Past Writers
Learn more about the writers and their plays that were commissioned for each of the previous editions of Fresh Ink
2026
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(70 mins)
Elle Douglas is a singer and writer, originally from Newcastle now living in Hull, who was commissioned to write a children’s show with music for Durham Gala Theatre in 2023.
In her 70-minute commission Daddy's Girl, Jules has always looked after her dad, but when she falls pregnant, she questions whether her baby should be burdened with having a relationship with a man like him.
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(70 mins)
Dan McGarry is a writer, actor and director originally from Hull, who runs Writing Doesn’t Have To Be Lonely, a regular showcase of new writing in Northampton.
His 70-minute commission Lucky Numbers follows a cleaner at Hull College who runs the lottery syndicate, but when their numbers finally come in, she can’t find the ticket.
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(30 mins)
Jamie Lee Falk is a lifelong Hull resident and author of two novels, who discovered a passion for theatre after taking part in Hull Truck Theatre’s Playwriting Course. This is their first commission as a playwright.
Their 30-minute play Save the Wreck is set on a Hull council estate where four lifelong friends treasure a patch of woodland, which becomes threatened by developers.
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(30 mins)
Aidan Thompson-Coates is a Hull-born actor, writer and theatre-maker, who took part in the 2025 Middle Child Writers Group, which led to his piece, Hear Lies, being performed at Fresh Ink 2025.
In his 30-minute play Kayfabe Babe, a talented female pro-wrestler finally achieves her dream when scouted to join the biggest televised wrestling promotion in the region – on one unfathomable condition. This is all she ever wanted, but at what cost?
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James Hall is a disabled multi-disciplinary performer, whose solo comedy shows have been performed at Edinburgh Fringe and Glastonbury. Born in Grimsby and raised in Immingham, but made in Hull, James is 97% sure they are the only person that still claims they are from Humberside.
In their monologue The Power of Invisibility, Robbie scrambles to be transported to a paradise thousands of miles away as they count down the anaesthetic but instead find themselves on Spring Bank. As their external life faces its own battle, their internal turmoil confronts the never-ending fight to be seen whilst having an invisible condition.
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Nina Koshy is a master’s student from Hull, now studying Middle Eastern studies at Cambridge. She spends her time outside of her degree writing prose and for the stage, as well as performing in university productions.
Her monologue Ten Pound Per Minute follows the exploits of a young British Indian woman who decides to earn some extra cash offering custom sitar performances, but finds the line between culture and performance starts to blur.
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Emily is a writer from Hull who moved to Bristol to study English literature. Although she’s now based there, Hull continues to shape her voice and the themes she gravitates towards.
In her monologue Please Don’t Make Me Explain This, Joan prepares for her nightly ritual: a swim on the Flamborough coast. Haunted by her family history, Joan confides in us her obsessions, memories, and the fears she can’t shake. Standing on the cliffs, she wonders whether the sea will free her or pull her under?
2025
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Ellen is a Hull-based writer. She has had two plays produced by Middle Child, I Hate Alone and Modest, the latter of which toured the country and closed at the Kiln Theatre in London in 2023.
She was one of BBC’s Northern Voices in 2020, where she turned I Hate Alone into a TV pilot.
Her play Keeper followed two
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Jim has lived and worked in Hull for most of his life. It’s his home and a whole part of his identity in one.
He started writing when he applied for the Middle Child Writers’ Group, which gave him the confidence to keep going with it and from there Jim has written for Middle Child and Hull Truck Theatre.
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Samuel is a writer from Hull, who has written extensively about his experiences as a queer person for publications like The Guardian. He also works for Hull Independent Cinema and recently programmed an entire season of LGBTQ+ films. He took part in Middle Child's 2022 Writers' Group.
Jay is an actor who trained at the London School of Musical Theatre. In 2023, he was instrumental in Autistic Pride's involvement in the city's wider celebrations at Hull Truck Theatre, something he is very proud of and that he hopes will continue into the future. He took part in Hull Truck's 2022 Playwriting Group.
This is their first commission as playwrights.
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Noor is a Libyan theatre-maker with a particular interest in comedy and telling Middle Eastern and North African and global majority stories.
Having lived in Hull during formative years in her childhood, she has fond memories of Hull.
Noor has been a part of various programmes including Soho Theatre’s writing programme and The Old Vic Theatre Makers. She is also a trained dramaturg and script reader.
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Sean hails from the middle of nowhere around Glasgow, but came to Hull to study drama at university. Like many, he wanted to be an actor when he joined, but left having written two plays and growing an appreciation for characters and world building.
Sean graduated in the pandemic and went back to nowhere in Scotland, where there weren’t many employment opportunities, and decided to move back to Hull as he missed the people there.
He took part in Hull Truck’s Introduction To Playwriting course last year and attended workshops at Fresh Ink 2024, finding both very inspiring.
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Michelle is an actor, voice actor and singer who is passionate about storytelling through a queer, neurodivergent lens and platforming the work and talent of people of colour.
This commission is her first-ever professional writing opportunity and she is excited and terrified in equal measure.
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Laura is a writer and a local business owner. Born and bred in Hull, she performs, writes, sings and enjoys making people laugh.
She began performing from an early age at every opportunity, playing violin and various roles in school plays and local theatre.
Laura has recently graduated with a BA in Creative Writing & English.
2024
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Originally from Hull, Rosie Race graduated from RADA in 2018. She is a freelance actor, writer and a core member of Quirk Theatre in Devon.
She works as a movement director and is associate artist at Theatre Royal Plymouth, where her first full-length show Us Against The World opened in February 2024.
Rosie is an associate lecturer in Acting and Physical Performance at the University of Plymouth.
Her second play Filthy Animal was shortlisted for the Tony Craze Award 2024.
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Hannah lives in Hull and works in public health communications. She has previously worked as a journalist.
She started writing for theatre after taking part in the 2019 Middle Child Writers’ Group. Since then, she has written for the 2020 Middle Child panto and Out Loud scratch night in 2023.
She enjoys being outside walking, rock climbing, doing yoga and getting excited about new hobbies – currently trialing and loving aerial hoop.
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Marc Graham is an actor who predominantly works in theatre. He has lived in Hull for 13 years, after graduating from the University of Hull and is a co-founder of Middle Child.
Marc’s recent credits include The Climbers (Theatre By The Lake), A Very Expensive Poison (Old Vic), Brighton Rock (UK Tour) and various Middle Child pantomimes, as the dame.
Marc took part in the 2019 Middle Child Writers’ Group and this is his first commission as a writer.
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Grace is a theatre and television maker from Scunthorpe.
She recently founded Hani Projects, a not-for-profit theatre and arts production company committed to developing and attracting new work in and to Humberside.
She has trained with the Old Vic as a young theatre maker and in Sheffield Theatres’ New Dramaturgs Group.
Her article, Mabuhay, on mixed race identity was published in FOYER magazine.
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Andrew was born and raised in Hull and loved being part of the city’s arts scene before heading off to university.
Since studying at Guildford School of Acting, they have been creating LGBTQ+ focused work with the company they co-founded, Pink Milk Theatre.
They usually write from experience, with the intent to perform their own work, and Fresh Ink marks their first time stepping away from this, with a completely fictional duologue.
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Prince Kundai is a Hull-raised creative and a graduate of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Prince made his acting debut playing Sutter in the critically-acclaimed production of Bootycandy at the Gate Theatre in London.
Following the success of Bootycandy, Prince went on to play Chuck in Paper Cut at the Park Theatre and understudy in the West End production of Slave Play. Prince has also worked with The Globe, Yard Theatre and Telluric on creative projects.
Fresh Ink marks Prince Kundai’s first venture in writing.
Selection Process
Each writer was commissioned for Fresh Ink 2026 by our independent selection panel, through an open submission process.
Read a blog post from 2025 about the process, from a previous writer who was on the panel.
Commissions
A commission is when a writer is paid to write something.
Find out more about the commissions that were available for 2026, including criteria, eligibility and fee for the writers.