National Theatre's The Shed, Southwark Playhouse and More Win 2013 Peter Brook Awards

Today's award ceremony at the National Theatre Studio had Thelma Holt, the presenter, give the winner the cheque for £2000 to The Shed at The National Theatre for its daring explorations in showcasing Studio Theatre companies at the National Theatre's unique venue which will be continued even after The Shed building is destroyed. All nominees The Gate Theatre, Open Court at The Royal Court, Union Theatre, and the Ustinov Studio at Theatre Royal Bath received a certificate and critic's speech for distinctive work.

Nina Soufy came from Paris with Peter Brook's message to celebrate our awards. Our highlight this year was cooperation through co-productions of empty spaces and venues because of the cuts in funding. The arts will survive!! Most of all we recognised the bubbling energy of the Studio Theatres throughout the country.

The selection panel for the awards is: Lyn Gardner (Guardian), Dominic Cavendish (Telegraph), Mark Shenton (Sunday Express & The Stage Blog), Fiona Mountford (Evening Standard), Andrzej Lukowski (Time Out) and Blanche Marvin (London TheatReviews + founder of the awards). Consultants are: Michael Billington (Guardian), Susannah Clapp (Observer), Jeremy Kingston (The Times) and Paul Taylor (The Independent). The panel evaluated all the nominees and winners, giving everyone their cheques, certificates plus written analysis of the nominees' body of work. This award is vital in furthering the fundraising for the venues and changing the face of theatre.

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In order for Gifted Companies to present their work in London and for the Fringe/Studio Theatres to afford to book them, this subsidy has been established. The annual Mark Marvin Rent Subsidy Award of £1500, covering 2 weeks @ £750 per week will be awarded each year in perpetuity with the hope that matching funds will be made available. The annual Peter Brook/Equity Ensemble Award of £2000 is to help establish deeper development of ensemble work within the Studio Theatres.

Today's award ceremony at the National Theatre Studio had presenter, Thelma Holt, once again describing these new awards and gave cheques to Mark Marvin Rent Subsidy Award of £1500 to the winner Southwark Playhouse and Peter Brook/Equity Ensemble Award of £2000 to the winner Simple8 Theatre Company.

The selection panel for the awards is Peter Wilson (producer of The Woman in Black), Thelma Holt (West End producer), Sarah Murray (Head of National Theatre Studio) and Blanche Marvin (publisher/critic of London TheatReviews + founder of the awards). Wine sponsored by Oberon Books.

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Today's award ceremony at the National Theatre Studio gave the winner of the Dan Crawford Innovation Award a cheque for £2000 to BAC for its unique use of space in converting the entire building to original development of new works from scratch to finish.

The Peter Brook/Mobius Award was given to The Yard for its determined efforts to support early development of new companies and artists in an original space of a needy area of Hackney Wick for which it received a cheque of £1000 from Dan Pursey of Mobius.

The Peter Brook Special Achievement Award was given to Robert Robson, the late artistic director of The Lowry, for his astounding achievement in creating an international arts centre while developing the Studio Theatre for young emerging theatre companies; and Sam Walters, artistic director of The Orange Tree Theatre, for his profound initiative in creating a lunchtime theatre in Richmond, 42 years ago, that he developed into its own Studio Theatre, staging with great quality undiscovered plays.

The selection panel for the Dan Crawford Innovation Award is: Lyn Gardner (Guardian), Dominic Cavendish (Telegraph), Mark Shenton (Sunday Express & The Stage Blog), Fiona Mountford (Evening Standard), Andrzej Lukowski (Time Out) and Blanche Marvin (London TheatReviews + founder of the awards). Consultants are: Michael Billington (Guardian), Susannah Clapp (Observer), Jeremy Kingston (The Times) and Paul Taylor (The Independent). The panel evaluated the nominees and winner, giving careful thought to the choosing. This award is vital in furthering the fundraising for the venues.

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