SUCCESS STORIES

John has been a playwriting tutor on his own course since 2017, and with the Oxford Playmaker course (in collaboration with Oxford Playhouse) from 2015-2018.

 

Below are the achievements of some students from previous courses, subsequent to their year under John’s tuition.

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2023 – 2024

 

Amanda McKenzie-Stuart’s play LIZZIE ON THE FENCE has been invited to play in the SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT on October 8th 2024 and at the HOUSE OF LORDS on October 15th 2024. Renata Allen returns in the title role.

 

Mark Vegh’s highly original adaptation of Buchner’s Woyzeck to modern Britain, VOYTEK, received a reading at HAMPSTEAD THEATRE in April 2024. It will be given an Oxford Platform performance in 2025.

 

Andrea Orton’s LOST IN THE BEAT won an ACE grant and was performed at Liverpool’s Hope Street Theatre in October 2023.

 

IT CAME WITH THE FRAME by Mandy Constance received two Oxford Platform performances in February 2024. LIVE LESBIAN SEX SHOW by Charlotte Ashton received two Oxford Platform performances in May 2024. THE PUNCHLINE by Holly Morgan will receive two Oxford Platform performances in November 2024.

 

MARIUPOL by Katia Haddad, an Oxford Platform in November 2023, will open at The Cockpit Theatre in Marylebone on February 5th, 2025, and will run for three weeks. Ollie Gomm and Nathalie Barclay, who performed in the original staged reading, will return to their roles as Steve and Galina. John Retallack directs.

 

Janet Taylor’s VARNISH goes on a national tour opening at The Old Fire Station Oxford on October 12th, 2024. For the full tour: https://housetheatre.org.uk/events/varnish 

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2022 – 2023

 

Janet Taylor’s play VARNISH performed at Vaults Festival and will tour with HOUSE in Autumn 2024. Her play 5K MARRIAGE was performed at The Ink Festival. Her play WHITE was the second Oxford Platform in March 2023.

 

KALEIDOSCOPE by Tina Pepler is broadcast in summer 2023 on BBC Radio 4.

 

Rory O’Sullivan’s THE OUTSKIRTS has won an Arts Council of Ireland grant with the Irish New Writing Company ROUGH MAGIC.​

 

Carolyn Lloyd-Davies play CAN’T SEE FOR LOOKING is published by Aurora and will run for three weeks at The Cockpit in London in October 2023.

 

Andrea Roskell’s LOST IN THE BEAT was performed at Knutsford Theatre and will re-appear at The Hope Street Theatre in Liverpool in October 2023. Andrea’s MY NAME IS SANDRA was part of a two-play OXFORD PLATFORM in October 2022. 

 

Jo Watt’s play CHEMISTRY was the third OXFORD PLATFORM in May 2023.

 

Mark Vegh has been invited to join Hampstead Theatre’s INSPIRE programme for 2023-24..

 

Ed Rowett’s play FAN/DOM was the featured play on the October 2022 OXFORD PLATFORM.

 

Amanda McKenzie-Stuart’s play LIZZIE ON THE FENCE performed at Edinburgh Fringe, 2023. Amanda also awarded a place on the EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY PLAYWRITING MSC.

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2020 - 2021 - 2022

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JO WATT

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SEED, a community eco drama for twenty-two actors, has undergone a rehearsed reading in preparation for a potential outdoor run at the Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock.

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PETER POPHAM

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KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, staged reading produced by Optik Theatre, Richmond, Surrey, February 2019

SAVAGES, Zoom production directed by Sebastian Michael, July 2020.

 

 

JANET TAYLOR

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2020: THE EXCHANGE: performed by David Hounslow and filmed for YouTube, after the performance in Cheltenham Everyman Theatre Studio was cancelled due to Covid.

 

2020: ALTERATIONS, performed by Lloyd Owen, Melissa Greenwood, Nathalie Barclay and Tom Grace (Stellar Theatre)

 

2021: THINGS THAT MATTER, performed by Sara Powell, Nathalie Barcley and Adam Karim (Zoom reading). Currently submitting an Arts Council grant application to do a library tour of Gloucestershire libraries. Have had an expression of interest from Gloucestershire Libraries. Also talking to The Poetry Library in Oxford about a potential low-key performance.

 

2022: VARNISH, performed by Jonathan Mayor - 2-day workshop in Oxford, culminating in a rehearsed reading for an audience in Vincent’s.

 

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PENNY BOREHAM

 

WALKING THE DOG -- A LOCKDOWN FABLE made the last round for BBC Radio 4, now in discussion with Audible.

 

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JANET BOLAM

 

OTTOLINE (2020) Garsington Manor Gardens July 2021.

"Janet Bolam’s play brings Ottoline and her husband Philip back into the spotlight, and really do them justice as fully realised characters."(Daily info 08/07/21)

This play is currently being rewritten for professional performance.

 

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED (2019) won the Oxford Theatre Guild Playwriting Competition. It is being produced by Oxford Theatre Guild for entry into the 2022 Oxfordshire Drama Festival with performances in Henley and Abingdon.

 

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CAROLYN LLOYD-DAVIES

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Title: PENETRATION, directed by David Trevaskis, performed at The Cockpit, London from Sept 22nd to Oct 9th 2021. 

Published by Aurora Metro (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Penetration-Carolyn-Lloyd-Davies/dp/1912430630)

Film available on-demand until March 22nd, from Stream Theatre https://www.stream.theatre/season/236.

International Woman's Day March 8th, evening event on Zoom, a panel of six, including a lawyer specialising in rape and a family counsellor, will discuss the issues raised in the play about sexual consent. (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/penetration-film-discussion-tickets-247074946817) 

The Spectator, Lloyd Evans, theatre critic:

‘Penetration is a complex new drama that examines the legal and moral consequences of
date rape....The play’s great virtue is that it refuses to preach or to take sides....(it) takes a
brave stance and suggests that new rape laws should be introduced that reflect the levels of
physical coercion used..... This is a huge and dangerous issue handled with aplomb in this
riveting production directed by David Trevaskis.....Every teenager and student in the country
should see this play. Conferences and public forums should be convened to discuss its
ramifications. This is a script to raise whirlwinds.’

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Script in hand:

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Title: FRAYING ROUND THE HEDGES, directed by Joy Wilson. Community 'script in hand' reading by the neighbourhood Allotment Tenants, as comedy entertainment after their AGM, 2021.

 

On-going Project:

 

Title: AND A SWORD SHALL PIERCE YOUR SOUL, directed by Marion Bloice-Smith. A promenade Easter community play.

Performance dates:    April 13th, 14th 15th, 2022.

Location:  St Matthews Church, Marlborough Rd, Oxford OX1 4LW

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2019 - 2020

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Ian Grant

HATS AND COATS, staged reading at The Park Theatre, July 2019

MOLLY, Zoom performance at The Globe Festival June 26, 2020 and other dates.

(£1000 donated to Actors Benevolent Fund as a revenue share.)

 

Simon Lenagan

HAND IN GLOVE begins development as a TV series, Summer 2020

 

Janet Taylor

ALTERATIONS, Zoom reading for Stellar Theatre, London, May 2020

 

Julian Armistead

SCENES FROM A POISONING, Zoom readings, Summer 2020

 

Amanda Mackenzie-Stuart

CONVULSION, Arts Council application for R&D

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Oxford Playmaker 2018 - 2019

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Adam Foster

THE LAST PUNCH AND JUDY MAN, staged reading at Camden People’s Theatre, Nov 2019 and touring to South-West, 2020-2021.

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Zena Forster

STITCH-UP, Oxford University seed funding, 2020

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Sami Ibrahim

TWO PALESTINIANS GO DOGGING Royal Court, 9th April - 9th May 2022

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2018 - 2019

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Ian Grant

BARBARA AND CECILY, staged reading at The Park Theatre, July 2019

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Will Adolphy

ANARCHY, staged reading at Flux Theatre, London, 2019

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Peter Popham

KINGDOM OF HEAVEN staged reading at Richmond Theatre, May 2019

SAVAGES staged reading at Jermyn Street Theatre April 29 – 30th, 2020

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Becky Abrams

THE MEETING ROOM staged reading at The Mint House, Oxford, June 2019

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2017 - 2018

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Lekha Desai Morrison

THE DATE, Southwark Playhouse

IRISH & A GAME OF TWO HALVES, Cherwell Boathouse/Oxford Playhouse

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Rachel Betts

AS IF YOU ARE INFINITE - Pegasus Theatre and Arts Depot

Arvon/Jerwood Mentee 2019/2020 supported by Evan Placey

MERMAID BOY (on Young People's Mental Health) commissioned by Human Story Theatre at Old Fire Station, Oxford, 2021

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Margaret Conway

RIGHTS (inspired by the first Civil Rights March) produced at the Ranfurley Theatre, Dungannon and in the MAC, Belfast, August 2018, Currently writing the sequel, WRONGS.

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Oxford Playmaker 2017 - 2018

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Doug Crossley

GIVE ME ONE MOMENT IN TIME Oxford Playhouse at Edinburgh Fringe, 2019

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Jodi Gray

THROWN (Edinburgh Festival Fringe and tour 2018; Vault Festival and Brighton Fringe Festival 2019)
BIG BAD (Vault Festival 2018 and London Horror Festival 2018)

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Rowan Padmore

NOTHING TO SAY Pegasus Theatre, Oxford.

SAWDUST (2017) for Arts at the Old Fire Station, Oxford

LIFE IS A CIRCUS: BBC4 documentary about process of writing/staging SAWDUST

 

Padraic Walsh

BLUE THUNDER/ Vault Festival 2019. Winner of the Innovation award. Commissioned for BBC Radio 4

EVERY ONLY GOD staged reading at the 2019 Irish Festival at Omnibus Theatre.

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Janet Bolam

ANTIBODIES, rehearsed reading at St Aldates Tavern, 2019

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED, rehearsed reading, January 2020, Oxford.

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Oxford Playmaker 2016 - 2017

 

Ayad Andrews

TERP, rehearsed reading, Finborough Theatre Oct 2018

THE GHOST OF MUHAMMAD ALI, rehearsed reading at Spring Arts Theatre

BBC Writers Drama Room 2019-2020

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James Baldwin

AFRAID TO ASK, the egg, February 2018

THE WOMAN WHO TURNED INTO A CHICKEN, The Pit, Barbican, October 2018

Gold Koestler Award.

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Karim Khan

HEART ATTACK, Seed Commission, Rifco Arts. 2018. Showcase: Bush Theatre Nov 2019. 

CORROSIVE, commissioned by Pegasus Theatre, Oxford, Autumn 2019, Pegasus Theatre & tour. 

Carolyn Lloyd-Davies

#PENETRATION The Cockpit Theatre, Marylebone, London

RETRIBUTION (audio play) commissioned by The Write Hour/ broadcast in January 2020. 

 

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Oxford Playmaker 2015 - 2016

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Clare Bayley

THE CONTAINER, Burning Coal Theatre Company, Raleigh, North Carolina, 2019

AFTER THE PEACE, RADA Festival 2019

ON THE MARCH, commissioned by Oxford Playhouse, 2018

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Tolula Dada

Long-listed for Alfred Fagon award 2019

Residency at The Bush 2019

Writer on BBC3 series RED ROSE due 2021
 

Heather Dunmore

PRETTY POLLY'S DEAD written with Catherine Comfort and Doc Andersen-Bloomfield

SPITFIRE SISTERS written with both Catherine Comfort and Doc Andersen-Bloomfield. 

 

Giles Fernando

FALLEN ANGEL, musical in development, showcased at The Criterion, Theatre Royal, Stratford East, 2018/9

DON'T LOOK DOWN, Kings Head, London, 2016

 

Mandy Constance

THE OCEAN QUEEN staged reading at Offbeat Festival and Oxford Playhouse, July 2017 

SWEET CHILD April 2018

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