Features

Jubilee Playwrights: 60 years, 60 key names

To mark the Queen’s forthcoming Diamond Jubilee, we’re highlight 60 British
playwrights who’ve made their mark over the course of her reign.

Here is our list – compiled by the Whatsonstage.com editorial team, including chief critic Michael Coveney – of the 60 writers we think have had the biggest influence in the past six decades. And as always at Whatsonstage.com we’re keen to get your thoughts, so please add your thoughts and submissions in the comments section below.

To vote on a shortlist of the top ten, click here.


Alan Ayckbourn (1939-)
Enid Bagnold (1889 –1981)

Howard Barker (1946-)

Mike Bartlett (1980-)
Richard Bean (1956-)
Alan Bennett (1934-)
Steven Berkoff (1937-)

Edward Bond (1934-)
Howard Brenton (1942-)
Moira Buffini (1965-)

Jez Butterworth (1969-)

Jim Cartwright (1958-)

Caryl Churchill (1938-)
Ray Cooney (1932-)

Noel Coward (1899-1973)
Martin Crimp (1956-)

Shelagh Delaney (1938-2011)

David Edgar (1948-)
David Eldridge (1973-)
Tim Firth (1964-)

Michael Frayn (1933-)
Pam Gems (1925-2011)

Simon Gray (1936-2008)
John Godber (1956-)
David Greig (1969-)
Trevor Griffiths (1935-)

Christopher Hampton (1946-)

David Hare (1947-)
Ronald Harwood (1934-)
Terry Johnson (1955-)
Sarah Kane (1971-1999)
Dennis Kelly (1970-)
Hanif Kureishi (1954-)
Kwame Kwei-Armah (1967-)
Bryony Lavery (1947-)
Mike Leigh (1943-)
Patrick Marber (1964-)
John McGrath (1935-)
Peter Morgan (1963-)

John Mortimer (1923-2009)

Anthony Neilson (1967-)
Peter Nichols (1927-)

Joe Orton (1933-1967)
John Osborne (1929-1994)
Philip Ridley (1964-)
Alan Plater (1935-2010)

Harold Pinter (1930-2008)
JB Priestley (1894-1984)
Stephen Poliakoff (1952-)
Terence Rattigan (1911-1977)
Mark Ravenhill (1966-)
Willy Russell (1947-)
Anthony Shaffer (1926-2001)

Peter Shaffer (1926-)

Simon Stephens (1971-)
Tom Stoppard (1937-)

Laura Wade (1977-)
Timberlake Wertenbaker (1951-)

Arnold Wesker (1932-)
Roy Williams (1968-) 

– Compiled by Andrew Rogers, Terri Paddock, Theo Bosanquet and Michael Coveney