Winners of the 2026 Young Playwrights Award announced
News Story
The Royal Court Theatre has today announced the winners of the Young Playwrights Award 2026, the first cohort of winners since the award expanded from a London pilot to a nationwide programme.
The free-to-enter award for 13-18 year olds received more than 250 submissions from across the UK, following a national programme of free workshops and resources in partnership with writing organisations, schools and youth groups. Building on the success of the 2025 Awards, which saw winner Godot’s To Do List by Leo Simpe-Asante programmed as a curtain raiser to Krapp’s Last Tape starring Gary Oldman, the award aims to champion the voices of the next generation and promote access to creativity for all young people across the country.
The winners of the 13-15 age category are Lucy Edda Leggatt (Fruit.), Rufus Peaty (You’ll Live); Lucy Varley (A Shadow on the Ocean).
In the 16-18 age category, the winners are Thomas Mossman (Bus Stop of Strangers), Lucy Nicholas (Build-a-Boyfriend (please don't leave)) and Dhaani Singh (You Can’t Say That).
The Young Playwrights Award combines a national competition with a package of free creative support, challenging the lack of provision in the curriculum for theatre writing. Teachers and young people can access free educational resources on the Royal Court Theatre’s website including video masterclasses from leading playwrights such as Ryan Calais Cameron (For Black Boys…) and Nina Segal (Cow | Deer) as well as lesson plans and Playwriting Club guides.
The six winning plays will be professionally performed as a festival of rehearsed readings in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs from 9th to 11th July 2026. A company of actors led by Royal Court Trainee Directors Mayann Hapuntantri and Danielle Kassaraté will stage the works, concluding with an award ceremony on Saturday 11th July 2026. All six plays will also be published in an anthology by awards partner Nick Hern Books.