Announcing: the recipient of our 2025 Playwright Fellowship, Corey Weekes.

We first came across Corey at a reading of his play Quicksand at the Criterion, as part of the Adopt a Playwright award. It was a huge ambitious play about Alzheimer’s disease, with a knotty and fascinating central character, which got to the heart of how the disease can tear into families. We watched his writing come to life in a different form again later, through his weaving of lyrics into the Belgrade’s production of Romeo & Juliet.

So, we met with Corey to discuss what he wants to develop next as a writer, and we felt he was at the perfect crossroads in terms of his development to benefit from a longer-term attachment to Paines Plough, and take his craft onto its next step.

With us, Corey have some time and space to explore new ideas for a new play. He will receive a bursary, mentorship from our Artistic Directors, and will be part of our office and artistic team.

Find out more about Corey Weekes here.

Paines Plough Open Auditions
Wednesday 26 February
11am-5pm at the Belgrade, Coventry.

We’re running Open Auditions at our new home The Belgrade in Coventry.

We’re looking to meet Midlands based actors previously unknown to Paines Plough with a passion for new writing. Auditions will be friendly and informal; a chance to meet representative s from a range of Midlands venues and ask any questions you might have about our work. We can meet you in pairs or on your own.

This is just the first round of Open Auditions that Paines Plough will be running from their new home in Coventry, so if you don’t get a slot this time, do keep an eye out for the next round.

You would be meeting:

• Charlotte Bennett and Katie Posner – Joint Artistic Directors of Paines Plough
• Jesse Jones – Artistic Director of the Royal & Derngate, Northampton
• Jay Zorenti-Nakhid – Associate Director at the Belgrade, Coventry
• Sophia Griffin – Head of New Work and Artist Development at Birmingham Hippodrome.

Sound good? This is how to apply:

• Decide if you’ll be auditioning alone or in a pair. If in a pair, find yourself a partner, and make sure you include both of your names when signing up. Make sure one person applies on behalf of the pair, as any duplicates (even if it’s with different partners) will be automatically excluded.
• Audition slots will be released on this page on Monday 17 February, with morning slots released at 10am and afternoon slots at 4pm. We recommend trying for both!
• If successful, you will receive an email from SignUpGenius to confirm the audition time you selected. Please fill out the Equal Opportunities form included in this email. More information on what to expect on the day and a request for further details will follow.
• Once everything is confirmed, please prepare a three-minute monologue or duologue from a play written in the last 15 years.
• If you have any access needs, or if there’s anything that would make attending auditions easier for you, please contact hannah@painesplough.com.

Some other things to bear in mind:

• If you have auditioned for Paines Plough before (either at an Open Audition or as part of casting for a specific show), unfortunately we won’t be able to see you this time round.
• These auditions are for actors who are from/live/work or are connected to the Midlands. If you’re not based in the area, do keep an eye on our newsletter for further opportunities where you are.
• To give everyone a fair shot, agent or not, we only accept applications from individual actors so – even if you have an agent – please apply using your own email address.
• Places are all allocated in advance. Due to high demand we can’t accommodate requests for a different time, and we will be unable to see people on a walk-up basis.
• If for any reason you can’t make your audition please let us know ASAP by emailing hannah@painesplough.com. If you don’t turn up to your audition without letting us know in advance, you won’t be able to apply for future Paines Plough Open Auditions.
• We unfortunately won’t be able to offer feedback after auditions, but there will be an opportunity to ask questions during your slot.
• We aren’t casting for a particular show at the moment – we just want to meet some new actors so that we can bear you in mind for future productions.
• Check out our FAQs for more information about the application process and what to expect on the day, or ping us an email at hannah@painesplough.com if you’re not sure about anything.
• Don’t worry if you don’t get a slot this time, there will be more chances to attend Open Auditions. Sign up to our mailing list and check the ‘Open Auditions’ box for updates.

Hope to see you there!

All the slots for 26th February have now been filled, thank you for your interest in auditions.

Don’t worry if you don’t get a slot this time, there will be more chances to attend Open Auditions. Sign up to our mailing list and check the ‘Open Auditions’ box for updates.

To celebrate our 50^th birthday, we are thrilled to announce the launch of Paines Plough’s Supporters Circle which will support our mission to discover, develop and empower writers across the UK.

Join our founding members, playwrights James Graham and Nick Payne, to support Paines Plough’s productions now and for the next 50 years.

Supporters will receive:

• Your name credited as a supporter on the Paines Plough website and in programmes at our shows across the country.
• Invitations to press nights to meet cast and creatives and watch the productions your donation makes possible
• A dedicated newsletter with Paines Plough news and personal updates from our writers
• Annual online event hosted by circle founders James Graham and Nick Payne, speaking to current Paines Plough commissioned writers

In our 50th anniversary year we want to recruit 50 patrons to support our work.

Supporters are asked to donate a minimum of £1,000 a year: you can donate monthly or annually.

If you would like to receive more information or join James Graham and Nick Payne in their support of Paines Plough, please contact Paines Plough’s Executive Director Jodie Gilliam at jodie@painesplough.com.

The winners of our 50 for 50 raffle prizes have been announced below!

If you have a winning ticket, please claim your prize by sending in the following proof to office@painesplough.com, with the subject heading ‘Raffle Prize Winner’.

• If you purchased a physical ticket at the 50th anniversary gala, please send a picture of the matching ticket.
• If you purchased a ticket via the JustGiving page, please forward your donation receipt or the receipt reference number that was sent to you at the time of donation.

A tour of Abbey Road Studios
Winner: 113 PINK (barcode number: AD 244142)

Behind the Scenes of Bridgerton Tour of Castle Howard
Winner: 14 BLUE (barcode number: AD 234106)

Trullo cookbook signed by Tim Siadatan, the chef director of Trullo
Winner: JustGiving receipt reference 208320287

Traditional Afternoon Tea for Two, in The Drawing Room at Brown’s Hotel, London
Winner: 89 WHITE (barcode number: 229465)

Massage at Studio Lomas
Winner: 140 PINK (barcode number: 244142)

Nick Hern Playtexts Collection
Winner: JustGiving receipt reference 131415766

Three course meal for 2 at Boyds Grill & Wine Bar
Winner: JustGiving receipt reference 130493544

Three course dinner for 2 at the Delaunay Hotel
Winner: JustGiving receipt reference 175662468

A Strategic Love Play gift bundle
Winner: 32 PINK (barcode number: AD 244142)

Two tickets to Punch by James Graham, at the Young Vic in London
Winner: JustGiving receipt reference 184096335

Two tickets to A Knock on the Roof by Khawla Ibraheem, at the Royal Court in London
Winner: JustGiving receipt reference 129483518

Two tickets for the opening night of the Great Gatsby at the London Coliseum
Winner: 110 PINK (barcode number: AD 244142)

Two tickets for any Seabright Live show
Winner: JustGiving receipt reference 174952221

Two tickets for any ATG Productions show
Winner: 61 PINK (barcode number: AD 244142)

Two tickets for a show at the Bridge Theatre in London
Winner: 32 PINK (barcode number: AD 244142)

Two tickets to The Gift by Dave Florez, at Park Theatre in London
Winner: JustGiving receipt reference 107861770

Two tickets to Farewell Mister Haffmann by Jean-Phillipe Daguerre, at Park Theatre in London
Winner: JustGiving receipt reference 197057096

Two tickets to The Comedy About Spies
Winner: JustGiving receipt reference 184054066

Two tickets to the opening night of a soon to be announced National Theatre transfer
Winner: JustGiving receipt reference 178994987

Two tickets to a show at the King’s Head Theatre in London
Winner: JustGiving receipt reference 132007133

If a prize is unclaimed after Thursday 6 March, it will be redrawn.

Announcing our line-up for our 50th Anniversary Gala on 10 February 2025.

Celebrating 50 years of pioneering bold new writing, the evening will open with an exclusive world premiere short piece written by Paines Plough patron James Graham, performed by Monica Dolan as a rallying cry for theatre and new writing.

It will be followed by extracts from some of our past productions, performed by some incredible guests:

• Crave by Sarah Kane, featuring Thomas Coombes, Alfred Enoch, Siobhan McSweeney and Rebekah Murrell. Directed by the play’s original director Vicky Featherstone.
• After the End by Dennis Kelly, directed by Matthew Dunster and performed by television royalty, Meg Bellamy (Princess Kate in The Crown) and Hugh Skinner (Prince William in The Windsors)
• Love, Love, Love by Mike Bartlett, performed by Lesley Sharp, Iain Glen and Jessie Cave.
• Sea Wall by Simon Stephens, performed by Tom Sturridge (The Sandman), who received a Tony nomination for his performance in the Broadway production of Sea Wall in 2019.
• Hungry by Chris Bush, featuring Heather Agyepong (Shifters) and Sophie Melville (Cowbois)
• Bullring Techno Makeout Jamz by Nathan Queeley-Dennis, performed by Kola Bokinni (Ted Lasso).
• Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe.

We’ll also be presenting a filmed segment featuring Olivier Award-winning actor and playwright Amy Trigg, who will record a scene from Reasons You Should(n’t) Love Me (winner of the Women’s Prize for Playwriting in 2021), in the venue where it all began for us as a company fifty years ago.

Guest hosts and appearances on the evening will also include Indhu Rubasingham (Artistic Director of the National Theatre), and playwrights James Graham, Roy Williams, Mark Ravenhill and Ryan Calais Cameron.

Click here to book your tickets for the 50th Anniversary Gala. Tickets start at £23.25.

As part of booking there is the option for a ‘Pay It Forward’ donation, which will go towards a ticket for an early-career writer who might not otherwise be able afford to attend. Stay tuned on our newsletter and our social media channels for details on the Pay It Forward tickets.

It’s an honour to announce this amazing line-up of plays and guests for our 50th Anniversary Gala. As a new writing company, it is in our DNA to always look ahead to what’s next: where’s the next tour stop? When’s the next workshop? What’s the next project? But for an evening, we’re allowing ourselves just one moment to reflect on Paines Plough’s incredible history, and to raise a glass to the many, many people and stories that have made their contribution to the fabric of British theatre, and to making our small but mighty company what it is today. We can’t wait to celebrate 50 years with this line-up, and to continue our unwavering mission to champion new writing as a priority for our stages.

My Mother’s Funeral: The Show by Kelly Jones deals with complex and difficult issues related to the death of a loved one, grieving, class, funerals, and funeral poverty.

We’ve compiled a list of mental health charities and support groups below, for anyone who has been affected by the issues raised in the play.

If you need immediate support, or would just like someone to chat to, Samaritans offer a 24/7 helpline across the UK – call 116123 for free.

If you prefer to text, the UK also has a free 24/7 service: just text SHOUT to 85258.

2024 was the 10^th birthday of our big beautiful geodesic dome Roundabout, and we’re so proud to have celebrated it in style, with the biggest and best year at Edinburgh so far.

We hosted 9 new plays, 5 one-off late night shows, and 193 performances in total to over 23,000 audience members. We marked and celebrated these past ten years with all of the love, energy and good vibes that we and our audiences have come to expect when we take our seats in this unique theatre.

Edinburgh is such a special time for our company, and each year we spend a lot of time considering, discussing, reading and reimagining a new programme of work for Roundabout that will thrill audiences. Summerhall is an incredible home for Roundabout, however due to a combination of factors including Summerhall’s circumstances over the past few months, we are pausing on returning to the festival with Roundabout for this year.

We have decided instead to focus the rest of 2025 on a brand new programme of touring plays and artist support – in our new home in Coventry, at the Edinburgh Fringe, and across the country.

Stay tuned: we can’t wait to announce these plans in the months to come.

We are still trying to raise money to make all of this (and much more) happen, and we need your help. At the beginning of this landmark year, we set ourselves the goal of raising a minimum of £50,000 to continue our work.

We are now 70% towards that target, but we still need a lot of help to reach it.

Next up is our 50^th anniversary fundraising gala on 10 February with amazing guest actors and directors performing extracts from some of Paines Plough’s best loved plays, celebrating the company’s 50 years with a few surprises on the evening in store. You can join us by buying tickets here: https://www.criterion-theatre.co.uk/painesplough

If you can’t make the gala, there are other ways to get involved. Please tell your friends to tell a friend about us, buy a ticket to one of our shows, come along to one of our book club gatherings, or if you can, please donate to our crowdfunding page here: https://donate.justgiving.com/charity/painesplough/donation-amount

My Mother’s Funeral: The Show by Kelly Jones deals with complex and difficult issues related to the death of a loved one, grieving, class, funerals, and funeral poverty.

We’ve compiled a list of mental health charities and death-positive support groups below, for anyone who has been affected by the issues raised in the play.

Submit your bid for one of our exclusive one-page 50^th anniversary plays, by Mike Bartlett, Chris Bush, Dennis Kelly, Simon Stephens, or Roy Williams.

The winning bidder will provide 5 pieces of information about themselves (or the person they would like to purchase for), and they will receive a personalised play written by one of our internationally-renowned One Page Playwrights, signed by the writer, framed and posted straight to you.Our One Page Playwrights are:

• Mike Bartlett – writer of Doctor Foster (BBC); Cock; Love, Love, Love.
• Chris Bush – writer of Standing at the Sky’s Edge (book); Rock/Paper/Scissors; Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World (adaptation).
• Dennis Kelly – writer of Utopia (Channel 4); DNA; Matila The Musical (book).
• Simon Stephens – writer of Sea Wall; The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time (adaptation).
• Roy Williams – writer of Death of England; The Lonely Londoners (adaptation).

Please send an email to Paines Plough’s Executive Director jodie@painesplough.com if you wish to bid, or have any questions about the charity auction.

The deadline to submit your bid is 31 March 2025.

All proceeds will go directly towards Paines Plough’s 50 for 50 campaign and support new writing and writers in the future.

TW // Please note that this blog contains descriptions of death and grief that might not be suitable for some readers.

Ahead of the premiere of My Mother’s Funeral: The Show, Charlotte Bennett (Joint Artistic Director of Paines Plough) wrote about death, why there needs to be more conversations about it, and how it led us to Kelly Jones’s new play.