The Women's Prize for Playwriting has announced their annual "longlist" of selected scripts. From more than 1000 submissions, these have been honored as the "50 plays which will inspire and entertain audiences everywhere." The longlist will eventually be narrowed down to a shortlist in November before finalists are selected in December. The winners of the Prize will be announced at a London ceremony in January 2024.
The judges for this year's submissions, chaired by Kiln Theatre Artistic Director Indhu Rubasingham, are journalist Samira Ahmed, playwrights April de Angelis and Chris Bush, actor Noma Dumezweni, literary agent Mel Kenyon, journalist and critic Anya Ryan, National Theatre Head of Play Development Nina Steiger, and Guardian Editor in Chief Katharine Viner.
The longlisted plays are: Worthy Women by Abi Zakarian, Birdie by Alison Carr, Girl Disappeared by Amy Ng, Sunrise at Katavi Park by Ana Peralta, To be a bat by Ariella Como Stoian, Tap Root by Ashley Milne, Cow and Pig by Ava Hickey, Watching a Whale Fall by Ayse Evans, Hello Charlie by Caoimhe Farren, Stuff & Things & Junk & Belonging by Carley Magee, Bellringers by Daisy Hall, Children of the Night by Danielle Phillips, Wonderkid by Eleanor Cartmill, the thing about touch by elle van lil, Lumin by Emma Gibson, Wishbone by Esme Mahoney, Pots and Pans and Prayers by Esohe Uwadiae, Private Adult Things by Georgia Green, Dogs Don't Do Wolves by Héloïse Thual, Spooky Action at a Distance by Jess Edwards, Thread by Jessica Siân, The Bouncy by Joanne Gallagher, An Unexceptional Mother by Judi Amato, the light that blinds by Kaleya Baxe, Watchdog by Kayla Feldman, This is a Gift by Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir, Cally by Laila Latifa, the invisible by Linda Marshall Griffiths, Ahemmaa (Queens) by Louisa Hayford, You Are Now Approaching Brackham-Under-Sea. Please Dive Carefully. by Lydia Sabatini, Ask Her If She Still Keeps All Her Kings in the Back Row by Martha Watson Allpress, very wet by Mary Higgins, Great Mother - Iya Ayaba by Mojola Akinyemi, The Stoor by Morna Young, Radiant Boy by Nancy Netherwood, The Peace by Natalie McGrath, Eleven at Night Somewhere Without You by Natasha Collie, BLOOD PLAY by Rachel Mars, Sweet Smoke by Roberta Livingston, Non-Negotiable by Rosie Pierce, Jicama by Sandy Foster, Intelligence by Sarah Grochala, Spirits by Sarah Sigal, A Good Day Will Come by Sepy Baghaei, The Angels Were Worms by Shaan Sahota, King Troll (The Fawn) by Sonali Bhattacharyya, Glass Houses by Sophie Jacome, Nine Avalanches by Stella Green, Small Talk by Tiwa Lade, and Cambium Layer by Zoe Cooper.
Founded in 2019 by Ellie Keel and Paines Plough, the prize's mission is to campaign for equality in the number of male and female writers whose plays are produced on national stages in the U.K. and Ireland. In 2018, only 26% of new plays on major British stages were by women. In 2022, still only 30% of major productions in the U.K. had a credited female writer—including librettists and adapters. For more information, visit WomensPrizeforPlaywriting.co.uk.
