Samantha Ellis

Writer

Agent
-
TV, Film:

Hannah Boulton
Agent
-
Theatre, Radio:

Maeve Bolger

Samantha Ellis is a playwright, screenwriter and non-fiction writer who grew up in London, the daughter of Iraqi Jewish refugees. Her plays include How to Date a Feminist which has produced internationally and translated into multiple languages.

She is writing a play, Mary Lamb, for E15 Drama School, writing a TV drama series about secret Jews and other ignored characters at the court of Henry VIII called The Invisibles and has just written a pilot for a comedy drama about postnatal depression and ghosts called Wind The Bobbin Up.

She has developed two original TV series with Tall Story Pictures and wrote a period drama adaptation for Working Title. She worked on Paddington and Paddington 2 for Heyday Films.

Samantha has taught writing at the University of Westminster and other places, worked as a journalist and her two acclaimed non-fiction books—How to be a Heroine (a spirited investigation into fictional women) and Take Courage (a biography of Anne Brontë) are published by Chatto & Windus.

Theatre

PHYLLIS, OR I’M STILL BURNING (short play). Jermyn Street Theatre (2020). Published by Nick Hern Books.

THE ONLY JEW IN ENGLAND. East 15 Theatre / Queens’ Theatre Hornchurch (2017)

HOW TO DATE A FEMINIST. Arcola Theatre and on tour (2016). Published by Nick Hern Books. It has been produced internationally, including in Turkey, Poland, Mexico and several theatres in Germany.

OPERATION MAGIC CARPET. Polka Theatre (2015)

CLING TO ME LIKE IVY. Birmingham Rep and on tour (2010). Published by Nick Hern Books.

THE THOUSAND AND SECOND NIGHT. LAMDA. (2010)

THE LAST WOLF IN SCOTLAND. Stage@Leeds. (2009)

STARTLE RESPONSE. Workshop production at the Young Vic. (2007)

MARTIN’S WEDDING. Blind Summit Theatre at BAC. (2004)

PATCHING HAVOC. Theatre 503. (2003)

USE ME AS YOUR CARDIGAN. Jackson’s Lane Theatre. (2002)

FEEL THE PLASTIC. Camden People’s Theatre. (1998)

THE CANDY JAR. Edinburgh Fringe. (1996). Runner-up in NSDF’s International Student Drama Competition.

Short plays for Polka Theatre Playhouse, Agent 160, The Miniaturists, the Liverpool Everyman, Menagerie Theatre. Urgent Theatre produced a retrospective of Samantha’s short plays at Theatre 503 in 2015 titled STARLORE FOR BEGINNERS AND OTHER PLAYS.

Radio

LOVE IS NOT NEW IN THIS COUNTRY. BBC Radio 3. (2018)

SUGAR AND SNOW. BBC Radio 4. (2006)

Film and television

Samantha script edited PADDINGTON and was part of the writers’ room for PADDINGTON 2, for Heyday Films.

THIRD TIME LUCKY 6X30 comedy drama developed with Tall Story Pictures.

INTO THE WOODS 6X30 comedy drama developed with Tall Story Pictures.

Samantha wrote a period drama adaptation film for Working Title.

 

Attachments and Residencies: Birmingham REP; Unicorn Theatre; MacDowell Colony, USA; Hampstead Theatre; Metal; Soho Theatre.

 

Call Hannah to discuss Samantha or other Writers

+44(0) 20 7908 0973

Call Maeve to discuss Samantha or other Writers

+44(0) 20 7908 0973