OV Script Surgery

OV Script Surgery: Supporting writers to develop work for larger scale.

This offer responds to the decline and challenge in programming new work (especially at scale), most notably in non-regularly funded organisations. The surgery offers one-off, practical advice to help nurture high-quality writing. We are particularly interested in plays which offer opportunities to cast leading talent: helping to ensure new writing can be confidently programmed in mid- to large scale venues and allow theatres to champion new works.

15 playwrights will be selected to receive feedback from award-winning playwright, Ella Hickson.

Successful playwrights will have a 50-minute dramaturgy and feedback session, either online or in The Old Vic’s Writers’ Room.

Following this, writers can also book in a day in the Writers’ Room to work on their feedback. This is not a paid opportunity, but travel costs for writers based outside of London (within the UK and Ireland) will be offered.

Ella Hickson is an award-winning playwright whose work has been performed throughout the UK and abroad. Recently her show New Born opened at Minetta Lane in New York, directed by Ian Rickson, starring Hugh Jackman, Marianna Gailus and Sepideh Moafi. Previous work includes Oedipus at The Old Vic (2025)  Adult Children at the Donmar (2021), Anna — a sonic collaboration with Ben and Max Ringham – at the National Theatre (2019), Swive at Shakespeare’s Globe (2019), The Writer and Oil at The Almeida (2018 and 2016 respectively), and Wendy and Peter Pan at The RSC (2015). She is a member of the Royal Society of Literature, a MacDowell Fellow, a Harvard Radcliffe Fellow and recipient of The Catherine Johnson Award.

We recognise ‘mid-career’ may have a different meaning to each playwright. We don’t expect a number of years’ experience but instead have provided criteria which we believe demonstrates the level of experience we’re looking to support. This opportunity is not designed to support emerging playwrights or those who are new to writing.

• This programme is aimed at mid-career writers who are working professionally as a writer, this does not have to be a full-time occupation
• You must have been previously commissioned by a theatre and/or organisation to apply. This commission does not have to have been produced.
• The play you submit must not have been produced professionally, nor have confirmed production dates
• The play you submit may have been commissioned by a theatre or organisation, but this is not essential
• We are looking for new plays – we will not be accepting adaptations
• You must be 18+
• You must be based in the UK or Ireland