Ava Pickett

Ava Pickett
Born1993 or 1994 (age 31–32)
Alma mater
OccupationScreenwriter • playwright
Notable work1536
AwardsSusan Smith Blackburn Prize

Ava Pickett (born 1993 or 1994)[1] is an English screenwriter and playwright. Her debut play 1536 won the 2023–24 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.[2] She was a staff writer on The Great[2] and she co-wrote Baz Luhrmann's upcoming film Jehanne d’Arc.[3]

Early life and education

Ava Pickett is from Colchester, Essex.[4] She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in theatre from Middlesex University.[1] She went on to complete a Master of Arts (MA) at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 2018.[2] Originally aspiring to be an actor, Pickett started writing when she moved back from London to Clacton-on-Sea after struggling to find work.[1]

Career

Theatre

As a member of the 2021–22 Genesis Almeida New Playwrights, Big Plays Programme cohort,[5] Pickett wrote 1536, a play following three peasant women friends in lead up to Anne Boleyn's execution.[6] 1536 ran from 6 May – 7 June 2025 at the Almeida Theatre,[7] directed by Lyndsey Turner and starring Liv Hill, Siena Kelly and Tanya Reynolds.[8]

Pickett won the 2023–24 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for 1536,[2] the play being praised by the judges for its "sparkling dialogue and thrilling, charismatic writing underpinned by great craft and restraint".[9] Pickett also received a special mention for the 2023 George Devine Award.[10]

Pickett wrote a stage adaptation of Emma by Jane Austen, directed by Christopher Haydon.[11] The show is to run from 17 September – 11 October 2025 at the Rose Theatre Kingston, starring Amelia Kenworthy and Kit Young.[11] Pickett's stage adaptation of The Manningtree Witches by A. K. Blakemore is set to run from 28 February – 14 March 2026 at the Mercury Theatre in her hometown Colchester, directed by Natasha Rickman.[4] Pickett was the resident playwright at the Mercury Theatre in 2020.[2]

Television

As a staff writer on season 3 of The Great, Pickett was credited on episodes "Sweden" and "Three Pieces" alongside series creator, Tony McNamara.[12] She has also written for Ten Pound Poms,[13] Bad Education,[14] Brassic,[14] The Buccaneers, and How to Get to Heaven from Belfast.[1]

Film

Pickett co-wrote the upcoming film Jehanne d’Arc with writer-director Baz Luhrmann. The script was inspired by Blood Red, Sister Rose by Thomas Keneally, a novel about Joan of Arc.[3] While writing the script, Pickett and Luhrmann travelled to Domrémy-la-Pucelle, Rouen, Kettering and the Royal Armouries Museum for research.[3] Luhrmann said of Pickett: "I feel a kindred spirit with Ava. To put it in medieval terms, I feel we were both born to jest and forced to joust."[3]

Radio

Pickett wrote the comedy radio programme Roots, which was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2020[15] and was a Comedy of the Week.[16]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Akbar, Arifa (25 March 2025). "'I don't buy it' … Ava Pickett on her play about Anne Boleyn's treason and incest". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e Wiegand, Chris (11 March 2024). "Ava Pickett's drama of female friendship in Tudor England wins Susan Smith Blackburn prize". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d Fleming, Mike Jr. (15 May 2025). "Like The Movie Subject, Baz Luhrmann's 'Jehanne d'Arc' Propelled By Youthful Energy Via Co-Scribe Ava Pickett; Search Is On For Tragic Teen Joan". Deadline. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  4. ^ a b Wood, Alex (24 June 2025). "Ava Pickett to adapt The Manningtree Witches in new Mercury Colchester season". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  5. ^ "Genesis Almeida New Playwrights". Almeida Theatre. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  6. ^ Gillinson, Miriam (14 May 2025). "1536 review – three Tudor friends throw sharp light on Anne Boleyn's execution". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  7. ^ "1536". Almeida Theatre. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  8. ^ Curtis, Nick (14 May 2025). "1536 at the Almeida Theatre review: Ava Pickett's debut play is electrifying". The Standard. Archived from the original on 25 July 2025. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  9. ^ "Winner Press Release 2024". The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  10. ^ "Award 2023". George Devine Award. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  11. ^ a b Wood, Alex (24 July 2025). "Full cast set for Emma stage adaptation including Amelia Kenworthy and Kit Young". WhatsOnStage. Archived from the original on 29 July 2025. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  12. ^ "Ava Pickett – WGA Directory". Writers Guild of America West. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  13. ^ "BBC One announces Ten Pound Poms, a new original drama series from Danny Brocklehurst". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  14. ^ a b "Bad Education cast and creators head back to school for series 5 - "Expect lots of costumes… because we did not mess about"". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  15. ^ "BBC Radio 4 - Roots". BBC. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  16. ^ "BBC Radio 4 - Comedy of the Week, Roots". BBC. 3 February 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.