IN DEFENCE OF ADVENTUROUS MOTHERS Debut at The Glitch

VAULT Creative Arts and The Glitch have announced the world premiere of 'in defence of adventurous mothers' by Simon Marshall, the award-winning entry to the inaugural VCA Playwriting Award.

Written by Simon Marshall and directed by Artistic Director Oli Savage, 'in defence of adventurous mothers' follows Theo and Nancy growing up, apart, and back together in the wake of their mother's death on a mountaineering expedition. Told in tandem, at times in competition, at times in harmony, 'in defence of adventurous mothers' is an active and intimate exploration of what it means to carve out a life of your own while carrying the weight of the past.

Inspired in part by the real-life friendship between the playwright's mother of two and renowned mountaineer Alison Hargreaves - who lost her life on K2 in 1995 - the play is not a biography, but a deeply personal meditation on mortality, ambition, and love.

The VCA Playwriting Award is a new scheme by VAULT Creative Arts - the former producers of VAULT Festival. It provides a new open-access opportunity for playwrights and theatremakers to get their work on stage. The prize includes a 4-week full production at The Glitch and a £2,000 cash prize, alongside opportunities for publishing and future performances.

Oli Savage, Artistic Director and CEO of VAULT Creative Arts commented: "We're so excited to launch the VCA Playwriting award this year - continuing VAULT's legacy of supporting emerging, brilliant artists to make amazing work. We were blown away by the quantity and quality of submissions, and I'm personally thrilled to be working with Simon on such a vibrant, uplifting, and innovative script. We're really proud to announce his script as our first award winner, and we look forward to many more in the future!"