James Graham
Theatre, Film and TV
Lily Williams
+44 (0)20 7393 4452
lilywilliamsoffice@curtisbrow
n.co.uk
James Graham is a playwright and screenwriter.
His screen work includes Sherwood, which aired on BBC One in 2022 to rave reviews, and will return for a second series.
James also wrote Quiz (ITV and AMC) in 2020, directed by Stephen Frears, which was one of the most watched UK television dramas
of the year; and Brexit: An Uncivil War , which garnered huge public attention and critical acclaim in 2019. It was broadcast on
Channel 4 and HBO, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, and was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Television Movie, and a
BAFTA for Single Drama. His feature film X+Y was selected for the Toronto International Film Festival in 2014.
James's breakout play This House premiered at the National Theatre's Cottesloe Theatre in September 2012 and transferred to the
Olivier in 2013 where it enjoyed a sell-out run. It garnered critical acclaim and a huge amount of interest and admiration from
current and former MPs for his rendition of life in the House of Commons. The play went on to have an Olivier-nominated sell-out
revival in the West End in 2017 and it was chosen by popular vote as the best play of the 2010’s for the major theatre publisher
Methuen.
His latest play Dear England told the story of the manager of the England Football team, Gareth Southgate and his transformation of
the team. After a sold out run at the National Theatre the play, starring Joseph Fiennes and directed by Rupert Goold will transfer to
the West End.
Best of Enemies, about the political debates between Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley Jr., opened at the Young Vic in 2021, and is
currently playing on the West End. It has been nominated for an Olivier for Best New Play, and won a Critics’ Circle Theatre Award.
His new musical, Tammy Faye , with music from Elton John and lyrics from Jake Shears, opened at the Almeida in 2022. Ink - about
the early days of Rupert Murdoch - opened to huge praise at the Almeida before transferring to the West End in September 2017,
where it played in the theatre next door to James’ other new play – political romantic comedy Labour
of Love - creating theatre history. Labour of Love went on to win an Olivier Award, and Ink transferred to Manhattan Theatre Club on
Broadway and was nominated for six Tony Awards. His play Privacy about data surveillance culture premiered at the Donmar
Warehouse in 2014 before moving to the Public Theater in New York, starring Daniel Radcliffe. His first musical, Finding Neverland ,
ran for 18 months on Broadway in 2015 before touring the U.S.
James received an OBE in 2020 for 'services to drama and young people'.
CV
Featured Works
Labour Of Love Brexit: An Uncivil War Ink
Writer Writer & Creator Writer
Theatre
Writer
Best of Enemies Director Jeremy Herrin Young Vic, West End
Nominated for two Olivier Starring David Harewood, Transfer to Noel
Awards for Best New Play in Zachary Quinto Coward Theatre
2022 and has now been
nominated for Best Play in the
23rd Whats on Stage Awards As two men fight to become
the next President, all eyes
are on the battle between two
others: the cunningly
conservative William F
Buckley Jr., and the
iconoclastic liberal Gore Vidal.
Tammy Faye Director Rupert Goold Almeida
Starring Katie Brayben,
Andrew Rannells
Musical about Tammy Faye
and her husband Jim Bakker.
With songs by Elton John and
lyrics by the Scissor Sisters’
Jake Shears.
Quiz Director Daniel Evans Chichester Festival
Theatre and Noël
A provocative new play about Coward Theatre
Charles Ingram, the man
convicted of cheating on Who
Wants To Be A Millionaire.
Ink Director Almeida Theatre and
Nominated: Six Tony Awards Writer Duke Of York Theatre;
2019, Nominated: 'Best Play' Starring Bertie Carvel, Manhattan Theatre
Evening Standard Awards Richard Coyle, Pearl Chanda, Club, Broadway
2017 Jonny Lee Miller
Fleet Street. 1969. The Sun
rises.
Labour Of Love Producer Michael Grandage Noël Coward Theatre
WINNER: 'Best New Comedy' Company/ Headlong
Olivier Awards 2018 Director
Starring Martin Freeman,
Tamsin Greig
Political comedy about the
Labour party
This House Starring Phil Daniels, Vincent National Theatre,
Nominated: 'Best Play' Franklin, Philip Glenister, Minerva Theatre
Evening Standard Awards and Set in Westminster This House Chichester (Revival),
Olivier Awards strips politics back to the Garrick Theatre and
UK Tour
practical realities of
parliament
Monster Raving Loony Producer Simon Stokes Theatre Royal
Starring Joseph Alessi, Plymouth and Soho
Joanna Brookes, Jack Brown, Theatre
Samuel James, Vivienne
Acheampong, Tom Attwood
The life of Screaming Lord
Sutch as told through iconic
British comedy styles of the
20th century.
Privacy Director Josie Rourke Donmar Warehouse
Starring Gunnar Cauthery , and Public Theatre Off
Paul Chahidi, , Nina Sosanya, Broadway, NYC
Daniel Radcliffe
A dramatic investigation of the
digital age
The Vote Director Josie Rourke Donmar Warehouse
Starring Judi Dench, Mark
Gatiss, Catherine Tate
A Real time play for television
and theatre.
The Angry Brigade Director Theatre Royal
Writer Plymouth
Starring Pearl Chanda, Mark
Arends, Lizzy Watts, Harry
Melling
A Paines Plough production
about a young urban guerilla
group that mobilises against
MPs, embassies, police and
pageant queens
Finding Neverland Director Diane Paulus American Repertory
Starring Kelsey Grammer, Theater in
Laura Michelle Kelly, Matthew Massachusetts, Lunt-
Morrison Fontanne Theatre on
Broadway
A musical about the playwright
who wrote Peter Pan , with
music and lyrics by Gary
Barlow
Finding Neverland was
nominated at the Drama
League Awards 2014-2015 for
Outstanding Production of a
Broadway or Off-Broadway
Musical and Distinguished
Performance Award.
Sweet Bird of Youth Director Marianne Elliott The Old Vic
Starring Charles Aitken,
Daniel Betts, Kim Cattrall,
Louise Dylan
Dramaturg
66 Books The Bush Theatre,
Hand-Me-Downs was written
as part of the epic London
performance cycle
commissioned by the Bush to
open their new theatre
Bassett Director Anthony Banks National Theatre
Connections. National
Play for young people Theatre, Bristol Old
Vic.
The Man Director Kate Wasserberg Finborough Theatre
Starring Samuel Barnett,
Leander Deeny, George
Rainsford, James Graham
One man reviews his life of the
past year when completing his
tax return - with the help of
the audience
The Whisky Taster Director James Grieve Bush Theatre, London
Starring Samuel Barnett,
Chris Larkin, Simon Merrells,
Kate O'Flynn
Two Generation Y-ers fall in
love at an advertising agency
A History of Falling Things Director Kate Wasserberg Clwyd Theatre Cymru
Starring Di Botcher, Philip
Bretherton, Kate McGuinness,
Francois Pandolfo
A love story between two
people who suffer from a
terrible fear of falling things
and live lives trapped by their
condition
SuddenLossOfDignity.com Starring Katherine Drysdale, The Bush Theatre
, Felix Scott, Hugh Skinner
Co-written play for The Bush
and the Latitude Festival
Sons of York Director Kate Wasserberg Finborough Theatre
Starring Barry Aird, Colette
Kelly, William Maxwell, Kazia
Pelka
Set during the winter of
discontent, three generations
of a family in Hull come to
terms with the changes in the
country
Tory Boyz Producer National Youth Soho Theatre
Theatre
Director Guy Hargreaves
Play looking at prejudice,
tolerance and tradition in the
British Tory Party
Eden's Empire Director Gemma Fairlie Finborough Theatre
Winner of the Catherine Starring Daisy Beaumont,
Johnson Best Play Award Michael Kirk, Heywood Morse,
Jamie Newell
Political thriller about Anthony
Eden and the Suez Crisis
Little Madam Director Kate Wasserberg Finborough Theatre
Starring Catherine Skinner,
Simon Yadoo
Margaret Thatcher reverts to
her childhood and forsees the
story of her career
Albert's Boy Director Max Lewendel Finborough Theatre
Starring Gerard Monaco,
Victor Spinetti
Albert Einstein is forced to
confront his past when he
receives an unexpected visitor
Coal Not Dole Starring Mark Joseph, Tess Edinburgh Festival
Mitchell, Kathryn Oliver
Play inspired by the
experiences of a former
mining community
Additional Writer
TV
Writer & Creator
Sherwood House Productions for
Drama about two shocking BBC One
murders which fracture a Shooting 2021
community, set in the
Nottinghamshire village where
James grew up.
Quiz Director Stephen Frears Leftbank Pictures for
Starring Matthew Macfadyen, ITV and AMC for ITV,
Michael Sheen, Helen AMC
McCrory, Sian Clifford
TV Series based on James'
play
Brexit: An Uncivil War Producer Lynn Horsford House Productions for
Director Channel 4
Starring Benedict
Cumberbatch, Rory Kinnear
A one part special telling the
story of political adviser and
strategist Dominic Cummings,
in a revealing behind-the-
scenes look at the Leave
campaign running up to the
2016 European referendum.
Caught In A Trap Producer Jill Green Greenlit Productions
Director Michael Samuels for ITV1
Starring Jim Carter, Connie
Fisher, Geraldine James
An Elvis-obsessed parking
attendent steals from the
parking metres to fund her
love of 'The King'
Coalition Creator James Graham Cuba Pictures for
Winner of the RTS Best Single Producer Sarah Curtis, Dixie Channel 4
Drama in 2016 Linder (producing), Nick
Marston (Exec. producer)
Director Alex Holmes
Explores the rise of Nick Clegg
during the build-up to the
during the build-up to the
coalition.
Writer
Prisoner's Wives Producer Anna Ferguson Tiger Aspect for BBC1
Starring Jonas Armstrong,
Natalie Gavin, Pippa Haywood,
Emma Rigby
Drama about wives of
prisoners set in Sheffield
Secret Diary of a Call Girl: Creator Belle de Jour Tiger Aspect for ITV2
Series 4, Episode 6 Starring Billie Piper
The Crown: Season 3 Creator Peter Morgan Left Bank for Netflix
Episode 6 Director Christian Schwochow
Starring Olivia Colman,
Tobias Menzies, Helena
Bonham Carter, Josh O'Connor
Popular Netflix drama about
the Royal Family.
Contributor
Film
Writer
Ink Producer Michael Ellenberg Bron Media
In development
Adaptation of James' play of
the same name.
1984 Producer Scott Rudin
Director Paul Greengrass
New big-screen adaptation of
George Orwell’s classic
dystopian science-fiction novel
Nineteen Eighty-Four.
Gypsy Boy BBC Films
Adaptation of Mikey Walsh's In development
autobiography about growing
up in a Romany Gypsy family
X and Y Director Morgan Matthews BBC Films
Starring Asa Butterfield, Sally Origin Pictures
Hawkins, Eddie Marsan, Rafe
Spall
Coming of age feature about
young maths prodigies on a
trip to China that was listed on
the Britlist 2011
Radio
Writer
Where Shall I Go? What Writer Director Sasha Yevtushenko. Production
Shall I Do? Company BBC
James Graham's short drama Broadcaster BBC
explores how the 'movement Radio 4
of people' isn't just a distant,
global phenomenon but
something that's affecting
many young people here and
now.
Dividing the Union
The Grudge Director Peter Kavanagh
Broadcaster BBC
Radio 4
Albert's Boy Director Peter Kavanagh Production
Starring Richard Laing, Victor Company BBC Radio
Spinetti 4
Adaptation of his stage play
about Albert Einstein.
How You Feelin' Alf? Producer Peter Kavanagh
Starring Annabelle Dowler, Broadcaster BBC
David Hargreaves, David Radio 4
Ryall, Malcolm Tierney
Set during the winter of
discontent the play is about
Labour stalwart Alf and his
struggle to vote
