Writers' Guild Awards shortlists

The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain has announced the shortlists for its 2009 Awards. The winners will be revealed at a reception on Sunday 29 November 2009 along with individual awards for Lifetime Achievement and Special Contribution to Writing for Children.

Television comedy / light entertainment

• Outnumbered, by Andy Hamilton & Guy Jenkin
• Peep Show, by Sam Bain & Jesse Armstrong
• The IT Crowd, by Graham Linehan
  

Television drama series

• Being Human, by Toby Whitehouse.
• Doctor Who, various writers
• Little Dorrit, adapted by Andrew Davies from the novel by Charles Dickens
  

Television soap / continuing series

• Doctors, various writers
• Casualty, various writers
• Coronation Street, various writers

Television short form drama

• The Devil's Whore by Peter Flannery and Martine Brant
  
• Criminal Justice by Peter Moffat
  
• The Long Walk to Finchley by Tony Saint

Best feature film screenplay

• The Damned United, adapted by Peter Morgan from the book by David Peace
• Hunger, by Enda Walsh, Steve McQueen
• In the Loop, by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Ianucci, Tony Roche, (additional dialogue by Ian Martin)
  

Feature film screenplay – newcomer

• Is Anybody There? by Peter Harness
• Shifty, by Eran Creevy
• Summer, by Hugh Ellis.
  

Best theatre play

• Apologia, by Alexi Kaye Campbell
• At the Gates of Gaza, by Juliet Gilkes Romero
• Relocated, by Anthony Neilson.
  

Best theatre play for children and young people

• Knock Against my Heart, by Oladipo Agboluaje
• Red Fortress, by Carl Miller
• Scarlet Ribbons, by Brendan Murray
  

Radio comedy / light entertainment

• The Now Show, by Steve Punt, Hugh Dennis, Laura Shavin, Jon Holmes et al
• 15 Minute Musicals, by Richie Webb, David Quantick and Dave Cohen
• Bleak Expectations, by Mark Evans
• Cabin Pressure, by John Finnemore
  

Radio drama

• A Prayer for Owen Meany, adapted by Linda Marshall Griffin from the novel by John Irving
• The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, adapted by Andrew Lynch from the novel by Robert Tressell
• The Gunshot Wedding, by Katie Hims.
  

Video games award

• Prince of Persia, by Andy Walsh
• Fable II, by Mark Hill
• Routes, by Tom Edge
  

The Writers’ Guild Awards are sponsored by the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society, BBC Writersroom, BBC Talent Rights, and H.W. Fisher & Company, the accountants with many media and trade union clients.

The 2009 Awards reception will be held at the Free Word Centre in Clerkenwell, central London, the newly-opened home of English PEN, Free Word, Index on Censorship, Arvon Foundation, Literary Consultancy, Reading Agency Apples & Snakes, Article 19, Booktrust and Dalkey Archive.

Update (6.11.09): Apologies, the TV short form drama category was missing when this post was first published.

What Guild members are getting up to

JESSE ARMSTRONG co-wrote the episode of The Thick of It going out on BBC2 at 10:10pm on Saturday 31st October.

SARAH BAGSHAW wrote the episodes of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm and 8:00pm on Thursday 5th November.

SONALI BHATTACHARYYA wrote the episode of Doctors "Worst Critic" going out on BBC1 at 1:45pm on Wednesday 4th November.

PAUL CAMPBELL wrote the episode of EastEnders going out on BBC1 at 8:00pm on Monday 2nd November.

NAZRIN CHOUDHURY wrote the episode of Doctors "Great Expectations" going out on BBC1 at 1:45pm on Thursday 5th November.

LESLIE CLAIRE O'NEILL wrote the episodes of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Monday 2nd and Wednesday 4th November.

RICHARD DAVIDSON wrote the episodes of EastEnders going out on BBC1 at 7:30pm on Thursday 5th and at 8:00pm on Friday 6th November.

FIONA EVANS wrote the episode of EastEnders going out on BBC1 at 7:30pm on Tuesday 3rd November.

STEVEN FAY wrote the episode of Hollyoaks going out on C4 at 6:30pm on Wednesday 4th November.

ADRIAN FLYNN wrote the episodes of The Archers going out on Radio 4 at 7:00pm from Sunday 1st November till Friday 6th November with every episode being repeated at 2:00pm the day following its original broadcast.

JONATHAN R. HALL wrote the episode of Doctors "Family Values" going out on BBC1 at 1:45pm on Monday 2nd November.

JONATHAN HARVEY wrote the episode of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 7:30pm on Friday 6th November.

MARTHA HILLIER wrote the episode of Holby City "The Professionals" going out on BBC1 at 8:00pm on Tuesday 3rd November.

LISA HOLDSWORTH wrote the episode of New Tricks "Communal Living" going out on BBC1 at 9:00pm on Thursday 5th November.

NICK HORNBY co-wrote the episode of The Richest Man in Britain going out on Radio 4 at 11:30am on Friday 6th November.

IAN KERSHAW'S radio comedy Pick-Ups continues with the episode "All Bar Nun" going out on Radio 4 at 11:00pm on Thursday 5th November.

DAVID LANE wrote the episode of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 8:30pm on Thursday 5th November.

KAREN LAWS and FIONA EVANS'S BBC Radio 3's drama Beware the Kids is now available on BBC i-player until Sunday 1st November. This new drama tackles the family head on. When should the State intervene and where does the line between personal and public responsibility lie?

GRAHAM LESTER GEORGE wrote the short film WASHDAYS, which has been nominated for a BIFA. Earlier this year, Washdays won Best Film at the Rushes Soho Short Film Festival.

BILL LYONS wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Firday 6th November.

OLLY PERKIN wrote the episode of Doctors "Doctor Who?" going out on BBC1 at 1:45pm on Friday 6th November.

DIANE SPEAKMAN'S play Taliswoman is to have a production at Leicester Guildhall from the 17th to the 27th of November 2009, directed by Heather Taylor.

RICHARD STONEMAN wrote the episode of Doc Martin "Do Not Disturb" going out on ITV1 at 9:00pm on Sunday 1st November.

SUE TEDDERN'S five-part Woman's Hour comedy-drama serial, Singleparentpals.com, is on BBC Radio 4 from Monday November 2nd to Friday November 6th, at 10.45am (repeated 7.45pm). It stars Maxine Peake and Kris Marshall and is the story of the developing friendship between two single parents who correspond via a parenting advice website.

HEIDI THOMAS has been commissioned by Ben Stephenson and Jay Hunt (Controller, BBC 1) to bring the legendary TV series Upstairs Downstairs back to life. It will not be a remake but a completely new version, set in a different era with a whole new cast of characters. She will also be executive producer along with Piers Wenger. Jean Marsh will reprise her role of Rose, the parlourmaid, returning to the same house in Eaton Place as housekeeper to its new residents, the wealthy and well-connected Holland family. A new role will be created for Dame Eileen Atkins. Filming begins early next year.

MIKE WALKER wrote the last episode of the series Dickens Confidential "Why Are We in Afghanistan?" going out on Radio 4 at 2:15pm on Tuesday 3rd November.

Jack Thorne wins Best British Newcomer at London Film Festival

Congratulations to Guild member Jack Thorne who has won the Best British Newcomer award at the BFI 53rd London Film Festival for his script for The Scouting Book For Boys.

You can read Jack's notes about the film on the Film4 website. A release date for the film has not yet been announced.

Thomas Turgoose in The Scouting Book For Boys

Norman Painting 1924-2009

Norman Painting, who played Phil Archer in the BBC radio soap The Archers, has died at the age of 85. As BBC News reports, as well as being an actor, Painting also wrote for the series "under the pen name Bruno Milna, and was responsible for more than 1,100 episodes, receiving a Writer's Guild Award in 1967."

There are obituaries in The Guardian, The Telegraph and by Jenny Booth in The Times.

The show’s editor, Vanessa Whitburn, described Mr Painting as a consummate professional.

“Under his sure hand, Phil graduated seamlessly from young romantic hero to serious farmer and father - holding Brookfield together in good times and bad, handing over the farm to eldest son David in 2001," she said.

“Norman then gave us the delighted grandfather; enjoying astronomy with Daniel, music with Pip and finally always there when needed to give advice about farming methods of the past to son David.

“Norman always wanted to remain working on The Archers until he died - and I am delighted and proud of him that he achieved his wish.”

Ben Stephenson on drama series

In Broadcast, Ben Stephenson, controller of BBC drama commissioning, says that drama series are undervalued.

I worry that there is residual snobbery in the UK surrounding drama series. That somehow making something that is there to entertain isn’t quite good enough. The best of entertainment isn’t fluffy, silly or undercooked - the best entertainment is innovative, authored, intelligent, shocking and emotional.

I believe the writers and directors in this country are world class. Across the networks, they are already producing some of the finest series we have ever seen. But I feel we can all do more to foster an environment in which multi-episodic television is king.

Screenwriters Festival: Day Four

By Piers Beckley

And to finish with, some thoughts on the fourth day of this year's screenwriters festival. (Or conference, if you prefer.)

While there are always going to be talks which aren't aimed at your skill level - there's no real point in someone with a few pieces of work behind them going to the sessions aimed at first-time writers - there are four concurrent streams throughout the day, so there should always be something interesting going on for you to check out.

It can be a little intimidating for first-timers, especially if you don't know anyone else here. But the writers are a friendly bunch, and it's easy to get chatting to someone in the tea queue. After all, you already know that you have a lot in common.

Over lunch, many of the guests volunteer to sit in the canteen for something called a scriptbites session, where anyone can gather round the table with them for an open and informal Q&A - no stuffy lecture halls, no waiting-for-the-mike-to-get-to-you, just honest answers to questions about the business.

Over the last few days I've listened to Ben Stephenson, Phil Collinson, Bob Baker, and others give their time and advice generously to help new and emerging screenwriters during these sessions - and there were many more people who I would have liked to listen to that I just didn't have time to see.

The Screenwriters' Festival plays a vital role in finding out what's going on in the UK writing community - and in helping you to reconnect with friends and colleagues both old and new.

See you here next year.

Screenwriters Festival: Day Three

By Piers Beckley

A very BBC-centric day today, with Ben Stephenson, Christine Langan and Kate Harwood all dropping in to give talks and Q&As.

Ben answered one particular question from the floor to which I've never had a satisfactory explanation - until now. That's: Why don't we have longer runs of UK drama series?

As usual, it comes down to money. A 13- or 22-part US series is deficit-financed. What that means is that for the (say) 4 million dollars that it costs to make an episode of a US drama, half is paid for by the channel, and half is paid for by the studio making the drama.

So the studio loses money on every single episode that they make, and the only way this loss can be recovered is if the series runs for a hundred episodes - at which point it can be sold into syndication. It says a lot about the cash available from syndication that they'll more than make their money back if this happens.

But the broadcasters here can't fully-finance such long runs, and no studio here has pockets deep enough to deficit finance. So it looks as if six and eight episode series will be the standard in the UK for some time to come.

The most popular past-time among the writers here at the moment is speed-dating. Not each other (amusing though that would be) but producers and agents. Most everyone who asked to be on the speed-dating has been assigned three people who will hopefully be able to move their projects along. Just as in the ordinary-dating equivalent they have to sit at a table, try to impress the person on the other side in less than five minutes, and then move swiftly on to their next person when their time is up.

Everyone I've spoken to so far has said that despite their initial nervousness they've managed to make at least one good connection with their dates, and several have been asked to pass on their scripts.

And like any dating, we'll see over the next weeks or years how many of these relationships last.

Imison and Tinniswood Radio Award winners

The Writers' Guild and the Society of Authors have announced the results of the 2009 Imison and Tinniswood Radio Awards:

• The Tinniswood Award Winner (for the best original radio drama script broadcast during 2008) - Goldfish Girl by Peter Souter, produced by Gordon House for BBC Radio Drama.
• The Tinniswood Award Highly Recommended - Far North by Louis Nowra, produced by Judith Kampfner, Corporation For Independent Media
• The Imison Award Winner (for the best original radio drama script by a writer new to radio, broadcast during 2008) - Girl From Mars by Lucy Caldwell, produced by Anne Simpson for BBC Northern Ireland

Awards of £1,500 (sponsored by the ALCS and The Peggy Ramsay Foundation) and digital radios (donated by PURE) were presented to the two winning writers by film director and writer Mike Hodges at a ceremony in London last night.

Girl from Mars was Lucy Caldwell's first radio play. As a playwright she has won the George Devine Award 2006 and as a novelist she was shortlisted for the inaugural EDS Dylan Thomas Prize.

Peter Souter was formally the Worldwide Creative Director of one of the biggest advertising agencies in Britain. Goldfish Girl was his second radio play.

A number of the winning and shortlisted plays will be repeated in the Afternoon Play slot on Radio 4 in the week beginning 23 November. All the plays will receive a further broadcast on BBC7 over January 2010.

Working With Writers - a good practice guide for TV programme makers

Gail Renard, Chair of the Guild's TV Committee, introduces a new publication

In response to our members’ many problems and queries, the Guild is proud to launch, Working With Writers (pdf), our new good practice guide for TV programme makers.

It can be seen as a companion piece to Making Film (pdf), the good practice guide recently produced by the Guild's Film Committee, but the problems in our two industries are very different.

Television production and its personnel are constantly changing and it’s imperative we’re all singing from the same hymn sheet. The guide was compiled by the Television Committee over the course of a year (for which many thanks) and follows the fine example set by Tony Read in his original guide of more than 20 years ago.

The new version explains what members can expect every step of the way of the production process. It also advises how TV production personnel should work with writers, so there can be reasonable expectations on both sides... though writers should always remember that professionalism is a two-way street.

The Good Practice Guide is just that and covers everything from a writer’s first ideas, to progressing to treatments, outlines and scripts. It also advises on commissions, rewrites and, importantly, explains when you should be paid (or sadly not.) It outlines the writer’s role in production and post-production, including screenings and awards ceremonies, though it’s up to members to write their acceptance speeches themselves.

The Guild asks that everyone, both writers and all production personnel, read and respect our new TV Guide. Our common goal, as always, is to make the best television programmes possible and to enjoy the journey along the way. We’re hoping the new Guide makes that easier.
Article published: 28.10.2009

Screenwriters Festival: Day Two

By Piers Beckley

Yesterday I looked mostly at the craft and networking aspects of a festival. But for screenwriters there's another part to this equation that novelists and poets, for the most part, don't have to worry so much about: getting hold of the money required to put your film into production.

Fortunately here at Cheltenham there's also a business track. So today I've mostly been going to seminars and talks about the business end of screenwriting from producers (who'll make your film) and sales agents (who go out and sell it to different countries across the world) to find out what the current state of the market is.

The current recession means that things are particularly difficult for straight dramas. For a drama to sell right now you're going to need A-list stars, a great director, and a great writer. Preferably award-winning.

And even those are difficult to sell at the moment. Passion projects are being deferred right now until the market improves.

What is selling are genre pieces. Comedies, Thrillers, Horror, Romcom, Action-Adventure. Something that it's easy to find on the DVD shelves or in a category at the online retailers.

The cycle will turn, of course, and it'll be easier to make the odd pieces, and the downbeat pieces, and the straight dramas.

But right now the advice for a piece of writing you're trying to sell is: know what your film is about, and what genre it's in. And make sure it's a bulletproof piece of writing for that genre.

BAFTA Children's Awards nominations

Nominations have been announced for the 2009 BAFTA Children's Awards.

The nominees in the Writer category are:

• Helen Blakeman – Dustbin Baby (Kindle Entertainment Ltd/CBBC)
• Phil Hall, Neville Astley, Mark Baker – Peppa Pig (Astley Baker Davies/E1 Kids/Channel Five/Nick Jr)
• Ross Lee, James Defrond – Ross Lee’s Ghoulies (Running Bare/Nickelodeon UK)
• The Writing Team - Horrible Histories (Lion Television/CBBC)

The Awards will be presented on Sunday 29 November.

Update (30.10.2009): Among the nominees is Guild member Myles McLeod who, along with his animator brother Greg (as The Brothers McLeod), has been shortlisted in two categories for the work they did with the Tate.

Sam Lavender to head Film4 development

From Broadcast:

Film4 has promoted Sam Lavender to head of development. He replaces Katherine Butler, who was promoted to senior commissioning executive in September.

Eisner sees future online

In Variety, Cynthia Littleton reports on former Disney boss Michael Eisner's plans to produce content exclusively online.

"We’re going to put the foot to the metal. We’re trying to show that high-quality content with a promotable hook can get an audience on the Web," Eisner told Daily Variety. "If you can get an audience, you can get advertisers. I think the big upside in the entertainment business in the future is probably not the movie business or other existing businesses. I think it’s going to be story-driven content delivered through the Internet."

Screenwriters Festival: Day One

By Piers Beckley

The screenwriters' festival is being held in a new venue this year, but despite that the red-shirted runners were able to direct people around the place without one single monster-related incident. Which is rare, as connoisseurs will know.

In a way the word "festival" is a bit of a misnomer, suggesting screenings and awards - or, if you prefer, drugs and lasers - but what it really is, is a four-day screenwriting conference.

Which is actually a lot more useful to a writer.

This year there are more than a hundred speakers over the four days. There are panels, lectures, launches (such as the Guild's own good practice guide for screenwriters - more of which anon) and networking both formal and informal.

There are two main reasons for coming to any conference, whether it's for science, art, literature, barbering (according to our taxi driver last night, Cheltenham recently hosted a barbers' conference), or screenwriting.

One is to find out best practice and news - that's mostly covered by the lectures.

The second is networking. And contrary to what many people believe, networking isn't trying to find someone with money and pushing your masterpiece into their hands - it's learning craft from those further along than you, and talking about it with other people at the same level you are, whether that's someone with a dozen credits or someone who's only just set pen to paper.

That's what really happens at a conference of any sort, whether it's for science, art, literature, barbering, or screenwriting. Talking with people you know and don't know in the gaps between lectures, and in the pub after the day is over, about your work, and theirs, and what's going on in the world in which you all work.

And it's those conversations that make an event like this worth coming to.

Digital Theatre launches download site

As Alistair Smith reports in The Stage, a new website, Digital Theatre:

...will see full length versions of stage shows filmed in high definition using multiple camera angles made available to download and keep at the cost of £8.99 each. The films will be copy protected and only be playable through specific software which is free to download from the site.

A partnership between a number of leading British theatre companies, Digital Theatre's first offering is the English Touring Theatre company's Far From The Madding Crowd, adapted by Mark Healy from the novel by Thomas Hardy. New, original work will also feature.

It seems an interesting initiative, although it's annoying (and surprising) that the website is all in flash.

Google on track to dominate online video ads

In Broadcast, Michael Comish suggests that, following a new deal with Channel 4 and the launch of an auction-based sales model, Google is set to dominate the market for online video advertising.

At its core, Google is an advertising company and it has successfully dominated paid search advertising in almost every market where it competes. Going forward, it intends to dominate online video advertising as well. The strategy is all too familiar: build an advertising product where people bid for words associated with video programming by taking your existing, hugely successful search technology and modifying it to create a unique product for video ads. Build a large market share and you will not only drive up the price people will pay for the adverts, but also dictate the terms of how the revenue is shared with programme makers. By so doing, you will capture the majority of the value in an online video advertising market, which is estimated to reach £4b+ by 2013 in the US alone.

What Guild members are getting up to

PAUL ALEXANDER wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Wednesday 28th October.

JADEN CLARK wrote the episode of EastEnders going out on BBC1 at 7:30pm on Tuesday 27th October.

PAUL COATES wrote the episode of Hollyoaks going out on C4 at 6:30pm on Wednesday 28th October.

TIM DYNEVOR wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 8:00pm on Thursday 29th October.

CAROLINE HARRINGTON wrote the episodes of The Archers going out on Radio 4 at 7:00pm from Sunday 25th till Friday 30th October with each episode being repeated at 2:00pm the day following it's original broadcast.

VICKY IRELAND has won a place as one of five international playwright observers to be invited to The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 11th New Visions/New Voices festival to be held in Washington DC in May 2010. This is a biennial workshop and festival dedicated to developing new plays and musicals written for young people and their families.

ROB JOHNSTON has written and produced the play Human Habitation which is on at Studio Salford (Salford, Manchester) from 4th-7th Nov at 8PM. www.studiosalford.com

JOHN KERR wrote the episode of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 8:30pm on Thursday 29th October.

IAN KERSHAW wrote the episode of Pick-Ups "Stags and Bucks" going out on Radio 4 at 11:00pm on Thursday 29th October.

DARAN LITTLE wrote the episode of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 7:30pm on Wednesday 28th October.

P.G. MORGAN'S radio play Lifeline is going out on Radio 4 at 2:15pm on Monday 26th October.

JESSE O'MAHONEY wrote the episode of Hollyoaks going out on C4 at 6:30pm on Tuesday 27th October.

JULIAN PERKINS wrote the episode of The Bill "Show of Force" going out on ITV1 at 9:00pm on Thursday 29th October.

MARK RAVENHILL's new play, Nation, an adaptation of Terry Pratchett's coming-of-age novel about two teenage castaways in 1860 who must forge a new nation will be played at the National Theatre's Olivier Theatre from 11 November - 21 February 2010. Now booking: 0844 847 2270 www.nationaltheatre.org

CHRISTOPHER REASON wrote the episodes of EastEnders going out on BBC1 at 7:30pm on Thursday 29th and at 8:00pm on Friday 30th October.

HEATHER ROBSON wrote the episode of Hollyoaks going out on C4 at 6:30pm on Monday 26th October.

STEPHEN RUSSELL wrote the episode of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 8:30pm on Monday 26th October.

PATREA SMALLACOMBE wrote the episode of EastEnders going out on BBC1 at 8:00pm on Monday 26th October.

CHRIS THOMPSON wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Thursday 29th October.

JOE TURNER wrote the episodes of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 7:30pm and 8:30pm on Friday 30th October.

NICK WARBURTON wrote the episode of Holby City "Myself, Coming Back" going out on BBC1 at 8:00pm on Tuesday 27th October.

PETER WHALLEY wrote the episode of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 7:30pm on Monday 26th October.

JOY WILKINSON wrote the episode of Doctors "Slice of Life" going out on BBC1 at 1:45pm on Tuesday 27th October.

KARIN YOUNG wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Monday 26th October.

Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary

If you've got a big enough stocking to hang up, and Santa can afford the £250 price tag (it's a bit less if he uses Amazon), you might want to put in a Christmas request for the new Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary.

It's the largest thesaurus in the world and the first historical thesaurus for any of the world's languages. It provides a "complete sense inventory for English from Old English to the present day, based on the Oxford English Dictionary".

In The Telegraph, Henry Hitchings pays tribute to "a monumental feat of scholarship":

The work enables microscopic study of almost all our recorded vocabulary. We see words not in isolation, but through their relationships. To quote the linguist David Crystal: "The OED gave us individual trees, but never a sight of the whole forest or helpful pathways through it. The Thesaurus does precisely that."

On BBC News, Professor Christian Kay, 69, one of four co-editors, explains that she began working on the book in the late 1960s when she was 27.

"We include obsolete words which are no longer in use or are only found in very special contexts.

"Words have different survival rates, so there are maybe 7,000 words which have been in English since the very early days and there are other words that maybe only lasted for a few years."

...Broadcaster and novelist, Melvyn Bragg said: "The Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary will be outstanding and indispensable and so much fun.

"Who would have thought that 'Smacker' - one who gives loud kisses- came in 1611 at the same time as the first King James Bible."

E20 - EastEnders online

From the BBC Press Office:

EastEnders is set to venture beyond the television screen as Walford takes a big step into the wider world of the web with its first online spin-off series next year.

BBC Vision Multiplatform has commissioned the EastEnders online spin-off to go live in January 2010 in the run-up to EastEnders celebrating its 25th anniversary on February 19th.

As part of the BBC's drive to develop and nurture new talent, EastEnders: E20 has been written by 13 new London writers aged between 17 and 22 who attended a summer school where they created and wrote the online drama.

Ali Taylor wins Meyer-Whitworth Award

From Lalayn Baluch in The Stage:

Ali Taylor has won the 18th annual Meyer-Whitworth Award for his new play Cotton Wool, which premiered at Theatre 503 in April 2008.

The former journalist was presented with a cheque for £10,000 by award judge and Chichester Festival Theatre artistic director Jonathan Church, at a presentation ceremony today at the National Theatre.

Accepting the award, Taylor paid tribute to Theatre 503 for “promoting the next generation of writers”.

The award is for a playwright who has had no more than two plays produced professionally.