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The winner of the 2025 competition is Tazmin Farr, for their essay “ ‘The oranges were always rotten’: male insecurity and female sexuality in Holmes’ Much Ado About Nothing”. The judges commented:
What really impressed us about this essay was the way it explored a range of different aspects to the production: set design; costume; and music. In addition, embedded quotations support the essay’s analysis of directorial decisions. Written in a refreshingly lively and engaged style, the ideas are thoroughly researched in a coherent and fluent analysis.
The judges also selected two highly commended submissions:
” ‘Something will come from nothing’: The use of absence in Dan Colley’s Lost Lear” by Christy Gill
This is a well-researched, insightful and at times philosophical essay that examines a radical staging of King Lear, reframed through the lens of dementia. We were struck by the writer’s sophisticated analysis of the production’s inventive representation of absence, and his ability to draw precise comparisons between Shakespeare’s text and the adaptation. It was academically impressive yet also deeply moving in its sensitivity to the effects of dementia.
An insightful and detailed exploration of the play explored through a contemporary feminist lens and matched against a modern retelling with critical insight. We were impressed with the thoughtful way the essay explored historical and cultural shifts and how the character of Kat’s feminist activism is viewed and trivialised in the film compared to the ultimate submission of Katherine in Shrew.
The judges also selected an entry for special mention: “A Tempest’s Daughter”, by Noor Fatima Arfan Asghar.
Find out more about the Prize; the Prize will re-open in June 2026
