Winners of Heretic Voices monologue competition announced

Heretic Productions has announced the winners of its inaugural monologue competition.

Picked from over a thousand submissions, the three winning writers are Annie Fox, Sonya Hale and Tatty Hennessy. Their pieces were chosen from a previously announced shortlist of eight, by a panel consisting of Michael Billington, Lolita Chakrabarti, Monica Dolan and agent Mel Kenyon.

Kenyon said: "I was impressed by the strength and variety of the writing and judging between many of the pieces was tough. I am thrilled with the final choices the panel made but wish every single one of the writers the very best for the future."

The three texts will now be performed back-to-back at the Arcola Theatre between 9 and 13 January, produced by teams of as yet unannounced professional directors and actors. The monologues will also be published as an anthology by Nick Hern books.

Fox's Woman Caught Unaware, her debut play, examines modern ideas of body shaming. Hale, whose previous work includes Glory Whispers at Theatre503, won with her piece entitled Dean McBride, about life on a Croydon council estate.

Hennessy's piece, entitled A Thousand Words for Snow, describes a teenage girl's mission to take her father's ashes to the North Pole.