Michael Frayn wins Critics’ Circle award for services to the arts

Playwright and novelist Michael Frayn has won the Critics’ Circle award for services to the arts.

Described as the Critics’ Circle’s highest honour, the annual award is voted for by 500 members of the organisation across its music, dance, film, drama, visual arts and literary criticism sections.

Frayn, who was nominated by the books section of the Critics’ Circle, will receive an engraved crystal rose bowl in recognition of his contribution to the arts.

His works include plays Noises Off, Copenhagen and Alphabetical Order, and novels Tin Men, The Russian Interpreter and Towards the End of the Morning.

“I’m deeply honoured to receive this very special and very distinguished award,” Frayn said. “It comes as a particular joy at the moment, when the theatre has been completely closed down for so long, and so much of all life has gone underground.”

He added: “Writing is not always the torment it’s made out to be: sometimes the characters do the work for you and it’s like flying. But there are dark days when what you want to write just won’t be written. This award is for the dark days. Thank you, Critics’ Circle.”