The winner of the Verity Bargate Award 2007 is:

This Isn’t Romance by In-Sook Chappell

This Isn’t Romance was chosen from over 800 entrants in this prestigious biennial competition to find the best new play by an emerging writer. In-Sook’s prize is £5,000 and a residency at Soho Theatre.

This Isn’t Romance follows a beautiful Korean woman’s return to Seoul where she begins a highly charged relationship with the brother she left behind. In-Sook was born in Seoul and brought up in Essex. Now living in London, she worked as an actor and a model before turning to playwriting.

“Hearing I’d won the award was the greatest moment ever. It's great when other people respond to something you've written - I feel vindicated, that my belief in my writing was not completely delusional.”
In-Sook Chappell, VBA winner

The shortlist was considered by a judging panel comprised of former VBA winner Bonnie Greer, playwrights Bryony Lavery, Gupreet Bhatti and Philip Ridley, Noble+Silver’s Kim Noble and Stuart Silver, and Soho Theatre’s artistic director, Lisa Goldman.

“The Verity Bargate Award is not a sit back and wait for the plays to come in kind of award. It’s one of many vital ways in which we as a company engage with the future of theatre, not just in the final selection of plays but also in the whole process of the award, during which we held 40 events for around 900 writers. The 30% increase in submissions on the last award, demonstrates both the healthy state of new writing in the UK and the success of that process. The plays on the short-list are not those that won consensus, rather they were those that aroused the strongest passions. They are all original, honest and brave plays which expand the boundaries of our imaginations in a thrilling and urgent way. The winning play 'This Isn’t Romance' explores contemporary taboo themes of cross cultural adoption and incest and the commodification of sex. In-Sook is a thrilling discovery and I’m really looking forward to directing her play next year.”
Lisa Goldman, Artistic Director

“In-Sook's play has a brutal beauty which takes us into a hidden world. I can't think of any better definition for a prize-winning play.”
Bonnie Greer, VBA judge

The runners-up of the Verity Bargate Award 2007 are:

Harm's Way by Zawe Ashton

Zimbabwe by Simon Bennett

Outcast by Rosemary Jenkinson

The Punishment Stories by Anders Lustgarten

Meantime by Maxine Quintyne

Thanks to everyone who participated in the many and varied workshops in the run up to this year's competition, and thanks also to the exciting and inspirational companies involved.

VBA associates include:

Spread The Word, Greenwich University, Kali Theatre Company, The Puppet Centre Trust, joinedupwriters, City University, ice and fire, Renaissance One, Exiled Writers, The Poetry School, Upstart Theatre