Theatre News | Pentabus Announces Their 2025 National Writers

Following the applications being opened for Pentabus’ National Writers, Pentabus have now announced the 8 emerging writers who will join the Pentabus National Young Writers Development Programme!

The 8 writers are…

Roisin Ann Bonar, a Welsh actor and writer who started off in Pentabus Local Young Writers and played Tor on the S4C series Anfamol.

Jacob Ethan Tanner, a Welsh writer and actor recently seen in Backstairs Billy in the West End.

Lucy Heathcote, a Disabled writer, actor and dramaturg.

Emma-Louise Howell, a writer from East Anglia whose debut play won RADA’s Michael Ross award.

Eilidh Nurse, originally from a small fishing town in rural Scotland and winner of the Rose Theatre’s New Writing Festival and the Originals Playwriting Award.

Noor Sobka, a dramaturg, script-reader and writer.

Mackenzie Steed, a working-class writer from Newport.

Katie Walker-Cook, an actor and writer whose work has featured on BBC Radio 4.

These 8 emerging writers were chosen from 98 applications and will work with Pentabus and Rural Media together to create short plays for digital platforms. Pentabus Theatre is the nation’s rural theatre company, and Rural Media are an award-winning production company. Last year’s National Young Writers pieces, which were released on Rural Media’s Art Flicks channel, can be found on TikTok (www.tiktok.com/@art_flicks). Furthermore, previous years’ projects have gone on to have over 500,000 views on TikTok alone, and former young writers have gone on to receive Olivier and Tinniswood award nominations.

Pentabus has been running Young Writers for 11 years and has launched many careers. Recent graduates include Rhys Warrington, who has been commissioned as part of the Welsh National Theatre’s debut season, Chloë Lawrence-Taylor, whose show Personal Values is currently playing Hampstead Downstairs, and Kit Withington, whose play Heart Wall comes to the Bush next year and who was commended for the Tinniswood award for her Radio 4 Drama Nearly Light. Former graduates include Tom Wentworth, who went on to a full commission from the company (Little Bits of Ruined Beauty), and has written for ITV and BBC Four, Liv Fowler, shortlisted for the Tinniswood Award for her Radio 4 Drama Happy Hour, and current Jerwood Writer in Residence and Olivier-nominee Liv Hennessy (Vardy V Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial), who will be teaching on this year’s National Young Writers.

Pentabus Head of Engagement, Joanna Freeman, commented on the announcement, “We’re delighted to be playing host to some of the best young writers across the UK for our National Young Writers course. This is a unique opportunity to develop their practice, with support from digital arts specialists at Rural Media and our Jerwood Writer in Residence, Liv Hennessy.”

Elle While, Artistic Director of Pentabus, added, “It has been such a pleasure to read the work of our newest cohort of National Young Writers. From the variety and strength of their voices, I am sure that they will soon be joining the brilliant success stories of our graduates from over the years, gaining recognition and acclaim for their work across the sector and beyond.”

With all this being said, this National Writers announcement brings great excitement; the National Young Writers will receive masterclasses and support to create their own work, which will be released in October this year – and I for one look forward to seeing the work when that time comes! With the brilliant work and further successes of the writers in years past, who only knows where this year’s writers’ work will lead them!