Hampstead Theatre is a writers' theatre and exists to support a thriving local, national and international playwriting culture. We commission plays in order to enrich and enliven this culture. We support, develop and produce the work of writers at every stage of their careers, and have a proud tradition for creating the conditions for their plays and careers to develop.

For fifty years Hampstead Theatre has been the proving ground where 'interesting voices' transform themselves into important writers. In the past, Pam Gems, debbie tucker green, David Hare, Stephen Jeffreys, Terry Johnson, Dennis Kelly, Mike Leigh, Stephen Poliakoff, Shelagh Stephenson and Steve Waters have all had breakthrough plays produced here.

We commission and invite writers to work with us based on a range of writing opportunities that we believe will inspire and challenge those writers, and we are rewarded with diverse, award winning and far reaching plays.

Since November 2010 we have opened up the Michael Frayn space as Hampstead Downstairs, a studio in which we can explore, experiment and present the most exciting plays and writers around. We are actively looking for new plays to produce in this space as well as on the main stage.

We are always looking for new writers and plays. If you are presenting work that we can come and watch we would love for you to invite us. Please send any invitations to literary@hampsteadtheatre.com and we will do our very best to come along.