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Royal Court celebrates 20th anniversary of Jerwood New Playwrights

The programme, which gives new writers the opportunity to produce plays in full productions on both Royal Court stages, has led to the discovery of some of theatre’s most influential voices.

Ben Hewis
London Off-West End

Some of the UK’s most eminent writers and theatre-makers gathered at the Royal Court Theatre on Thursday to celebrate 20 years of Jerwood New Playwrights.

Guests including Alexi Kaye Campbell, Carrie Cracknell, DC Moore, Laura Wade and Nick Payne enjoyed pre-show drinks and canapés in the Balcony Bar, with speeches by Royal Court artistic director Vicky Featherstone and Tim Eyles, Chair of the Jerwood Charitable Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

They then watched a performance of The Wolf From The Door by Rory Mullarkey in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs. The event concluded with a party in the newly renovated downstairs bar and kitchen.

The Jerwood New Playwrights programme, funded by Jerwood Charitable Foundation, helps the Royal Court discover and support the next generation of world class playwrights. Starting with Joe
Penhall’s play Some Voices in 1994, the programme has supported 60 writers and 77 plays in this time, producing a series of new plays each year by emerging writers, all of whom were in
the first 10 years of their careers.

Previous Jerwood New Playwrights have included Sarah Kane (Blasted), Mark Ravenhill (Shopping and Fucking), Jez Butterworth (Mojo), Ayub Khan Din (East is East), Conor McPherson (The Weir), Richard Bean (Toast), Simon Stephens (Herons), Rona Munro (Iron), Polly Stenham (That Face), Alexi Kaye Campbell (The Pride), Anya Reiss (Spur of the Moment), Nick Payne (Constellations) and many others.