Simon Longman wins George Devine Award

Simon Longman has been announced as the recipient of the 49th George Devine Award for most promising playwright.

Longman was awarded £15,000 in a ceremony at the Royal Court at the end of his run of Gundog, which ran at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Upstairs.

Gundog was given four stars by WhatsOnStage, and Vicky Featherstone's staging involved a set filled with mud. Longman's previous plays include Milked, which was staged by Pentabus Theatre in 2013, and Sparks, at the Old Red Lion in 2015.

The prize was set up in 1966 in memory of the Royal Court's first artistic director. Past winners include Richard Bean, Charlene James, Hanif Kureishi, Mike Leigh and Laura Wade.