New Play Commission - Prinzhorn
Dash Arts and writer Hattie Naylor have been granted the New Play Commission Scheme by The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain.
The play’s working title is Prinzhorn. It is inspired by the work of Dr Hans Prinzhorn who wrote Artistry of the Mentally Ill. In the book, released in 1922, he presented a collection of artwork by neurodivergent patients of Heidelberg Sanatorium, Germany.
The book, artwork and individuals later inspired artist Jean Dubuffet to coin the term Art Brut, also known as Outsider Art.
The play dramatises these marginalised and unheard artists’ stories and the extraordinary times they lived in, giving these silenced individuals the voices they were denied in their own lifetime. The play includes a wide sweep of how art changes, jumping through time periods, exploring how these individuals revolutionised art, helping it to become Art for All.
“Hans Prinzhorn enabled so many people to see the world differently thanks to his publishing of the work of 18 neurodivergent artists in 1921. This work influenced the course of 20th century art and continues to create ripples today. We are so grateful for this opportunity to bring his story and the lives of the artists to the stage and a wider audience so that they might continue to inspire us today.” Josephine Burton.
“This award will enable me to work on a project close to my heart, at a crucial stage of its development. I am hugely grateful for the belief placed by the WGGB in me, this project, and the collaboration with Dash Arts.” Hattie Naylor, Writer
The New Play Commission Scheme is a project set up by the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, UK Theatre, and the Independent Theatre Council, and funded by Arts Council England, the Theatre Development Trust, and donations from actors, directors, playwrights, and producers.
