Dublin-based playwright wins Little Theatre prize

CARLOW Little Theatre Society was delighted to announce the winners of its fifth annual International One-Act Playwriting competition, which once again attracted a large number of submissions from Ireland and all around the world.

After another extremely close contest this year, the independent adjudicators declared the winner as We are not sheep by Dublin-based playwright Dermot Davis, who was always awarded the best Irish play. This is the second successive year that an Irish playwright has picked up both awards, which is testament to the increasing quality of Irish entries to the competition, which continues to go from strength to strength.

Sixty years a growing by Henry Hudson was second, with Family Grief Counselling by Brandon Hicks third. As winner of the Overall and Best Irish Play categories, Dermot was the happy recipient of cheques for €500 and €300 for the respective awards, as well as two beautiful, locally-sourced trophies.

Reacting to his win, Dermot said: “The International One-Act playwriting competition is a fantastic platform for new writing and I'm absolutely buzzing to have won. To be chosen from so many talented playwrights is truly humbling. Thank you to the judges and to Carlow Little Theatre for this incredible honour.” 

Mark Cradock, president of Carlow Little Theatre Society and managing director of competition sponsor Maven TM, was full of praise for the entrants and winner.

“A key purpose of the competition is to give recognition and reward to deserving writers creating topical, entertaining and compelling dramatic theatre. The quality of the entries this year was very high, with many memorable stories and well-crafted plays. Dermot’s play stood out on many levels – the story concept and topicality, the vividness of the characters, the sharp dialogue, the well-honed stagecraft and the plot that carried a real punch. Our heartfelt congratulations to Dermot on a superlative achievement, a very well-deserving winner.”