POPCORN WRITING AWARD IN EDINBURGH
The Popcorn Writing Award is the only award celebrating new writing at the Edinburgh Fringe.
It champions brave and imaginative writing which playfully and artistically questions and addresses current affairs and societal trends and contributes positively to public debate.
Partnering venues include Assembly Festival, Gilded Balloon, Pleasance, Summerhall, Traverse Theatre, Underbelly, Greenside Venues, ZOO Venues and theSpaceUK.
Past Committee members have included: Lena Headey, Wunmi Mosaku, Ruth Wilson, Gonzalo Maza, Michael Longhurst and many others from across film, television, theatre and beyond.
SUBMISSIONS ARE NOT YET OPEN - WATCH THIS SPACE
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
All plays submitted will be considered provided they are:
1) A new piece of writing which has not had a significant run before the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe. We are deeming a significant run as no more than 7 performances or a play that was shown online.
2) A play that is being shown at one of the partnering venues: Assembly Festival, Gilded Balloon, Pleasance, Summerhall, Traverse Theatre, Underbelly, Greenside Venues, ZOO Venues and theSpaceUK.
Please send your piece of new writing and a 50 word summary of your play to your respective venue with “Popcorn Writing Award 2024 // Title of Play // Writer’s Name // Venue Associated” in the subject heading
If you have questions, please get in touch with awards@popcorngroup.co.uk.
Winners
2023
DUGSI DAYZ
by Sabrina Ali
PUBLIC - THE MUSICAL by Stroud and Notes
THE BRIEF LIFE & MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF BORIS III, KING OF BULGARIA by Joseph Cullen and Sasha Wilson
LIE LOW by Ciara Elizabeth Smyth
2022
BROWN BOYS SWIM
by Karim Khan
RUCKUS by Jenna Fincken
BREATHLESS by Laura Horton
2021
THIS IS PARADISE
by Michael John O'Neill
THE CRACKS by Sian Rowland
MY VOICE WAS HEARD BUT IT WAS IGNORED by Nana-Kofi Kufuor
PLEASE, FEEL FREE TO SHARE by Rachel Causer
2020
ES AND FLO
by Jennifer Lunn
BURN by Chris Thompson
LITTLE MISS BURDEN by Matilda Ibini
Special Mention:
DADDY by Camilla Whitehill
2019
I’M A PHOENIX BITCH
by Bryony Kimnings
A WOMB OF ONE’S OWN by Claire Rammelkamp
DROWNING by Jessica Ross
Past committee members
Francesca Moody
Tony Grisoni
Jessica Malik
Charlotte Colbert
Anthony Anderson
Natalie Denton
Andreja Pejić
Annabelle Wallis
Inua Ellams
Jonny Woo
Jennifer Lunn
Art Malik
Noma Dumezweni
Aurora
Lena Headey
Gonzalo Maza
Carrie Cracknell
Wunmi Mosaku
Enda Walsh
Michael Longhurst
Ruth Wilson
Penny Martin
Fatima Bhutto
Kerry Fox
Bryony Kimmings
Katie Pennick
Extracts
ES AND FLO by Jennifer Lunn
Performed by Celia Imrie & Sharon D. Clarke
Directed by Emma Callander
This play was due to be performed at The Travserse Theatre in Edinburgh, August 2020.
BURN by Chris Thompson
Performed by Kit Harington & Tuppence Middleton
Directed by Kate Wasserberg
This play was due to be performed at Assembly Festival in Edinburgh, August 2020.
Daddy by Camilla Whitehill
Performed by Rory Bremner
Directed by Sarah Meadows
Little Miss Burden by Matilda Ibini
Performed by Saida Ahmed, Ani Nelson & Michelle Tiwo
Directed by Debbie Hannan