Led by acclaimed new writing director and dramaturg (former Royal Court Associate Director)Lucy Morrison, the Playwrights Cohort is an annual opportunity for a group of playwrights living in the South East who have started their journey in writing and are ready to deepen their craft.
They attend a monthly series of in-person workshops between January and June at Theatre Royal Brighton, designed to give the structure, insight, and momentum to finish a full-length play. The process culminates in a script-in-hand sharing with professional actors at Chichester Festival Theatre.
Applications for next year’s cohort will open in Autumn 2026 so subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to find out about it.
The Playwrights Cohort is supported through funding by the Garrick Trust, in partnership with Theatre Royal Brighton and Chichester Festival Theatre.
Images from 2026's script-in-hand showcase:
The Playwrights Cohort impact:
Confidence as a playwright
In 2026, 100% of participants rated their confidence to complete a full-length play as either 4 or 5 out of 5 by the end of the programme, compared with 57% at the beginning.
Before the cohort, only 29% of writers agreed that they felt confident describing themselves as a playwright, while 57% actively disagreed.
By the end of the programme:
- 71% agreed or strongly agreed that they felt confident describing themselves as a playwright.
- No participants disagreed with the statement.
Comments from participants included:
“It is the first time I feel confident calling myself a writer or playwright.”
Sense of belonging within the theatre community
Feeling part of the wider theatre community also increased considerably.
Before the 2026 programme:
- 43% of participants agreed they felt a sense of belonging.
- 57% were either neutral or disagreed.
By the end of the programme:
- 100% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that they felt they belonged within the theatre-making community.
Comments included:
“It was valuable to be able to share those feelings and experiences with others and not feel alone with it.”
“It has provided me with a new creative network and community.”
Commitment to playwriting
Participants already entered the programme with strong aspirations to continue writing, and this also increased with participation.
At the beginning:
- 86% agreed or strongly agreed that playwriting was part of their future.
By the end:
- 100% of participants agreed or strongly agreed.
Comments included:
“It has given me confidence and a sense of momentum.”
“You don’t need to wait until you’re ‘ready’… you just need to dive in and have a go.”
Lucy Morrison
Lucy Morrison is a freelance theatre director. She was Associate Director to the Royal Court from 2014 – 23. Prior to the Royal Court, she was Head of Artistic at Clean Break, Associate at the Almeida Theatre and Literary Manager for Paines Plough. Productions for the Royal Court include: Hope Has a Happy Meal by Tom Fowler, That Is Not Who I Am (Rapture) by Lucy Kirkwood, Scenes with girls by Miriam Battye, The Woods by Robert Alan Evans, Pests by Vivienne Franzmann & Product by Mark Ravenhill. Other theatre includes: Paradise Lost (co-directed with Ben Duke, Lost Dog Southern tour and BAC); Personal Values by Chloe Lawrence Taylor, Akedah by Michael John O’Neill & The Animal Kingdom by Ruby Thomas (Hampstead Theatre); Elephant by Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti (Birmingham Rep); Billy the Girl by Katie Hims, This Wide Night by Chloe Moss (Clean Break/Soho); Little on the inside by Alice Birch (Clean Break/Almeida Festival); it felt empty when the heart went at first but it is alright now by Lucy Kirkwood (Clean Break/Arcola).
