Playwright and actor Nancy Farino has won The Times Breakthrough Award at the 2026 Sky Arts Awards for her debut play Fatherland, which premiered at Hampstead Theatre in November 2025.

Nancy, an alumna of Hampstead Theatre’s INSPIRE playwriting programme, received the award at a ceremony celebrating outstanding achievements across arts and culture.

Directed by Tessa Walker, Fatherland was a poignant yet witty account of a father and daughter who embark on a road trip from England to Co Mayo in a ramshackle school bus.

An actor as well as writer, Nancy played daughter Joy in the production alongside Jason Thorpe as her father, Winston, and Shona Babayemi as solicitor Claire.

The production received strong critical acclaim and enjoyed sold-out performances, marking a successful debut for Nancy as a playwright.