Important Dates
15th Jan 2025
The competition opens for entries.
4th April 2025
The competition closes for entries at 6pm.
6th June 2025
Shortlisted entrants will be advised.
5th Dec 2025
The winner will be announced!
Enter the Ambassador Peel Playwright Competition Now
Please include number of cast members and a brief synopsis (no more than 75 words) on your submitted script.
Entry Information
Eligibility
- The play must be between 45 mins and 1hr in length.
- It must be written for a cast of a minimum of 2 actors up to 4 actors, they will likely be 2 male and two female (identifying or non-binary) – there is the ability to add a very small part for a 5th actor who may be seconded from the show team.
- There is no upper age limit but all entrants must be over 18 years by March 1st 2025.
- We can only accept entrants from the UK and ROI.
- You may submit more than one up to a maximum of two plays.
- The submitted play/s may have been entered in other playwriting competitions but not performed or published as part of any other competition. The work must be unpublished and unproduced (by which we no more than 3 performances or readings whether professional or amateur).
- No experience is required, and entrants may be amateur or professional.
- We will accept co-written pieces provided all co-writers are applying together, (in this case the prize will be shared between the co-writers).
- We will not accept plays written for children, musical theatre (however where appropriate to the play it may contain music and also where appropriate may have songs of no more than 5 mins and relevant).
- We will accept adaptations providing there are no copyright payments required by PEEL as the producer, or Ambassador as the venue, (if copyright has been acquired by the entrant).
- The winner will have their journey documented on video from script reading shortlist to going live performances.
- The competition owners reserve the right to edit the play for the performance on the cruise, this will be done in conjunction with the writer and only where necessary for the logistical reasons that would necessitate change or adaptions to suit the stage and audience and budget.
- Submissions should be in pdf format or MS word format with name and telephone number on front page. Each script requires a title. You may provide a synopsis on front page if you wish.
- Please do not include CV.
- We prefer to receive scripts in MS Word or as a PDF – however we are open to other methods as we don’t want to stop anyone from entering if we can accommodate them.
- Entrants are required to upload on the Portal in the Theatre at Sea website www.theatreatsea.com and you will receive an acknowledgement of submission.
- FAQ will be updated regularly on the website. There will be a window of opportunity during the submission process to submit questions, the answers to which will be shared on the portal for all to benefit from.
Rights
- The play must be original and exclusively owned or controlled by the entrant or entrants, or if an adaptation all or any other rights required to perform must also be owned by the entrant.
- Entrants grant PEEL Entertainment Group Ltd the right to produce their script onboard Ambassador cruise ships for 3 years.
- The winning script will also be under option to Peel Entertainment for a period of 12 months after the last onboard production.
- The winning script must not be offered or appear on another vessel without full written permission from Ambassador/PEEL, in any case no permission will be granted for a period of three years after last appearing on an Ambassador ship and a licence from PEEL and Ambassador both may be required to be reproduce the play, if within a five year period of the winning announcement.
- This does not affect any other rights to reproduce on land save for the right outlined above.
- As a condition of entry all entrants give their permission and grant a right to PEEL/Ambassador to do a scripted/rehearsed reading as part of the shortlisted readings on board Ambassador Ambition.
- PEEL/Ambassador Cruises will not automatically hold any rights to produce any of the shortlisted entrants but may at their discretion wish to enter discussions for rights to produce a shortlisted play on our usual commercial terms, which are not related to the prize fund.
Guidance
No topics are out of bounds; however, entrants must bear in mind this is being performed on a cruise ship and will be viewed as part of a holiday. Our audiences are excited to watch new plays, we regularly attract an onboard audience of between 200-500 per week, enjoying many subjects and styles of performance including thrillers, comedy and drama. We would encourage entrants to think of challenge and interest in the development of their story or narrative – or in non-narrative, a development of understanding that an audience can follow.
Entrants are advised that a ship audience can be varied in demographic and cultural backgrounds and that they have not selected to attend the play as they would on land, this offering is available among a suite of other activities but is one of the most popular offerings for PEEL/Ambassador entertainment programme – which is why we are using the Theatre at Sea programme to launch the competition.
While the stage is large – (dimensions will be provided at a later date), scene change opportunities are relatively limited. Scenery storage is limited so keep stage sets compact and simple.
We encourage the use the large LED screens as much as possible to change scenery backdrops.
Please think carefully about practical props i.e. unusual or specific food and drink items may be difficult to refresh given the ships itinerary so please bear this in mind.
Judging Process
The Readers will be responsible for the first and second round readings of all plays submitted.
The Readers will work collaboratively to ensure fairness and equity for all scripts. In the first reading they will ensure the play meets the competition criteria, if it doesn’t, they will reject the script.
Depending on the number of scripts submitted the Readers may be limited to reading only 10/15 mins of the script in round one. Those plays that meet the criteria (as outlined above) and the Readers feel show promise will be passed to round two.
In round two the readers will grade all the scripts ready for shortlisted consideration. The Readers may nominate up to 12 scripts for the shortlist but are not required to have 12.
One or more of the Readers will be present at the shortlisted rehearsed readings. They may also be part of the directing team for the shortlisted plays.
Criteria for Judging:
The Readers are looking for a shortlist of scripts that demonstrate:
- Great narrative and an understanding of storytelling (for non-literal scripts there must be evidence that the audience will be able to follow the development of the piece).
- Clear staging potential
- A sensitivity and understanding of the cruise audience.
- Unique or innovative approach to a subject or style of theatre
Or
- An outstanding example of a well-known genre or style, e.g. (but not limited to) comedy, drama, thriller, naturalism, physical theatre interpretation or issue-based theatre.
We regret that we will be unable to provide any feedback until the shortlisted stage.
If You Are Shortlisted
If you are shortlisted, readings will take place onboard the Ambassador Ambition Cruise Ship
6th June – Shortlist Announced
If you are shortlisted, readings will take place onboard the Ambassador Ambition Cruise Ship
Our team of onboard actors will do a reading of up to 2 shortlisted scripts per region. The shortlisted writers will be invited to join the ship for the day to see their work in a rehearsed reading, as guided by one of PEEL’s experienced cruise theatre director’s. One or more of our competition Readers or Judges may be present. (These readings do not form part of the judging process but are in order to share the shortlisted plays with our Ambassador audience).
BRISTOL – Sunday 29th June 2025
NEWCASTLE – Wednesday 30th July 2025
DUNDEE – Thursday 31st July 2025
BELFAST – Monday 15th September 2025
LIVERPOOOL – Tuesday 16th September 2025
Winner's Journey
WINNER’S JOURNEY
5the December 2025 – Winner Announced (reading with Actors and Writer present if possible in Tilbury (for London).
Week beginning 15th December – Meet the Production Team to discuss the Rehearsal schedule and production.
REHREASALS – selected days in Jan/Feb/March 2026
INSTALL PLAY – March/April 2026
PLAY GO LIVE/OPENING NIGHT AND PRESS INVITE DATE TBC
Questions can be sent to info@theatreatsea.com.
Theatre@Sea™
Ambassador Cruise Line has been pleased to invite The PEEL Entertainment Group to bring its Theatre@Sea™ programme to its ships Ambience and Ambition. Our onboard acting troupes are among the few existing repertory companies operating out of the UK.
Over the past three years we have staged a wide range of plays onboard both ships to a great reception from our cruise passengers. Our theatre productions have ranged from thrillers and dramas, comedies, and modern adaptations of classics.
We engage a range of experienced specialist writers and directors who have made outstanding new work. Alongside our onstage productions we also produce ‘live interpretation’ pop up vignettes, which provide informative and entertaining pieces for the benefit of guest throughout the whole ship.
