Established in memory of Soho Theatre’s founding Artistic Director, Soho’s biennial competition awards an emerging writer a prize of £5,000, a residency at Soho Theatre and the opportunity to have their play produced here. In conjunction with the competition, workshops are held in London and across the UK (you can find out more by downloading the maps on this page) . The 2011 Competition saw nearly 900 scripts considered from every region in the British Isles. You can find out more about our London and National events by downloading the maps on this page.
In May 2011 we announced Thomas Eccleshare as the winner of the Verity Bargate Award 2011. His play Pastoral was chosen from nearly 900 entrants in this prestigious biennial competition to find the best new play by an emerging writer. Thomas Eccleshare’s prize for Pastoral was £5,000, and a production and residency at Soho Theatre.
Pastoral is set in a surreal future in which nature has gobbled up the high street and an old woman named Moll waits in her flat for the Ocado man. But when the ruthless trees and branches threaten to cut her off from the world, she is forced to leave home and make it in the wild forest that is the new England. The play is full of surprises – a story of danger and delight at the end of the world. Thomas is a London-based writer and Pastoral is his first script. He is founder and co-Artistic Director of the visual theatre company Dancing Brick.
I am absolutely gobsmacked and overjoyed to have won the Verity Bargate Award. I am delighted to have been selected, honoured to have had my play discussed by such an esteemed judging panel and now cannot wait to see it performed.
Thomas Eccleshare, VBA winner 2011
The next VBA will be held in 2013.
