Stephen Laughton

Stephen Laughton is a British playwright. He was raised in Stourbridge, Worcestershire.^[1] He attended the Birmingham School of Speech and Drama, before completing a master's degree at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Based in London, he started his career as an associate producer and worked with Rupert Murray and Beadi Finzi on the Academy Award shortlisted Unknown White Male. He was part of the 2011/2012 Royal Court Theatre Invitational Writer's Group.^[2] His first play Marina Abramović is Staring at Me opened Terra Firma Theatre Company’s 2011-12 Boxcar Reading Series in New York at the Railroad Playhouse in Newburgh, NY.^[3] Before moving on to the Cell Theatre in Manhattan. In 2013 he was invited to take part in a series of developmental workshops with the Young Vic Theatre and SoundBites,^[4] and his short drama for young audiences, MERRY NEW YEAR was broadcast as part of collaboration between the Hampstead and the Roundhouse Theatre. Stephen is currently developing a feature film with Blacklisted Films.^[5] His play 9 (Lives) was part of the PlayWROUGHT#3 Festival at the Arcola Theatre in January 2015,^[6] and his play Run opened at the Vaults Festival ^[7] in February 2016 to critical acclaim. His new play, Screens opened at Theatre503^[8] in August 2016 and was an instant hit with the critics. ^[9]

Stephen co-directed a short-film, Recompense, based on the W. W. Jacobs short story The Monkey's Paw. The film screened at the BFI and was an official selection for the New York Independent Film Festival 2011, where it won the Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Directorial Debut in the Short Film Category.^[10]

Works

• Marina Abramović is Staring at Me (2011): Terra Firma Theatre.^[11]
• Line (2012): Royal Court Theatre.^[12] (Short Play as part of the Young Writers Festival 2012^[13])
• 9 (Lives) (2015): PlayWROUGHT#3 at the Arcola Theatre ^[6]
• Run (2016): Vault Festival.^[14]
• Screens (2016): Theatre503.^[15]

References