JAMES MCDERMOTT
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Theatre Writing Credits

2021

Robin Good: The Politico-Panto
In development; pantomime commissioned and produced by Norwich Playhouse; directed by Chris Cuming; running at Norwich Playhouse Christmas 2021. 

Senseless
In development; ACE funded play using live action and VR technology; co-commissioned by Norwich Theatre Royal and UEA for UEA's Future and Form: 50th Anniversary of their Literature, Drama and Creative Writing Department; performed at Norwich Theatre Royal.

CAMP!
In development; a cabaret play exploring fake news and the state-sanctioned anti-gay purges in Chechnya; co-commissioned by Norwich Arts Centre and Norwich Theatre Royal; supported by funding from Arts Council England; directed by Lucy Farrant and Pasco Q Kevlin; touring venues across the UK.

Dark Sky Reserves
In development; a play exploring sleep and dreams written from workshops with New Wolsey's Youth Theatre; commissioned by New Wolsey; produced at New Wolsey Summer 2021

Hen House
In development; play exploring the effects of 90's culture and politics on an East Anglian intergenerational family; commissioned and produced by fEAST Theatre Company; directed by Dawn Finnerty; touring venues across East Anglia.

Big Skies
In development; play exploring the ambitions and frustrations of young people in Suffolk; co-written with Atiha Sen Gupta; commissioned by Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds; supported with funding from Arts Council England; produced at Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds/HighTide Festival 2021.

The Bury Mystery Plays
In development; contemporary adaptation of The Mystery Plays co-written with Danusia Iwaszko and Marcus Romer; commissioned and produced by Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds; supported with funding from Arts Council England.

Club Revoluton
In development; play exploring 21-30 year old Lutonians experiences of working life and nightlife made fusing theatre, spoken word and technology; commissioned by Revoluton Arts; produced by 1degreeEast; supported with funding from Arts Council England.

Ghosted
In development; promenade theatre piece fusing live action and technology to explore teenage lives in rural Norfolk; commissioned by Sheringham Little Theatre; directed by Marcus Romer; supported with funding from Arts Council England.

2020

Daisy Copperfield
Community theatre play based on the story of 'David Copperfield'; inspired by life on the Middlegate Estate in Great Yarmouth; commissioned by St George's Theatre, Great Yarmouth; supported by funding from Arts Council England; directed by Daisy Winchester; produced at St George's Theatre, Great Yarmouth in August 2020.

Time and Tide
Play exploring the lives of the staff of a crumbling caff on Cromer Pier; directed by Rob Ellis; produced at Park Theatre, London 5th-29th February 2020; published by Samuel French; nominated for an Off West End Theatre Award for New Play.
★★★★★ Boyz Magazine, The Gay UK, Pocket Size Theatre, The Review Chap
★★★★ Reviews Hub, Theatre News, London Theatre 1, The Upcoming, Everything Theatre, QX Magazine, Morning Star
​

"Wonderful. Do not miss" Miriam Margoyles

"Great show. Check it out people" Vinegar Strokes, star of RuPaul's Drag Race UK
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"Catch it if you can. So moving, funny, truthful and compelling. Beautifully performed by a wonderful cast of four superb actors" Stephen Fry 
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2019 

CAMP!
Work-in-progress performances of a cabaret exploring fake news and the state-sanctioned anti-gay purges in Chechnya; co-commissioned by Norwich Arts Centre and Norwich Theatre Royal; supported by funding from Arts Council England; performed at venues in the East and Soho Theatre; directed by James McDermott and Lucy Farrant.

Spare Change 
Rehearsed reading of a play exploring the lives of the staff of a Sheringham amusement arcade; co-commissioned by HighTide and Eastern Angles; supported by funding from Arts Council England; performed at HighTide Festival Aldeburgh; directed by Scott Hurran. 

Justice 39
Street theatre exploring what young people in Luton would stand up for today; co-written with Roy Williams & Atiha Sen Gupta; co-commissioned by Luton Arts & Culture and Revoluton Arts as part of their People Power Passion project; performed on the streets of Luton; directed by Marcus Romer and Suzann McLean.

Alternative Lowestoft
Family street theatre exploring life in Lowestoft; commissioned by Marina Theatre Lowestoft; performed on the streets of Lowestoft; directed by Abbie Moore.

Open Ramble East: Wysing  
Text for a queer walking tour about Wysing's queer history helping audiences re-see Wysing through a queer lens; co-commissioned by Ian Giles and originalprojects; supported by funding from Arts Council England; performed on the streets of Wysing; directed by Ian Giles.

Open Ramble East: Colchester 
Text for a queer walking tour about Colchester's queer history helping audiences re-see Colchester through a queer lens; co-commissioned by Ian Giles and originalprojects; supported by funding from Arts Council England; performed on the streets of Colchester; directed by Ian Giles.


Mixed Up 
Short play about music, mix tapes and trans identity; produced at INK Festival at The Cut Halesworth before a two week tour of East Anglia and a three week run at The Tristan Bates Theatre as part of INK's Feast From The East; directed by James Christopher.

The Break Up 
Short play exploring how Brexit affects the lives of a mixed nationality gay couple; commissioned by Coast To Coast Theatre Company for their Last Night In Europe Event; produced at Norwich Arts Centre; directed by Charlie Douglas. 

Uniform 
Play for young people exploring gendered school uniform; commissioned by Oldham Coliseum as part of their Playwrights Partnership Scheme; produced at Oldham Coliseum over three nights by three different schools; directed by school drama teachers.

Street Life 
Verbatim play exploring homelessness in Norfolk; commissioned by Norwich Theatre Royal; produced at NTR Stage Two; directed by Laila France and Darren France. 

2018

Reveal 
Text for an active reality theatre installation; commissioned by Collusion; supported by funding from Arts Council England; performed on the streets of King's Lynn throughout December; directed by Marcus Romer and Simon Poulter.

Fifty Years 
Rehearsed reading of a play exploring fifty years of gay British history; produced at The Criterion Theatre as part of their new writing showcase; directed by Nel Crouch.


Click
Theatre in education play exploring cyber bullying; commissioned by Access Community Trust and Suffolk Police; performed in several Suffolk schools; directed by Lee Johnson.
 
Human Screens 
Text for an outdoor digital theatre installation exploring young people's lives in Bury St Edmunds; commissioned by Collusion and West Suffolk College; supported by funding from Arts Council England; performed on the streets of Bury St Edmunds; directed by Marcus Romer. 

Based On A True Story 
Theatre in education play exploring diversity and bullying in schools; co-written with Rob Salmon; commissioned by New Wolsey; performed at New Wolsey and in several East Anglian schools; directed by Rob Salmon.

Cinderella: A Museum Adventure 
Text for a dance drama piece exploring army life created with Legacy Dance Company, Norwich; commissioned by Matthew Bourne's New Adventures; performed at International War Museum Duxford; directed by Matthew Bourne's New Adventures.

2017 

Love Me Tinder
Short play exploring love in the age of dating apps; commissioned by Broken Silence Theatre Company; produced at The Old Red Lion Theatre; directed by Roman Berry.

Fast Food 
Short play exploring gay hook ups; starred Jude Law; commissioned by Harts Theatre Company for Lyric Gala 2017; produced at Lyric Hammersmith; directed by Sean Holmes.

Man Hug 
Short play exploring bromance; produced at Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds; directed by David Whitney. 

Come Yew In: The Proud History of Strangers in Norwich 
Street theatre exploring the history of immigration in Norwich; co-written with Simon Floyd, Liam Offord & Mags Chalcraft; co-commissioned by The Common Lot and Norfolk County Council; supported by funding from Arts Council England; performed in several Norfolk theatres, parks and estates; directed by Simon Floyd. 

Out140: The Little Play of Coming Out Stories 
Verbatim play exploring coming out stories in Norfolk; co-written with Shelly Telly and Vince Laws; produced at Norfolk and Norwich Festival; directed by Shelly Telly.

Ordinary Boys
Short play exploring teenage life in Norfolk; produced in The Royal Court's bar as part of The Play List; directed by The Royal Court's Young Agitators. 

Steam 
Short play exploring teenage life in Norfolk; produced at Lyric Hammersmith as part of Hart's Festival New Writing Showcase; directed by Roy Alexander Weise.

2016 

Rubber Ring 
Play exploring sexual and regional identity; produced at Pleasance Islington prior to a three year UK tour; directed by Siobhan James Elliot; published by Samuel French.
★★★★★ Boyz Magazine, London City Nights
★★★★ West End Wilma, Auditorium Magazine, LondonTheatre1, Hiive, Camden Review, Scatter of Opinion 

Bro’s 
Short play exploring bromance; commissioned by HighTide as part of their Writer's Academy; performed at HighTide Festival Aldeburgh; directed by Steven Atkinson.

Hide 
Site-specific play exploring life on the RSPB Strumpshaw nature reserve; co-written with Steve Waters; co-commissioned by University of East Anglia and RSPB Strumpshaw; produced at RSPB Strumpshaw; directed by Steve Waters.

Half A Person
Play exploring sexual and regional identity; produced at UEA Drama Studio; directed by Siobhan James Elliot and Jake Head.


TV Writing Credits 

Adam and Steve
TV comedy drama in development with Big Talk and Rupert Everett 

Rubber Ring
TV comedy drama in development with Ranga Bee Productions 

Hook Up
TV comedy drama in development with Shiny Button

James is one of the writers on the EastEnders Writers Shadow Scheme 2020. 

​
James was shortlisted for BBC Studios Writers Academy 2020


​Audio Drama Writing Credits

United Kingdoms?
In development; audio drama commissioned and produced by Pier Productions for BBC Radio 4; transmitting August 2021

Chemistry
Audio drama co-commissioned by Menagerie Theatre Company and Cambridge University; produced October 2020


​Short Film Writing Credits

Where's Steve?
Starring Terry George and Leon Lopez; directed by Leon Lopez; produced by Brown Boy Productions; watch here.

Paddy
Starring Joe Allen; directed by Myriam Archaki; produced by Danusia Samal; released through The Guardian Online as part of Virtual Collaborators; watch here.


Web Series Writing Credits

Cam Dram 
5 x 10 minute webisodes; directed and produced by Amy Hendry.

Distancing 
6 x 4 minute webisodes; starring Kane Surry & Elliot Hadley; directed by Leon Lopez; produced and released by Brown Boy Productions; watch here.
​

Awards and Nominations

​Nomination - Offie (Off West End Theatre Award) for New Play: Time and Tide - 2020

Nomination - Norfolk Arts Award for New Writing - 2019

Nomination - Norfolk Arts Award for The New Diversity Award - 2018


Nomination - Norfolk Arts Award for The People's Choice Award - 2017

Winner - Norfolk Arts Award for Best Large Scale Project for 'Come Yew In' - 2017

Winner - New Wolsey's Pulse Festival Suitcase Prize for 'Rubber Ring' - 2017

Winner - Anglian Voices Playwriting Award for 'Man Hug' - 2017

Winner - Young Harts New Writing Award for 'Steam' - 2017

Winner - HighTide Academy Showcase Award for 'Bro's' - 2016

Winner - UEA New Writing Competition for 'Half A Person' - 2016



Education & Training

EastEnders Writers Shadow Scheme 2021 @ BBC Studios

Mercury Theatre Playwrights Development Programme 2020 - mentored by Kenny Emson

HighTide First Commissions Scheme 2019 – mentored by Jonathan Harvey 

Hampstead Theatre’s Inspire: The Next Playwright Program 2019 – mentored by Roy Williams 

Park Theatre’s Script Accelerator Program 2018 @ Park Theatre, London 

Hat Trick Productions Your Voice Your Story TV Comedy Writing Initiative @ Hat Trick Productions 

Criterion Theatre New Writing Group 2018 @ Criterion Theatre - mentored by Greg Mosse

The Royal Court Writers’ Group 2017 @ Royal Court – mentored by Tom Wells

Papatango Playwriting Program 2017 @ Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds 

Soho Theatre’s Writers Lab 2016-2017 @ Soho Theatre, London 

BFI East of England Talent Development Scheme 2016 @ The Writers Centre, Norwich 

HighTide Theatre Company’s Young Writers Academy 2016 @ HighTide Theatre Company 

MA in Scriptwriting (Distinction) @ University of East Anglia (2015-2016)
Winner of The Malcolm Bradbury MA in Scriptwriting Bursary 2015 

First Class BA Hons in Scriptwriting & Performance @ University of East Anglia (2012-2015)

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  • Home
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