A YATTON-based songwriter has won a prestigious musical theatre award.

Rachel Walker Mason won the Stiles + Drewe Best New Song Prize 2023. The ceremony was held at The Other Palace in London on Monday, November 13. 

The awards were overseen by musical duo George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, from Mary Poppins, Identical and Honk!

Rachel's song, Drown Without Water, is from her new musical The Circle. It was performed at the event by Renee Lamb, a west end star, the original Catherine Of Aragon from Six The Musical. This was featured on the Grammy winning album.

Beth, a character from The Circle, sings about her experiences with postnatal depression, based on Rachel's own experiences.

The song was co-written with Nina Sundstrom and the script for the musical has been written by local director and writer Eloise Hodder, who has won bafta awards.