Jim Cartwright’s plays are consistently performed around the world and have won numerous awards. They have been translated into over 30 languages.
His first play, Road, opened at the Royal Court in 1986, and was subsequently revived that same year and again in 1987, before being taken on a nationwide tour. Road won the Samuel Beckett Award, Drama Magazine’s Best New Play Award, and was joint winner of The Plays And Players Award and The George Devine Award. In 1988, Road was produced by The Lincoln Centre, New York. Road is now considered a modern classic.
Other works include:
- Bed (Royal National Theatre, 1989)
- Two (Octagon Theatre, Bolton, 1989, transferring to The Young Vic, London 1990, winner of The Manchester Evening News Best New Play Award)
- Eight Miles High (Octagon Theatre, Bolton 1991 and again in 2005, also Theatre Royal, Bristol, 1994 and revived there again in 1995, nominated for the TMA best musical award. In 1997 a production of the play at the Reykjavik City Theatre, Iceland, ran for a year, breaking box office records)
- The Rise And Fall Of Little Voice (Royal National Theatre, 1992 and at The Aldwych Theatre in London’s West End, later that year. The production was nominated for six Olivier Awards, was winner of The Evening Standard Award for best comedy in 1992 and the Olivier Award for best comedy 1993. It opened on Broadway 1995.
Jim made his directorial debut with Road at The Royal Exchange Theatre in 1995. He also wrote and directed:
- I Licked A Slag’s Deodorant for the Royal Court at The Ambassador’s Theatre in London’s West End (1996)
- Prize Night for the Royal Exchange Theatre (1999)
- Hard Fruit for the Royal Court Theatre (2000).
Jim’s radio work includes:
- Baths (BBC, 1987).
His television work includes:
- Road (BBC, 1987, winner of The Golden Nymph Award for best film)
- Vroom (Channel 4, 1988, selected as centrepiece at The London Film Festival)
- Wedded (BBC, 1990), and June (BBC, 1990). Jim produced and wrote Village (Channel 4, 1996), two films Strumpet and Vacuuming Completely Nude In Paradise (BBC 2001), wrote and directed Johnny Shakespeare (BBC 1 2007)
Jim has been made an Honorary Fellow of the University Of Bolton, a visiting Professor at Salford University and his old school, Harper Green, have named a building in his honour.
Jim’s plays are published in England by Methuen and have been constantly in print since 1986. Many of his works are set texts for A level and University courses.