Eight Playwrights Join INSPIRE at Hampstead Theatre

Eight new writers are to join Hampstead Theatre's flagship new-writing programme this autumn. Shona Bukola Babayemi, Anjeli Chapman, Fergus Church, Hannah Doran, Kerry Fitzgerald, Logan Jones, Rianna Simons and Corey Weekes have been selected as the eighth cohort of INSPIRE – Hampstead's long-running initiative supporting emerging writers to develop new work for the stage.

INSPIRE will offer each writer the space to develop a new play with dramaturgical support and mentorship from the award-winning playwright Simon Stephens and Hampstead Theatre's artistic associates. The writers will also take part in a series of masterclasses with leading playwrights before the programme culminates in a sharing of their play in Hampstead Theatre's Downstairs studio.

Simon Stephens, playwright and Director of INSPIRE at Hampstead Theatre said, “It means a great deal to be back working with the INSPIRE programme. It is a rare beacon of hope and faith in the imagination of a whole new generation of playwrights. It's an honour to be working with them.”

Alice Hamilton, Hampstead Theatre's Head of Artistic Development and Associate Director said, “Hampstead has always believed that investing in writers means investing in the future of theatre. Eight cohorts in and INSPIRE continues to be a vital part of that commitment. We're so excited to welcome this group of writers, all with very different voices, and most crucially give them the time and support to develop their plays.”

Since its inception in 2017, INSPIRE has formed an important part of Hampstead Theatre's commitment to supporting playwrights at the start of their careers while investing in the wider ecology of new writing. Alumni of the programme have gone on to have work produced at Hampstead and at theatres across the UK.

The Urmetazoan by recent INSPIRE graduate Alex Rugman is currently playing Hampstead Downstairs until 24 October. In the past 12 months, work by two further INSPIRE alumni – David Pearson's Firewing and Nancy Farino's Fatherland – have also received premieres at Hampstead.

Hampstead Theatre's INSPIRE programme is delivered without any public funding. It is generously supported by Andor Charitable Trust, Zmira & Rodney Hornstein, The Klein Family Foundation and Anatol Orient.