Vernon Pua Named Winner of 2026 Griffin Award for Australian Playwriting

Griffin Theatre Company has announced that Vernon Pua has been awarded the 2026 Griffin Award for outstanding new Australian playwriting for his play, 8 Hot Tips On Sharing Your Bed. 8 Hot Tips on Sharing Your Bed is a tender, unsentimental two-hander about what it costs to survive, and the quiet choices that shape who we become.

As Sydney gears up for the Olympics, two international students, Sunny and Meng begin the year living in a cramped share-house room, sharing a single bed on alternating 12-hour shifts - no overlap, no questions, no intimacy. What begins as a practical arrangement slowly deepens into something harder to contain. As financial pressure mounts and personal truths surface, friendship blurs into desire, daring them to cross a line.

Thanks to the Copyright Agency's Cultural Fund, Vernon was awarded a full play commission worth $18,000 at the Griffin Award Keynote event on Monday 13 August. In addition to the commission, the prize includes dramaturgical support from Griffin to develop the play with the company. Of the 129 entries, each entry was assessed by a panel of industry peers with the winner being selected by judges Eric Jiang, Melanie Tait, Daley Rangi and Declan Greene. From this outstanding pool, three finalists were shortlisted: Amarantha's They Came For Cane, Danish Sheikh's Bureaucracy: A Love Story and Pua's 8 Hot Tips On Sharing Your Bed. Alongside this shortlist, Zack Lewin received a highly commended for his play, FUCK•A•PAPA.

Held at Belvoir's Downstairs Theatre, the Griffin Award & Keynote event is a celebration of bold new Australian playwriting. This year's event featured a powerful keynote address from one of the nation's most acclaimed theatre-makers, Sheridan Harbridge. Sheridan gained widespread acclaim when she starred in the original production of Griffin Theatre Company's Prima Facie, returning to the role in this year's sold-out revival.

Recently, she co-wrote the acclaimed musical adaptation of My Brilliant Career for Melbourne Theatre Company, winning five Green Room Awards, including for Best New Writing, as well as creating and performing in Amplified: The Rock & Rage of Chrissy Amphlett.

Declan Greene, Artistic Director of Griffin Theatre Company, says, '2026 was a strong year of submissions to the Griffin Award: from the longlist, to the shortlist, to this exceptional group of three finalists – each offering a complex, finely crafted piece of new writing, with a totally unique perspective. But the judges and I were unanimous in our choice of 8 Hot Tips On Sharing Your Bed. Vernon has created something special – a tender, intelligent exploration of the lives of international students: the precarity, the hope. Our team at Griffin are beyond excited to develop it with Vernon, with thanks to the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.'

Vernon Pua says, 'The Stables Theatre has been a cornerstone of my personal and creative life for many years. As my favourite and most-frequented theatre, it has been a magical space of infinite possibilities and profound inspiration. This recognition—the Griffin Award—means the world to me.'

Copyright Agency CEO Josephine Johnston said, 'Through our Cultural Fund, we're proud to continue our longstanding support of Griffin Theatre Company and the Griffin Award, a vital platform for bold new Australian playwriting. At a challenging time for theatre, backing writers and creative development matters more than ever. Congratulations to Vernon Pua for 8 Hot Tips On Sharing Your Bed. We look forward to seeing this work continue its journey.'