THEATRE BOOK PRIZE NAMES JOINT WINNERS FOR THE FIRST TIME
Martin Sherman’s On the Boardwalk and Matthew McFrederick’s
Staging Beckett in London share the 2026 award
Staging Beckett in London
Photo Charlie Flint
The Society for Theatre Research has named joint winners of its Theatre Book Prize for the first time in the award’s history.
The 2026 prize, for books with a 2025 copyright, is shared by On the Boardwalk: A Memoir by Martin Sherman, published by Inkandescent, and Staging Beckett in London, by Matthew McFrederick, published by Methuen Drama.
The winners were announced by Michael Burden, Chair of the Society for Theatre Research, at a ceremony at Jermyn Street Theatre in London on Thursday 5 November.
Mr Sherman’s award was collected in his absence by his book editor, Nathan Evans, of publisher Inkandescent.
This year’s judging panel comprised playwright and director Dr John Godber OBE, theatre critic Maryam Philpott and Tony Award-winning theatre producer Thomas Hopkins.
The six shortlisted books were:
Vagabond by Tim Curry (Century)
The Methuen Drama Handbook of Women in Contemporary British Theatre, edited by Marissia Fragkou and Rebecca Benzie (Methuen Drama)
Richard Burbage and the Shakespearean Stage by Siobhan Keenan (The Arden Shakespeare)
Staging Beckett in London by Matthew McFrederick (Methuen Drama)
Modernism after the Ballets Russes: Movement in the British Theatre by Gabriela Minden (Oxford University Press) On the Boardwalk: A Memoir by Martin Sherman (Inkandescent)
Established in 1998 to celebrate the Society for Theatre Research’s Golden Jubilee, the Theatre Book Prize encourages the writing and publication of books on British and British-related theatre history and practice. It recognises work that brings the theatre of the past to life and records contemporary theatre for future generations.
The prize is awarded annually to the book an independent judging panel considers the best published during the previous year. It was first awarded for books published in 1997.
The ceremony also paid tribute to Howard Loxton and his 25-year contribution to the prize. Howard, a much-loved and respected member of the Society for Theatre Research for many years, died on 22 June 2026.
It was also announced that the judging panel for the 2027 prize, covering books published in 2026, comprises Aliya Al-Hassan, Susan Elkin and James Martin Charlton.
The deadline for submissions of books with a 2026 copyright date is 29 January 2027.