THE Scottish writer Gail Honeyman has won the Costa First Novel Award for her acclaimed debut, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.
The Costa Book Awards recognise books across five categories – First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children’s Book - published in the last year.
Jon McGregor has won Costa Novel Award category with his fourth novel, Reservoir 13.
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Novelist and historian Rebecca Stott claimed the Costa Biography Award for In The Days of Rain, her memoir of growing up in, and breaking away from, a fundamentalist Christian sect.
The late Helen Dunmore posthumously won the Costa Poetry Award for Inside the Wave which the judges called ‘a final, great achievement’
The Costa Children’s Book Award is won by Katherine Rundell for The Explorer, an adventure story set in the Amazon rainforest.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is to be adapted for the big screen by Reese Witherspoon’s production company, Hello Sunshine.
The five Costa Book Award winners, each of whom will receive £5,000, were selected from 620 entries and are now eligible for the 2017 Costa Book of the Year.
The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony hosted by presenter and broadcaster Penny Smith on Tuesday 30 January 2018.
www.costa.co.uk/costa-book-awards.
EASTWOOD Park Theatre, in East Renfrewshire, has revealed the first confirmed dates for its 45th anniversary year programme.
The theatre has been entertaining audiences since its doors opened on 8 January 1973, with the first live first performance being ‘The Schoolmistress’ by Giffnock Players’ Club.
Highlights of the first half of the Sapphire anniversary programme include Glasgow’s only date of the The Wedding Reception, an interactive comedy dining experience where the audience become guests at a surprise wedding, complete with three course meal.
Ae Fond Kiss at the theatre on 13 February is a musical journey through the major events of Robert Burns’ life.
Shakespeare’s Macbeth is coming to the theatre withf Out of Chaos productions on 20 February.
Contemporary dance drama, Freagra, choreographed by Rob Heaslip, is brought to the theatre on 28 February, while A Brave Face, which explores post-traumatic stress, is lined up for 30 May.
www.eastwoodparktheatre.co.uk/boxoffice
ARTISTIC Director Helen Jamieson has announced that she is to step down from her role at Music at Paxton in September 2018, at the end of the Festival’s 13th year.
The festival takes place at Paxton House, Berwickshire, in the Scottish Borders, a few miles south-west of Berwick-upon-Tweed.
As a consultant, Ms Jamieson helped found Music at Paxton in 2005/6 and under her artistic leadership the festival has grown to a ten-day summer festival and welcomed artists including as Steven Osborne, Alina Ibragimova and Cedric Tiberghien.
She said: “I am immensely proud of what we have achieved as a small team with a passion for chamber music. For me, nothing can beat the thrill of hearing world class musicians up close in an intimate setting like Paxton House.”
The process of appointing a new Artist Director has begun.
The deadline for applications is 16 February.
www.musicatpaxton.co.uk.