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James Graham (playwright)

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James Graham
OBE FRSL
Graham in 2019
Born (1982-07-08) 8 July 1982 (age 44)
Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England
EducationAshfield Comprehensive School
University of Hull
Writing career
GenresPolitical drama, comedy
Notable awardsLaurence Olivier Award

James Graham OBE FRSL (born 8 July 1982) is a British playwright and screenwriter. His work has been staged throughout the UK and internationally, at theatres including the Bush, Soho Theatre, Almeida Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool and the National Theatre and has had multiple plays in the West End and on Broadway.[1]

Graham is a three-time Laurence Olivier Award winner.

Early life and education

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James Graham grew up in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire,[2] and was educated at Ashfield School, Kirkby-in-Ashfield and the University of Hull, where he studied drama.

Career

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Graham's first professional play, Albert's Boy, was produced by the Finborough Theatre in west London, where Graham became playwright-in-residence. His first major play This House was commissioned by the Royal National Theatre, transferred to the larger Olivier Theatre, and was nominated for the Olivier Award for Best New Play. This House was revived in 2016 and ran for two years, first in the West End and then on a national tour.[citation needed]

Graham's debut feature film X+Y premiered in 2015. He has written numerous TV dramas, including the TV films Coalition (which won the Royal Television Society award for Best Single Film) and Brexit: The Uncivil War (nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie). In 2019, Graham wrote and executive produced a three-part TV adaptation of his stage play Quiz, which aired in 2020.[3]

In 2022, it was announced that Graham had written the book for a new musical about the life of televangelist Tammy Faye Messner, with Elton John and Jake Shears writing the music. Tammy Faye opened at the Almeida Theatre in October 2022, and was nominated for four Olivier Awards, winning two.[4] Tammy Faye transferred to Broadway in October 2024 and closed two months later.[5]

He has received five Broadway productions. He wrote the books for Broadway musical Finding Neverland, and for the musical Tammy Faye which transferred to Broadway from London. His play Punch opens on Broadway in September 2025, following Broadway transfers of his plays Privacy and Ink (for which he received his first Tony Award nomination).[citation needed].

In 2023, he wrote Dear England for the National Theatre, starring Joseph Fiennes, a portrait of England footballer and team manager Gareth Southgate.[6] Dear England transferred to the West End, followed by a UK tour, and was announced by the BBC announced they had commissioned Graham to adapt the play into a TV drama series which will air on 30 May 2026.[7]

James Graham gave the James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture at the 2024 Edinburgh TV Festival. He criticised the lack of opportunities for people from working class backgrounds in the British television industry, citing that only 8% of people in the industry are from a working class background.[8] His lecture led to the development of the Class and Social Equality Working Group, consisting of TV professionals from across the industry that are dedicated to finding practical actions to redress the class balance in the TV industry.[9]

In 2025, his play Make It Happen was performed at the Dundee Rep Theatre[10] and the Edinburgh International Festival,[11] starring Sandy Grierson as Fred Goodwin, former CEO of the Royal Bank of Scotland, and Brian Cox as Adam Smith.[12] Also in 2025, his play Punch was produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club and performed at Broadway’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.[13]

In September 2026 the National Theatre announced that Major, Graham's play following John Major's ascendance to the office of prime minister, would premiere at the theatre during its spring/summer 2027 season. Jeremy Herrin, who also directed This House, is set to direct.[14]

Personal life

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In March 2024, he was the guest on the long running BBC Radio 4 series Desert Island Discs, hosted by Lauren Laverne.[15] During his appearance, Graham said he has had relationships with women and men.

Work

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Film

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Year Title Director Notes Ref.
2015 X+Y Morgan Matthews Theatrical film
2026 Ink Danny Boyle Theatrical film

Television

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Year Title Network Notes Ref.
2015 Coalition Channel 4 Television film
2019 Brexit: The Uncivil War Channel 4 Television film
2019 The Crown Netflix Episode: "Tywysog Cymru"
2020 Quiz ITV miniseries
2022– Sherwood BBC1 Drama series
2024 The Way BBC1 Dystopian series [16]
2025 Brian and Maggie Channel 4 Miniseries [17]
2026 Dear England BBC Miniseries

Theatre

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Year Title Notes Ref.
2005 Albert's Boy premiered at the Finborough Theatre [18]
2006 Eden's Empire premiered at the Finborough Theatre [19]
2007 Little Madam premiered at the Finborough Theatre [20]
2008 Sons of York premiered at the Finborough Theatre [21]
Tory Boyz premiered at the Soho Theatre
2009 SuddenLossOfDignity.Com premiered at the Bush Theatre[a] [22]
A History of Falling Things premiered at the Clwyd Theatr Cymru
2010 The Whisky Taster premiered at the Bush Theatre [23]
The Man premiered at the Finborough Theatre [24]
Relish premiered at the Tramshed in Shoreditch
Basset National Theatre Connections play
2011 Sixty Six Books Co-author; premiered at the Bush Theatre [25]
2012 This House premiered at the National Theatre [26]
2014 Privacy premiered at the Donmar Warehouse; transferred to Off-Broadway [27]
The Angry Brigade premiered at Theatre Royal, Plymouth [28]
Finding Neverland premiered at the A.R.T. [29]
2015 The Children's Monologues One-off event at the Royal Court Theatre[b]
The Vote premiered at the Donmar Warehouse [30]
2016 Monster Raving Loony premiered at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth [31]
2017 Ink premiered at the Almeida Theatre; transferred to the West End and Broadway [32]
Labour of Love premiered at the Noël Coward Theatre [33]
Quiz premiered at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester; transferred to the West End [34]
The Culture premiered at the Hull Truck Theatre [35]
2018 Sketching premiered at Wilton's Music Hall [36]
2020 Bubble premiered at the Nottingham Playhouse
2021 Best of Enemies premiered at the Young Vic; transferred to the West End
Shoot performed live at Alexandra Palace[c]
2022 Tammy Faye premiered at the Almeida Theatre, transferred to Broadway[d]
2023 Town Planning in the Apocalypse premiered at the Duke of York's Theatre[e]
Dear England premiered at the National Theatre [37]
Boys from the Blackstuff premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool [38]
2024 Punch premiered at Nottingham Playhouse and the Young Vic
2025 Make it Happen premiered at Edinburgh International Festival [39][40]
2026 The Standard of Living Will premiere at Theatre Royal Haymarket in autumn 2026 [41]

Reception

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For his 2025 play Punch, theatre critic Greg Evans writes that the play offers a "fine cast" and calls out Harrison's "tremendously affecting performance" but found the play too often felt "like a PSA for the restorative justice procedure."[42]

In 2026 the New Statesman deemed him "the writer for our era."

Recognition and honours

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In 2018, Graham won his first Olivier Award: Best New Comedy for Labour of Love. His other play, Ink, was nominated for Best New Play in the same year.[43] He won his second Olivier Award in 2024: Best New Play for Dear England.[44] He won his third in 2026: Best New Play for Punch.[45]

In June 2018, Graham was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in its "40 Under 40" initiative.[46] In January 2019, Graham's life and work was the subject of an in-depth BBC One documentary as part of the Imagine series.[47] In May 2019, his play This House was voted Play of the Decade in Bloomsbury Publishing's "60 Years of Modern Plays" public vote.[48]

He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to drama and young people in British theatre.[49] In June 2024, the New Statesman included Graham in The Left Power List 2024, the magazine's "guide to the 50 most influential people in progressive politics".[50]

Organisations Year Category Work Result Ref.
BAFTA TV Awards 2022 Short Form Programme People You May Know Nominated
2023 Best Drama Series Sherwood (season one) Nominated
2025 Sherwood (season one) Nominated
Laurence Olivier Awards 2018 Best New Comedy Labour of Love Won
Best New Play Ink Nominated
2024 Dear England Won
2026 Punch Won
Primetime Emmy Awards 2019 Outstanding Television Movie Brexit Nominated

See also

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Notes

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  1. ↑ In collaboration with Zawe Ashton, Joel Horwood, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm and Michelle Terry
  2. ↑ wrote the monologue "Biyonace"
  3. ↑ short play written for Sky Arts "Play in a Day" which was later broadcast on Sky Arts
  4. ↑ co-written with Elton John
  5. ↑ short play written for the National Youth Theatre, performed in February 2023 as part of an all-night showcase of NYT students

References

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  1. ↑ "Curtis Brown". www.curtisbrown.co.uk. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  2. ↑ Chakelian, Anoosh (28 January 2013). "Ayes to the playwright: James Graham interview". Total Politics. Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  3. ↑ Littleton, Cynthia (16 August 2010). "ITV and AMC Order 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' Cheating Drama 'Quiz'". Variety. Archived from the original on 16 August 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  4. ↑ Sherwood, Harriet (23 August 2022). "Musical Tammy Faye tells gay icon's life story with score by Elton John". The Guardian.
  5. ↑ Quinn, Dave (22 March 2024). "Tammy Faye Heads to Broadway! Elton John and Jake Shears' Divine Musical to Debut This Fall". People.com. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  6. ↑ "Dear England | National Theatre". www.nationaltheatre.org.uk. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  7. ↑ "BBC announces Dear England, a new drama based on James Graham's hit play about Gareth Southgate". BBC.com. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  8. ↑ Edinburgh TV Festival (22 August 2024). The MacTaggart Lecture: James Graham | Edinburgh TV Festival. Retrieved 15 September 2025 – via YouTube.
  9. ↑ "Class & Social Equality - The TV Festival". 7 November 2024. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
  10. ↑ "Make It Happen". Dundee Rep Theatre. Archived from the original on 25 July 2025.
  11. ↑ "Make It Happen". Edinburgh International Festival. Archived from the original on 25 July 2025.
  12. ↑ "Cast announced for Make It Happen". 16 May 2025. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  13. ↑ Evans, Greg (30 September 2025). "'Punch' Broadway Review: When Violence Meets Forgiveness". Deadline. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
  14. ↑ Khomami, Nadia (10 September 2026). "John Major's rise from obscure whip to PM part of new National Theatre season". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
  15. ↑ "James Graham - Extended Edit". Desert Island Discs. BBC Radio 4. March 2024.
  16. ↑ Goldbart, Max (16 February 2023). "James Graham, Michael Sheen & Adam Curtis Combine On Dystopian Drama 'The Way' For The BBC". Deadline. Archived from the original on 17 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  17. ↑ Williams, Zoe (10 January 2025). "'She was a fiend!': how the interview that destroyed Thatcher became an intense TV drama". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  18. ↑ "Alberts Boy - 2005 - Finborough Theatre". www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  19. ↑ "Eden's Empire". www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk. Finborough Theatre. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  20. ↑ "Little Madam". www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk. Finborough Theatre. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  21. ↑ "Finborough Theatre". www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk.
  22. ↑ Bushtheatre.co.uk Archived 11 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  23. ↑ "The Whisky Taster", Bushtheatre.co.uk Archived 24 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  24. ↑ "Finborough Theatre". www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk.
  25. ↑ "Curtis Brown". www.curtisbrown.co.uk.
  26. ↑ "This House on Tour - in the UK from February to June 2018". www.nationaltheatre.org.uk. 20 April 2016. Archived from the original on 24 September 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  27. ↑ Spencer, Charles (22 April 2014). "Privacy, Donmar Warehouse, review". Archived from the original on 12 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  28. ↑ "The Angry Brigade, Theatre Royal, Plymouth - Kate Maltby". 26 September 2014. Archived from the original on 24 July 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  29. ↑ Shao, Yiqing (11 July 2014). "Writer James Graham Talks New Musical Finding Neverland". Boston Magazine. Archived from the original on 17 February 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  30. ↑ Mountford, Fiona (7 March 2015). "James Graham interview: meet the writer bringing drama to this year's election race". independent.co.uk. The Independent. Archived from the original on 21 May 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  31. ↑ "Monster Raving Loony – The Drum, Theatre Royal Plymouth". Archived from the original on 1 March 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  32. ↑ Kenny, Fred. "Spring 2017 Season - Spring 2017 - What's on & Tickets - Almeida - About Us". almeida.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 February 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  33. ↑ "Labour of Love, a new comedy by James Graham". Labour of Love. Archived from the original on 2 June 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  34. ↑ Supercool (20 August 2017). "Quiz | Chichester Festival Theatre". Chichester Festival Theatre. Archived from the original on 21 August 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  35. ↑ "Hull Truck Theatre". Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  36. ↑ "Wilton's Music Hall | James Graham's Sketching". Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  37. ↑ "Gareth Southgate play starring Joseph Fiennes to hit National Theatre". BBC News. 21 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  38. ↑ Fisher, Mark (31 May 2024). "Boys from the Blackstuff review – powerful portrayals of working-class pride". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  39. ↑ "Make it Happen". BBC News. 18 July 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  40. ↑ "Make it Happen". Playbill. 24 January 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  41. ↑ Gans, Andrew (15 June 2026). "ames Graham's The Standard of Living Will Make West End Premiere Starring Rory Kinnear". Playbill. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  42. ↑ Evans, Greg (30 September 2025). "'Punch' Broadway Review: When Violence Meets Forgiveness". Deadline. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
  43. ↑ Masso, Giverny (9 April 2018). "Olivier Awards 2018: Political theatre is making a comeback, says James Graham". The Stage. Archived from the original on 24 January 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  44. ↑ "2024 Olivier Awards: Full list of winners". London Theatre.co.uk. 14 April 2024. Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  45. ↑ "2026 Archives | Official London Theatre". officiallondontheatre.com. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
  46. ↑ Flood, Alison (28 June 2018). "Royal Society of Literature admits 40 new fellows to address historical biases". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
  47. ↑ "BBC One - imagine..., 2019, James Graham: In the Room Where It Happens".
  48. ↑ "This House 60 Years of Modern Plays". Bloomsbury. Archived from the original on 13 June 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  49. ↑ "No. 62866". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 2019. p. N12.
  50. ↑ "The Left Power List 2024". New Statesman. 4 June 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
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