Tag: Stephen Fry

Stephen Fry to host Plum: Homage to Happiness!

Posted on March 31, 2025 by - Plays

The Pleasance Theatre Trust has announced a theatrical tribute to PG Wodehouse. Plum: Homage to Happiness is devised by me and directed by Amy Lane. It’ll be hosted by Stephen Fry, and feature Alexander Armstrong, Stephen Mangan and Miss Baby Sol, as well as music from the Simon Beck Quartet playing Gershwin, Cole Perter and Jerome Kern.

Commemorating 50 years since his death, the evening is described as “a joyful celebration of words, dance and songs from one of the best-loved and funniest writers ever to put pen to paper.”

Lyricist Wodehouse, who once had a record-breaking five musicals running simultaneously on Broadway, based the characters in his stories on those shows. He went on to create Jeeves and Bertie Wooster, Lord Emsworth and his prize pig, Mr Mulliner, Uncle Fred and Psmith.

The Cazalet family, who are step relatives of Wodehouse, said: “Come celebrate the glorious world and words of PG Wodehouse at Wilton’s Music Hall in the only way he’d approve – by having a dashed good time! Where Imperious Aunts, Grunting Pigs, Bertie and Jeeves and a host of his beloved characters come together under one roof, for one night only, in a grand homage to humour.”

The event will take place at Wilton’s Music Hall in London on 20 May 2025, in aid of The National Literacy Trust.

See you there!

Stephen Fry announces Paul Torday Memorial Prize

Posted on July 21, 2018 by - Awards

Last night Stephen Fry announced the new Paul Torday Memorial Prize, at the The Society of Authors #AuthorsAwards party.

Paul published his first book, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, at the age of 60, and his sons Piers and Nick Torday have founded this new prize in his memory for the best debut novel by an author 60 or over.

We want to celebrate and encourage creativity in later life

We believe it is never too late to discover your passion

We want to promote writing as a second career

The Society is administering the award and entries are open from 1st August 2018. The deadline for entry is 15TH NOVEMBER 2018.

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

1. The novel must have been first published in the UK and Republic of Ireland between 1 September 2016 and 31 August 2018 for the first award, and thereafter between 1 September and 31 August in the year preceding that year’s award.

2. The novel must be a full length work by a living author.

3. The book must be in the English language and cannot be a translated work.

4. The novel must be the author’s first published full length fiction work but they can have had works published of other lengths or other genres in the past.

5. The author(s) must be aged 60 or over at the date of first print publication of the novel and living at the date of submission. In the event that the author is shortlisted, they will be asked to provide proof of age.

6. There are no residence or nationality restrictions.

7. We cannot accept books that are only available in e-format or that are only self-published or where the author has contributed or paid for the costs of publishing.

8. Submissions must be made by the print publisher.

9. The decision of the judges is final and they reserve the right not to award the Prize if, in their opinion, no works entered reach a sufficiently high standard. Judges may call in books if they so wish.

The prize will be awarded at the Society of Authors’ annual Authors’ Awards ceremony in July 2019. For any queries, please email prizes@societyofauthors.org.