Announcing the winners for the 28th Alfred Fagon Award for Best New Play of the Year. Guests included Roy Williams, Don Warrington, Anni Domingo, Leee John, Yvonne Brewster, Be Manzini and Ola Animashawun National Theatre Associate. Chair of Judges Daniel Bailey (Bush Theatre) hosted a Q&A with Inua at the end of the ceremony.
The Awards were held on Friday, 13 December 2024 at the Lyttelton, National Theatre.
Inua Ellams wins with Once Upon A Time in Sokoto won Best Play, there was a reading which included actors Sule Rimi Layo-Christina Akinlude, Antonia Layiwola, Toheeb Jimoh, Brigette Adela. who delivered a stunning reading of extracts from the winning play Once Upon a Time in Sokoto
Photo credit: Sharron Wallace
(Inua Ellams was presented with his award by Olusola Oyeleye)
Inua Ellams says, “2024 has been an incredibly brutal year for me, as it has been for many artists. Several projects of mine imploded and I considered dropping the pen entirely and looking for some other profession. This award then, is a deeply cherished and timely blessing. I’m grateful to the readers and judges for understanding the complexities I tried to narrativise, and I hope the award will help Once Upon A Time in Sokoto finally find its audience.”
The Alfred Fagon Award is supported by the Peggy Ramsay Foundation.
The winner of the fourth Mustapha Matura Award and Mentoring Programme. Ilayda McIntosh wins with Hummingbird
Photo credit: Sharron Wallace
(Ilayda McIntosh was presented with her award by Ingrid Selberg)
Ingrid Selberg, Estate of Mustapha Matura says, “This year’s winner Hummingbird by Ilayda McIntosh is a beautiful, moving and multi-layered piece, exploring love, loss and grief within a family living in Britain but with Jamaican origins. Strands of the past and the present are woven together in an original and powerful way. The characters are complex and believable, and the writing is both lyrical and witty. Hummingbird is a very accomplished piece, and it shows the great talent and promise of Ilayda McIntosh as a playwright.”
Ilayda McIntosh says, “I am so grateful to be awarded this year’s Mustapha Matura Award and Mentoring Programme! To receive this award at such a pivotal stage in my career is a real honour, and so incredibly affirming. With the guidance of a mentor, I’m excited to develop my voice further and create work that is even more ambitious, dynamic and challenging. I’m truly honoured, thank you.”
The Mustapha Matura Award and Mentoring Programme is supported by Estate of Mustapha Matura, Garrick Charitable Trust and The Henry and Mary Kent Trust and many individual donors.
The recipient of this year’s Roland Rees Bursary is Leanna Benjamin
(Leanna Benjamin was presented with her bursary by last year’s recipient Paula B. Stanic) Photo credit: Sharron Wallace
Leanna Benjamin says, “I am thrilled to be this year’s recipient of the Roland Rees Bursary 2024. My writing journey to date has been littered with rejection, self-doubt and extreme pressure to create work that captivates an audience. Winning this bursary has reminded me to focus on writing compelling stories inspired by my lived experiences and the opportunities will arrive organically. This blessing has sparked my confidence to share my writing. I am excited to see what the next chapter of my writing journey will be.”
Chair of the Judges Daniel Bailey says, “we’ve had a stellar year, more writers up and down the country feel empowered to write their truths in a time when people are being persuaded to write what’s popular. I’m proud of the quality of work that has been created and produced and I’m ecstatic that the Awards play a major part in the ecology. Big love to all the writers, keep going, we’re right beside you.”
Roy Williams gave a tribute to co-founder of the Alfred Fagon Award Dr Paul Stephenson. The winners were announced at the award ceremony on Friday, 13 December, Dorfman Theatre, National Theatre, London, SE1 9PX.
