Playwriting Panel

Simon Stephens

For more than twenty years Simon Stephens work has been widely translated and produced throughout the world. He has won many Awards including Olivier and Tony Awards for new plays. He has written new English language versions of masterpieces by Chekhov, Ibsen and Brecht and adaptations of novels by Mark Haddon and Jose Saramago. He has collaborated with the world’s leading theatre practitioners (Andrew Scott, Patrice Chereau, Ivo Van Hove, Marianne Elliott, Katie Mitchell) and produced original work throughout Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas. He is a Professor at the Writing School of Manchester Metropolitan University.

Headshot accredited to Kevin Cummins

Zodwa Nyoni

Zodwa Nyoni is a Zimbabwean-born playwright, screenwriter and director. Her debut play, BOI BOI IS DEAD won the Channel 4 Playwrights’ Scheme in 2014. It was also a finalist for the international Susan Smith Blackburn Prize 2014/15. Since, her plays have been produced in the UK, France, Germany, USA, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Her most recent work, THE DARKEST PART OF THE NIGHT (Kiln Theatre) was shortlisted for the Alfred Fagon Award and George Devine Award It was ranked as one of the best plays of 2022 by The Independent (UK). 

Zodwa’s plays are published by Bloomsbury. She has lectured in poetry and theatre since 2018. She is currently a Lecturer in Scriptwriting at Manchester Metropolitan University and an associate dramaturg for Tiata Fahodzi and Fifth Word Theatre. She has written two radio plays, LOVE AGAIN (BBC Radio 3) and A KHOISAN WOMAN (Drama on 3); and three short films: MAHOGANY (National Trust and 24 Design Ltd) and NOTES ON BEING A LADY (New Creatives / BBC Arts) and the award winning, THE ANCESTORS (BBC Films and BFI Network).

Zodwa was an international fellow on Oxbelly’s inaugural Episodic Program in Greece. She is a BAFTA Connect member and was on the BIFA mentoring programme. She is currently working on Netflix’s spin-off series, CASTLEVANIA: NOCTURNE; under commission at Manchester Royal Exchange, Bristol Old Vic and Kiln Theatre; and writing an opera for Buxton International Festival.

Socials

Twitter - @ZodwaNy

Instagram - @itsntombizodwa

Lydia Marchant

Lydia Marchant is a writer for stage, screen and audio. She was one of eight writers selected for the BBC’s Writers Academy 19/20 led by John Yorke and since has written for Holby City and multiple episodes of Casualty and EastEnders. She also has original work in development with RoughCut TV.

Her debut full-length play MUMSY, about parenthood on a 0 hour contract, premiered in at Hull Truck Theatre and is published by Nick Hern Books. (‘Brilliant bittersweet comedy about the family way’ - The Guardian ****). She is currently under commission with Hull Truck developing a play about women’s football and endometriosis.  Her previous creditsinclude: Paines Plough, Hull Truck Theatre, York Theatre Royal, Derby Theatre, Northern Stage, Live Theatre, Pilot Theatre, Separate Doors, Middle Child Theatre, Silent Uproar and The Roaring Girls.

She is currently writing for Wondery’s Spotlight Award-winning British Scandal podcast, presented by Alice Levine and Matt Ford and new Wondery showbiz series Terribly Famous. She also worked on an original 8-part podcast, Last Soviet, presented by NSYNC’s Lance Bass (‘impressive and interesting’ - The Guardian).  

Lydia has a Distinction in MA Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and is a graduate of the Writing Squad. She has previously taken part in writers programmes at Leeds Playhouse, Soho Theatre, National Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, Royal Court and BFI.

Sarah Grochala is a a multi-award winning neurodiverse Anglo-Polish playwright and dramaturg based in London. She writes bold poetic political plays about the experiences of ordinary people caught up in the whirlwind of big events. Her play ‘Intelligence’ was the winner of the 2023 Women’s Prize for Playwriting.

Her work has been supported and developed by The National Theatre Studio, Royal Shakespeare Company, The Orange Tree, Sphinx, Arts Council England, The Peggy Ramsay Foundation, The Orchard Project, The Studios Key West and OffWestEnd.com.

She is currently Senior Lecturer in Writing for Theatre at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, where she leads the MA/MFA Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media.

Alongside her playwriting, she regularly writes audio dramas set in the worlds of Dr Who and The Avengers for Big Finish.

Her books on theatre include The Contemporary Political Play and The Theatre of Rupert Goold.