Natasha Gordon

Natasha Delia Letitia Gordon MBE (born 1976) is a British playwright of Jamaican heritage. In 2018, after a career as an actor, she made her debut as a playwright with the play Nine Night, becoming the first black British female playwright to have a play staged in the West End.[1]

Natasha Gordon

MBE
Born1976 (age 46–47)
London, England
OccupationActor and playwright
LanguageEnglish
NationalityBritish
Notable worksNine Night

Life

Natasha Gordon was born in North London in 1976 to parents who were both migrants from Jamaica.[2] Her grandparents had arrived in London from Jamaica by boat as part of the so-called Windrush generation in the late 1950s. Her mother joined them in 1963, where she found work, a Jamaican-born husband, and a comforting West Indian community.[2]

Gordon's debut play, Nine Night, premiered at London's National Theatre in April 2018[3] and received critical acclaim.[4] It later transferred to London's Trafalgar Studios on 1 December, marking a historic moment as Gordon became the first black British female playwright to have a play in the West End.[5] [6] In a profile by Guardian newspaper, Gordon explained that the "nine night" ritual of gathering to eat, drink and share stories helped her connect with her family's past and served as inspiration for her first play. She also mentioned the deportation threats faced by many of the Windrush generation as a catalyst for her to delve deeper into her grandparents' challenges.[2] The success of the play led to Gordon winning the London Evening Standard Theatre Awards Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright in 2018.[7]

As an actor, Gordon's stage credits include Red Velvet (Tricycle Theatre), The Low Road and Clubland (Royal Court Theatre), Mules (Young Vic) and As You Like It (Royal Shakespeare Company). Her film and TV credits include Dough, Line of Duty, Class and Danny and the Human Zoo.[8]

In 2019, The Guardian writers ranked Nine Night the 17th best theatre show since 2000.[9] Gordon was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to drama.[10]

Career

Theatre

Film and television

Writing

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Work Result
2018 Critics’ Circle Theatre Award[11] Most Promising Playwright Nine Night Won

References
  1. Rogers, Jami (19 June 2018). "Nine Night's West End transfer is a first for black theatre in Britain". The Stage. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  2. Rhodes, Giulia (5 May 2018). "Grandma's traditional Jamaican wake brought me closer to the Windrush generation". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  3. "Nine Night | National Theatre". www.nationaltheatre.org.uk. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  4. Billington, Michael (1 May 2018). "Nine Night review – joy and grief as generations collide at Jamaican wake". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  5. Body, Jamie (19 June 2018). "National Theatre's Nine Night announces West End transfer". The Stage. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  6. Shenton, Mark (25 July 2018). "There are still glass ceilings for diverse theatremakers". The Stage. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  7. Thompson, Jessie (19 November 2018). "Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2018 - The Winners". Evening Standard. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  8. Able, Sane and. "Natasha Gordon - The Agency". The Agency. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  9. Billington, Michael; Soloski, Alexis; Love, Catherine; Fisher, Mark; Wiegand, Chris (17 September 2019). "The 50 best theatre shows of the 21st century". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  10. "No. 62866". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 2019. p. N18.
  11. "2018 Results | Critics' Circle Theatre Awards". 29 January 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
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