The Dukes and Lancaster University Announce Winner Of The Lancaster Playwriting Prize 2022

A "social-magical-realist comedy" has earned a writer Northern writer Matthew Gabrielli the Lancaster Playwriting Prize 2023.

Winner Matthew Gabrielli, who was selected from 32 entries to win the award, will now have a rehearsed reading of his debut play FOOL's GOLD presented on 21st April at The Dukes as part of BLAST FEST, and will also receive a cash prize of £1,500 plus professional mentoring.

The shifting remit of the competition, now in its fourth year, makes it unique and is run in partnership by the Department of English Literature and Creative Writing at Lancaster University and The Dukes Theatre in Lancaster.

Matthew said: "I'm hugely grateful to the judges for choosing Fool's Gold as this year's winner, like all playwrights I want my writing to be shared with audiences, the characters and world of this play have running around my head for years and I can't wait for them to be brought to life at The Dukes later on this year. As a neurodivergent writer I am also excited to put a dyspraxic character centre stage."

The 2023 award, which aims to support and showcase emerging writers in the North, was this year open to any writer identifying as d/Deaf, disabled or neurodiverse. Each playwright entered anonymously, meaning all scripts were judged on their own merit by impartial readers, with no knowledge of the writer's background or previous experience.

The six shortlisted plays were:

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In Bits by Danny Start

In memory of Superman's parents by Helen East

Fool's Gold by Matthew Gabrielli

Dot.Com by Chris Singleton

Rogue Comet(s) by Daneka Etchells

Porl Cooper, Producer at The Dukes said: "This important award highlights stories told by writers from marginalised communities, giving opportunity to hear voices and stage stories which have historically been overlooked. From this year, the LPP Rehearsed Reading will sit firmly within BLAST FEST, The Dukes' showcase of new work from and created in the North. The shortlist this year was a little longer than previous, and that's reflective of the tricky decisions the judges had to make."

This year's judges were Lancaster University alumna and prize funder and actor Lucy Briers, Lancaster University's Dr Tajinder Singh Hayer, Director of the Dukes Karen O'Neill and theatremaker Alice Christina-Corrigan.

Lucy Briers said "I found this play engaging, funny and original. I loved the way the main character's dyspraxia wasn't how she was defined, it was what drove her to be so inventive. I also thoroughly enjoyed the friction of the fairytale premise of making gold being set in such a 'kitchen sink' environment. What made it the winning piece for me was that it was somehow believable. No mean feat!"

Alice Christina-Corrigan said: "Dynamic characters within a compelling, refreshing and interesting storyline ensured this play was one not to forget. A story led by sisterhood and it's complexities, touching upon money and societies place in our relationships. A vibrant story which kept me interested from page one, wanting to know more, wanting to see where the story went and I was not disappointed. A wonderful play, wonderfully written."

Dr Tajinder Singh Hayer said: 'I'm always interested in stories that are able to weave a sense of argument through them. And Fool's Gold has a deceptively simple question at it's heart: what do we consider valuable? The play then uses this to probe with real urgency at the age we now live in'.

Karen O'Neill said: "Fool's Gold is a funny and heart-warming tale about the power of seeing things from a different perspective. Centring on the relationship between two siblings the story looks at how the pressures of everyday life can lead us all into making questionable decisions. Matthew Gabrielli's script looks at neurodiversity and relationships allowing the work to be driven by the core characters who move the story along at pace. This is a relatable and fresh piece of work."

The rehearsed reading for FOOL's GOLD will be presented in the Moor Space at The Dukes on 21st April 7.30pm at The Dukes as part of BLAST FEST.

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