Martin Crimp

Martin Crimp, born 1956, is a British playwright whose 1997 play, Attempts on her Life, established his international reputation.

His plays range from elliptical dramas of contemporary life — Definitely the Bahamas (1987), Dealing with Clair (1989), The Country (2000), The City (2008), Men Asleep (2018) — via the two satirical ‘entertainments’ Attempts on her Life (1997) and In the Republic of Happiness (2012) — to re-imaginings of Greek classics — Cruel & Tender (2004) and The rest will be familiar to you from cinema (2013) — the French language premiere of this play being presented at the Théâtre de Gennevilliers and the Festival d’Avignon (2019).

Recent notable productions include When we have sufficiently tortured each other – 12 Variations on Samuel Richardson’s ‘Pamela’ (2019) at London’s National Theatre, an adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac (2022) in London and BAM in New York, and a revival of The Country at the Théâtre du Rond Point, Paris (2023).

His first encounter with composer George Benjamin led to the ‘lyric tale’ Into the Little Hill (Festival d’automne, 2006), followed by Written on Skin (Festival d’Aix en Provence, 2012) and Lessons in Love and Violence (The Royal Opera House, 2018). Among other musical collaborations are the song-cycle Zauberland (Bouffes du Nord, 2018) with Bernard Foccroulle — and lyrics, drawn from his plays, for Roald van Oosten’s 2012 EP, 100% Happy.

Martin’s first solo show as writer and performer, Not one of these people (2022), opened at the Carrefour International Theatre Festival in Québec City before transferring to the Royal Court Theatre in London. In autumn 2023 it will be revived at Montreal’s USINE C.

In 2020 Martin was awarded the Nyssen-Bansemer Theatre Prize.