Oxford Playwriting
Playwriting courses for all levels

Vincent's Club
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) since 2015.
Below are the achievements of some students from previous courses, subsequent to their year under John’s tuition.
2020 - 2021 - 2022
JO WATT
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.
PETER POPHAM
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, staged reading produced by Optik Theatre, Richmond, Surrey, February 2019
SAVAGES, Zoom production directed by Sebastian Michael, July 2020.
JANET TAYLOR
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.
PENNY BOREHAM
WALKING THE DOG -- A LOCKDOWN FABLE made the last round for BBC Radio 4, now in discussion with Audible.
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.
CAROLYN LLOYD-DAVIES
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.’
Script in hand:
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
2019 - 2020
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
Oxford Playmaker 2018 - 2019
Adam Foster
THE LAST PUNCH AND JUDY MAN, staged reading at Camden People’s Theatre, Nov 2019 and touring to South-West, 2020-2021.
Zena Forster
STITCH-UP, Oxford University seed funding, 2020
Sami Ibrahim
TWO PALESTINIANS GO DOGGING Royal Court, 9th April - 9th May 2022
2018 - 2019
Ian Grant
BARBARA AND CECILY, staged reading at The Park Theatre, July 2019
Will Adolphy
ANARCHY, staged reading at Flux Theatre, London, 2019
Peter Popham
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN staged reading at Richmond Theatre, May 2019
SAVAGES staged reading at Jermyn Street Theatre April 29 – 30th, 2020
Becky Abrams
THE MEETING ROOM staged reading at The Mint House, Oxford, June 2019
2017 - 2018
Lekha Desai Morrison
THE DATE, Southwark Playhouse
IRISH & A GAME OF TWO HALVES, Cherwell Boathouse/Oxford Playhouse
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
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.
Oxford Playmaker 2017 - 2018
Doug Crossley
GIVE ME ONE MOMENT IN TIME Oxford Playhouse at Edinburgh Fringe, 2019
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)
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.
Janet Bolam
ANTIBODIES, rehearsed reading at St Aldates Tavern, 2019
THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED, rehearsed reading, January 2020, Oxford.
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
James Baldwin
AFRAID TO ASK, the egg, February 2018
THE WOMAN WHO TURNED INTO A CHICKEN, The Pit, Barbican, October 2018
Gold Koestler Award.
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.
Oxford Playmaker 2015 - 2016
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
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