Chris Thorpe
Writer
Film, TV & Theatre
Film, TV & Theatre
Chris Thorpe is a writer and performer from Manchester – formerly Associate Artist at the Royal Exchange - work for them includes There Has Possibly Been An Incident and The Mysteries. Other theatre work includes Victory Condition and The Milk of Human Kindness for the Royal Court, Chorus for the Gate Theatre and Hannah, Beowulf and one of Aesop's Fables for the Unicorn. He also has ongoing collaborations with Rachel Chavkin produced by China Plate (Confirmation/Status), Lucy Ellinson (TORYCORE), Portugal's mala voadora (Overdrama/House-Garden/Dead End/Your Best Guess) and Hannah Jane Walker (The Oh Fuck Moment/I Wish I Was Lonely) Chris was a founder member of Unlimited Theatre, is an Associate of Live Art/Theatre company Third Angel and has worked frequently with Forest Fringe. Chris has also recently collaborated with Rachel Bagshaw, writing the award-winning The Shape of the Pain. He has also worked as a translator, most frequently with Serbian playwright Ugljesa Sajtinac and Belarus Free Theatre. His short film for the Royal Court and the Financial Times about the climate crisis, What Do You Want Me To Say? Was released in September 2019.
Chris's performance work tours internationally, and is also regularly produced for stage and radio throughout Europe and in the US, including the recent premiere of Victory Condition at Residenzteater Munich, and the Italian productions of There Has Possibly Been an Incident and Confirmation, which won the Premio Franco Enriquez 2018. Other awards include Fringe Firsts for Static and Neutrino (both with Unlimited Confirmation, Status, The Oh Fuck Moment, and The Shape of the Pain, as well as for Javaad Alipoor's the Believers Are But Brothers and Rich Kids: A History of Shopping Malls In Tehran, on which he worked as dramaturg, selection for Berlin Theatertreffen's Stuckemarkt for There Has Possibly Been an Incident, and the Arches Brick Award for TORYCORE. His work is published by Oberon Books/Bloomsbury/Nick Hern Books.
Chris was the Arvon Foundation mentor for playwrighting, 2016/17 and tutors courses regularly for them, he also works with the National Student Drama Festival. He has written radio and film, and is currently working on new projects for NT Connections, mala voadora, China Plate/Rachel Chavkin, and the Royal Court.
Chris has an ongoing co-writing and making collaboration with Javaad Alipoor, including Things Hidden Since The Foundation of the World, currently preparing for its US tour after shows at Sydney Opera House and successful runs in Manchester and London, and a new piece in the early stages of writing for Aviva Studios/Factory in Manchester.
Chris's new pieces, A Family Business and the solo piece Talking About The Fire, based on several years researching and working in nuclear disarmament spaces and treaty negotiation developed with China Plate and directed by Claire O'Reilly, are currently touring internationally.
In Development
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
IMAM ON THE MOON (working title) | Factory/Aviva Studios Manchester | Co-written with Javaad Alipoor |
ALWAYS MAYBE THE LAST TIME | Royal Court | In development with Vicky Featherstone |
UNTITLED | Belarus Free Theatre/WYP | |
LOW LIFE | Ruby Films |
Theatre
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
A FAMILY BUSINESS 2024 | China Plate Theatre | Written and Performed by Chris Thorpe. Directed by Claire O’Reilly. Touring Internationally. ★★★★ “Utopian, activist piece of theatre” – The Stage |
THE SOPRANO ALWAYS DIES 2024 | mala voadora and Portuguese National Opera | Writer |
THINGS HIDDEN SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD 2023 | HOME Manchester and Sydney International Festival | Dramaturg and Co-writer. International touring into 2025. ★★★★ "the theatrical version of a wild Wikipedia dive" TimeOut. ★★★★★ "a dazzling argument for complexity" The Guardian |
TALKING ABOUT THE FIRE 2023 | China Plate / Royal Court | Directed by Claire O’Reilly. Touring Internationally. "Masterfully put together" ★★★★★ Time Out |
TRUEMAN AND THE ARSONISTS 2023 | Roundhouse Theatre | Written by Max Frisch, Dir. Abigail Graham, with songs by Chris Thorpe |
MAID OF MANNHEIM 2021 | Nationaltheater Mannheim/Theaterhaus G7 | Co-written with Javaad Alipoor. "Potent and thought-provoking" ★★★★★ The Stage |
TELL ME 2020 | HOME Manchester | Co-written with Yusra Warsama. |
WE ARE THE KING OF VENTILATORS 2020 | Onassis Foundation, NYC | Text for performance and Short Film for Tim Etchells/Vlatka Horvat. |
RICH KIDS, A HISTORY OF SHOPPING MALLS IN TEHRAN 2019 | Javaad Alipoor Company | Dramaturg. Fringe First Award and International Touring. |
OFF 2019 | mala voadora/ National Theatre Lisbon | Writer. |
THE MYSTERIES 2018 | Royal Exchange Theatre | Cycle of six plays. Co-written with Sam Pritchard. "Unnerving and yet uplifting" The Guardian. |
STATUS 2018 | China Plate Theatre | Summerhall, Edinburgh Festival - Fringe First Winner. Dir. Rachel Chavkin |
THE SHAPE OF THE PAIN 2017 | China Plate | Directed by Rachel Bagshaw. Fringe First Award, UK and International touring. ★★★★ "a kaleidoscopic exercise in empathy" The Guardian. |
YOUR BEST GUESS 2017 | mala voadora | Writer and Performer. Two-hander with Jorge Andrade, touring internationally. |
THE BELIEVERS ARE BUT BROTHERS 2017 | Javaad Alipoor Company | Dramaturg. Fringe First Award. International Tour. |
2017 | The Royal Court | |
THE MILK OF HUMAN KINDNESS 2016 | The Royal Court / LIFT | Durational piece on reporting around nationalism/immigration. |
BEOWULF 2016 | Unicorn Theatre | As writer: heavy metal one-woman adaptation of the epic poem. |
2016 | The Gate Theatre | Writer of CHORUS |
CONFIRMATION 2014 | Warwick Arts Centre | Dir. Rachel Chavkin |
2014 | Unicorn Theatre | Dir. Simon Evans |
2013 | Northern Stage | |
THE NOISE 2013 | Unlimited Theatre | |
2013 | Manchester Royal Exchange/Latitude/Edinburgh | Dir. Sam Pritchard |
WHAT I HEARD ABOUT THE WORLD 2013 | British Council Showcase | |
I WISH I WAS LONELY 2013 | Edinburgh Fringe | Written and performed with Hannah Jane Walker |
DEAD END 2012 | mala voadora | Written for European Capital Of Culture, Guimaraes |
HOUSE/GARDEN 2012 | mala voadora | Centro Culturel do Belem, Lisbon |
OVERDRAMA 2011 | mala voadora | Cultergest, Lisbon |
MISSION TO MARS 2011 | Unlimited Theatre/Polka Theatre | Polka Theatre and Tour |
MOMENTS DESIGNED FOR A CITY 2011 | WYP | City-wide piece |
OH F**K MOMENT 2011 | Edinburgh Fringe/UK Tour/International Tour | Co-written with Hannah Jane Walker. FringeFirst Award 2011. |
MINSK 2011 2011 | Belarus Free Theatre | English version. FringeFirst Award 2011. |
ROBIN HOOD 2011 | NSDF | |
COME TO WHERE I'M FROM 2010 | Paines Plough | |
WHAT I HEARD ABOUT THE WORLD 2010 | Third Angel/Sheffield Theatres/mala voadora | Writer/performer. Co-production with Third Angel, Sheffield Theatres and mala voadora (Portugal). Opened at Sheffield Crucible October 2010, in Lisbon in November 2010 and toured Spring 2011. |
HIGH SPEED IMPACT. TEST NUMBER ONE 2010 | Contact Theatre, Manchester | Writer/performer. Commisioned by Queer Up North. Originally performed at Contact Theatre and subsequently at various venues. |
HERE I AM 2010 | West Yorkshire Playhouse | Translation of a new script by Belarus Free Theatre. |
OLDENBURG FUR AUSSERIRDISCHE 2010 | Pazz Festival, Germany | Writer/performer. |
STATIC 2010 | Theaterhaus TiG7 | New version in collaboration with Theaterhaus TiG7, Mannheim, Germany |
DOWN THE WIRES 2009 | Lowry Theatre, Salford | Writer/performer. |
INVENTORY 2009 | Forest Fringe, Edinburgh | Writer/performer. Also performed at Shunt and the Soho Theatre. |
BEYOND THE FRONT LINE 2009 | Slung Low | Contributing writer and performer. The Lowry, Salford. |
ANIMALS 2009 | Translation of a new play by Ugljesa Sajtinac. | |
TOUCHED 2009 | North Wall/Latitude Festival | Commissioned by NSDF for the ensenmble. |
BORDERLAND 2008 | Translation of a new play by Ugljesa Sajtinac. | |
PARTS FOR MACHINES THAT DO THINGS 2008 | Sheffield Theatres | Third Angel |
A LIST OF THINGS THAT FELL 2008 | Forest Fringe, Edinburgh | Writer/performer. |
PRESUMPTION 2007 | Third Angel - UK/European Tour | |
THE MOON THE MOON 2007 | Northern Stage - National/World Tour | |
THE ETHICS OF PROGRESS 2007 | National/World Tour | Co-production with West Yorkshire and Oxford Playhouse |
TANGLE 2007 | National/World Tour | Co-production with Newbury Corn Exchange and Sheffield Crucible |
SAFETY 2006 | Urban Stages, New York | |
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE 2006 | National Theatre | Collaboration with Benji Reid |
HUDDERSFIELD 2004 | West Yorkshire Playhouse | English version of a play by Ugljesa Sajtinac. Directed by Alex Chisholm. |
SAFETY 2002 | Unlimited Theatre at the Traverse Theatre | |
NEUTRINO 2001 | Unlimited Theatre | Co-written with Chris Gooded. Winner of a Fringe First Award. |
STATIC 2000 | Unlimited Theatre | Winner of a Fringe First Award |
DEAD IN THE WATER 1999 | Unlimited Theatre |
Radio
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
RIO STORY 2012 | Goldhawk Productions | BBC Radio 4 Friday night play. Broadcast spring 2012. |
OK COMPUTER 2007 | BBC Radio 4 | |
REUNION 2006 | BBC Radio 4 | |
STATIC 2001 | BBC Radio 4 | Radio adaptation of an original play |
Other
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
2019 | Financial Times / Royal Court | Directed by Juliet Riddell |
THE BOMB ON MUTANNABBI STREET IS STILL EXPLODING 2012 | Soup Collective/Imperial War Museum North | Permanent installation in the main exhibition space at Imperial War Museum North |