NT announces winner of New Views playwriting competition for young people

The National Theatre has today announced that Eloise Pencott is the winner of the 2022 nationwide playwriting competition, New Views. 

The winning play, Barrier(s), was selected from over 400 entries from 99 secondary schools and colleges, and will be performed at the National Theatre from 6-7 July. 

The panel of judges who decided on the winning entry included the NT’s head of play development Nina Steiger, theatre director Denzel Westley-Sanderson and actor Debbie Chazen. 

Barrier(s) is about two women who fall in love, and the hostility they face as sign language users throughout society. Pennycott is a Deaf BSL user, and the full production will include professional actors from the D/deaf community and will be performed in a mix of BSL and English. 

Eloise said: ‘Barrier(s) is really a play that stemmed from what I have always wished I could see as a piece of theatre. Whilst it’s awesome and so exciting when I see D/deaf actors on stage, seeing Deaf culture is much rarer. It’s also still surprisingly rare to see a lesbian love story on stage, which is why I want to keep the characters’ relationship forefront, against everything in the background.’   

Alice King-Farlow, director of Learning at the National Theatre said: ‘We received hundreds of brilliant original plays this year from young writers across the UK, a testament to the talent and hard work of this year's participants and the support of their schools. 

‘New Views offers a platform for young people to share their views on important issues, develops their creativity and self-expression and nurtures a new generation of writers and theatre makers. We're hugely excited to bring Eloise's winning play to life on the Dorfman stage alongside readings of an exceptional group of shortlisted plays at the New Views Festival this summer.’

Barrier(s) will be performed on the Dorfman stage as part of the New Views Festival on 6th – 7th July, and will be directed by Lucy Jane Atkinson.  

To book tickets visit www.nationaltheatre.org.uk