Annie Jenkins
Writer
Film, TV & Theatre
Film, TV & Theatre
Annie's first three full length plays all premiered in London in 2019. In Lipstick, which was shortlisted for the Theatre503 Award, opened at the Pleasance Theatre in January, Tinder471 ran at Theatre503 in the summer and Karaoke Play ran in the autumn at The Bunker. Karaoke Play was awarded a special commendation from The Offies (The Off West End Theatre Awards).
In 2019 Annie was chosen to be one Theatre503's 503Five and also one of the Michael Grandage Company's MGCfutures Bursary recipients. She was awarded a Peggy Ramsey Foundation Bursary to develop Karaoke Play.
Annie's play Staying at Stacey's was longlisted for the Bruntwood Prize 2019 and received a rehearsed reading at the Almeida Theatre's rehearsal space. In 2020 it was Shortlisted for the George Devine Award.
In 2018 Annie co-wrote VOID which was produced at VAULT Festival by RIFT and Queen Mary University, winning a VAULT Innovation Award. She also wrote and co-directed a short film, Funemployed, which was screened at various festivals including the London Short Film Festival in 2017.
In 2022 Annie wrote The Essence of the Job is Speed: The Delivery Driver's Play for the Almeida as part of The Key Worker's Cycle. Also in 2022, her play the celebrity in the white bikini + how I accidentally looked was shortlisted for the Stückemarkt 2022 by Theatertreffen Stückemarkt as part of the Berliner Festspiele.
Awards: Shortlisted for the Adopt a Playwright Award in 2018 and 2023; Longlisted for the Old Vic 12 in 2018 and 2019; Longlisted for the Genesis Almeida New Playwrights, Big Plays Programme 2020; HighTide Writers Group 2017
Annie is published by Faber.
In Development
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
LUKE | Short Film | |
RIPE | Currently writing for submission as part of the Royal Court Writers Group (January 2025) |
Theatre
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
24 (DAY): THE MEASURE OF MY DREAMS 2023 | Almeida | Dir. Jack Nurse |
THE DELIVERY DRIVERS’ PLAY 2022 | Almeida | Dir. Jack Nurse |
WHEN I GROW UP (I WANNA BE) 2022 | Commissioned by The Big House in 2022 but unproduced | |
STAYING AT STACEY'S (Rehearsed Reading) 2020 | Almeida | *Longlisted for The Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting 2019 |
THE CELEBRITY IN THE WHITE BIKINI (+ HOW I ACCIDENTALLY LOOKED) (Rehearsed Reading) 2020 | Theatre503 | *Seed commission from Theatre503 as part of the 503Five (2019/20) |
UNDER MY BARBIE DUVET 2020 | Young Vic | Dir. Caitriona Shoobridge and Matt Kay. |
TINDER471 2019 | Theatre503 | Dir.Lucy McCann |
KARAOKE PLAY 2019 | The Bunker Theatre / Pluck Productions | Dir. Lucy McCann |
IN LIPSTICK 2019 | Pleasance / Up In Arms | Dir. Alice Hamilton |
TURNED MY HEAD as part of VOID 2018 | RIFT / Queen Mary University / Vault Festival | Dir. Felix Mortimer |
TINDER471 2018 | Hen & Chickens Theatre | Dir. Lucy McCann |
SING A SONG OF SILENCE 2016 | Arcola | Dir. Ross Crosby |
WHAT ABOUT ENGLAND? 2016 | Islington Mill, Salford | Dir. Ali Pidsley |
Opera
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
ENVY as part of BEAUTY AND THE SEVEN BEASTS 2022 | The Opera Story at Brixton Jamm | Dir. James Hurley |
Short Films
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
BIRDS 2022 | Goldsmiths | Dir. Tyro Heath Festivals: Hollyshorts Film Festival 2022 - Official Selection & World Premiere |
FOOT 2020 | Pluck Productions | |
FUNEMPLOYED 2017 | Screened as part of the London Short Film Festival, Encounters Film Festival, Underwire Film Festival |
24 (DAY): THE MEASURE OF MY DREAMS
'The stage is thronging with participants as if there had been a coup at the Almeida – community theatre as it ought to be. The show centres on Islington in north London, and writer Annie Jenkins and director Jack Nurse have pulled off an exuberant celebration of – and with – its residents...there is an enjoyably rebellious feel to the writing and the commitment of the players is inspiring.' - The Guardian
THE DELIVERY DRIVERS’ PLAY
'Highlights included Annie Jenkins’ insight into the hectic, taken for granted life of delivery drivers, which roved from the ridiculous - talking parcels - to the sublime: a grief stricken round of Ave Maria.' - Dominic Cavendish, The Telegraph
BEAUTY AND THE SEVEN BEASTS
'Meshes together two ancient tropes with such misanthropic virulence that you emerge thinking Sartre was on the right track when he declared that hell is other people.' - The Times
KARAOKE PLAY
'A beautifully written, darkly comic character study of four damaged British people, brought to life by a pitch-perfect cast. I suspect it will haunt me for quite some time' - View From The Outside
'Annie Jenkins’ impeccably acted Karaoke Play proves quietly devastating at the Bunker Theatre' - There Ought To Be Clowns
IN LIPSTICK
‘Isolation is gilded in glitter in Annie Jenkins’ tender debut. Jenkins has an ability for writing care within her characters, and we feel the ache of the effort they invest. Under the comedy bravado, each long for an intimacy that isn’t laced with fear.’ – The Guardian
'Moments of pure invention and theatrical brilliance Jenkins keeps such a tight grip on her audience that you can barely believe this is her debut play. It’s the sheer bombastic weirdness of In Lipstick that will linger in the mind… a memorable and entertaining debut play from a writer full of promise.’ - Exeunt
‘A hugely ambitious debut play from Annie Jenkins about two women locked in a suffocating friendship. The manic, possessive, motor-mouthed Cynthia sparkles and crackles.’ – Time Out
‘An incredible piece of theatre… an undeniable triumph. In Lipstick could quite easily be described as black comedy but it’s so much more, this play about power and frailty is absolutely gripping from start to finish.’ – Theatre Weekly
‘A very smart and quietly devastating piece.’ – The Reviews Hub
‘Incredibly well written.’ – Plays To See
TINDER 471
‘A very well written show… very relevant and hard hitting.’ – Views from the Gods
‘Tinder is not by any means the main feature, each piece goes far deeper. They are delivered by three captivating performers who show us a glimpse of what womanhood means today for millennials trying to navigate modern society.’ – LondonTheatre1
VOID
‘Unique and hugely daring; its form is entirely distinct from other productions, leaving you shaken and intrigued, searching for clearer lines between reality and fiction.’ – A Younger Theatre