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.