The shortlist has been announced for the Bill Cashmore Award 2025, presented by the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre.

The award recognises new plays by young writers aged 18-30.

The winners of the Bill Cashmore Award are offered a paid opportunity for two new one-act plays to be professionally produced at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre.

The two winning plays will run as a double bill and will be performed by the Lyric’s Springboard trainee actors in autumn 2025.

The Shortlist for 2025 is: The Bells of Draycliff by Bibi Lucille; The Mending Circle by Chloe Yates; people watching people by Danielle James; Icarus by Emma Howlett; Field Work by Madeline Whitby Ramsbottom; Whited Sepulchre by Sahra Warsame; Friendsgiving by Shona Graham; and Y2Gay by Tom Faulkner.

The award is part of Young Lyric, funded to support and provide opportunities for children and young people aged up to 30 years through programmes, workshops and activities.

The Bill Cashmore Award was founded by Sasha Bates in memory of her husband, the actor, director, playwright and entrepreneur, Bill Cashmore.

Last year’s award was for Haemosporidian, written by Sam Purkis, Wilf Walsworth and Ryan Stevens.

The winners will be announced in mid-March.

Bill Cashmore Award 2025 – Longlist

  • Shoebox’d by Lola Rose Wood
  • people watching people by Danielle James
  • Icarus by Emma Howlett
  • The Siblings Who Made a Game of Death by Gareth Mattey
  • The Hounds of New England by Ben Ramsey
  • The Bells of Draycliff by Bibi Lucille
  • The Mending Circle by Chloe Yates
  • The Vortex Practitioner by Cloud McDowell
  • Friendsgiving by Shona Graham
  • Bring me the head of Doctor Vohra by Sameer Ali
  • Scraps by Isaac Frost
  • Field Work by Madeline Whitby Ramsbottom
  • Whited Sepulchre by Sahra Warsame
  • Y2Gay by Tom Faulkner
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Main photo: Bill Cashmore Award

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