Samuel Bailey wins 2019 Papatango New Writing Prize

Samuel Bailey has won the 2019 Papatango New Writing Prize.

Bailey, who was selected from 1,406 entries to win the award, will now have his debut play Shook produced at Southwark Playhouse from 30 October to 23 November. Following its run in Southwark the piece will tour to Liverpool, Mold, Scarborough and Canterbury.

Speaking about winning the award Bailey said: "I'm proper chuffed. Winning the Papatango Prize was a huge shock – I entered hoping to get some feedback for my play, so when I got the call to say I was shortlisted I was surprised to say the least. It doesn't quite feel real."

London-born writer Bailey began writing plays in Bristol and is an alumnus of the Old Vic 12 and Orange Tree Writers' Collective. The piece was previously supported by the MGCfutures bursary programme.

The shortlisted writers for this year's competition have also been announced as Emma Anderson for The Lesson, Steven Bloomer for Bricolage, Tabitha Mortiboy for Daffy Grod and the Shaking Lights, and Joel Tan for Love in the Time of the Ancients.

Now in its 11th year, the annual award gives a new writer a full production, script publication and a £6000 commission to write a follow-up piece. Furthermore, every entrant receives feedback on their script.