Lyric Hammersmith Theatre has announced a new partnership with Bristol Old Vic to present the winners of the 2027 Bill Cashmore Award: One Act Play Prize.
The collaboration will see two winning plays professionally produced and performed at both venues, marking the first time the award has been staged across two theatres.
Each theatre will mount its own production with distinct casts and creative teams, offering emerging writers a unique opportunity to see their work interpreted in different ways.
The winning entries will be performed as a double bill by Bristol Old Vic’s Young Company and Young SixSix in April 2027, followed by performances by the Lyric’s SPRINGBOARD trainee actors in August 2027.
The Bill Cashmore Award is open to UK-based writers aged 18 to 30 who have no literary representation and no more than two professional writing credits. Applications for the 2027 prize are now open, with a deadline of Tuesday 25 August at 12pm.
The initiative is supported by award founder Sasha Bates and aims to provide a paid professional platform for emerging playwrights.
Rob Lehmann, Director of Young Lyric, said: “We’re thrilled to announce this brand-new partnership with Bristol Old Vic. The Bill Cashmore Award is a unique opportunity for two young writers to have their one-act plays professionally produced. This partnership will allow us to open the opportunity to even more UK-based writers, supporting their development and producing their work in not one but two world-class venues. We cannot wait to read the submissions and realise these two productions in 2027.”
Lucy Hunt, Engagement Director at Bristol Old Vic, said: “It’s great to be working with the Lyric on the Bill Cashmore Award bringing opportunities for young writers to get their plays out there and for young actors to perform fresh new work. Bristol Old Vic and the Lyric Hammersmith share an ethos towards the development of young artists, and we hope that our writers and casts will network and learn from each other through this process”.
Both organisations share a strong commitment to nurturing emerging talent and creating pathways into the theatre industry for the next generation of artists.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
