FULL CREATIVE TEAM ANNOUNCED FOR THE WORLD PREMIÈRE OF
SAMUEL BAILEY’S SHOOK
– THE ELEVENTH ANNUAL PAPATANGO NEW WRITING PRIZE AWARD WINNER
Papatango today announces the creative team for the world première of Samuel Bailey’s Shook – this year’s winner of the annual Papatango New Writing Prize. The company’s Artistic DirectorGeorge Turvey directs, with set and costume design by Jasmine Swan, lighting design by Johanna Town, and sound design by Richard Hammarton. The production opens on 1 November atSouthwark Playhouse, with previews from 30 October, and runs until 23 November 2019. Following the run at Southwark Playhouse, the production tours to Hope Street Theatre, Liverpool (26 November), Theatr Clwyd (27 – 28 November), Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough (30 November) and Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury (4 – 7 December).
Shook marks the fifth year the Prize-winning play will be showcased at this venue following the world premières of the 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015 Papatango New Writing Prize winners: The Funeral Director by Iman Qureshi, Trestle by Stewart Pringle, Orca by Matt Grinter and Tomcat by James Rushbrooke. These productions have received 9 nominations for Off West End Awards including Best New Play and Most Promising Playwright.
Samuel Bailey was born in London and raised in the West Midlands. He began writing plays in Bristol and developed work with Bristol Old Vic, Tobacco Factory Theatres and Theatre West before moving back to London. He is an alumnus of the Old Vic 12 and Orange Tree Writers’ Collective. Shook was originally supported by the MGCfutures bursary programme, and will be his debut full production.
George Turvey co-founded Papatango in 2007 and became the sole Artistic Director in January 2013. Credits as director include Hanna (Papatango, UK tour), The Annihilation of Jessie Leadbeater (Papatango at ALRA), AfterIndependence (Papatango at Arcola Theatre, 2016 Alfred Fagon Audience Award, and on BBC Radio 4),Leopoldville (Papatango at Tristan Bates Theatre), and Angel (Papatango at Pleasance London and Tristan Bates Theatre).
Turvey trained as an actor at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA) and has appeared on stage and screen throughout the UK and internationally, including the lead roles in the world première of Arthur Miller’sNo Villain (Old Red Lion Theatre and Trafalgar Studios) and Batman Live World Arena Tour. As a dramaturg, he has led the development of all of Papatango’s productions. He is the co-author of Being A Playwright: A Career Guide For Writers, published by Nick Hern Books.
Set and costume design is by Jasmine Swan (The Stage Debut Award Nominee 2018 for Best Designer for a Debut Season of work: Hyem (Theatre503), The Passing of The Third Floor Back (Finborough Theatre), Hanna (Papatango at Arcola Theatre) and The Sleeper (Brighton Railto), and Linbury Prize for Stage Design Finalist 2017, designing Windrush for Phoenix Dance Theatre), with lighting design by Johanna Town (current and recent credits include Two Ladies – Bridge Theatre, The Watsons, Butterfly Lion – Chichester Festival Theatre and Botticelli in the Fire – Hampstead Theatre), and sound design by Richard Hammarton (current and recent credits include Chiaroscuro – Bush Theatre, Red Dust Road – National Theatre of Scotland, Ghosts – Royal & Derngate).
Papatango is a charity who discover and champion new playwrights by running free open application schemes and opportunities.
The Papatango New Writing Prize is free to enter and open to any resident of the UK or Ireland. It is assessed anonymously by a reading team which identifies as at least 50% female and is at least 25% BAME. All entrants receive personal feedback on their scripts, an unmatched commitment to supporting aspiring playwrights. The 2019 Prize assessed and gave personal feedback to 1,406 plays. The winner is guaranteed a full production, publication, royalties and commission. The Prize was the first UK award to make such a commitment, changing the landscape for new writing. Writers discovered through the Prize have won BAFTAs, OffWestEnd and Royal National Theatre Foundation awards, premiered in over 20 countries, and worked with the RSC, National Theatre, BBC and HBO.
As well as the Prize, Papatango offers a yearly Resident Playwright scheme, taking an emerging playwright through commissioning, development and production of a new play. Previous Residents have won an Alfred Fagon Audience Award, adapted their play for BBC Radio Four, been commissioned by Headlong, the Tricycle Theatre, and the North Wall Arts Centre, and seen their work tour nationwide with Papatango.
Papatango also run GoWrite, an extensive programme of free playwriting workshops, performances and publication for children and adults across the country. Each year it provides free face-to-face training or productions for over 4000 budding writers at state schools, regional venues and community centres, launching plays that have gone on to be staged at Hampstead Theatre, the Vaults Festival, Old Red Lion Theatre, Arcola Theatre, Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, Luton Hat Factory and the Quarry Theatre, Bedford. GoWrite also provides £5000 in bursaries to enable in-need writers nationwide to access opportunities.
This year Papatango launched WriteWest, a playwriting programme across south-west England which provides free training, performances and seed funding for grassroots writers and producers.
Papatango’s first book, Being A Playwright: A Career Guide for Writers, was published in autumn 2018 by Nick Hern Books. It topped Amazon’s best-seller list in the playwriting category, and has been described as a “phenomenon for playwriting good…a bible for playwrights” by Steve Waters and “enlightening…an excellent tool for playwrights” by Indhu Rubasingham.
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LISTINGS: SHOOK
Southwark Playhouse, London
30 October – 23 November 2019
Box Office: 020 7407 0234
Hope Street Theatre, Liverpool
26 November
Box Office: 0344 561 0622
Theatr Clwyd, Mold
27 – 28 November
Box Office: 01352 701521
Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
30 November
Box Office: 01723 370541
Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
4 – 7 December
Box Office: 01227 787787