1. Things to look at:
The trailer for GLITTER KNICKERS, an audience-wowing, much loved R&D project. Obviously, if she floats your boat, get in touch!
Do audiences love what I write?
Skin in the Game Nov ’21, New Wimbledon Theatre: explosive audience reactions:
“What a show – what a show!” – “Made disaster fun!” – “True wee-pants laughs” – “A terrifically entertaining evening” – “A bit of genius” – “Absolutely brilliant and I would go and see it again!” – “Just fantastic!” – “It’s actually an uplifting dark comedy!” – “Honestly, it’s a really good way to explain, this is how to talk about climate change. “It’s like, ‘ohh my gosh, this is what everyone’s been talking about’ – this is perfect” – “A dark and delirious satirical comedy – offset some carbon and go see it!” – “It was brilliant! Really brilliant – really makes you think about climate change” – “You just can’t believe how bad it could get and I think the show really illustrates that” – “Riveting, hilarious and also a cautionary tale” – “Astute, witty, clever” -“So creative, so ingenious!” – “I think it needs to go big and go far – if they’re going to repeat COP every year, it needs to be there at COP every year.” – “I definitely haven’t ever seen anything like it. It was a mixture of really depressing, really funny, and very poignant.” – “I just saw a play that kind of blew my mind. It was terrifying, hilarious, and I’ve got a lot to think about!”
“Much more playful than Stoppard; you empowered the audience” – BOX
“A tour de force in writing & performance” “Funny, astute, painful & crammed full of face-achingly good one-liners!” – GLITTER KNICKERS
“Theatrical magic” – A BIT OF A SONG & DANCE
“Seriously loved it.” – BLACK BARN
“Acutely observed, sharp as tacks, plenty of wit and humour” – WATER’S NOT SO THICK
More reviews at https://gillkirk.com/reviews/
Coming Soon…
- GLUE: 1st short film (30m), in post-production. Two sisters (18, 22) reunite for Christmas, after their parents’ death. Can they find their old friendship and face the future together? Directed by Isabelle Larche
- SWEEPSTAKES HERO (working title) feature documentary: Story Consultant – working with Misfits and Red Bucket Pictures on a new US-funded documentary, in production. Dir Clair Titley. (http://www.misfitsentertainment.com/sweepstakes-hero )
- LOST BOY: audio drama 4X15 mins. Pre-wedding nerves, the mother-in-law from hell, and allegations of maternal abuse in the upper middle classes. In post-production. Release TBC. Dir Alison Farina
Work in Progress
- FFS: A lonely late-career tabloid columnist is thrown into what she can only describe as hell when she just can’t escape the overpowering stench of – surely not, please, God, no – not love? Or worse – is that – urgh- GOD?!
- The Sack: screenplay – a joyously and unashamedly political comedy
- Punchline – short novel: how to be a git. And not.
Industry: Work & Relationships
- Spring ’21: Story consultancy support – Slackline Productions: an exciting new project
- Autumn 2020:
- writer/producer, The Lost Boy audio drama;
- writer, political drama short film, details to follow…;)
- Spring 2020: Narrative consultant, “Sweepstakes Hero”, [working title] – forthcoming documentary: Red Bucket Pictures & Misfits Entertainment
- Oct 2020: “SKIN IN THE GAME”, selected as a New Wimbledon Theatre Studio Premiere: TBC / Covid-19
- 2019: Writer’s Residency: Pitlochry Festival Theatre
- June 2019: The Unloved (pilot, drama) reaches Thousand Films’ longlist (5% of c.2000)
- 2018: BBC Drama Script Room 17/18 – top 3.5% (full read): A BIT OF A SONG & DANCE
- 2017: C21/Script Angel – highly placed (<15) International Drama Pilot Competition – THE UNLOVED
- 2016: Jun-Nov – work on PEGGY with script editor Philip Shelley; summer development course with Yvonne Grace and Phil Gladwin
- 2014: Investment & training: Screen Yorkshire Triangle, Old Vic New Voices Lab, Bristol’s Tobacco Factory; Old Vic New Voicessupport for BOX script and crowdfunded £2k, IDEAS TAP winner of a VAULTS FESTIVAL slot (Passion)
- 2013: HARD MEN TV pilot: for 4Screenwriting (below). Long-listed for BBC Frank Deasey Award 2013 & quarter-finalist, Screenwriting Goldmine Awards.
- 2013: Grant support, Peggy Ramsay Foundation for a script about “1997”, working with Exeter’s Bike Shed Theatre, who provided a week’s R&D with director, space and cast.
- 2012: Channel 4 4Screenwriting: one of 12 selected from 3,200. Developed a pilot (HARD MEN), mentored by BBC Drama Script Editor Paul Gilbert.
Chances to See: Look what you missed!
- SKIN IN THE GAME – 12-19 Nov ‘21. Selected by New Wimbledon Theatre (Ambassadors Theatre Group) for inaugural Studio Season Premieres season: a dark climate emergency comedy, developed through a Residency at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. Audience feedback above!
- SKIN IN THE GAME: R&D script in hand (80 audience; feedback here), March 2020
- GLUE: 30m short film, dir. Isabelle Larché- festival release late 2020
- BOX: script in hand, Brighton Uni research & enterprise group – Oct ’18
- GLITTER KNICKERS: Rondo Theatre, Bath, March 2016
- A BIT OF A SONG & DANCE: Tobacco Factory Theatre July 2014. Originally commissioned by Andrew Smaje, Ustinov, Theatre Royal Bath as An Anaesthetic for Birthdays (below)
- PASSION: Monologue about PTSD. Aberdeen DanceLive! Oct ’14; Vault Festival Feb ’14; Old Red Lion ’12; Tobacco Factory ’11. First commissioned & produced by Dark Stuff Productions. Vaults slot won through IdeasTap.
- IT’S ALL ONE: Theatre Royal Bath, commissioned for Shakespeare Unplugged Festival: ’12
- AWAY WITH THE FAIRIES: comedy. Alma Tavern, Bristol; BrooHas Theatre Co. 4* March 12
- BLACK BARN, LOST Theatre bursary winner – tidy carnage; devised at High Tide retreat ’12
- WATER’S NOT SO THICK, dark family drama: 2011 Bath’s Rondo, 4* reviews, Venue Mag.
- AN ANAESTHETIC FOR BIRTHDAYS: commission Theatre Royal Bath/ Ustinov, May ’11
- NO MILK, NO STAMPS: 24H Plays ‘11, Theatre Royal Bath. Runner-up Play of the Year
- SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION, Oct 2010 – for “24” (24 hour plays), Bristol Old Vic
- EVERYONE LOVES A STORY: commission, “The Push” June 2010, Ustinov, Theatre Royal Bath
What do collaborators say?
“She knows her characters and has their best interests in her big heart. Most importantly she wants to know how her story will best be served up to her audience, and works tirelessly for compelling clarity. She is a joy to work with.” – Amanda Horlock, director
“As an actor, I can honestly say her lines are a joy to deliver and she is someone who is consistently happy to take feedback and to discuss character development, always working as part of the team to create the best production possible.” – Kirsty Cox, Broohas Theatre Co.
“Gill is a powerhouse of energy and creativity: a positive force for change, with the ability to write dialogue which makes the audience feel much less alone” Jill Bennett, Theatre Royal Bath
“Gill’s work is always engaging. She is a professional, collaborative artistwhose work as a writer is always worth seeking out as is her involvement in a project.” – Shane Morgan, director, Roughhouse Theatre Co.
“Her writing is a joy to direct and she is an absolute rarity in being a playwright who will genuinely take ideas on board and work in tandem with a director towards creating a show. [She] has an instinctive way of handling actors’ queries. I always look forward to working with Gill and would recommend her without hesitation to any director. ” – Alice Butler, tidy carnage theatre co.
“Gill is refreshingly committed to working with professionals in the rehearsal room with the bigger picture (and ultimately the strength of the piece) always in sight. This sort of working-relationship is invaluable in a collaborative environment such as theatre, and I cannot recommend working with her enough.” – Alison Farina, Butterfly Psyche Theatre Company
Let’s hear from the audiences again…
Audience and critics’ reviews are at https://gillkirk.com/reviews/ and include:
For Skin In The Game, March 2020 (script in hand show)
POWERFUL: “Fantastic – what a story” – “Too true” – “Terrifyingly watchable” – “It scared me” – “Brilliant writing”
FUNNY: “Made me cry with laughter” – “Good balance of humour without being preachy” – “Dark, dirty, weird and funny” – “A real ear for political nonsense” – “Wonderful one-liners” – “A really stimulating evening and a lot of fun” – “Great comedy; boy, do we need laughter in these times!!
THOUGHT-PROVOKING: “Made my stomach drop with horror ” – “Very thought-provoking and guilt-inspiring” – “Very timely” –“Brilliantly shows how warped and messed up everything is” – “A great reflection of modern society and the conflict between science and expertise, celebrity culture, politicians and the media”
ENDURING: “It provokes real thought in a palatable way that i will be thinking about for a while” – “Thanks for such a great experience and I hope to see it again, and bring lots of friends!” – “I’ll definitely be seeing the final version!”
And for other work?
“Much more playful than Stoppard; you empowered the audience” – BOX
“Funny, astute, painful & crammed full of face-achingly good one-liners!” – “A tour de force in writing & performance” – GLITTER KNICKERS
“Theatrical magic” – SONG & DANCE
“Very Dark. Seriously loved it.” – BLACK BARN
“Gill Kirk’s witty script manages to deal with exploring the complexities of human relationships, questioning the true value of money and art, while at the same time never forgetting to make its audience chuckle.” – AWAY WITH THE FAIRIES – What’s On Stage
“Acutely observed and sharp as tacks, [with] plenty of wit and humour… that soon gives way to a much bleaker portrait of dysfunction and dependence, and a plot which builds with the relentless momentum of tragedy.” – WATER’S NOT SO THICK – Venue Magazine
Projects Seeking Playful, Serious Collaborators
- THE SACK – a new political comedy screenplay (Dec ’21)
- THE RED SCRIPT: The public voted to get back their BBC licence fee “shares”, the English Broadcasting Co’s being taken over by Fox and two Treasury officials are on the hunt for a dangerously “good” script, to stop it infecting an audience.
- THE UNLOVED – TV pilot: Local journo turns “Jekyll & Hyde” when she engages with a convicted social media troll-murderer. She trolls, then atones with great investigations.
- GLITTER KNICKERS: a 1-woman comedy-drama with 5* R&D reviews but no big show yet! A mum’s redemptive afterlife journey as a Sindy doll, with a moody, half-naked god.
- PEGGY – TV pilot, further dev’t. When wealthy parents turn a blind eye, a boy dies while bullying. Mum Peggy rides into battle to demolish her husband’s privileged world. Parental titans / cultures collide.
Wider writing work
- Member of WGGB
- Paper Nations – advisory panel member
- Coaching and narrative support for writers on scripts and novels
- Myth and folklore adaption and live storytelling for children (Story Circle) in Bath and beyond
- Leader, Rondo Theatre Writers’ Group, Bath, ’16: 10-week course, 20 stage / screen writers
- Reader, Theatre Royal Bath NOVA script competitions 2012-15
- Reader, Butterfly Psyche new work competition 2014
- Ran adult scriptwriting workshops for Theatre Royal Bath’s Engage programme 2015.
Gill Kirk, scriptwriter 