Guest Writers Spotlight

Every month, the Royal Court’s Living Archive invites a writer to delve deep into the rich reservoir of our archive, unearthing plays that have sparked their creativity and shaped their artistic journey. From groundbreaking classics to hidden gems, these curated picks are not just a reflection of their tastes but a window into the diverse inspirations that fuel the world of playwrights.

This month, dive into guest writer Nathaniel Martello-White’s handpicked selections and the stories behind them, and perhaps, find your own inspiration in the pages of our past. He writes: 

Experiencing plays at the Royal Court or delving into scripts from the bookshop/archive has always been a catalyst for igniting ideas and refining my approach to playwriting. The plays I’ve chosen have profoundly impacted me both personally and as an artist. I also feel incredibly privileged to be part of the legacy of writers and actors contributing to the theatre’s evolution.

During my time at RADA, I often visited the Court for student-priced tickets. I was fortunate to see three plays that significantly influenced my early playwriting: Simon Stephens’ “Motor Town,” Roy Williams’ “Fall Out,” and Jez Butterworth’s “The Winterling.” These works presented complex, nuanced working-class characters in worlds that felt both distilled and cinematic. The staging, design, and potent language mirrored a reality I recognized — one where language serves as both a weapon and a means of survival. My debut play, “BLACKTA” (Young Vic, 2012), drew heavy inspiration from these pieces.

“Top Dog Underdog” and “random” by brilliant black female playwrights are two more of my picks. Each, in their unique ways, experiments with form and minimalistic set design, embracing the theater’s architecture and the sheer power of the actors’ voices. This approach reminds me of ancient times when stories were shared around campfires. These plays influenced my second work, “TORN” (2016, Royal Court Upstairs), which explores this style of raw and uncompromising theatre, immersing the audience in the experience, almost as if they’re witnessing a ‘happening’ in the room.

Sarah Kane’s “4:48 Psychosis,” a play I’ve read multiple times but never seen performed, is my final pick. It’s a beautifully tragic piece, crafted for a solo performer, with lines like “Black snow falls, in death, you never hold me free,” which resonate deeply with me. These works continue to inspire my current projects, including my next commission, “Five Violent Acts.” In this, I persist in exploring a ‘stripped-back’ approach to theatre, where the language and the characters’ intentions and tactics are all that matter