The 2020 Edinburgh Fringe may have been cancelled but 133 new plays that were scheduled to premiere this year are competing for The Popcorn Award’s £5,000 prizes for the best new writing.
The 15-strong judging 2020 committee is today revealed – and is made up of a carefully selected group of mavericks from theatre, film, TV and beyond including: Three-time Olivier Award nominee and two-time winner Ruth Wilson, Norwegian singing sensation Aurora, BAFTA-winning actress Wunmi Mosaku, celebrated actor Kerry Fox, Bryony Kimmings, winner of last year’s inaugural Popcorn Award for ‘I’m a Phoenix, Bitch’, award-winning and Olivier-nominated ‘Fleabag’ producer Francesca Moody and Gonzalo Maza, writer of ‘A Fantastic Woman’ winner of the 2018 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film.
What links the mental, emotional and physical challenge of learning to live with a disability, overcoming grief and depression, and celebrating the complexity and joy of love in all its multitude of forms?
They are among the subjects covered in this year’s shortlist for the 2020 Popcorn Award for new plays that were scheduled to premiere at the cancelled Edinburgh Fringe.
This year’s final shortlist of eight from 133 eligible plays that were due to premiere at Assembly, Gilded Balloon, Pleasance, Summerhall, Traverse Theatre and Underbelly, includes work from all over the UK and champions marginalised communities, shining a light on people who’s stories are just not heard or seen.
The prize fund has doubled this year to £5,000 and there will be three awards of £2,500, £1,500 and £1,000.
Charlotte Colbert and Jessica Malik of Popcorn Group said: “We believe in the bold and adventurous spirit of the Edinburgh Fringe and although it has been cancelled this year, we wanted to help to find a way to keep its spirit alive. The standard of work entered this year was incredibly high and if this process is indicative of the quality of the emerging writers in this country, the future is very bright.”
Winner of last year’s inaugural Popcorn award for ‘I’m a Phoenix, Bitch’, Bryony Kimmings, who is on this year’s judging panel, said: “The Popcorn Award is special as it buys a writer or artist one of the most scarce and undervalued commodities… time.”
Anthony Alderson, Director of Pleasance Theatre Trust said of the award: “Given the tragic state that the theatre industry is currently in, awards such as this – the first of its kind at the Edinburgh fringe – help highlight and give recognition to a group of hugely talented writers who need all the support we can offer.”
The Edinburgh Fringe has long been the beginning of the journey for many of the biggest names in the industry and it is facing financial devastation with a predicted deficit of £21 million.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge has said, “It’s a vital part of our culture and our future. Without it, we lose the voices of artists who bring inspiration to our lives and success to our shores.”
The final shortlist and their venues are:
‘Daddy’ by Camilla Whitehill (Pleasance)
‘Little Miss Burden’ by Matilda Ibini (Traverse Theatre)
‘Sticky Door’ by Katie Arnstein (Pleasance)
‘Silkworm’ by Vlad Butucea (Assembly Festival)
‘BURN’ by Chris Thompson (Assembly Festival)
‘Es and Flo’ by Jennifer Lunn (Traverse Theatre)
Denouement by John Morton (Traverse Theatre)
‘Autopilot’ by Ben Norris (Summerhall)
Hi
I submitted our play ‘Die or Run Disco’ – which was due to take place at Summerhall.
I did not receive any reply or feedback about the play- do you think that might be possible?
Thankyou
Best wishes
Hannah Ringham and Glen Neath