Royal Court to stage new play by critically acclaimed writer

A teacher whose debut play set in a city secondary school impressed the critics will premiere her second in the 2012 season at the Royal Court.

Vivienne Franzmann, 40, from Walthamstow, is a contender for the Evening Standard's Theatre Award for most promising playwright for Mogadishu, which won plaudits when it was performed at the Lyric Hammersmith.

Now the Royal Court, following a run of hits from Enron to Jerusalem, has snapped up her latest work.

Titled The Witness, it is about a war photographer who adopts a child in Rwanda. Dominic Cooke, the artistic director, said: "It's a three-hander epic about our responsibilities to the developing world and about the responsibilities of journalism."

The play joins a line-up including In Basildon, a new work by Romford-born David Eldridge. A family drama, it is set against the backdrop of Thatcherism and will star Linda Bassett and Ruth Sheen.

Meanwhile it is the politics of the NHS which inform Joe Penhall's new play, Birthday, which will feature childbirth on stage.

Green Wing's Stephen Mangan will star and it will be directed by Roger Michell, best known for the film Notting Hill.

Michell, who started his career at the Royal Court, is currently editing the film Hyde Park On Hudson, starring Bill Murray. He said: "This play is based on a wonderful theatrical coup which I can't reveal. It is the most brilliant simple idea which I loved."

The Royal Court will also host a festival of young writers. The festival was last held in 2009 when it produced Shades by Alia Bano who went on to win the most promising playwright honour at the Evening Standard Awards.