International Playwrights

A Genesis Foundation Project

The Royal Court Theatre works with playwrights and theatre artists in 70 countries and in over 30 languages. Each year, Royal Court playwrights and directors travel across the world to build relationships with emerging international playwrights through workshops, residencies and touring. This work is led by Elyse Dodgson, Head of the International Department – the arm of the theatre dedicated to developing new international plays and bringing them to our stages.

This work has its roots in George Devine’s original vision of the Royal Court as a ‘truly international theatre’. In the early years, we produced new plays by non-British writers such as Samuel Beckett, Bertolt Brecht, Max Frisch, Jean Genet, Eugène Ionesco, Arthur Miller and Wole Soyinka. Since our first International Season in 1997, we have produced plays from Austria, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Iran, Mexico, Norway, Palestine, Romania, Russia, Sweden and Ukraine.

The Royal Court has a long-term commitment to play development work. We don’t just shop around for successful productions but like to work with writers from the early stages of their careers. Typically, a play development programme can last up to three years. Several writers are given the opportunity to come to London to work with the Royal Court artistic team on their plays, either as part of our annual International Residency or to take part in rehearsed readings. All plays are read in their original language by a team of appointed readers; the department then commissions translations of plays selected for further development. The Royal Court has pioneered the use of theatre practitioners as translators and their integral involvement in both the play development and rehearsal process.

Our international work involves every member of the Royal Court artistic team and many of the leading playwrights, directors and dramaturgs associated with the theatre. These have included April de Angelis, Mike Bartlett, Leo Butler, Martin Crimp, Stephen Daldry, Ramin Gray, David Greig, Tanika Gupta, Stephen Jeffreys, Ruth Little, Clare Lizzimore, Phyllida Lloyd, Hettie Macdonald, Carl Miller, Indhu Rubasingham, Roxana Silbert, Max Stafford Clark, Simon Stephens and Lyndsey Turner.

We enjoy creative dialogues with theatre artists all over the world. Click here to find out more about our work in different countries.

The Royal Court’s international work is supported by the Genesis Foundation. For more information, please visit: www.genesisfoundation.org.uk.

We also have a long-standing relationship with the British Council who supports our International Residency and many of our play development projects abroad.