New playwriting prize for comedy launched in honour of Victoria Wood

Conceived by the artistic director of Birmingham Rep, Sean Foley, the award will be open to all with the winner receiving £25,000

A new playwriting prize dedicated to comedy has been launched in honour of Victoria Wood on what would have been the standup and writer’s 70th birthday.

The Victoria Wood playwriting prize for comedy is the brainchild of Sean Foley, the artistic director of Birmingham Rep. Foley called comedy “perhaps the most difficult genre of all” and said the new award is “the first major playwriting prize for narrative stage comedy in the world”. The competition is open to all, with submissions accepted from September. The winner will receive £25,000.