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Jessica Swale

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Jessica Swale
Born
Jessica Bronwen Swale

(1982-02-27) 27 February 1982 (age 42)
Reading, Berkshire, England
NationalityBritish
EducationRoyal Central School of Speech and Drama
Occupations
Years active2010–present

Jessica Swale (born 27 February 1982)[1] is a British playwright, theatre director and screenwriter. Her first play, Blue Stockings, premiered at Shakespeare's Globe in 2013. It is widely performed by UK amateur companies and is also studied on the Drama GCSE syllabus. In 2016, her play Nell Gwynn won the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy, after it transferred from the Globe to the West End, starring Gemma Arterton as the eponymous heroine. She also wrote and directed the feature film Summerland (2020).

Early life and education

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Born in Reading, Berkshire, Swale completed her secondary education at Kendrick School, Reading, before studying drama at the University of Exeter.[2][3][4] She completed her training at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (MA Advanced Theatre Practice), where she trained as a director.[5]

Career

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After drama school, she worked as Max Stafford-Clark's associate director at Out of Joint Theatre Company, on productions including The Overwhelming (2006) at the National Theatre and Andersen's English (2010) at Hampstead.[6][7] In 2006, she set up Red Handed Theatre Company with Katie Bonna, to perform new works and revive lost classics.[2][8] She was nominated for an Evening Standard Award for Best Director for her production of The Belle's Stratagem and received the Peter Brook Empty Space Award for Best Ensemble for Red Handed in 2012.[9]

Swale is also an associate artist with NGO Youth Bridge Global, using theatre as a development tool in war-torn countries,[9] and the author of a series of drama games books, published by Nick Hern.[10]

Stage directing

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In 2010, Swale directed the first play by a woman ever to be staged at Shakespeare's Globe, Nell Leyshon's Bedlam.[11] For Red Handed Theatre Company, she directed The Busy Body (2012),[12] The Rivals (2010),[13] Someone Who'll Watch Over Me (2012) at Southwark Playhouse, The School for Scandal (2013)[14] at the Park Theatre and Palace of the End (2010)[15] at Arcola Theatre. Other credits include Fallen Angels (Salisbury Playhouse),[16] Winter (Theatre Newfoundland, Canada), Sleuth, Sense and Sensibility[17] and Far from the Madding Crowd (Watermill Theatre).[18][19][20]

Playwriting

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Gemma Arterton starred in Swale's play Nell Gwynn (2016), short film Leading Lady Parts (2018) and feature film Summerland (2020)

As a playwright, Swale's first play Blue Stockings premiered at Shakespeare's Globe in 2013 and won her an Evening Standard Most Promising Playwright nomination.[2] Nell Gwynn premiered at Shakespeare's Globe in 2015, starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw,[21] and transferred to the West End with Gemma Arterton in the title role.[22][23][24][25] The production received four Olivier nominations, winning Best New Comedy,[26][27] and is currently being developed as a feature film with Working Title.[28]

Other plays includes All's Will that Ends Will (Bremen Shakespeare Company),[29] Thomas Tallis (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse), The Playhouse Apprentice (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse) and The Mission about illegal adoptions in the 1920s.[30] Her adaptations include Sense and Sensibility,[17] Far from the Madding Crowd (Watermill), The Secret Garden and Stig of the Dump (Grosvenor Park, Chester).[31]

Film and television

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Her first short film, the Time's Up movement-inspired comedy Leading Lady Parts, starring Catherine Tate, Gemma Arterton, Felicity Jones, Florence Pugh, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Tom Hiddleston and Gemma Chan, premiered on BBC Four in 2018 and is available for free on YouTube.[32][33] She then co-wrote the screenplay for Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans (2019).[34][35]

In 2012, she won the BAFTA JJ Screenwriting Bursary for which she developed an original screenplay, Summerland.[36] She also directed the film herself, and in 2020 it was released by IFC Films and Lionsgate.[37][38][39] In 2022, she shot two episodes of Ten Percent for Amazon Prime Video, featuring guest stars Dominic West, Emma Corin, and Himesh Patel.[40]

She is currently[when?] writing an original feature with Blueprint and StudioCanal and other projects for Fox Searchlight and Monumental Pictures.

Personal life

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Swale lives in South London with a photographer, Michael Wharley.[41]

Writing credits

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Plays

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Adaptations

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Books

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  • Drama Games: For Rehearsals (2016)[46]
  • Drama Games: For Devising (2012)[47]
  • Drama Games: For Classrooms and Workshops (2009)[48]

Directing credits

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Film and television

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Year Title Director Writer Notes
2015 Love[sic] No Yes Short film
2018 Leading Lady Parts Yes Yes Short film
2019 Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans No Yes
2020 Summerland Yes Yes
2022 Ten Percent Yes No Episodes #1.3 and #1.4
TBA Merv Yes No Post-production

Plays

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References

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  1. ^ Swale, Jessica (20 February 2020). "Box office opens 27th feb- my bday! One of many lovely things about sharing #summerland at ace @BFIFlare festival". Twitter. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Jessica Swale interview: Woman on fire". The Independent. 10 August 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Jessica Swale". Jessica Swale. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Hollywood calls for Winnersh playwright, Jessica Swale". Wokingham.Today. 20 August 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  5. ^ "High Profile Alumni". The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  6. ^ Thompson, Jessie (15 August 2017). "Play Talk: Jessica Swale talks about life as a playwright". Evening Standard. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  7. ^ "The restoration of Nell Gwynn". theartsdesk.com. 22 September 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  8. ^ Sun, Rebecca (15 April 2016). "Rep Sheet Roundup: 'The Flash' Star Tom Cavanagh Signs With NMA PR". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 24 January 2023. Swale co-founded and is artistic director at London's Red Handed Theatre Company
  9. ^ a b Wild, Stephi. "BLUE STOCKINGS Opens This Week at Cal State Fullerton". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  10. ^ "Jessica Swale". Nick Hern Books. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Theatre review: Blue Stockings, Shakespeare's Globe, London". The Independent. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  12. ^ a b "The Busy Body – review". the Guardian. 18 September 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  13. ^ a b "Theatre review: The Rivals | Southwark Playhouse, London". the Guardian. 17 January 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  14. ^ a b "The School for Scandal – review". the Guardian. 14 June 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  15. ^ a b "Palace of the End – review". the Guardian. 2 November 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  16. ^ a b "Casting announced for Noël Coward's Fallen Angels | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. 16 July 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  17. ^ a b c "REVIEW: Sense and Sensibility, The Watermill Theatre, Bagnor". Basingstoke Gazette. 9 April 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  18. ^ "Jessica Swale". Jessica Swale. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  19. ^ a b "Thomas Hardy's Far From The Madding Crowd". The Watermill Theatre.
  20. ^ a b c "Far From the Madding Crowd review – less haste, more feeling". the Guardian. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  21. ^ "Gugu Mbatha-Raw stars in Nell Gwynn at Shakespeare's Globe | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. 3 July 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  22. ^ Curtis, Nick (2 February 2016). "Gemma Arterton on Nell Gwynn, class and the gender pay gap". Evening Standard. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  23. ^ a b "Gemma Arterton to play Nell Gwynn in West End". the Guardian. 27 November 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  24. ^ "Nell Gwynn review – Gemma Arterton sparkles in chaotic comedy". the Guardian. 12 February 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  25. ^ Dex, Robert (11 February 2016). "Gemma Arterton: I'd love to take Nell Gwynn to Hollywood". Evening Standard. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  26. ^ Furness, Hannah (25 April 2016). "Nell Gwynn play changed Duke joke after visit from Prince Charles". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  27. ^ "Olivier Awards: Record eighth win for Judi Dench". BBC News. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  28. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (11 March 2016). "Working Title Acquires Film Rights To Hit West End Comedy 'Nell Gwynn'". Deadline. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  29. ^ a b "All's Will that ends Will - Birthday Performance for William Shakespeare - 2014 - Shakespeare-Festival Neuss". Shakespeare Festival - Globe Neuss. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  30. ^ "The Mission review – Jessica Swale's fury at the baby trade". the Guardian. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  31. ^ a b "Stig of the Dump review – relaxed rapport in the great outdoors". the Guardian. 14 August 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  32. ^ Steiner, Chelsea (3 August 2018). "Watch Emilia Clarke, Lena Headey, Tom Hiddleston, and More Try Out for Leading Lady Parts". The Mary Sue. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  33. ^ Zemler, Emily (2 August 2018). "Gemma Arterton's Time's Up-inspired short 'Leading Lady Parts' takes aim at the casting process". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  34. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (3 October 2018). "Kim Cattrall, Derek Jacobi & Kate Nash Among Cast For Altitude-BBC-Amazon Tie-Up 'Horrible Histories'". Deadline. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  35. ^ "Toilet humour abounds in TV series spin-off movie". independent. 2 August 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  36. ^ Riley, Jenelle (29 July 2020). "Jessica Swale on Her Journey to 'Summerland,' Collaborating With Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Gemma Arterton". Variety. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  37. ^ Rooney, David (27 July 2020). "'Summerland': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  38. ^ Maher, Kevin. "Summerland review — almost repulsively saccharine". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  39. ^ Walden, Celia (5 September 2020). "Gemma Arterton: 'I wouldn't choose a Bond girl role now'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  40. ^ Hullender, Tatiana (28 April 2022). "Kelly Macdonald Can't Play Bird Woman In Ten Percent [EXCLUSIVE CLIP]". ScreenRant. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  41. ^ Swale, Jessica (23 July 2022). "Meet the new addition to the Swale-Wharley household..." Twitter. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  42. ^ "Thomas Tallis by Jessica Swale featuring Harry Christophers' The Sixteen". Shakespeare's Globe.
  43. ^ "Blue Stockings By Jessica Swale". Shakespeare's Globe.
  44. ^ "The Secret Garden". Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre. Summer 2014. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  45. ^ "Review: This multicultural 'Sense and Sensibility' re-imagines Jane Austen's portrait of the foolish but redeemable heart". Los Angeles Times. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  46. ^ "Drama Games for Rehearsals". Nicky Hearn Books.
  47. ^ "Drama Games for Devising". Nick Hern Books.
  48. ^ "Drama Games for Classrooms and Workshops". Nick Hern Books.
  49. ^ "Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility". The Watermill Theatre.
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