A Norwich TV and theatre writer is in line for one of the top prizes at Brighton Fringe, England's biggest arts festival.

Eastern Daily Press: Lights! Planets! People! writer and director Molly Naylor (left) and Karen Hill, the show's Attleborough-based performer. The new show has been shortlisted for the New Writing South Best New Play Award 2019. Picture: Dave GuttridgeLights! Planets! People! writer and director Molly Naylor (left) and Karen Hill, the show's Attleborough-based performer. The new show has been shortlisted for the New Writing South Best New Play Award 2019. Picture: Dave Guttridge (Image: Dave Guttridge The Photographic)

Molly Naylor is in the running for the New Writing South Best New Play Award 2019 for her new show Lights! Planets! People!.

The play, which is written and directed by Ms Naylor and stars Attleborough based actor Karen Hill, was one of 11 shortlisted from more than 1,000 shows at the festival.

The award recognises an outstanding, original theatre script produced at the festival, with the winner set to be announced on June 2.

University of East Anglia alumna Ms Naylor is a scriptwriter, poet, performer and theatre maker.

She co-wrote and created Sky One TV comedy After Hours with John Osborne and wrote and directed short film Callback.

She is currently writing I'll See Myself Out, a Creative England and BFI-funded feature film produced by Jeva Films, and is co-director of True Stories Live, a live storytelling show that has toured the UK to sell-out audiences.

She has also recently published her debut poetry collection, Badminton.

Of her nomination, Ms Naylor said: "As a writer it is always great when people connect with the work and in a competitive environment like Brighton Festival, with so many other shows for people to choose from, it is especially welcome."

Lights! Planets! People! was co-commissioned by Norwich Arts Centre and sold out its performance there last week, following a country-wide tour and a London run at the Vault Festival earlier in the year.

It is described as an insightful, moving and funny take on the interconnected worlds of women, science and space travel, also covering issues around the environment and mental health.

The show follows Maggie, a 60-year-old space scientist, in two parallel story lines: in one she gives a lecture to a group of young female students in an effort to interest them in careers in science, and in the other she undertakes her first therapy session to discuss issues in her relationship.

- Lights! Planets! People! can be seen in Brighton from May 26 to 30 after which it continues to tour the country, returning to East Anglia at Pulse Festival in Ipswich on June 3 and Holt Festival on July 24.