The Royal Court Theatre has announced that its autumn season will focus heavily on the talent of British playwrights welcoming plays from Tom Crouch, Michael Wynne, Mike Bartlett and Lucy Prebble into its schedule as the venue celebrates the 40^th anniversary of its upper studio area.

Each of the playwrights is a graduate of the Young Writers Programme conducted by the Royal Court.

During the anniversary season there will not only be many plays by the British playwrights, but also a showcase of the Royal Court’s work internationally in Nigeria and a special area celebrating the life of past playwright John Mortimer who was known as a prominent British playwright.

Dominic Cooke, the artistic director of the Royal Court, commented that the autumn season will exemplify the goal of the Royal Court, which is to produce productive rich plays from new British playwrights who explore the current social situation that most people live in.

Cooke went on to say that given the recession and hardships that are facing people today, there is a much greater need to come together and share experiences via the work on the stage to help open minds and explore new possibilities which is why the inclusion of the four British playwrights who often focus on the personal and political side is so fitting.

Enron, written by Prebble will be the first performance of the season in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs followed by Wynne’s play The Priory. Upstairs, Tim Crouch’s The Author will be performed followed by Bartlett’s Cock.