Writing the stories of our nation

37 Plays is a new national playwriting project led by the RSC and our partner theatres. We received more than 2,000 entries and were astonished by the passion, ingenuity and truthfulness of the plays we received and would like to thank every single writer who submitted their play.

Readings for the 37 Plays will take place throughout autumn 2023.

37 Plays Readings - dates times and locations

  • Blackpool

  • Bradford

  • Cornwall

  • Hull

  • London

  • Newcastle-under-Lyme

  • Newcastle upon Tyne

  • Northampton

  • Norwich

  • Nottingham

  • Stratford-upon-Avon

  • York

 

 

The judging panel

 

RSC Acting Artistic Director Erica Whyman chaired the judging panel made up of: Unicorn Theatre Associate Director Rachel Bagshaw, actor and RSC Associate Artist Ray Fearon, theatre critic and The Stage Associate Editor Lyn Gardner, best-selling author Sharna Jackson, actor and 2018 Ian Charleson Award-winner Bally Gill, award-winning playwrights Mark Ravenhill and Juliet Gilkes Romero, and actor/writer and RSC Associate Artist David Threlfall. They were joined by Harry and Ella from the RSC Youth Advisory Board.

 

37 Plays is supported by Jon and NoraLee Sedmak

The work of the RSC is supported by the Culture Recovery Fund

New Work at the RSC is generously supported by The Drue and H.J. Heinz II Charitable Trust

Watch the trailer






The 37 Plays shortlist

 

We received more than 2,000 entries which were read by our national team of 28 readers over a period of 15 weeks. We were astonished by the passion, ingenuity and truthfulness of the plays we received and would like to thank every single writer who submitted their play for us to read.

 

After much deliberation, a shortlist of 71 plays was chosen. Our team of 10 Judges then selected the plays from this shortlist to make up the new 37 Plays Folio.