Mercury Theatre Reveals Full Cohort For 2025-2026 Mercury Creatives Programmes

The Mercury Theatre in Colchester has announced the full cohort for their acclaimed Mercury Creatives programmes: Mercury Producers, Directors and Playwrights.

Scott Hurran, Talent and New Work Producer, says, “Essex is a total hotbed of creative talent, and you can feel the momentum building. Artists from this region are shaping The National Theatre landscape in bold, thrilling ways. This new cohort of Mercury Playwrights, Directors and Producers continues that surge of imagination and ambition, rooted in the communities we serve and ready to make their mark.

We are proud to champion local talent at every stage of their career, creating space to take risks, build skills and forge lasting creative relationships. The Playwrights’ Programme is led by our Literary Associate Kenny Emson, our Directors Programme by Mercury Artistic Director Natasha Rickman, and our Producers Programme by Senior Producer Antony Stuart-Hicks.”  

Mercury Playwrights

The Mercury Playwrights consists of monthly sessions led by award-winning writer and Mercury Theatre Literary Associate Kenny Emson. This will take writers through a two-draft process with one-to-one dramaturgy support. Throughout the programme, Kenny will also be joined by an exciting list of guest writers. 

The Mercury looked for fresh new voices, writers who are bold, ambitious and theatrically daring. To ensure they tell the most dynamic and varied stories, they were particularly keen to hear from writers who were underrepresented in this industry whether this be by class, disability, ethnicity, gender or sexuality. 

Alumni from the programme include 2025 The Stage Debut Award winner Ava Pickett (1536),UK Theatre Award winner Emma Jo Pallett (Flumps), Bruntwood Jury Prize Winner Martha Loader (Bindweed), 2024 Edinburgh Fringe First winner Kelly Jones (My Mother’s Funeral: The Show), and Olivier Award winner Waleed Akhtar (The P Word).

This year’s cohort consists of: Farah Ashraf (Pink Rabbit), Freddie Machin (The Real Estate), Georgie Dettmer (Are You Watching), Jess Ashley (Fish Outta Water), Macey Rhianne, Max Morgan (Carrion), Rachael Sparkes (The Committee), Sid Sagar (Biting Point), Tim Mac (Take Care), and Will Lord (The Billionaire Inside Your Head).

Upcoming productions from the cohort include Will Lord’s debut play The Billionaire Inside Your Head at Hampstead Theatre and Georgie Dettmer’s debut play Are You Watching? which has been announced as part of Royal Court’s 70th Anniversary season.

Mercury Directors

The Mercury Directors supports individuals by taking them through the page to stage directing process. Participants will meet both in person and virtually and be led by Mercury Theatre Artistic Director Natasha Rickman.

Alumni from the programme include Eloise Pennycott (Barrier(s), National Theatre); Annabel Caldwell (Our Walk Through Our World - Headgate Theatre); Jessy Roberts (PAKit In - Derby Theatre, Thirst - Vault Festival); Richard Bland (The Clacton Three - Colchester Fringe); and Heather Davis (Fresh Knickers (and a Gin & Tonic) - UK Tour).

This year’s cohort will be formed of: Alice Eve, Calum Rennie, James Weisz, Kim Wright, Nicky Matthews, and Sophia Capasso.

Mercury Producers

The Mercury Producers will explore making work at a range of scales learning the specific skills and knowledge involved in mounting a successful production, led by Mercury Theatre Senior Producer Antony Stuart-Hicks and Scott Hurran, Talent and New Work Producer.

Alumni from the programme include Mitch Donaldson (UK National Tour & West End – Shoddy Detective & The Art of Deception) and Jamie Rycroft who are both current Stage One Producers.

This year’s cohort will be formed of: Bernadette Wakeling, Candace Leung, Mark Cheng, Rebecca Samuels, Tom Milton, Tom Stock, and Vicky MacRae.

Scott Hurran says, “I’m looking forward to welcoming this new cohort to the Mercury family. Together, we’re shaping a nurturing and rigorous environment that puts artists first and celebrates the rich creative energy in our region. I can’t wait to see the ideas and stories that will burst out of Colchester and into the wider world.”