Stephen Laughton


Stephen Laughton is an award winning British playwright. He was raised in Stourbridge, Worcestershire. He attended the Birmingham School of Speech and Drama, before completing a master's degree at the Central School of Speech and Drama. 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. 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. 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, 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. His play 9 was part of the PlayWROUGHT#3 Festival at the Arcola Theatre in January 2015, and his play Run opened at the Vaults Festival in February 2016 to critical acclaim. Run then went on to tour the UK, ending its run at in April 2017. The play has received widespread critical acclaim and has been nominated for two Off-West End Theatre awards. His 2016 short film RWD/FWD, has been nominated for a Drum Content Award and won the 2017 Long Form Charity Film Award. His 2016 play, SCREENS opened at Theatre503 to widespread critical acclaim. His play ONE JEWISH BOY caused controversy when it opened at the Old Red Lion in 2018. The play transferred to London's West End in 2020. He is the writer-in-residence at The Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
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.

Works