Alistair McDowall Receives the 2018 Pinter Commission

Lady Antonia Fraser, Alistair McDowall & Vicky Featherstone (Credit: Royal Court Theatre)

Playwright Alistair McDowall received the 2018 Pinter Commission yesterday (Thursday 22 March 2018) – an award given annually by Lady Antonia Fraser, Harold Pinter’s widow, to support a new commission at the Royal Court Theatre.

The Pinter Commission is now in its seventh year and is given annually to support a playwright to write a new play for the Royal Court Theatre. There are no restrictions on the award which can be given to any playwright from a first time, unproduced writer to one already established.

In 2016 the Royal Court produced Alistair McDowall’s play X which ran in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs. Alistair has taken part in and led Royal Court Writers Group.

Commenting on the commission McDowall said:

“I’m delighted and more than a little humbled to be awarded the Pinter commission. I’m at a key point in my writing life, and this prize will serve as both encouragement to keep going, and a firm kick up the backside to prevent me getting comfortable.

Mr Pinter’s work never stopped questing for the new and the true, and the Royal Court deserves nothing less today.”

Vicky Featherstone, Artistic Director of the Royal Court, added:

“The Pinter Commission, inspired brainchild of Lady Antonia Fraser, is the most perfect way of giving concrete form to Harold’s enduring presence in our theatre and influence on succeeding generations of playwrights.

This year’s recipient, Alistair McDowall, is a writer of already considerable achievement but whose potential is dizzying. He has a completely distinctive theatrical voice and engages with the darkness in our world in a way that Harold would recognise at once.

I can’t wait to see what this year’s commission leads to.”

Lady Antonia Fraser commented:

“I believe that the Pinter Commission is exactly what Harold would have wanted. Because he had experienced the devastating rejection of his early work, he knew the true value of encouragement. New writing was always intensely important to Harold and Alistair McDowall is a welcome recipient of the 2018 Award.”

For more information see the full press release.