Writer
Kathryn was a member of the Royal Court Young Writers programme and has a B.A. Hons in drama from LAMDA where she won the original poetry writing competition two years consecutively. Kathryn recently completed an MA in Playwright from the University of Essex, for which she received a distinction, as well as completing a short course with NFTS for Scripwriting for Film & TV.
“Kathryn is a playwright of real promise and has the capacity to become a significant artist and to make a significant contribution to British playwriting” Simon Stephens, Playwright
Theatre
Kathryn’s second play POISONED POLLUTED premiered at Old Red Lion for a four week run, November 2019, directed by Lucy Alan, in this two hander both actresses were nominated for Offie awards. Published By Nick Hern Books.
“The poetic writing combines with physical performances to create a moving story of sadness and lost hope in a world where young women in poverty can too easily fall through the gaps in the system.” The Stage
” Superbly written dark play by Kathryn O’Reilly about two sisters living with the effects of a toxic childhood. The writing masterly weaves together poetry and dialogue to convey a very painful story” Stage Door
‘Poisoned Polluted’ is a fearless account of the repercussions of a childhood torn apart by neglect and abuse… O’Reilly’s dialogue is unrelenting and clawing in a way that a desperate, symbiotic relationship can be. TheatreNews
Her debut play SCREWED premiered at Theatre503 for a four week run, June-July 2016. Funded by the Arts Council and The Richard Carne Trust. The director Sarah Meadows was nominated an Offie. Published by Nick Hern Books.
“A witty look at female friendship in a broken society. O’Reilly has a great ear for the scrappy rhythm of everyday speech. An assured debut, at times sharply observed and bruisingly funny” Tom Wicker Time Out
“O’Reilly really has done a wonderful job on her debut play, it is youthful and full of fire, it’s funny because it’s so entirely true…I could’t ask for more from a play, there are explorations of lifestyles, relationships, diversity and killer dialogue” Bethany Dickinson A Younger Theatre.
Staged readings
SEVERED (Soho Theatre) 2019
Dir. Jelena Budimir
Cast: Maggie Steed, Joanna Bacon, Barbara Pierson, Linda Clark
CAUGHT (Bush Theatre – Boom Festival)
Dir. Rikki Beadle-Blair
SEVERED (Theatre Royal Stratford East)
Dir. Kathryn O’Reilly
Cast: Eileen Page, Joanna Bacon, Barbara Pierson, Linda Clark, Eloise Joseph
SCARRED (Out of Joint)
Dir. Blanche McIntyre
Cast: Cary Mulligan, Celia Imrie, Phil Davis, Jamie Foreman, Johnny Harris, Matthew Needham, Emma Lowndes
SCARRED (Hampstead)
Dir. Jessica Swale
Cast: Dani Sapani, Lisa Kerr, Samswainsbury
SCREWED (Oval)
Dir. Pia Furtafo
Cast: Rebecca Scroggs, Gary Beadle, Matthew Needham, Kathryn O’Reilly
KLINK KLANK ECHOES (Tristan Bates Theatre – Team Angelica, Louder Than Words Festival) Dir. Hannah Eidinow
Cast: Kathryn O’Reilly, Eloise Joseph, Anthony Welsh, Gary Carr
“The moment I started reading the first draft of this play I was swept up – in it’s rhythm, it’s swagger, it’s natural flow. How can such a dramatic, shocking play be so seductive, so sexy, so beautiful..? This play has alchemy – Kathryn has a unique voice. Truly inspirational!” Rikki Beadle-Blair
“I enjoyed it immensely. I enjoyed its freshness. I liked the rhyming. I liked its pace and the relationship detail” – Simon Stephens
Short Film
KLINK KLANK
CAUGHT