The critically-acclaimed, award-winning playwright who has found success on the national and international stage, was a worthy choice for this year’s award. The award is named in memory of the University’s 12th Vice-Chancellor, Professor Robert Boucher. He took a great interest in alumni relations, appreciating the important contribution that alumni play in the life of a university and the award particularly aims to recognise alumni who have achieved distinction in their profession.
Lucy’s latest play, The Effect, a study of love and neuroscience won the Critics Circle Award for Best New Play 2013 and was performed at the National Theatre. She is probably best known, so far, for ENRON. The play was shortlisted for an Evening Standard Award and Olivier Award for Best New Play and won the award for Best New Play at the Theatrical Management Association 2009 Theatre Awards.
We are immensely proud that Lucy is one of our alumni and following all her achievements she is eminently worthy of receiving the 2014 Professor Robert Boucher Distinguished Alumni Award.
Professor Paul White
Deputy Vice-Chancellor
It transferred to the West End and Broadway after sell-out runs at both the Royal Court and Chichester Festival Theatre. Her first play, The Sugar Syndrome was performed at the Royal Court and won her the George Devine Award, and she is the creator of the TV series Secret Diary of a Call Girl for ITV.
Receiving the award from the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul White, was a truly inspiring occasion for the graduating students in the audience, showing just what you can achieve if you are bold enough to follow your dreams.
Director of Alumni and Donor Relations, Mr Miles Stevenson, who read the oration for the award said “Lucy Prebble is hugely talented and highly respected for her unique writing-skills. In a difficult field to break into she has found great success in a relatively short space of time since graduating.
Her success will hopefully give our students the inspiration to reach the heights in their chosen profession and to never stop believing. We are immensely proud that Lucy is one of our alumni and following all her achievements she is eminently worthy of receiving the 2014 Professor Robert Boucher Distinguished Alumni Award.”
The Professor Robert Boucher Distinguished Alumni Award
The Professor Robert Boucher Distinguished Alumni Award, for alumni of the University, is named in honour of the late former Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Boucher.
Professor Boucher had a great interest in alumni relations and gave so much to the city of Sheffield over a period of 40 years. He fully appreciated the important contribution that alumni continue to play in the life of a University and was responsible for establishing the University's Development and Alumni Relations Office in 2002.