IMISON AWARD 2018 -
For plays broadcast from
1 Oct 2016-31 Oct 2017

WINNER: Adam Usden, for
THE BOOK OF YEHUDIT.

SHORTLIST- IMISON AWARD

THE BOOK OF YEHUDIT by Adam Usden
Produced by Charlotte Riches, BBC Radio Drama Salford, 45’, BBC Radio 4

20 Apr 2017: The Book of Yehudit
By Adam Usden. A Jewish married couple; the husband won't give his wife a divorce. Yehudit: Yasmin Paige, Naftali: Henry Devas, with Ashley Margolis, David Fleeshman, Kate Anthony, Rosie Fleeshman and Jonathan Keeble. Produced by Charlotte Riches.

The judges said: ‘A strikingly compelling story of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish couple in their close-knit community and the binds that tie them together. Tightly observed, it offers unique insight and adeptly explores modern gender politics both extremely current and universally relevant.’

Adam is a 29-year-old writer from Manchester. His first play, Steve And Then It Ended, premiered at Theatre 503 and was one of Lyn Gardner’s Tips of the Week. He has been commissioned by the World Heritage Society, the National Trust and Specifiq for several site-specific promenade plays. He is a graduate of the Royal Court Studio Group and Traverse 50, and has previously been shortlisted for the following awards: PapaTango Prize, 503, Yale Drama and the Channel 4/Oran Mor Comedy Drama Award. His latest Afternoon Drama, Sophie’s Lights, was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2017.

WIDE OPEN SPACES by Jane Wainwright
Produced by Charlotte Riches, BBC Radio Drama Salford, 45’, BBC Radio 4

7 Nov 2016: Wide Open Spaces
By Jane Wainwright. On the anniversary of his daughter's death, Samuel is determined to visit her grave for the first time. All he has to do is travel across London. Unfortunately he is agoraphobic. Samuel: Paapa Essiedu, May: Sarah McDonald Hughes, Aoife: Fiona Clarke, Geoffrey / Dad: Lloyd Peters. Producer: Charlotte Riches.

The judges said: ‘A moving play, written with an intriguing set up, a good ear for dialogue, and an understanding of how to use the power of radio. Jane dealt confidently with both mental illness and the loss of a baby, with depth and clarity.’

Jane was a member of the Royal Court Young Writers, Invitation group, ‘Supergroup’ and was 'fostered' by OffWestEnd.com’s Adopt A Playwright Award. Her theatre writing includes: Jinny; Childhood Memories; Concrete Supernova; Leftovers; How I Skinned My Sister; A Bite of the Apple; A Guide to Removing Corpse Stains; Life Mould; The Taste of Us or Pinocchio Gets Laid ; the 2012 runner up of the PapaTango prize Photos of You Sleeping (Runner up – 2012 PapaTango Prize; Barrow Hill; and Pet's Corner. Her TV writing includes Hollyoaks and City Larvae. She has been part of the Writers Academy Story Workshop, BBC Playwright’s Scheme and the CBBC New Voices Scheme.

4 Jan 2017

LONGLIST- IMISON AWARD

HENRY JAMES: THE PORTRAIT OF A GENTLEMAN by Peter Ansorge
Produced by Eoin O’Callaghan, Indie, Big Fish Radio, 60’, BBC Radio 4

BACH: THE GREAT PASSION by James Runcie
Produced by Eoin O’Callaghan; directed by Marilyn Imrie, Indoe, Big Fish Radio, 90’, BBC Radio 4

THE BOOK OF YEHUDIT by Adam Usden
Produced by Charlotte Riches, BBC Radio Drama Salford, 45’, BBC Radio 4

WIDE OPEN SPACES by Jane Wainwright
Produced by Charlotte Riches, BBC Radio Drama Salford, 45’, BBC Radio 4

The shortlist will be announced on 4 Jan 2018.

Judges: Stefan Buczacki, Jamila Gavin, Isla Gray, Catherine Johnson, Christopher William Hill, Nell Leyshon, David Morley, Hilary Robinson, Mike Walker and Elizabeth-Anne Wheal.

20 Dec 2017

Call for Entries – Imison and Tinniswood Awards

James Fritz was a double award winner at this year’s 2017 BBC Audio Drama Awards, winning both the Imison and Tinniswood Awards for his original audio drama script Comment is Free (produced by Becky Ripley, BBC Radio & Music, Bristol)

Help us continue to celebrate the best audio drama by sending in your 2018 entries. Scripts have to be broadcast in the UK over 1 October 2016 - 31 October 2017. Please apply with all supporting materials before 29 September 2017.

We are delighted to announce that the Tinniswood has been increased to £3,000 this year to match the Imison. It will be presented at the 2018 BBC Audio Drama Awards.

IMISON AWARD - £3,000
Best original script by a writer new to audio drama with the £3,000 prize sponsored by the Peggy Ramsay Foundation. The application form and entry details can be found here:

Imison details and form

The 2017 shortlist included James Meek for The Virtues of Oblivion (produced by Peter Kavanagh, BBC Radio Drama) and Jonny O’Neill for Community Service (produced by Sasha Yevtushenko, BBC Radio Drama).

2018 judges are committee members of the Society of Authors Broadcasting Group: Stefan Buczacki, Isla Gray, Christopher William Hill, Catherine Johnson, Jamila Gavin, Nell Leyshon, David Morley, Hilary Robinson, Mike Walker and Elizabeth-Anne Wheal.

Administered by the Society of Authors.

TINNISWOOD AWARD - £3,000
Best original script with the £3,000 prize being sponsored by the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS). The application form and entry details can be found here:

Tinniswood details and form

The 2017 shortlisted writers were Timothy X Atack for The Stroma Sessions (produced by Nicholas Jackson, Afonica) and Oliver Emanuel for A History of Paper (produced by Kirsty Williams, BBC Radio Drama, Glasgow).

2018 judges are: Hardeep Singh Kohli, Colin Teevan and Jane Thynne.

Jointly administered by the Society of Authors and the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain.

IMISON AWARD: PREVIOUS YEARS
2017 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1997 1995 1994

A summary of past Imison winners is shown below. Note that 2016 is not missing; there was a change in the way the year was worked out.

PAST IMISON AWARD WINNERS
2017 Comment is Free, by James Fritz
2015 Thirty Eggs, by Eoin O'Connor
2014 How To Say Goodbye Properly, by E.V.Crowe
2013 The Loving Ballad of Captain Bateman, by Joseph Wilde
2012 Do You Like Banana, Comrades? by Csaba Székely
2011 Amazing Grace, by Michelle Lipton
2010 The Road Wife, by Eoin McNamee
2009 Girl from Mars,by Lucy Caldwell
2008 Adam Beeson, for The Magician's Daughter
2007 Mike Bartlettt, for Not Talking
2006 Nazrin Choudhury, for Mixed Blood
2005 Steve Coombs, for Mr. Sex
2004 Stephen Sharkey, for All You on the Good Earth
2003 N.Leyshon & S. McAnena for Milk; Celia Bryce for The Skategrinder
2002 Rhiannon Tise, for The Waltzer
2001 Murray Gold, for Electricity
2000 Peter Morgan, for A Matter of Interpretation
1999 Ben Cooper, for Skin Deep
1998 Katie Hims, for Earthquake Girl
1997 John Waters, for Holy Secrets (jt); Rosemary Kay, for Wilde Belles
1996 Lee Hall, for I Love You Jimmy Spud
1995 Gerry Stembridge, for Daisy the Cow who Talked (jt) and James Stock, for Kissing the Gargoyle
1994 Gabriel Gbadamosi, for The Long Hot Summer of '76

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