Today we announce the writers selected for our highly anticipated NOVA programme, a groundbreaking initiative championing South Asian playwrights and voices.
Following an extensive shortlisting process, three writers were chosen to develop their original scripts and will receive a commission worth £1,500, mentoring and dramaturgical support, culminating in a final performance of their work at Tara Theatre.
The selected playwrights are Ayan Philip, Amin Ali and Neetu Singh.
Ayan Philip is a British-Indian writer and actor, born in Kerala and raised in Bournemouth. After graduating from the Oxford School of Drama in September 2023, he was selected for the Kiln Theatre Listen Local Young Writers programme where he developed his debut play, Dead Internet.
Amin Ali is a British Bangladeshi actor, writer, director and producer that has performed at the National Theatre, Bush Theatre, Donmar Warehouse and Stratford East. He is also a previous recipient of The Squint Theatre Playwriting Award.
Neetu Singh is a writer and director from Hackney, East London. She studied English Language & Literature at the University of Oxford and is currently directing The Valley of Queens (Midlands Arts Centre). Credits include: Director: The End (Bush Theatre), Brown Girl Noise (Camden People’s Theatre). Assistant Director: King Troll (New Diorama Theatre) The Cherry Orchard (Donmar Warehouse). Writer: More Than One Story (Cardboard Citizens).
“Tara Theatre’s NOVA programme is about expanding the canon of South Asian voices and fostering a pipeline of talent that will shape the future of British theatre” says Natasha Kathi-Chandra, Artistic Director of Tara Theatre.
“We’re thrilled to be working with three hugely talented writers, each of whom have been chosen for their unique style and approach to urgent issues facing the South Asian diaspora community but more importantly, as part of a wider conversation of the country’s landscape. It’s so exciting to see the Tara Theatre universe exploring and experimenting with new work. We can’t wait to see these stories come alive on our stage in 2025.”
NOVA is supported by The Fenton Arts Trust
