Verity Bargate Award
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The Verity Bargate Award is a biennial British theatre award for new writing. It was established in 1981–82 in memory of Verity Bargate, the co-founder of Soho Poly,[1] precursor to Soho Theatre.[2]
It is open to writers based in the United Kingdom and Ireland and it is recognised as one of the oldest and most prestigious playwriting prizes of its kind. Since its formation it has been an important springboard for the careers of some of Britain's most established playwrights and screenwriters.
As of 2024, the winning playwright receives £8,000 for an exclusive option for Soho Theatre to produce the prize-winning play. Their play is guaranteed a full London run on one of their stages alongside workshops and rehearsed readings of the play in India and USA as part of the theatre's wider international programme in these locations.[3]
History
The Verity Bargate Award was established by Soho Theatre to support emerging playwrights and to identify new writing for production. Named after Soho Theatre’s former artistic director Verity Bargate, the award is presented for an outstanding new stage play.
In the early years of the prize, notable plays that won the award included: Shona by Tony Craze (1983), Killing the Cat by David Spencer (1990), Kindertransport by Diane Samuels (1992), Jump Mr Manlinoff, Jump by Toby Whithouse (1998). More recent winners have been A Night at the Dogs by Matt Charman (2004), The One by Vicky Jones (2013) and Shedding a Skin by Amanda Wilkin (2020).[4]
In 2024, for the first time in the award’s history, the winning play received rehearsed readings in New York and Mumbai. In the same year Boys On The Verge Of Tears by Sam Grabiner became the first winner of the Award to win the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre.
Judges
Previous judges include Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Laura Wade, James Graham, Theresa Ikoko, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm (all former Soho Theatre playwrights), Lolita Chakrabarti, Russell T Davies, April De Angelis, Sue Townsend, Emma Rice, Irving Wardle, Meera Syal and Ikenna Obiekwe. Since 2014, award has been chaired by film and television producer, Character 7's Stephen Garrett (producer), who sponsor the Award.[4]
Past Winners
| Year | Play | Playwright |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Shona | Tony Craze (joint winner) |
| 1983 | Lunch Girls | Ron Hart (joint winner) |
| 1983 | The Shelter | Johnnie Quarrel (runner-up) |
| 1984 | Up For None | Mick Mahoney (joint winner) |
| 1984 | Coming Apart | Melissa Murray (joint winner) |
| 1985 | The Bombdies | Julie Dennis |
| 1986 | Releevo | David Spencer (joint winner) |
| 1986 | Made in Spain | Tony Grounds (joint winner) |
| 1986 | Smith | Johnnie Quarrell (runner-up) |
| 1987 | James Bonney MP | Ian Buckley (shortlist) |
| 1988 | Me and My Friend | Gillian Plowman (winner) |
| 1988 | Here is Monster | Brock Norman Brock (runner- up) |
| 1989 | Dogs! Sons of Dogs! | Michele Celeste |
| 1990 | Killing the Cat | David Spencer |
| 1991 | Water Music | Lyndon Morgans |
| 1992 | Kindertransport | Diane Samuels |
| 1994 | Bruises & The Shore Watcher's House | Judy Upton |
| 1996 | The Backroom | Adrian Pagan (joint winner) |
| 1996 | Perpetua | Fraser Grace (joint winner) |
| 1998 | Jump Mr Malinoff, Jump | Toby Whithouse |
| 2001 | Office | Shan Khan |
| 2004 | A Night At The Dogs | Matt Charman (joint winner) |
| 2004 | Felt Effects | Joy Wilkinson (joint winner) |
| 2007 | This Isn't Romance | Insook Chappell |
| 2011 | Pastoral | Thomas Eccleshare |
| 2013 | The One | Vicky Jones |
| 2015 | Roller Diner | Stephen Jackson |
| 2017 | City Song | Carys Coburn |
| 2020 | Shedding A Skin | Amanda Wilkin |
| 2022 | Boys on the Verge of Tears | Sam Grabiner |
| 2024 | Little Brother | Eoin McAndrew |
Workshops
Ahead of each submission window, Soho Theatre travel to venues across the United Kingdom and Ireland, to bring new-writing workshops to emerging playwrights. These workshops are designed to equip participants with the tools and inspiration to write a new play, encouraging first time writers to take their first steps in playwriting.
