The Donald Windham Sandy M. Campbell Literature Prizes
1 appearances
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Edition 13 (2025) Winner
Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini
マチルダ・フェイシャヨ・イビニ
Matilda Feyisayo Ibini
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- London
- Nationality
- Nigeria, United Kingdom
- Languages
- English
Career
- Occupations
- playwright, screenwriter
- Active Years
- 2013-
- Nominations
- Laurence Olivier Awards 2024 (Sleepova, Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London Metropolitan University | — | English Literature and Creative Writing | BA | 2010–2013 | United Kingdom |
| City, University of London | — | Playwriting and Screenwriting | MA（優等） | — | United Kingdom |
London Metropolitan University
English Literature and Creative Writing
Degree:
BA
Period:
2010–2013
Year of Graduation:
2013
Country:
United Kingdom
BA in English literature and creative writing
City, University of London
Playwriting and Screenwriting
Degree:
MA（優等）
Country:
United Kingdom
MA with distinction in playwriting and screenwriting; awarded a scholarship from BAFTA and Warner Bros. (year not specified)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Alfred Fagon Award (Audience Award, joint winner) | Muscovado | — | Alfred Fagon Award | won |
| 2023 | Critics' Circle Theatre Award (Most Promising Playwright, joint winner) | Sleepova | — | Critics' Circle Theatre Awards | won |
| 2024 | Laurence Olivier Awards (nominated) | Sleepova | Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre | Official London Theatre / Laurence Olivier Awards | nominated |
| 2020 | The Brit List (selected script) | Caring (co-written) | — | The Brit List | selected |
Alfred Fagon Award (Audience Award, joint winner)
2015
Work:
Muscovado
Organization:
Alfred Fagon Award
Result:
won
Critics' Circle Theatre Award (Most Promising Playwright, joint winner)
2023
Work:
Sleepova
Organization:
Critics' Circle Theatre Awards
Result:
won
Laurence Olivier Awards (nominated)
2024
Work:
Sleepova
Category:
Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre
Organization:
Official London Theatre / Laurence Olivier Awards
Result:
nominated
The Brit List (selected script)
2020
Work:
Caring (co-written)
Organization:
The Brit List
Result:
selected
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Muscovado
2015 play (historical)Set in Barbados in 1808, the play explores family and morality against the backdrop of British involvement in the slave trade.
slaverycolonialismfamilymorality
Little Miss Burden
2019 play (contemporary)Tells the story of three Nigerian sisters, focusing on a sister who uses a wheelchair; mixes family, trauma and humour.
disabilityfamilyimmigrant memory
The Unexpected Expert
2020 television / short dramaA short drama produced during the COVID-19 lockdown, portraying a disabled influencer who is told her support will be cut; broadcast as part of BBC Four's 'Unprecedented' series.
disability and carepandemic impactpublic support
Adaptations
- [television broadcast] Episode of 'Unprecedented' (BBC Four) (2020)
Caring
2020 screenplay (horror-comedy)A horror-comedy about a disabled woman who finds a good carer only to discover the carer is a serial killer (co-written with Gabriel Bisset-Smith).
representation of disabilityblack comedytrust and betrayal
Sleepova
2023 play (contemporary)A new play produced at the Bush Theatre in 2023; acclaimed as a promising work that contributed to winning the Critics' Circle award and received an Olivier nomination.
contemporary societyidentityvulnerability and strength
Bibliography
- Muscovado (2015)
- Little Miss Burden (2019)
- The Unexpected Expert (2020, TV short)
- Caring (screenplay, 2020)
- Sleepova (2023)
Adaptations
- The Unexpected Expert — broadcast on BBC Four as part of 'Unprecedented'
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- contemporary, dialogue-driven styledark humour mixing wit and angerrealism that probes social issues
- Recurring Motifs
- disability and embodimentfamily relationshipsmemories of migration and colonialismvoices of the marginalized
Health
-
Limb–girdle muscular dystrophy生涯（幼少期から）Has affected mobility and the need for adaptations (the author describes herself as 'bionic'); this influences thematic concerns and representation in her work.
Legacy
A rising Nigerian-British playwright and screenwriter notable for work addressing disability representation and colonial history. Active in both theatre and television, she has received critical recognition and awards marking her as a promising talent.
Quotes
-
“I adopted the term 'bionic' when I became a full-time wheelchair user and had metal implanted into my leg after a traumatic fracture, even though the term encompasses my experiences from birth, that I have always needed some form of technology, equipment, or adaptation to live.”
Source: Matilda Ibini - About (official website) (2021)
Trivia
- Her first play 'Muscovado' premiered at Theatre503 in 2015 and is set in Barbados in 1808.
- 'Muscovado' was one of the winners of the Audience Award at the Alfred Fagon Award in 2015.
- 'The Unexpected Expert' was broadcast on BBC Four as part of the 'Unprecedented' series in 2020.
- She describes herself as 'bionic' and queer.
- 'Sleepova' contributed to her winning the Critics' Circle Most Promising Playwright prize in 2023 and received a nomination at the 2024 Olivier Awards.