Jerwood New Playwrights is part of a longstanding partnership between Jerwood and the Royal Court which spans 25 years. Since 1994, the Jerwood New Playwrights programme has supported 72 writers to have their plays produced in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs and the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs.
For 2020, this programme is re-launched with a new focus on writer development opportunities for emerging playwrights. Alongside three commissions are a range of bespoke research and development opportunities at the Royal Court, for writers at an early stage in their career.
The programme has produced a collection of challenging and outspoken works which explore a variety of new forms and voices. It is rooted in the Royal Court’s desire to create a more sustainable culture for new writers. Jerwood New Playwrights has been instrumental in discovering and supporting some of the most important playwrights of our time, from Sarah Kane to David Greig and Mark Ravenhill to Ayub Khan Din.
The 2020 Jerwood New Playwrights are: Hester Chillingworth, Somalia Seaton and Ross Willis.
