Dramatic addition to literary awards roll

A NEW drama prize backed by Edinburgh University will be among the honours handed out at Britain’s oldest literary awards from next year.

The James Tait Black Prizes are being extended to include works of fiction and biography.

Students and staff of the university and representatives from the National Theatre of Scotland will judge entries, with the winner announced next August. The theatre will then perform the winning play as a public reading during the 2013 Festival.

Professor Sir Timothy O’Shea, principal of Edinburgh University, said: “The James Tait Black Prizes have a very long history of celebrating the work of great novelists and biographers and it is wonderful that we can now extend this to recognise original and innovative drama.”