Feature: The National Theatre's Flagship Playwriting Scheme For 14-19 Year-Olds, The NEW VIEWS FESTIVAL 2025
Teenage playwrights are celebrated on the country's biggest stage of all
Nothing, in a cynical at times depraved world, revives the spirits like seeing young talent make its mark. In theatre that holds true of course, but to see it blossom, it needs more than a bedroom, a computer and encouragement. Theatre is an art that may begin on a page/screen, but it only breathes in a space shared by actors and an audience.
That tantalising prospect of real life is the prize at the end of The National Theatre’s New Views flagship playwriting programme for 14-19 year-olds. Throughout the past year, over 1,000 young people from across the UK have taken part, penning their first stage play with the support of professional mentor playwrights.
Over two days in early July, The Olivier Stage is given over to the New Views Festival for rehearsed readings and a Q&A with the successful playwrights before an audience of peers and at least one critic on the first day.
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The six to make the cut (every entrant, merely by dint of having written a play at such an age, is a winner in my eyes) were:
A Trial on Gentle Hands by Enya Allinson
Offside by Eleanor Wallis Atkins
Three Butterflies, Two Chimpanzees, One Lion by Emilia Foster
A Dandelion in The Snow by Dominika Gruszkowska
Big Hair, Bigger Problems by Anbarien Moheb
The Worst Part by David Okodeh
Dominika’s play is set in a Polski Sklep (you’ve seen the signs) rather like the one in Streatham where I would buy black chocolatey rye bread on a Sunday morning back in the 90s. Amelia is 16 and in her first job, learning from the old hand, Irena, who is helpful but guarded. As they get to know each other, the generational differences between how they see their shared heritage provides context for a sensitive and moving 21st century coming-of-age story. There are parallels with Last Goal Wins by Justice Eze currently at the Broadway Theatre, Catford, another early career writer.
Millie’s play is about, well, three butterflies, two chimpanzees and a lion. Owing a bit to Aardman’s Creature Comforts and with an occasional nod to Animal Farm, the play is grounded in the characters of the animals, but illustrates plenty about our human foibles. It is also very funny indeed and, even in a reading, very theatrical. It would need very little work to go to Edinburgh, if not this year, then next. It’s also worth mentioning that Ms Foster, not just in her writing but in her interview, showed that she had what comedians call “funny bones” - a rare gift indeed.
Anbarien sets hers in a hair salon under threat from the gentrification that has already seen off much of the community shops and services, crowded out by gyms and cafes. At times, one sees the concerns of Tyrell Williams’s smash hit, Red Pitch, and also the atmosphere and quiet anger found in Alexander Zeldin’s deeply moving Faith, Hope and Charity - two fine comparison points!
Lives change through programmes like this and not just for the participants - though that would be more than enough to justify its cost. Theatre is both a teaching tool that shows the power of teamwork and commitment, but it is also an empathy machine that demands that we cross the fourth wall, psychologically at least, and walk in another’s shoes. And if that isn’t enough to satisfy the beancounters, it also generates huge economic activity in hot beds like the West End but also in the left behind towns whose theatres, often protected by planning laws, still stand ready to bring people back to city centres and high streets.
The next James Grahams and Ryan Cameron Calaises will not emerge to carry the torch without care and attention in their formative years. Whether they’ll get enough is in question - what’s not, is the raw talent they have, ready to carry British Theatre into the middle of this century and beyond.
Applications to take part in next year's New View Festival are open until 10am Thursday 9 July 2026 - to apply, click here.
Photo Credits: Paul Blakemore
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