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Playwright Georgina Duncan experienced a moment of disbelief earlier this month when her play, Sapling, was announced as the winner of the 2025 Women’s Prize for Playwriting. The news, delivered by Indhu Rubasingham, Director of the National Theatre, initially felt surreal. “The first sentence I heard her say, I was like, ‘That could be any of the plays.’ Then I was like, ‘Holy shit! What we have is the maddest thing that’s ever happened to me,’” Duncan recalled.

Sapling, a gripping exploration of grief and resilience set in 1990s Belfast, has been lauded for its tender yet unflinching portrayal of a community grappling with the long shadow of The Troubles. The play centers on 16-year-aged Gerry Flynn, whose life is upended a decade after his brother Connor’s murder by the release of his brother’s killer and the arrival of a stranger. The £20,000 prize represents a significant milestone for Duncan, and a validation of years spent honing her craft.

Duncan’s journey to this point wasn’t a conventional one. A trained actor herself, graduating from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) in 2018, she initially found herself performing in long-running West End productions like The Mousetrap. However, a desire to create her own stories led her to explore playwriting, often scribbling ideas during her daily commute. “I wrote most of the play on my phone on my commute,” she explained. “I’ve stayed on tubes way longer than I should have because I got into a flow state.”

Researching the Past, Honoring the Story

Determined to portray the complexities of life in Belfast during The Troubles with authenticity, Duncan immersed herself in the city’s history. She undertook prison tours and rode with a local black cab driver, Cedric, to gain a deeper understanding of the city’s geography and the lived experiences of its residents. She also engaged with Northern Irish actors, often compensating them with “a pint and a bowl of chips” in exchange for their insights. This dedication to research, she felt, was crucial to getting the story “right.”

The play’s emotional core, Duncan says, stems from a universal fear of loss. “Someone described it as being about the scar tissue behind grief, which I thought was so eloquent,” she shared. “Grief is something we all experience in our lives. And it frightens me.” This personal connection fueled her writing, allowing her to create characters that resonate with raw honesty.

From Writers’ Lab to Award-Winning Play

Duncan’s path to becoming a playwright began at the Soho Theatre’s Writers’ Lab, where she first developed the seeds of Sapling. Prior to this, she had briefly stepped away from acting, prompting a conversation with her mother that ultimately spurred her to pursue writing. “I remember ringing my mum and saying, ‘I feel I want to write.’ And she said, ‘Well, just do it.’” She has since written another play, currently “still in a drawer,” and a one-woman indicate, Asbo Bozo, about a social worker in Wigan, which she performed in London last year.

The road to recognition wasn’t without its challenges. Sapling was “shopped around” for some time, with multiple submissions to various prizes. Duncan described feeling like “the nearly man” before finally achieving success. She acknowledges the difficulties faced by emerging playwrights, particularly those without established industry connections. “The industry is so tough for people starting out, especially for people emerging with no context or anyone in the industry to open doors.”

A Prize for Progress and a Legitimizing Moment

The Women’s Prize for Playwriting, founded in 2019 by Ellie Keel, alongside Katie Posner and Charlotte Bennett of Paines Plough, aims to address the gender imbalance on UK stages. As noted by Theatre News, the prize is a vital force in supporting female and non-binary playwrights. The historical disparity is stark: in the 50-year history of the Olivier Award for Best Novel Play, women have only won seven times.

For Duncan, the award is more than just financial support; it’s a validation of her voice and a turning point in her career. With the £20,000 prize, she plans to dedicate time to further developing her writing process. “It is the greatest gift. This prize has completely changed my life.” She now feels confident enough to embrace the title of “playwright,” stating, “I feel, like I’ve been legitimised.”

Duncan’s success with Sapling marks not only a personal triumph but also a significant moment for new voices in British theatre. Her dedication to research, coupled with her ability to tap into universal emotions, promises a bright future for this emerging playwright. The industry will be watching to see what she creates next.

What are your thoughts on the importance of prizes like the Women’s Prize for Playwriting in fostering diversity and inclusion in the arts? Share your comments below.