Photo Credit: Richard Davenport
BENJAMIN SALMON
As a writer and creator, Benjamin’s work often explores what it means to be queer, circa now – and all the challenges, humour and complexities that come with that emotional terrain. His work is funny, emotional, tender – and a little bit dangerous. After growing up in the West Midlands, Benjamin trained as an actor at the National Youth Theatre, before being accepted on to Soho Theatre’s Writers Lab program, where he developed his first play BLOWHOLE (Pleasance London/ Edinburgh, Soho Theatre 2019-23). His other plays include OUR HOUSE (National Youth Theatre, 2019) and LOVE BOMB (National Youth Theatre 2023). Benjamin was commissioned to write the play LEAR IS NOT OK which was devised with the Almeida Theatre Young Company. The play premiered at the Almeida Theatre in March
2024. At the end of 2024, Benjamin received a DYCP (Developing Your Creative Practice) grant from Arts Council England in response to “Bringing Queer Writing into the Mainstream” and is currently working on two new plays with this funding. In 2020 Benjamin was included on Sister Pictures / Olivia Colman’s South of the River Pictures’ SCREENSHOT recommendation list of the most exciting comedy writer-performers based in the UK.
Benjamin’s spec TV pilot, CHUTZPAH, which tells the story of a young queer man’s conversion to Judaism, received a nomination for Best Comedy Script at the 2022 TV Foundation New Voice Awards.
Benjamin has written and contributed to online outlets such as What’s On Stage. He also teaches and facilitates courses, workshops and masterclasses that explore playwriting, comedy and acting for various organisations including the National Theatre, Soho Theatre, Synergy Theatre Project, Old Vic Theatre and the Roundhouse. He is a Visiting Lecturer at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.