RUBY Clarke has won the 2014 Script Factor All Winners Final in York with her one-act play Home.

Run by the York branch of Script Yorkshire, the annual event was held in the York Theatre Royal Studio on July 7, when scripts by the winners of five heats were given rehearsed readings by York Settlement Community Players actors.

Each 15-minute play had the theme of travel to celebrate the Tour de France’s Grand Départ from Yorkshire.

A packed audience had the opportunity to question each writer after each performance at the invitation of compere Paul Burbridge, artistic director of Riding Lights Theatre Company, who encouraged an atmosphere of supportive and insightful feedback, much appreciated by the finalists.

A new voting system was introduced, whereby audience members were asked to rank the plays in order of how much they had enjoyed them. “It proved a revelation,” says York branch founding member Beryl Nairn.

“In the compere’s final announcement, there was only a one-point difference between Ruby’s winning script, performed by Paul Stonehouse and James Welford, and runner-up Claire Morley’s piece, Going Up, performed by Emma Dubruel and James Martin.”

In Clarke’s Home, the consequences of a failed mission slowly dawn on Commander Richmond (Stonehouse) and Doctor Michaels (Welford), who must come to terms with their fate as they say their drawn-out goodbyes in front of a spectacular view.

Morley’s Going Up brings together two strangers, one lift and no way of knowing where the doors will open.

The other finalists were Lisa Valentine’s Time Travel, retired clinical psychologist David Kennard’s Rough Guide and Amanda Greenwood’s Audrey’s Perfect Party .

“Many people are calling it one of the strongest finals ever seen,” says Beryl. “We were thrilled with the response to the event, especially as Script Yorkshire is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.”

June Taylor, from the Script Yorkshire board, headed over from Leeds; other members came from Wakefield and some even travelled from Birmingham to show solidarity with the writers.

‘’It was a great night and getting such a good audience is a reflection of how much hard work co-ordinators Beryl Nairn and Rebecca Thomson – and Ged Cooper and others over the years – have consistently put into the York branch,” says June.

“Script Factor is an important event for any York scriptwriters and anyone interested in seeing new writing in its rawest form, script in hand and minimal set.

“York Settlement Community Players do a fantastic job on the acting side with very little rehearsal time and manage both to entertain the audience as well as inform the writers, bringing their work to life.”

Steve Ince, Script Yorkshire member, writer, consultant and game designer, concurred. “It was certainly an excellent evening and possibly the best Script Factor final so far,’’ he says.

There will be no rest for Ruby and Claire this week: Ruby is directing the Chorus scenes in the 2014 York Mystery Plays on Sunday, when Claire can be seen disdainfully peeling a satsuma in the role of Annas in the Company of Cordwainers’ waggon play, Christ Before Annas And Caiphas, performed by the Settlement Players.

Both also are involved in The Envelope Project at Friargate Theatre tomorrow and Saturday.