The Hope Street Theatre

What Happens Next? is an interactive playwriting competition supporting Liverpool’s emerging artists. This unique event offers playwrights an opportunity to showcase their work, engage with audiences and industry experts, and be in with a chance to win a fantastic prize package.
What Happens Next? distinguishes itself from traditional writing contests by involving both the audience and a panel of judges in the selection process and having a deep focus on providing training opportunities to local artists. 
Over the course of three evenings, eight compelling plays will showcase their opening 20 minutes in front of a live audience. The audience, alongside the expert panel of industry professionals, will cast their votes to determine which play deserves the spotlight, the coveted prizes and most importantly, which play made them say ‘What Happens Next?’

Thursday 16th January 2025 @ 7:30pm
Lucy and The Bird by Lara Field
With You by Yuvraj Bhatia and Irina Ivanova
Rain on Svalbard by Anita Bowman
Diva, She 3 and They by Joanne Collins

Friday 17th January 2025 @ 7:30pm
Bare bones by Nadine Jump
Unsinkable by Matthew Reynolds
Exit Music (for our world) by Anna Ní Dhúill
How to Commit a mattress heist by Jessica Brigham

Friday 18th January 2025 @ 7:30pm
The final! Where the top voted plays will go head to head and we will find out who will be the winner of What Happens Next? 2025

What’s on offer?
The winners of What Happens Next? will be awarded an impressive array of prizes designed to support their artistic practice going forward:
Five Days of Complimentary Theatre Space: Utilise The Hope Street Theatre for a week, providing a dedicated space to develop and rehearse your play.
Professional Production Contract: Tip Tray Theatre will contract the full production of the winning play, offering a platform for a polished, professional showcase.
Expert Dramaturgy: Benefit from in-depth dramaturgical support from Papatango Theatre Company, ensuring that your play reaches its highest potential.
£1000 Kickstarter Budget: Secure a financial boost to support the realisation of your creative vision with a £1000 Kickstarter budget.

We are fundraising! Every ticket you buy helps us continue to support emerging artists in the north west and beyond. We understand that times are tough for a lot of people at the moment, but if you can, maybe consider buying a ticket, a supporter ticket to help us out even more, or check out our fundraising page.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-emerging-artists-what-happens-next-2025

Tickets are available at our standard price of £11. However, if you’d like to help support this competition and its future growth, we invite you to consider purchasing a ticket at our supporter price of £17.50. Every little bit helps to keep our events thriving and accessible to everyone!”

Disabled Access 
There are 8 steps from Hope Street to enter the building. We currently have an application in process to have a lift installed, however there is not yet a date when this will be completed by. Once inside the building, everything is on one level and there are no further steps. There are accessible toilets. We always operate unreserved seating. Customers who require additional room or support should make themselves known to the Front of House Team on arrival.