Top accolade for emerging voice in Scottish theatre

Perth Theatre has named Shilpa T-Hyland as the first recipient of its Cross Trust Young Director Award.

Funded by the charitable body which offers grants to young Scots – and decided by a panel of Scottish theatre sector professionals – the award was created to give emerging directors the chance to stage a fully supported show at the new-look theatre.

Shilpa has chosen to direct Zinnie Harris’s adaptation of Strindberg’s Miss Julie. The show will open at Perth’s new Joan Knight Studio next spring.

A recent graduate with an MA in classical and contemporary text at the Royal Conservatoire Scotland, Shilpa is a board member for Stellar Quines and is co-founder of the company Modest Predicament. She previously worked as a trainee director for the National Theatre of Scotland.

She said: “The award will allow me to expand my directing practice in a supported and challenging environment which I have no doubt will form an indispensable part of my learning as a director.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled.” Lu Kemp, artistic director of Perth Theatre and a member of the selection panel, added: “Shilpa gave a first-class interview about her ideas on directing and her love for the text and how she intends to bring it to life. She spoke beautifully for and about her generation.

“I think she will prove to be an exciting voice in Scottish theatre.”

Award-winning young director Shilpa T-Hyland.