Line-up revealed for Fresh Ink 2025
Artwork by Chandni Soren
Middle Child have today announced the full programme for the 2025 edition of Fresh Ink: Hull Playwriting Festival, taking place in Hull’s Fruit Market from 19-20 July.
It includes:
Script-in-hand performances of work-in-progress plays, commissioned for the festival, by Ellen Brammar, Jim Norris, Samuel Sims and Jay Grainger, Noor Sobka, Sean Climie, Michelle Kelly and Laura Wilson
Rehearsed readings of scenes by the Middle Child Writers’ Group and an excerpt of Middle Child’s 2026 production of Isabelle by Marc Graham
Writing workshops led by Bruntwood Prize winner Nathan Queeley Dennnis, Hull-born EastEnders writer Lydia Marchant, The Believers are but Brothers playwright Javaad Alipoor, Fringe First award-winner Holly Beasley-Garrigan and Middle Child Writers’ Group leader Tom Wells
Industry talks about transfemme rage on stage, making political work in an unstable world, reviewing new plays and making verbatim theatre
Keynote speeches by Ola Animashawun, National Theatre Connections dramaturg founder of the Royal Court Writer’s Group, and Maureen Lennon, the Hull playwright behind Mary and the Hyenas.
A workshop at Fresh Ink 2024. Photo by Sergej Komkov.
Each event is individually ticketed, with plays, workshops and talks all costing between £3-10, pay what you decide.
Tickets are now on-sale, sold through Hull Truck Theatre box office.
Paul Smith, artistic director of Middle Child, said: “Fresh Ink was our favourite weekend of 2024, with two joyous days bringing people together to celebrate big ideas and bold new writing.
“We’re delighted to return for a second year, thanks to our ongoing partnership with co-founders Wykeland and the support of the J F Brignall Charitable Trust, University of Hull and Hull City Council.
“This year’s line-up is incredibly exciting, platforming plays by established and emerging writers, brought to life by a company of brilliant actors and supplemented by a workshop programme led by some of the sector’s most interesting artists.
“Fresh Ink’s second edition comes at a moment of continued challenge for the arts and new writing in particular. We’re proud to once again invest in new voices and untold stories, proving that ambitious, locally relevant work is the beating heart of the UK’s renowned theatre scene.
“Many of last year’s featured plays have already secured full commissions, proving that Fresh Ink shapes stories that will soon be seen on major national stages.
“We’d love to see you there, watching some plays, learning some new skills and soaking up the sunshine.”
The writers for Fresh Ink 2025. Photo by Sergej Komkov.
The seven new commissions were selected from 117 entrants, who responded to an open call in July 2024 for writers with “a meaningful connection to Hull”.
Ellen Brammar and Jim Norris have both written a 70-minute play, Samuel Sims and Jay Grainger have written a 30-minute piece together, alongside Noor Sobka, while Sean Climie, Michelle Kelly and Laura Wilson have each written a short monologue.
A company of actors will perform second drafts of the respective scripts in a marquee on Stage@TheDock, an outdoor amphitheatre by the river Hull.
The plays will be directed by Paul Smith, local director Rabbey, The Herd artistic director Ruby Thompson and Hull Truck Theatre artistic director Mark Babych.
Workshops and talks will be hosted in a pop-up warehouse space on Pier Street, a three-minute walk away.
Fresh Ink: Hull Playwriting Festival debuted in 2024 and has already become an annual platform for Hull writers to create and develop new plays in the city.
Marc Graham was awarded a 30-minute commission at last year’s festival and his script, Isabelle, will now receive a full production with Middle Child in 2026.
Hannah Scorer was awarded a 70-minute commission at Fresh Ink 2024. Her script, Can We Be Friends?, has since been commissioned by Hull Truck Theatre and receives its next outing at Grow Festival on Friday 4 July.