Martha Loader Awarded the 2025 George Devine Award For THE TOWN

Ipswich playwright Martha Loader has been awarded the 2025 George Devine Award for her play The Town, which confronts how an act of societal transgression impacts the lives of those orbiting it. The prize of £15,000 will support her to write her next play. 

In The Town, a mother questions her son's capacity for change when he is accused of abduction, eight years after killing another child. Lydia and her teenage son Ghost live in a crumbling house in Suffolk, ostracised from the nearby town they grew up in. When an allegation is made against Ghost, painful memories from their past come back to haunt them. As the fire is lit under this new accusation, the town starts to turn vicious.

Formed in 1966 in memory of the Royal Court's founding Artistic Director George Devine, the Award is recognised as one of the most prestigious in new writing and seeks to shine a light on a playwright of promise. Former winners include Benjamin Kuffour, Tife Kusoro, Tyrell Williams, Alice Birch, Nick Payne and Lucy Prebble.

The 2025 jury consisted of award-winning professionals from across the theatre industry including writers Tanika Gupta, Sabrina Mahfouz, Barney Norris and Georgia Pritchett, actor and writer Martina Laird, director and dramaturg Ed Madden and actor Ria Zmitrowicz.

Playwright and 2025 jury member Tanika Gupta said, ‘Martha's play The Town is a finely crafted work that draws the audience inexorably into its world. At its heart lies a young boy's historic act of random violence, around which the play asks profound questions about the nature of good and evil. With a haunting, lyrical voice, Martha interrogates the fragile bonds of family and community and exposes how swiftly we turn to blame. The result is a piece that is both unsettling and deeply resonant, lingering long after the final moment.'

Commenting on receiving the Award, Martha Loader said, ‘I'm staggered and truly honoured to win the George Devine Award. To now be part of the heritage of this prize, amongst a group of playwrights whose work has influenced so much of my own writing practice, is an amazing privilege. At a time of great division, telling stories about the complexities and nuances of human nature feels all the more important. There are so many people to thank for helping me with this play, primarily Steph, Sarvat, Ben and my agents, whose guidance, support and belief in this piece has meant so much.'

The 2025 Shortlist was:

Asmara Gabrielle for BAD SEED

Jazz is on the cusp of her future. But sat on his broken dreams, her brother cannot let her succeed. Unbeknownst to Jazz, a lifetime of abuse is yet to increase. But there's no way out and she can't seek help - not where patriarchy rules and a woman's cry brings shame. Set in east London, among a Pakistani family, the play explores vicious cycles of abuse, the ultimate power of the patriarchy and the refusal to lose hope.

Asmara is a British-Pakistani, working class actress and writer from east London - having taken the plunge into both after a perfectly stable career (in media). Her first venture into screenwriting won her a place on BBC Writersroom and BBC New Talent Hotlist. While a partial draft of her first venture into playwriting made the final rounds of both Papatango and Women's Prize for Playwriting. Asmara writes from truth, valuing authenticity and honesty above all else. 

Yasmin Joseph for CITIZENS OF UMI

It's summer 2017 in London, Sarah Reed's death is being examined by the coroners and Holloway Prison has recently closed with no confirmed plans for the building. Five Black women have had enough of the oppressive, broken system. When peaceful protests fail, they take it upon themselves to occupy the derelict grounds of Holloway Prison. The Citizens of Umi may be able to imagine a new utopia but at what cost?  

Yasmin Joseph is a London based writer for stage and screen. Her Debut play J'ouvert (Theatre503, Harold Pinter) won the James Tait Black Prize for Drama, she was also nominated for the Evening Standard's Most Promising Playwright Award and the Stage Debut Awards for Best Creative West End Debut. On Screen Yasmin has written for shows with Disney+, Apple, Netflix and has various original projects in development.

Martha Loader for THE TOWN

A mother questions her son's capacity for change when he is accused of abduction, eight years after killing another child. Lydia and her teenage son Ghost live in a crumbling house in Suffolk, ostracised from the nearby town they grew up in. When an allegation is made against Ghost, painful memories from their past come back to haunt them. As the fire is lit under this new accusation, the town starts to turn vicious.

Martha is an award-winning writer, actor and producer. Her work has been performed across the UK and internationally. She won the Judges Award at the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, 2022. She is currently working on commissions with the Almeida Theatre, Mercury Theatre (National Theatre Peter Shaffer Commission 2025) and Menagerie Theatre Company, and recently undertook the prestigious 4Screenwriting and BBC Voices programmes. She was nominated at The Stage Debut Awards 2024 for her play Bindweed.

Isla van Tricht for THE KNOT

THE KNOT examines the spiralling fractal fears around love, commitment and marriage. As a couple plan their wedding, they begin to investigate what the vows even mean? Is there a way to wed without the annihilation of self? Is marriage suffocating and anachronistic or has it come full circle to be kind of punk rock?

Isla van Tricht is a playwright and screenwriter. Her recent theatre work includes THE SEX ED MUSICAL (UK schools tour) and MONEY (co-production of Southwark Playhouse and represent. Theatre). Her plays have been longlisted for The Bruntwood Prize (2017) and the Verity Bargate Award (2017, 2024). She currently has four original TV and two feature film projects in development in the UK Europe and the US. Isla is also a trained youth worker and sex educator.