As it marks its first year, London's St James Theatre has launched its Young Critics Award to engage younger theatre audiences in critical thinking.
Anyone between the ages of 18 and 23 may submit a review of the Theatre's production of Scenes from a Marriage. The review should be no more than 1,000 words in length and submitted by e-mail by midnight on 27 October.
All short-listed submissions will be published on the theatre's web site. The winner will receive £200, contribute to the next judging panel and receive press night tickets for a new production at St James Theatre. Runners-up will receive a pair of tickets.
The Guardian theatre critic Lyn Gardner, who is on the judging panel, said, “It's brilliant that the St James Theatre is encouraging young people to engage with theatre and write about it too.
"Engaged, informed audiences are the life blood of theatre. I hope that through this initiative we will find the audiences of tomorrow, but also the bloggers and critics of the future too.”
Other judges are Michael Coveney of Whats On Stage, St James Theatre's Artistic Director David Gilmore and Director of Development Lady Lucy French and Katharine Farmer of Dead Posh Productions. The results will be announced after the curtain call on 6 November 2013.
The e-mail address for submissions is [email protected]. Participants may purchase a ticket for the show at a reduced price via the theatre's web site.
Scenes from a Marriage runs until 9 November 2013. It has been adapted by Joanna Murray Smith from the film directed by Ingmar Bergman. Trevor Nunn directs a cast that includes Olivia Williams and Mark Bazeley.