Each year Hampshire based Titchfield Festival Theatre (TFT) commences with a three-month long New Play Season beginning in January, providing opportunities for writers of all ages to highlight their work and have it performed in one of their 4 auditoria.  In 2021, TFT included a fresh dimension to the 2022 season: a Playwriting Competition worth £10,000, with the winning play being performed in the Acorn Theatre. TFT is proud to announce that the winning play is Sleeping Lions by Tom Derrington; a story about family, love, hope, guilt, compassion and courage.

Simon interviewed Tom in January to find out the inspiration for this brilliant and beautifully written play.

Simon: Please tell me a bit about yourself and your interest in playwriting and the theatre.  

Tom: I discovered my passion for playwriting during the first lockdown in 2020. I have always enjoyed writing creatively but up until then, I’d never actually had the courage, or time to sit down and write a script from start to finish. I decided to give it a go and honestly haven’t looked back. I have since written three full length plays and a TV spec script and am currently working on my next play. In some ways, I feel pretty frustrated with myself that it took me so long to finally discover the joys of playwriting. On the other hand, I’m so excited to see where this new journey might take me next. 

When I’m not writing, reading or watching plays, I work as a psychologist. I think that psychology and theatre share so many similarities, especially in the way they both ultimately try to explore and understand human behaviour.  I am also the father of three young children and just being around their playfulness and wild imaginations, keeps me inspired. 

Simon: What inspired you to write Sleeping Lions? 

Tom: The idea for Sleeping Lions was drawn from my own experience of having children. The constant struggle that parents face, always trying to do the very best for our kids, wanting them to be healthy and happy and popular. There’s a lot of expectation and in some ways, preparing and hosting a child’s birthday party, is when these pressures are illuminated. So, I wanted to explore this setting. In terms of form, I was really inspired by the brilliant play; Beginning by David Eldridge which, like Sleeping Lions, is naturalistic and set in real time. I love the idea that a room full of people can be experiencing every second of a live situation as it plays out in real time. I think this really helps to create a unique togetherness between the characters and the audience.   

Simon: Please tell me about how you chose to develop each of the characters? 

Tom: I’ve heard it said before that there are two kinds of writers; planners and vomiters.  I am definitely a vomiter. Once I’ve got a basic idea of setting and key characters, I just start writing instinctively and see what happens. It doesn’t always work, but when it does, I really enjoy it because often the characters will do or say something that surprises me as I’m writing it. I particularly enjoyed writing the character of the neighbour, Barbara. She is very loosely based on several people I know and I love the straight-talking humour she brings, without ever necessarily being aware of it. 

Simon: What do you think the audience will like about the play? 

Tom: I hope the audience will like this play because it’s a contemporary relatable story which is both funny and sad. I have always been fascinated with that fine line between humour and despair and how they often overlap. I hope this play will give the audience the chance to go on a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions.     

Simon: Is this the first play you have had performed at a theatre? 

Tom: Yes, this will be the very first play I have ever had performed in the UK.  Last year an amateur theatre company over in Switzerland decided to produce another of my plays and that was a great experience, but this will be the first time I have had a play performed in the UK. 

Simon:  What does it mean to you to win this competition? 

Tom: Finding out that I had won the TFT new playwriting competition was unbelievable. It still hasn’t quite sunk in. Especially with there being so many talented writers and incredible new plays out there. I have entered several other competitions and occasionally managed to get on to longlists and shortlists, but this is the first time I have ever been selected as the winner. As well as the fantastic prize and having the opportunity to watch my play come to life, I think the biggest thing for me, as an aspiring playwright, is the validation. Just knowing that other people have read and seen some value in what I am writing gives me all the motivation I need to keep going and improving. 

Simon: How do you think you will feel watching your play performed for the first time? 

Tom: I will be a nervous wreck, for sure! That’s not to say I don’t have every confidence in the director and cast to do an amazing job, I know they will. But I guess, writing a play is already quite an exposing thing to do and it’s one thing to have people read your work, but to actually be in a room, watching it being performed, amongst an audience who are reacting to the words I’ve written. It will be absolutely terrifying. But I can’t wait. 

Simon: Finally, why should people come along and watch the play? 

Tom: There are themes within this play that I hope everyone will be able to relate to, on some level. Sleeping Lions is a story about family, love, hope, guilt, compassion and courage. It’s a birthday party like no other and I hope you can make it. 

A few final words go to TFT's Artistic Director, Kevin Fraser.

Kevin Fraser is TFT’s Chair and Artistic Director. Kevin said,

“We were amazed and delighted with the response to Titchfield Festival Theatre’s inaugural Playwriting Competition. We received more than 275 entries – all full length and brand new plays – of great quality and covering different themes.

“Sleeping Lions stood out above them all.  It’s an incredible play that everyone will relate to on some level. I have been working in theatre for over 30 years – and it is one of the best plays that I have ever read. I am delighted for Tom Derrington our first ever winner.

"For us at TFT, we see this competition as an excellent example of how theatres can help writers and all those in the performing arts community to bounce back after the COVID pandemic. It is particularly difficult for playwrights to get their work performed we have built up a unique position in that we will have at least 6 new plays per annum performed in our venues. Right now we can’t wait for the opening night of Sleeping Lions.”

Book your tickets for Sleeping Lions today!

Tom Derrington was talking to Simon Frost.