Award winning drama graduate writes play to mark 150th anniversary 

QMU has always brimmed with creative talent, so why would we go anywhere else to source great writing to mark our special anniversary year? 

We have been delighted to commission QMU drama alumna Stef Smith, to develop an original piece of drama that celebrates the history of Queen Margaret University.  

Stef, who is an award-winning playwright, seemed like the perfect fit for this special 150^th anniversary project.  

Having achieved her BA (Hons) Drama and Theatre Arts at QMU in 2009, Stef has been described by the Scotsman as “one of Scotland’s most gifted playwrights”, and The List as “one of Scotland’s boldest chroniclers of contemporary women’s lives”. 

Not long after graduating, Stef won an Olivier Award for ‘Roadkill’. Her plays include ‘Nora: A Doll’s House’, ‘Swallow’ and ‘Enough’; and her recent screen credits include ‘Float’, the BBC Scotland drama, which shines a light on the lives of LGBTQ+ teens living in rural communities. She has a string of awards to her bow, and in 2022, she was voted Best Writer at the Royal Television Society Awards. 

Stef’s play, which will be staged in 2025/6 – the University’s 150th academic year - forms part of a wide range of activities which will celebrate the significant historical milestone. It will be performed by QMU Acting and Performance students, with various elements of the production involving students from across our Media, Communication and Performing Arts Division. 

John Dean, Head of Media, Communication and Performing Arts at QMU, said: “We are excited to mark our 150th anniversary with great writing from Stef. It not only allows us to showcase the talents of one of our award-winning drama graduates, it also creates a platform to highlight our institution’s rich history.” 

Want to book tickets for the play? We’ll keep you posted about the timing and details via our social media platforms and our website, later on this year.