Bryony Kimmings wins inaugural Popcorn Group Writing Award for I'm A Phoenix, B*tch

Bryony Kimmings has won the inaugural Popcorn Group Writing Award for her piece I'm A Phoenix, B*tch.

The award, which recognises new writing at the Edinburgh Fringe that challenges the status quo, was set up this year and all shows playing at Pleasance venues are eligible.

Kimmings has won a cash prize of £2,500 to provide support to further develop her talent. The show initially ran at Battersea Arts Centre in autumn 2018 and was described as an "extremely impressive and affecting piece" in a review from WhatsOnStage.

The shortlisted texts included A Womb of One's Own by Claire Rammelkamp and Drowning by Jessica Ross.

The judging panel for the award is composed of actress Lena Headey, Donmar Warehouse artistic director Michael Longhurst, Academy Award-winning Gareth Ellis-Unwin, director Carrie Cracknell, Tony Award-winner Enda Walsh, producer Francesca Moody, Academy Award-winning Gonzalo Maza, writer Tony Grisoni, The Gentlewoman editor-in-chief Penny Martin, award-winning actor Art Malik, artist Philip Colbert, Popcorn Group co-founder Charlotte Colbert and head of Popcorn film and TV, Jessica Malik and the Pleasance Theatre team, Anthony Alderson, Nic Connaughton, Jonny Patton and Ellie Simpson.

Walsh said: "Bryony's piece is so honest and real – altogether its
own complete thing. I think she's a genius. I found I'm a Phoenix, B*tch to be beautiful and full of humanity."

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