Nestroy Award for Eve Leigh

For her play Verbranntes Land (orig. Salty Irina), Eve Leigh was awarded the Austrian Nestroy 2025 in the category Best Play. I congratulate Eve with whom I have been collaborating beautifully for years, translating her plays. The recognition is twofold: the award itself is a great delight (also nominated were Nora Abdel-Maksoud with Rabatt and Lisa Wentz with Azur oder die Farbe von Wasser); but that it goes to a play that was not originally written in German deserves to be mentioned. I and we thank the jury for considering the play and then eventually even awarding it this prize. This recognises not only a more closely entangled international theatre landscape but also considers the people making it possible.

My thanks also goes to Tobias Herzberg, the director of the Schauspielhaus production in Vienna, and the marvelous team.

The translation of this play and those of the playwright’s other works are represented by Rowohlt Theaterverlag. Find more information here.