Two plays received National English Literary Awards

The 2024 National Literary Competition has named four plays that will receive cash prizes in two categories. Two of the four speak English, one speaks French, and the other calls himself multilingual.

First prize for a play written by someone over 20 years of age goes to Charles Meder for Urd. Multilingual play for the couple, the victim, the window model, mannequin mannequins and the audience (Urd. Multilingual play for the culprit, his victim, a display mannequin, several inflatable mannequins and spectators).

Meanwhile, the first (and only) prize in the age category for playwrights under 20 goes to Aimée Donte, who has written English-language drama. It’s pouring like buckets.

Second place in the adult category goes to Le Bieneureux (“The Blessed Ones”) by Antoine Sing, in French.

Second Zechariah Eric Abbott, also in English, takes third place in the adult category.

The National Literary Competition is awarded by the Ministry of Culture, and this year’s professional jury included Luke Schiltz (president), Tullio Forgiarini, Carol Lorang, Sarah Rock and Pascal Sale.

In the adult category, 48 applications were submitted. The jury praised Meder’s winning play as “a decisively actor-centric play”, noting that its sharp humor develops into a “brutal reckoning” with contemporary Luxembourg society.

Four works were presented in the age group from 12 to 19 years. The jury praised Donte’s winning play as a “touching play” in which literature and fairy-tale poetry transform the life of its teenage heroine.

This prize is a major incentive for new plays, which their authors hope will soon bring them to the stage. “New talent has emerged as well as established authors, and I sincerely hope that their works will soon be brought to life on our national stages,” Culture Minister Eric Thill said in a press release.

The prize for the winner in the adult category is 7,500 euros and a contribution of up to 5,000 euros to cover the costs of publishing the winning work, subject to a deal with a recognized publisher. The second prize is 4,000 euros, the third is 3,000 euros. The category up to 20 years old includes a check for 3000 euros.

The 2024 National Literary Competition has been reserved for plays in Luxembourgish, French, German and/or English, with prizes to be awarded at a ceremony in early December. Next year’s competition will focus on novels.