TALENTED local writer Rebecca Russell has seen her career go from strength to strength in the past few years.

And next week audiences at the Maltings Arts Theatre in St Albans have the chance to see her new play Falling Off A Log which swept the boards at the Welwyn Drama Festival earlier this year.

Not only did it walk away with the overall winner and best new play award but Stephen Cunningham won best director and all the cast were nominated for best actor awards.

Falling Off A Log, which explores the consequences of a couple’s desperate desire to have a baby, has now been recommended for the 2011 George Taylor Memorial Award, a national new playwriting competition.

Another of Rebecca’s plays, The Colours of Kenny Roach, which was performed to great acclaim in the Abbey Theatre Studio last year, was runner-up in the award last year and will be performed again at the Maltings Arts Theatre in 2012.

Rebecca is currently working with a Radio 4 producer on an adaptation of Falling Off A Log for their Afternoon Play slot.

As if that wasn’t enough, she was also shortlisted as one of 20 finalists in Live Canon 2011 International Poetry Competition with her poem Let History Be Our Judge, published in its 2011 anthology.

Rebecca’s list of achievements is set to grow next year when Methuen will be publishing a collection of her plays.

She said: “I’m obviously absolutely thrilled with the response to my writing and having a collection of plays published by Methuen is a dream come true for me.”

She added: “However, the success of Falling Off A Log is a result of collaborating with a talented director and team of actors who have all worked together to explore the emotional depths of the play. It is extremely gratifying to see my work being brought to life. I’m looking forward to just being a member of the audience!”

Falling Off A Log will be performed at 8pm next Friday, November 18, and Saturday, November 19, at the Maltings Arts Theatre. Tickets are priced at �12.50/�7.50 and are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/ovo

Further details can be found at www.maltingsartstheatre.co.uk