archive – Off Westend Plays and Playwrights

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2024

November

21st November 2024 – The Criterion Theatre was packed out for a reading of LET IT LIE, written by fosteree Adam Lawrence (to the left of Toby Jones) who assembled a stellar cast directed by the excellent Iqbal Khan and assisted by our own previous winner Pericles Snowdon, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Birmingham Pub Bombings.

Investigative journalist John Ware and former MP Chris Mullin joined us for a Q&A after the reading – an hounur to meet these fearless seekers after the truth!

October

Fostered playwright Chris York praised for performance in FOREVERLAND

October

Cartoonist Tim Sanders and website guru Peter Keighron join Sofie Mason and Diana Jervis-Read at Brasserie Zedel for their annual Off West End P&P strategy meeting.

September

Previous winner of the Adopt a Playwright Award, Ryan Calais Cameron, wins the inaugural Sky Arts Award for his body of work in theatre – including Retrograde!

Listen to his short acceptance speech here

September

WRITERS’ REUNION event at Southwark Playhouse on Thursday 26^th September 2024 that involved a lot of pizzas and Smarties and included Panel members Pippa Hill and Roy Williams with Nicola Baldwin, Ryan Calais Cameron, Ishy Din, Isabel Dixon, Kenny Emson, Joanne Gallagher, Afsaneh Gray, Florence Howard, Paul Morris, Gerry Moynihan, Anthony Ofoegbu, Simon Rhodes, Tommy Sissons and Pericles Snowdon.

May

Adopted playwright Corey Weekes receives his award at the final reading of QUICKSAND on 31^st May 2024 at The Criterion Theatre on the set of Two Strangers.

April

On Friday 26th April, adopted playwright Georgie Bailey marked the end of his year with a staged reading of new play WRINKLED (OR HOW TO HATE THE OTHER GENERATION) at the West End’s Criterion Theatre – with a stellar cast of Linda Marlowe and Mei Mei MacLeod directed by Scott Le Crass.

Adopt A Playwright fostered writer CJ Webley wins new 2024 MAC Theatre Commission Award.

2023

December

Previous winner of the Adopt a Playwright Award, Ryan Calais Cameron becomes the one to watch in 2024, says The Sunday Times.

November

Fostered playwright Afsaneh Gray’s staged reading of her outstanding play A LOVE STORY ABOUT POLARIZATION at The Criterion had a stellar cast of Louise Jameson, Claire Lams and Art Malik (photo) and was directed by rising star Tinuke Craig. The applause was deafening. Afterwards in the bar, Linda Marlowe and Louise Jameson (both long-standing Offie patrons) were joined by industry heavyweights such as Imogen Brodie, Nick Frankfort, Michael Grandage and Pippa Hill as well as by Angels, Trustees and Panellists.

Playwright Afsaneh Gray.

Director Tinuke Craig at work.

October

Award-winning playwrights Georgie Bailey and Corey Weekes with Sofie and Diana at The Calder Bookshop Theatre readings on Monday 2^nd October 2023.

Corey Weekes staged a reading of his play-in-progress Quicksand

Georgie Bailey staged a reading of his play-in-progress Wrinkle

Our sponsor Fiona Callaghan (Criterion Theatre) joined Angels and Award Panellists to celebrate

Previous winner Ryan Calais Cameron was in the audience to lend his support.

2022

November

On 25th November, Diana and Sofie attended the Criterion New Writing Showcase to support CJ Webley and the reading of his play-in-progress, Nanny’s Home.

Sofie and Diana have a review-of-the-year meeting with award-winning Kenny Emson.

September

(standing) Valerie Gogan, Adam Samuel Bal, Diana Jervis Read (sitting) Joanne Thomson, Hannah Lavery & Helen Katamba.

On Wednesday 21 September, adopted playwright Hannah Lavery marked the end of her year with a staged reading of her new play WHEN WE LIVED IN TREES at the West End’s Criterion Theatre.

July

Thanks to the generosity of Lloyd Webber Theatres, a gorgeous gaggle of Angels and our beloved OWE patrons – Paterson Joseph and Linda Marlowe – joined Sofie and Diana for a tour of the newly restored Theatre Royal Drury Lane, with special insights from GM Jeremy Roberts.

May

April

January

We are delighted that our award-winning Ryan Calais Cameron appeared in The Stage top 25 reasons to be excited about the future of theatre in 2022!

January

Award-winning Paul Morris finally staged Conundrum at The Young Vic to great critical acclaim after many Covid-related postponements with a stellar performance from Anthony Ofoegbu.

2021

November

Last Friday saw Isabel Dixon – the latest winning playwright of the ADOPT A PLAYWRIGHT AWARD who has been waiting a year and a half for this moment — getting a staged reading of her new play at the West End’s Criterion Theatre, with Simon Callow presenting her with this much-postponed (for obvious reasons!) honour!

4th July

The 4th of July is, of course, an historic day, not least because this year it marks the 15th anniversary of the founding of the ground-breaking OffWestEnd.com. Seen here in the heart of London’s West End are the organisation’s founders Sofie Mason and Diana Jervis-Read a-wining and a-dining with near-legendary artistes Tim Sanders and Peter Keighron.