New views award winnerS, national theatre, 2024

Teulu written by Emyr Strudwick Directed by Rufus Norris (National Theatre Artistic Director)

House on Fire by Luke Fields Directed by Emily Burns (National Theatre Associate)

This project was such a delight. I got a call one day from Liza Vallance, then Deputy Head of Learning, to ask if I could come in and produce ‘a rehearsed reading’ of the winning play in the New Views festival. New Views - for those not in the know (like me) - is the NT’s flagship young writers’ competition in which young people from all over the country submit plays to be judged by a professional panel and given a staged reading in the NT.

And in 2024 Rufus Norris, the then outgoing AD of the biggest theatre in the UK was set to direct one of them. And then the panel selected two winners. And Emily Burns came on board to direct the second one. And Rufus wanted ‘a little bit of light and sound’ and suddenly we had a fully staged very-much-not-just-a-reading of these gorgeous plays, with a stage built from steel deck in a rehearsal room, a lighting rig held together with safety pins (it wasn’t), a sound design, costumes and set cobbled together from the incredible departments at the NT, a cast which included half of Nye, actors who were thoroughly off book, and two very very happy teenage writers. Thank goodness for incredible production managers (Nadia).

But what made this project such a privilege to work on were the writers and directors. Young writers who have a bright future ahead of them, and directors at the absolutel top of thir game engaging with them on a professional level, listening to them, collaborating with them, including them. It was an absolute joy to be a part of.

Producer: Lily Einhorn

Writers: Emyr Strudwick and Luke Fields

Directors: Rufus Norris and Emily Burns

Production Manager: Nadia Lakhani

Sound Designer: Gurjhit Dhinsa

Lighting Designer: Aaron Dootson