The Stage

Doctor Who star Matt Smith made patron of Royal Court Young Writers Festival

Published Friday 10 February 2012 at 11:11 by Alistair Smith

Matt Smith has been appointed as patron of the Royal Court’s Young Writers Festival.

Isabelle Kennedy-Grimes and Eve Kerslake-Blue who will have their plays staged with Matt Smith, patron of this year'Royal Court Young Writers Festival Photo: Helen Murray

Smith’s first professional acting job was at the Royal Court in Fresh Kills by Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder, as part of a special young playwrights season in 2004. He later went on to appear in Polly Stenham’s debut play That Face at the Royal Court in 2007. The Doctor Who actor follows in the footsteps of previous festival patrons Ruth Jones, Catherine Tate, Ray Winstone and Kathy Burke.

This year’s Young Writers Festival will run from February 23 until April 14.

It will feature two full productions of new plays, four staged readings, ten short plays and a series of free workshops, talks and late night events in the Royal Court bar.

The two full productions featuring as part of the season are Luke Norris’ Goodbye to All That, which runs from February 23 to March 17, and Hayley Squires’ Vera Vera Vera from March 22 to April 14.