The Lyceum Theatre in Oldham is launching the second edition of its one-act playwriting competition, PlotFest, with cash prizes and the chance for winning scripts to be performed on stage.

PlotFest 2027 is open to writers of all levels of experience, from first-time scriptwriters to established playwrights. The three winning entries will be performed at the theatre next summer.

Entries will be judged anonymously, meaning the panel will not know who wrote each script. To be eligible, plays must be original works that have not previously been produced or performed. Scripts can feature between one and five characters and should run for no longer than 30 minutes.

The winners will be announced in March 2027, before their plays are brought to the stage at the Lyceum's Basement Theatre that July. Cash prizes of £300, £200 and £100 will be awarded to the first, second and third-placed writers.

The original PlotFest competition was held in 2016, with plans for a follow-up in 2020 disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Writers who submitted scripts for the planned 2020 competition are being encouraged to enter again, provided their work still meets the competition's criteria.

One person who knows what a boost the competition can provide is Bob Pegg, whose play The Salutation won second prize in the original contest.

"It's always a great feeling when you see something of your own performed before a live audience as well as more than a little humbling," he said.

Pegg's writing career has continued to develop since his PlotFest success, including a BBC shortlist and Arts Council funding for another of his scripts.

"Since The Salutation I was shortlisted by the BBC for a script I submitted," he added. "I got down to the last 20 out of over 3000 scripts submitted, but unfortunately they didn't go with it.

"The same script went on to get Arts Council funding and had a short run in Manchester.

"I've also completed my memoir, Unlettered Men, which was shortlisted for the Northern Writers Northbound Book Award in 2022. I have a couple of other things on the go too, so we'll just see what happens."

Entries for PlotFest 2027 must be submitted by November 30. Further information about the competition and how to enter is available on the Lyceum Theatre website.