Meet Our Two New Writers-in-Residence

Zoe Cooper and Stewart Pringle have been appointed our two new Writers-in-Residence, joining us in autumn 2024.

We're delighted to announce the appointment of our two new Writers-in-Residence - the playwrights Zoe Cooper and Stewart Pringle. 

The playwrights will not only be supported in developing their own writing, but they will take the lead in our approach to new work. Their roles will see them enabling peer-to-peer conversations between writers, mentoring playwrights, developing new ideas and establishing new ways of supporting writers.

They will both take up their new roles in November 2024.

Tamara Harvey and Daniel Evans, Co-Artistic Directors, say:

We are absolutely delighted to welcome Stewart and Zoe to the RSC as our Writers-in-Residence. To be working with not one but two playwrights of their calibre is a hugely exciting prospect and holds true to our commitment to place artists at the heart of everything we do. They will be key to forging meaningful and inclusive relationships with new and established artists, whilst unlocking innovative approaches to how we make work.

Find out more about our two new Writers-in-Residence:

Zoe Cooper is appointed one of the RSC's new Writers-in-Residence

Zoe Cooper

Zoe Cooper is a London-born playwright, now living in Newcastle with her wife and two-year-old daughter. Her plays include Northanger Abbey, inspired by the Austen novel (Orange Tree Theatre, Bolton Octagon, TBTL and SJT), an adaptation of David Almond’s novel A Song for Ella Grey (Pilot/Northern Stage and touring), Out of Water (Orange Tree) and Jess and Joe Forever (Orange Tree, touring and Traverse).

She will be seconded from her fractional role as a Senior Lecturer in Theatre Script at Newcastle University, where she has worked for the last 8 years after completing her PhD.

Zoe has been shortlisted for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, the Evening Standard Most Promising Playwright Award, the Women’s Playwriting Prize and was the winner of the Off West End Most Promising Playwright Award.

Zoe Cooper says:

I am so thrilled to be coming to the RSC alongside the brilliant Stewart Pringle. To be given the opportunity to call somewhere home as a playwright is really rare. Rarer still in a theatre that has such a rich history and as it starts to write its next exciting chapter. I am greatly looking forward to being part of a team that I know will help lots of other writers feel like the Company can be a home for them too. Can’t wait!

Stewart Pringle

Stewart Pringle is a writer and dramaturg from the Northeast of England, currently based in London.

His plays include The Bounds (Royal Court & Live Theatre), the Papatango New Writing Prize-winning Trestle (Southwark Playhouse) and The Ghost Hunter (Old Red Lion Theatre & Touring).

Stewart was previously the Senior Dramaturg of the National Theatre, and before that the Associate Dramaturg of the Bush Theatre.

Outside of this, he has worked for many years as a culture journalist, and has written extensively within the Whoniverse, usually with his wife Lauren Mooney.

Stewart Pringle is one of the two new RSC Writers-in-Residence
Stewart Pringle says:

I'm over the moon to be joining the RSC at this incredible moment in its history, and to be working with Zoe Cooper, one of my favourite playwrights. The RSC has long been a powerhouse for new work, and it's going to be such a thrilling journey to become part of that team, supporting and nurturing writers, as well as developing our own work alongside. Dream job! Let's go!

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