This award was set up by Fifth Word and Nottingham Playhouse to find the most exciting upcoming voices from across the region, and provide opportunities to nurture emerging talent. The award includes a 12 month attachment with Fifth Word where Toby will receive £2000 and a mentor to work with him over the year to create a new play.
Toby says:
“I couldn’t believe I had won. It was the first play I had ever written and I wasn’t even sure I’d laid it out right! I’d had the idea in my head for a while and I’d been wanting to write a play, so when I saw the competition I thought it was a perfect way to actually make me write one. I’m so happy that I will now be able to develop my work over the year and be mentored by an amazing company.”
Angharad Jones, joint Artistic Director of Fifth Word says
“We are thrilled to have received so many entries, and want to thank everybody who took the time to enter this competition. It’s been fascinating to see how many people in the region are writing and what they’re writing about. Wreck was a piece that really stood out. We loved the poetic nature and specificity of Toby’s writing and we are very excited to start work with him”
Members of the public will have the opportunity to see a rehearsed reading of Wreck at a celebration event on Saturday from 7pm. Before this, there will also be a FREE practical masterclass open to writers of all levels with director Esther Richardson and playwright Emteaz Hussain. Click here to find out more.
We would like to thank all the judges who took helped Fifth Word with the difficult decision of picking a winner: Tilly Branson, Gareth Morgan, Esther Richardson, Steve Harper, Giles Croft, Fiona Buffini and Amanda Whittington.