When and where did your career in theatre start?
I had to write a play for my degree at Rose Bruford drama school, No Boys Cricket Club, which I sent off. I got responses from Stratford East, the Royal Court and the Hampstead Theatre.
What are you currently working on and what are your plans for the rest of the year?
My play Sing Yer Heart out for the Lads finished a fortnight ago at the National's Loft theatre. Now I'm trying to get another idea together for the Royal Court's downstairs space; I'm aiming to get a first draft done by November
What do you consider your greatest achievement in theatre so far?
My family would say my greatest achievement was winning the Evening Standard award
What job/project/production have you most enjoyed working on, and why?
Sing Yer Heart Out, which had a cast of 14, was the biggest play I've written. There's a tendency toward the 'black box' studio play, for two or four people - young writers get ghettoised with that sort of work. When I was commissioned by the National, I very much wanted to do a big play, and I thought - they can afford it
Is there anything we're particularly good /bad at in this country? What do you think are the industry's real strengths and weaknesses compared with theatre elsewhere?
In America writers have to go through a lot more hoops to get their work produced - there are readings after readings after readings, which is why a lot of them are coming over here. Over here we've got the Royal Court, the Soho, the Bush, which are exclusively for new writers. I'd like to see more black faces, but the work has got to be good. There shouldn't be any tokenism. There's no point in trying to be PC about it
How could British theatre be stronger? What would make your work easier/more rewarding?
There's not enough risk-taking in the West End; more variety would be nice. Ticket prices could come down a little - they're frightfully expensive
·Coming up: Third commission for the Royal Court
