April 6, 2013

PLAYMARKET is pleased to announce the ADAM NZ PLAY AWARD winner for 2013:

Philip Braithwaite for his play THE MERCY CLAUSE

“Ethics and morals and right and wrong – they’re just words. They just mean what you decide they mean.” 

Tom is a young lawyer with a new client: a young man who has killed his father.

Was it a mercy killing? 

The details keep changing, and Tom is forced to constantly revise his opinions. 

Tom and his wife Rachel are having their own problems. 

The two bleed into one as the lives of all three become inextricably bound. 

“This play revolves on a clever idea that intricately manipulates our understanding,”says Director of Playmarket Murray Lynch who announced the win at Circa Theatre on 6 April 2013 alongside three other special award winners.A rehearsed reading of The Mercy Clause followed the announcement. 

Philip Braithwaite is an award-winning playwright and theatre practitioner. Amongst his awards are the BBC World Service/British Council International Radio Playwriting Award 2001, the Sony Award for Radio Drama and the Massey University Cultural Award.

His work has been performed in New Zealand, Australia and Europe, and he has collaborated with devising groups from the Royal Court Theatre in London, the BBC and the highly acclaimed NZ company, SEEyD. 

He has also worked as a scriptwriting teacher at Massey University, Victoria University, the Wellington Performing Arts Centre (WPAC) and Whitireia Polytechnic. 

Thanks to the generosity of the Adam Foundation, Philip received a cash prize of $5000.

PLAYMARKET also announced the following category winners:

Runner-up:
Paul Baker for The Night Visitors

Best Play by a Woman Playwright
and
The PLay press submission to susan SMITH blackburn prize: 
Hannah McKie for Mary Scott: Queen of the Backblocks

Best Play by a Maori Playwright: 
Renae Maihi for Patua 

Best Play by a Pasifika Playwright:
David Mamea for Goodbye My Feleni

The Adam New Zealand Play Award recognises and celebrates the best in new writing for the theatre.  

The annual award, now in its sixth year, is the only one of its kind for new writing. Playmarket’s only entrance requirements are that the playwright be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident and that the play has not had a professional production. The freedom to submit plays of any length, style or cast size and without the burden of considering a play’s affordability or a theatre’s demands has inspired some outstanding work.

PLAYMARKET is very grateful for the generosity and support of The Adam Foundation, Circa Theatre, The Play Press, and our major funders: ASB Community Trust and Creative New Zealand.