GIG MUSICAL; (Royal Exchange Theatre, Traverse Theatre, SOHO Theatre) THE WORST WITCH (Vaudeville Theatre, West End – Olivier Award Winner); THE HIRED MAN (UK Tour); MACBETH/MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM/TWELFTH NIGHT (Wilton’s Music Hall); SEAGULLS (Bolton Octagon); OLIVER TWIST (Hull Truck); EDUCATING RITA (UK Tour); BREAD AND ROSES/UP ‘N’ UNDER/OH WHAT A LOVELY WAR/DREAMERS (Oldham Coliseum); WINTERS’ TALE/SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER/AN AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY LARK (Northern Broadsides); HORRIBLE HISTORIES (The Garrick Theatre, West End and International Tour); THE COMEDY OF ERRORS (Shakespeare’s Globe and UK/European Tour).
Television credits include: THE MIDWICH CUCKOOS (Sky); EASTENDERS (BBC), DOCTORS (BBC) and EMMERDALE (ITV).
