Royal Court Theatre announces partnership with SISTER

The Royal Court Theatre today announces a three-year partnership with SISTER, the independent studio and entertainment providers behind content such as the multi-award winning Chernobyl, Landscapers and This is Going to Hurt. The partnership acknowledges the interconnectedness of UK TV and theatre, and has been formed to discover, nurture and commission exciting new and emerging voices in theatre.

Across the three-year relationship, which began in May 2022, SISTER and The Royal Court will run writer’s workshops to generate new plays, which will be developed by and produced at the Royal Court, with support from SISTER. The partnership aligns with the Royal Court’s ethos of creating space for playwrights, both new and established, to tell authentic, original and distinctive stories and further sharpens SISTER’S mission to support and invest in visionary storytellers. 

Baghdaddy by Jasmine Naziha Jones, which has its Press Night tonight, Thursday 24 November, is the first play to be developed as part of this relationship. Graceland by Ava Wong Davies, which runs 09 February – 11 March, will be the second.

Jane Featherstone Co-Founder and CCO SISTER: 

‘We are incredibly fortunate in the UK television and film industry to be able to turn to theatre as a rich source of brilliant writing talent. And it’s imperative that we continue to support new plays and new voices, particularly at this time. This partnership with the Royal Court  is born out of shared creative values and the desire to make a genuine commitment to support the best new writing theatre talent there is.  Sister is incredibly proud to be working with the Royal Court, and we are thrilled to see Jasmine Naziha Jones’ Baghdaddy, the first production from our partnership, come to life.’

Erica Campayne, Interim Executive Director, Royal Court Theatre:

‘We are so thrilled to be embarking on this three-year partnership with SISTER. It is deeply heartening, especially in these increasingly challenging times for subsidised theatre, that SISTER truly recognises that it is at the beating heart of creativity and writing in this country.  Our shared belief that the voice of the writer must be nurtured, encouraged and given a space to reach its potential is at the centre of this partnership.

Without support like this we would be unable to continue to develop writers with the confidence and fearlessness which is so necessary. Baghdaddy by Jasmine Naziha Jones and Graceland by Ava Wong Davies which follows at the start of next year mark the beginning of the public part of this relationship and are  both precious extraordinary pieces of writing.’

See here for the full press release.