Morecambe Fringe and West End Players launch this year's John Clarke Memorial Award writing contest

Calling all writers. The search is on for the West End Players' John Clarke Memorial Award show.
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Scripts need to be 45-60 mins in length. They can be set in any time or place.

The winning script will be produced this year, launching the Morecambe Fringe Festival on the week of July 9.

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There is no entry fee for writers and the winner will take 10% of the box office.

The West End Players outside The Playhouse in Morecambe.The West End Players outside The Playhouse in Morecambe.
The West End Players outside The Playhouse in Morecambe.

Matt Panesh, director of Morecambe Fringe, said: “John Clarke's family initiated the award when the Playhouse was first set up. Obviously, Covid came along and knocked everything off track, but I'm delighted to be able to open this competition fully now. The Morecambe Fringe celebrates its fifth birthday this year.

“The last writing contest we ran was a Covid short story contest, at the height of the pandemic, and our players read out the finalists online. We ran the competition with the organisation 5-AsideChess and had entrants from across the world and virtually every continent. It was really something.”

David Findlay, one of the judges, said: “It's so important that the community group, the Players, have a new writing show, to sit alongside the classic. This year it's Romeo and Juliet, so the writer's in good company. It fully rounds out the programme as we finish with the Panto. The John Clarke Memorial Award is a great way to open this new writing contest to all writers, not only from across the country but across the world.”

To submit your scripts simply email them to [email protected] with JOHN CLARKE CONTEST in the subject heading. The competition closes at midnight April 15 BST.

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