Olivia Mace has won the first Phoebe Frances Brown Award, a writing prize set up in celebration of the memory and talent of the writer and actor who died of brain cancer in April 2022 aged 29.
The award—a partnership between Hampstead Theatre and Nottingham Playhouse—attracted 403 entrants. Five were shortlisted. Olivia Mace’s play Pineapple captured the imaginations of the judging panel who all praised her unique style, imagination and flair.
They were also excited by her idea for her new play Stigma which will receive a Hampstead Downstairs commission. Mace will also receive a £1,000 bursary provided by Hampstead Theatre plus professional development support from both theatres.
Born in Northamptonshire, Olivia Mace is an actor and writer. She wrote The Mad Maid of Kent for Robin Linde productions which she performed at London venue The Vaults as well as a one-off site-specific piece called Playing the King and an adaptation of Dickens’s Bleak House for Blackwell’s bookshop, both for Creation Theatre.
She said, “I’m honoured and so excited to work with these two beautiful theatres. To receive an opportunity like this in honour of a creative force like Phoebe Frances Brown is a challenge to be bold, to step out of my comfort zone and explore. I hope to create something Phoebe's colleagues, family and friends will be proud of.”
The award was set up by director Tessa Walker, associate director at Hampstead Theatre and chair of the judging panel. She commented, “we were so delighted by the response to the award and by the extraordinarily high standard of the submissions. It was wonderful to see how much incredible writing talent there is out there.
“We’re delighted too to have chosen Olivia to be the recipient of the inaugural award. I know Phoebe would have loved Olivia’s work and I see no better way to keep her memory alive than offering opportunities like this to brilliant new writers and supporting the telling of fantastic new stories.”
Phoebe’s mother Gail Brown said, “Olivia's witty demeanour and enthusiastic personality shone through at the interview. I couldn't help but be reminded of Phoebe.
“Phoebe's brother Dominic and I are immensely proud of what Phoebe achieved; the fact she continues to inspire, encourage and promote new writers like Olivia and the other shortlisted writers is a true testament to her legacy.”
Bisola Elizabeth Alabi, Emma Anderson, Jenna Fincken and Rafaella Marcus were also shortlisted. On the judging panel were Gail Brown, Nottingham Playhouse artistic director Adam Penford, Rhianna Biggs, Hampstead Theatre’s production and participation administrator and Siobhan Cannon-Brownlie, artistic director of comedy collective Major Labia.