As part of the Portsmouth literary festival Portsmouth Bookfest 2012, the festival organisers are partnering up with New Theatre Royal to offer an exciting opportunity for 4 talented playwrights to have their work developed and performed. Emerging writers from all over the country are invited to pitch their ideas based on JILTED GENERATION, written by Ed Howker and Shiv Malik, a passionately radical look at who is to blame for locking out today’s youth.

The four winners will receive £500 each to develop their short play scripts (estimated 15 minutes in length), by September 1st 2012. They will then attend a rehearsed reading of their work, performed by young people from city schools on October 24th as part of the Portsmouth Bookfest 2012 where the Jilted Generation author will lead a Q&A.

The pieces will be judged by Caroline Sharman, Director at New Theatre Royal, alongside Dominic Kippin, Literature Development Officer at Portsmouth City Council, and the City Council’s Learning and Engagement Manager, Dave Percival.

Those who wish to enter must submit their idea, alongside another piece of scriptwork to Caroline Sharman, Director at New Theatre Royal by emailing caroline@newtheatreroyal.com.