Theatre Uncut Present First Binaural Awards Ceremony Open To Public

Moving into Theatre Uncut's 10th year, the second Theatre Uncut Political Playwriting Award will be announced in the first ever binaural award ceremony, streaming on 6th May at 5pm on Theatre Uncut's website and YouTube channel. This innovative sound experience will showcase extracts from four of the shortlisted plays: Esther by Lorna French; Chasing Hares by Sonali Bhattacharyya; Great Northern Divers by Jordon Grant and Playfight by Julia Grogan. The shortlist also includes Give a Man a Bible by Afsaneh Gray, Burnout by Louise Gooding and 44 Sex Acts in One Week by David Finnigan.

The winner was chosen from the shortlist by an esteemed judging panel consisting of: Matt Applewhite of Nick Hern Books; Jessica Stewart of Independent Talent; Gareth Nicholls of Traverse Theatre; Joe Murphy of Sherman Theatre; Rebecca Mairs of Lyric Theatre, Belfast; Jennifer Tang of Young Vic; Mimi Findlay of Clean Break and Hannah Price and Emma Callander of Theatre Uncut.

There will be speeches recorded in binaural sound from Kwame Kwei-Armah, Artistic Director at the Young Vic;Joe Murphy, Artistic Director at Sherman Theatre; Gareth Nicholls, Artistic Director at Traverse Theatre and Rebecca Mairs, Literary Manager at Lyric Theatre, Belfast. The event will conclude with the winner's announcement and a speech from that writer.

"In this extraordinary moment in time theatre is craving brave uncompromising voices more than ever. We need stories that examine, unpack and hold to account narratives that have been allowed to dominate our culture. We created this award to find writers that are brave enough to do that: fierce theatre artists from across the UK that haven't yet had their moment in the spotlight. We are so thankful to all the playwrights that shared their work with us, and we are honoured to announce our incredible shortlist of writers and the winner of the second Theatre Uncut Political Playwriting Award". Emma Callander and Hannah Price, Co-Artistic Directors Theatre Uncut

In 2020 Theatre Uncut presented pioneering digital show Bubble by Kieran Hurley. The show was streamed by 195,000 people worldwide and the script was downloaded in 32 countries. Bubble is available for students and staff in schools, colleges and universities to stream until 31stMarch 2023.

The Theatre Uncut Political Playwriting Award was created in partnership with the Lyric Theatre, Belfast; Sherman Theatre; Traverse Theatre and the Young Vic and supported by Independent Talent and Nick Hern Books. It was founded in 2018 to find the next generation of political playwrights wanting to explore the big issues that affect our lives today. At a time where questioning the political fabric of society feels particularly important, Theatre Uncut will support and amplify these new plays, examining the political in its widest sense - from the domestic to the global.

The winnerwill receive an award of £9,500, an agreement to option the production of the play to Theatre Uncut and the award partners, and the offer of publication by Nick Hern Books.

The Theatre Uncut Political Playwriting Award was launched in 2018, receiving 444 entries from across the UK. The winning play two Palestinians go dogging by Sami Ibrahim was due to be presented at the Royal Court in co-production with Theatre Uncut in April 2020. Shortlisted play The Merthyr Stigmatist by Lisa Parry, will receive its world premiere digitally from 27 May in a co-production with Sherman Theatre, directed by Emma Callander.

Theatre Uncut aims to provoke debate and galvanise action by making new political theatre available for everyone, everywhere.

Theatre Uncut have led the way in producing borderless inclusive theatre since 2011. Their work has been performed by over 8,000 people in 26 countries. They have been one of the major forerunners in the digital theatre scene with the huge success of their digital production of Bubble by Kieran Hurley - viewed by over 180,000 people online. Bubble is also available for schools and universities to use rights free until 2023.

So far, the company have worked with 53 writers from 16 countries. Now in their 10thyear, Theatre Uncut are determined to keep finding and promoting new voices.

The Merthyr Stigmatist will be at the Sherman Theatre from 27thMay - 12thJune https://www.shermantheatre.co.uk/homepage/

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