George Devine
Award
The award is recognised as one of the most prestigious for new writing.
It was set up in 1966 as a memorial to the life and talent of George Devine, a Director and Actor who launched a Writers’ movement that revolutionised theatre.
The award of £15,000 invites submissions annually from Theatres, Organisations and Agents around the UK for an original new stage play from a promising playwright.
'Winning this award, in this year, for this story means everything.’
Daniel Ward (2020 Award Recipient)
Winner 2024
BENJAMIN KUFFUOR for
WORKING MEN
‘As someone who grew up in, and later worked in social housing, it is really special to be honoured for this piece of writing. Thank you to the George Devine Award for choosing such a knotty, difficult and confrontational piece of work. In a time of heavy political, social and economic unrest, I hope that I’ve contributed something that speaks to the emotional truth of where we are.
Thanks to Mum for giving me a place to sleep when I ran out of money and to the housing sector for giving me a place to work when I couldn’t get arrested as a writer. I guess some of it had to be as hard as that to feel as lovely as this.’
Panelist Mark Gatiss said:
‘Despite a very strong field, Benjamin Kuffuor’s WORKING MEN was a clear winner. A tight, bold, tough new play with memorable characters and a lot to say. Both a fascinating character study and a state of the nation piece, it’s thrilling to think that such work is getting the recognition it so richly deserves.’
Panelist Abi Morgan said:
‘Benjamin Kuffuor’s compelling play plots with wit, stealth and brutal relevance the casual corruptions and tragic failings within the building industry from contractor to local council surveyor that leads to the very worst of crimes. Beautifully observed, the quiet dynamism of this five hander gripped the jury by the throat and pulled us in. A fitting winner, it is ripe to leap from the page onto the stage.’
Panelist Theresa Ikoko said:
‘For me this was a play about people and place-about who gets to, and how we get to, take up space. The internal (and outward) conflicts of everyday people, with unexpected stories, making extraordinary choices, in otherwise mundane settings, moved me greatly. The characters, breathed to life by Benjamin’s easy, well-timed, flowy, almost musical dialogue, lingered long after the last line.’
Shortlist 2024
TEMI MAJEKODUNMI / SPECIAL MENTION
Temi, a graduate of East15 Acting School, debuted with The Life of Olu at Soho Theatre's Rising Festival 2022. His second play, Thicker Than Water, was long-listed for the Alfred Fagon: Mustapha Matura Award and shortlisted for the 2023 Adopt A Playwright Award. His third play, Positive, was shortlisted for the 2023 Alfred Fagon Award and the 2024 New Diorama Edinburgh Untapped Award. Writing groups include Kiln, Almeida, Soho, Bush, The London Library, and The Royal Court.
CHRISTOPHER ADAMS
Christopher Adams is a British-American playwright and screenwriter. Plays include Tumulus (Soho Theatre), Antigone (Actors of Dionysus), and Finding Mr Hart (BeingHuman Festival). His screen adaptation of the 1950s queer novel Finistère is in development with Hirsch Giovanni Entertainment.
STELLA GREEN
Stella Green is a writer and theatre maker, most recently working with New Diorama and Orange Tree Theatre. Her debut play was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Playwriting. Stella is currently a member of the Royal Court Writer’s Group 2025.
ISABELLA WALDRON
Isabella is an Oregon-born, London-based writer. Her play how to build a wax figure (Assembly/November Theatre) premiered at Edinburgh Fringe to critical acclaim. Plays Jawbone, Things I Never Told The Stars & Chatter were selected as semi-finalists for the O’Neill National Playwrights Conference and Bay Area Playwrights’ Festival. She is currently under commission with Nottingham Playhouse and is a part of Southwark Theatre's 2024 Forge Residency.
Selection Panel 2024
DIANA NNEKA ATUONA
Diana Nneka Atuona is a Nigerian-British playwright from Peckham. Her first play Liberian Girl won the Alfred Fagon Award (2013) and opened at the Royal Court Theatre (2015). Atuona was also nominated for the Evening Standard Award (Most Promising Playwright) and the Writer's Guild award (Best New Play). Her last play, Trouble in Butetown, won the George Devine Award (2020) and premiered at London’s Donmar Warehouse (2023). Currently, she is developing projects for TV and film.
JON BRITTAIN
Jon is a double Olivier Award-winning writer and director. Theatre credits include Rotterdam, Kathy and Stella Solve A Murder!, A Super Happy Story (About Feeling Super Sad) and Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho. Directing credits include shows for Tom Allen, John Kearns, Janine Harouni, Tom Rosenthal and the original stage production of Richard Gadd’s Baby Reindeer. TV credits include The Amazing World of Gumball, The Crown and The Completely Made Up Adventures of Dick Turpin.
MARK GATISS
Mark is an award-winning writer, actor and director. He is best known as a member of The League of Gentlemen and as the co-creator of Dracula and Sherlock. He wrote and appeared in the modern revival of Doctor Who and has written and directed several BBC ghost stories. He recently directed The Unfriend for Chichester Theatre, which transferred twice to the West End, and received an Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance in The Motive and the Cue.
THERESA IKOKO
Theresa Ikoko's debut film, ROCKS, released in 2020, garnered 7 BAFTA nominations, including Best Original Screenplay and Best British Film. Theresa’s show GRIME KIDS aired on BBC Three in 2023, and her next series, WAHALA, will shoot for BBC One in 2024. She won the George Devine Award and Alfred Fagon Award for her debut play GIRLS, and is currently commissioned by the National Theatre and Royal Court.
ABI MORGAN
Abi Morgan is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter. Her plays include Skinned, Sleeping Around, Splendour, Tiny Dynamite, Tender, Fugee, 27, Love Song and The Mistress Contract. Television includes My Fragile Heart, Murder, Sex Traffic, Tsunami – The Aftermath, White Girl, Royal Wedding, Birdsong, The Hour, River, The Split, Eric. Film credits include Brick Lane, Iron Lady, Shame, The Invisible Woman, Suffragette.
Her first book, This Is Not A Pity Memoir, is a Sunday Times Bestseller.
VINAY PATEL
Vinay is a scriptwriter and Associate Playwright at the Royal Court. For television, his work includes the BAFTA-winning Murdered By My Father as well as episodes of Good Karma Hospital, Doctor Who and One Day. For theatre, he has written a romantic epic (An Adventure) for the Bush Theatre, an office satire about language and offence (Sticks & Stones) for Paines Plough and a South Asian sci-fi adaptation of The Cherry Orchard for the Yard.