CHRIS THOMPSON

"Chris Thompson can write moments so raw and tender they make the audience gasp. "

The Sunday Times

Chris Thompson is an award winning playwright and screenwriter.

His plays include 'Of Kith and Kin' (Bush Theatre and Sheffield Theatres, directed by Robert Hastie), ‘Albion' (Bush Theatre, directed by Ria Parry), ‘Carthage' (Finborough Theatre), and Dungeness (National Theatre Connections), Two Foreskins Walk into a Bar (Kraine Theater, New York.)

Upcoming feature films: ‘Burn’ for Popcorn Films, ‘Polly’ starring Alan Cumming, dir. Douglas Keeve. 

Feature films in development:  Life After co-written with Derek Simonds (Netflix's 'The Sinner', 'Call Me by your Name'), RID co-written with Greg Emetaz, Minor Apocalypse. 

Upcoming Television: Chris currently has several original TV commissions in development with studios in the UK and USA. Most recently, he has sold his semi-autobiographical comedy-drama 'Two Foreskins Walk into a Bar' about a loser gay playwright who survives cancer, gets divorced and moves to New York to start his life over. The show is based on his international hit podcast of the same name, season one of which made the Top 20 in 15 countries on the iTunes charts.

Following its international success as a podcast, Chris adapted 'Two Foreskins Walk into a Bar' for stage and played a sell out, extended off-Broadway residency at the Kraine Theatre in New York City in 2023. The play will be returning to the US and making its UK debut soon.

'Carthage' won the Pearson Playwriting Award and was nominated for Best New Play and Most Promising New Playwright in the OFFIE awards. The play extended its run and garnered critical acclaim. The play had its South Korean premiere in 2021 and was subsequently revived in a sell out extended run in 2024.

Chris's LGBT play for young people, Dungeness, has had over 150 productions in the UK, the USA and Canada.

Albion won plaudits for its bold, hard hitting depiction of the far right on karaoke night.

Of Kith and Kin was celebrated for its gripping portrayal of gay surrogacy, leading it to be described as “a triumph” and “possibly the best British gay themed play since My Night with Reg.

His award winning play, Burn, will be premiering soon, check back for further announcements.

Chris has been commissioned by the National Theatre (UK), The Royal Court Theatre, the Bush Theatre, and the National Theatre of Peru. He was the Channel 4 Playwright in Residence at the Finborough Theatre in 2014.He has led several of the writers groups at The Royal Court Theatre as well as the Bush Theatre's Emerging Writers Group. In his previous career Chris was a social worker and over the course of twelve years worked in child protection, youth offending and young people's sexual health.

Chris is represented by Ikenna Obiekwe at Independent Talent.

"Provocative, prescient writing."

Time Out

"Terrifically entertaining, gripping, knows how to surprise."

The Guardian

"“Brutally effective, unerringly inquisitive, indisputably compelling."

Ought to be Clowns

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