37 Plays was a national playwriting project led by the RSC and their partner theatres that celebrated the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio by selecting and reading a series of 37 brand new plays that reflect our modern world.

The search attracted more than 2000 submissions. Over a six-week period, 24 readers read 31 plays per week to create an initial longlist of 350 plays. From the longlist, a total of 71 plays were shortlisted for commendation. From this shortlist 37 new plays were selected, exploring themes including class, faith, race, war, consent, the climate crisis and living life online.

We worked closely with the RSC throughout this project, creating a wide range of videos including a trailer to kick the project off, workshop documentation and how-to films with playwrights Ishy Din and Juliet Gilkes Romero to help give people considering applying, and 2 short-form arts documentaries that explored the search for the 37 Plays and the playwrights behind them, celebrating the project and its nationwide impact.