Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Europe's largest playwriting competition, made in Manchester
2025 marks the 20th Anniversary of Europe’s largest playwriting competition, a significant partnership between Bruntwood, the Royal Exchange Theatre and The Oglesby Charitable Trust.
On Monday 21 July the Royal Exchange Theatre will host the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting Awards Ceremony, recognising the work of this year’s 15 shortlisted writers. And for the first time in the history of the prize, we’re inviting everyone to the ceremony.
This year’s Prize celebrates two decades of championing playwrights with an increased prize pot of £50,000, with writers being judged across four categories: the International Award, Judges Award, North West Original New Voice Award & Residency and the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting.
Hosted by Julie Hesmondhalgh, the ceremony will feature performances of extracts from this year’s shortlisted plays: THE ANNUNCIATION by T. Adamson, DREAM BODY by Natasha Collie, RITE TO PARTY by Yasmine Dankwah, DOG DOG DOG by Terri Jade Donovan, TALKING TO BOYS by Abbi Greenland, CORPSELIGHT by Daniel Grimston, THE PLAN by Mary Elizabeth Hamilton, COZINESS by Julia Jarcho, R LADY’S by Daisy Miles, TRIM PALACE by Courttia Newland, SHOOTERS by Tolu Okanlawon, PRZEWALSKI’S HORSES by Silva Semerciyan, SPREAD by Jesús I. Valles and GOLF GIRL by Seayoung Yim.
The event will also celebrate key figures and familiar faces from the Prize’s 20-year history, and will included a specially commissioned piece written by Anna Jordan and performed by Nathan Queeley-Dennis.
To learn more about the 2025 shortlist, please visit the Bruntwood Prize website writeaplay.
Tickets to this event are free, there are 2 tickets per booking and available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any access requirements, please contact Box Office with your order number. The doors for the event will open at 2pm.