simon says, writes, does

Ay up!

I’m Simon Marshall, a playwright, writing facilitator and dramaturg from Derbyshire, living in Sheffield. As Associate Artist of Derby Theatre, I have been proud to develop my working practice in my home city, and be a part of initiatives in Derbyshire and South Yorkshire enabling disadvantaged people to explore their creativity. One such project 'Odyssey' a VR Audio Play with Plus One, went on to win a Stage Award for Digital Project of the Year 2023.

My writing and facilitating practice seeks to empower rural and marginalised narratives and LGBTQ+ individuals, and has been informed by collaborating with charities, care-experienced groups and communities local to me.

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My playwrighting practice blends a strong Midlands heart with a continued exploration of sexuality, belonging & ambition. I tend to write comedy-dramas, with an onus on realistic dialogue and unpicking relationships.

You can get in touch by dropping me an email here.

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Recent work includes:

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Writer:

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• Below Decadence (22-24th April, 7pm Camden People's Theatre)

New queer dark comedy monologue in London this April 2025.

Tickets £10 Available here

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Seb's sinking in customer service. When a yacht-guest offers him a taste of the high-life, he takes it. But what's the price of a white lie to the filthy rich?

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Part stand-up comedy, part character monologue, 'Below Decadence' is The Tempest meets BravoTV - a funny, fiery insight into the lengths we're willing to go to get ahead, and at what cost.

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Seb isn’t just work-shy, he’s sea-sick. Sick of taking orders, serving cocktails and cleaning bathrooms. He wants glamour, influence. Decadence.
When a blind-date with a yacht-guest offers an opportunity to taste the finer things, Seb wonders what’s a white lie to the filthy rich anyway?
Follow his odyssey as he navigates parties, private suites, and the most exclusive invite-only event of the season. As he finds himself out of his depth, he discovers what your moral compass is worth in the dark waters of mega-yachts and the mega-wealthy.

 

A blogpost about The White Lotus, The Tempest and Below Decadence

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Debuted at Amplify Festival 2024, with support from Sheffield Theatres, 'Below Decadence' is the latest work from playwright Simon Marshall 'honest, brave and often sharply funny' (Lyn Gardner on BONFIRE) and director Alice Fitzgerald (Best Director Nominee at the Stage Debut Awards 2023). 

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Below Decadence was originally seed-commissioned by 1623 Theatre Company as part of the Queer Folio 2023.

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• In Defence of Adventurous Mothers [In Development, showcased at the North Wall Arts Centre, Oxford during Catalyst, April 2023]

A comedy drama exploring the lengths a brother and sister will go to hold onto love as they grow up and apart, and our duty to family, but also to ourselves, to find our own extraordinary.

It is a fictional portrayal of a climbing dynasty of a Derbyshire family, with Theo and Nancy telling their story together, over each other, around each other, with movement and object manipulation, as well as within their storytelling.

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• Derby Poetry Festival 2024 Associate Poet

 

Commissioned to write and perform as part of Derby Poetry Festival, celebrating the literary ecology of Derbyshire.

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• BONFIRE, November 2023, Production, Participation Programme & Tour

[directed by Alice Fitzgerald, starring Oliver McLellan, choregraphed by Robia Milliner]

ACE-funded Winter Tour 2023: an ‘honest, brave and often sharply funny’ (Lyn Gardner) new play exploring the rural queer experience of growing up online, reclaiming queer identity and resisting shame. Received 2 4 star reviews and reached 400+ audience members at Derby Theatre, Sheffield Theatres & Nonsuch Studios, Nov 2023. Participation programme ‘SPARKS’ reached 105 people in East Mids/South Yorks, and piloted an LGBTQ+ youth theatre group in collaboration with Derbyshire LGBT+ and Derby Theatre.​

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The piece was the recipient of the IGC Artist Support Fund 2019, with an R&D supported by Arts Council England, Déda & Derbyshire LGBT+, presented as a sharing (Déda, Autumn 2019) with consultations for Derbyshire LGBT+ Youth Services groups in Chesterfield & Derby.

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It was shared at Departure Lounge 2022, following support from Derby Theatre, Boundless Theatre, The ReCreate Agency & New Diorama Theatre. In its future life we hope it to reach studio theatres, rural communities & Fringe audiences.

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• The Fossil Kids, June 2023 Sheffield Theatres' Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse. A new comedy-drama written with Sheffield Theatres' Young Company.

'So we were all packed off here. The 4 of us.

Like Narnia but we were all wearing GAP, and there was nothing worth finding in the wardrobes, trust.'

4 siblings raised by their Grandfather suddenly find themselves in charge of his legacy.
No family's perfect, but The Fossil Kids have history.

A new play about growing up, showing up and learning to be there for those who need you.​​​​​

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• kilburn (not london): (available here and on all podcast networks, 2021)

a new audio play inspired and dramaturged by care-experienced young people and lgbtq+ young people in Derbyshire. It follows 2 queer young people from Derbyshire, exploring young love, sense of self and making somewhere home.

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• Saving Mel Spencer:

A short audio drama exploring how a nightmare causes chaos between a gay couple on a farm in rural Derbyshire. Commissioned by Podium.me 2024.

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• Come To Where I Am Derby: Beau Repaire: (Online, June 2020)

A monologue-poem recounting a journey through Belper and the way we keep inhabiting our past, commissioned by Paines Plough in partnership with Derby Theatre. Video​

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• Island Nation – (The Space London, October 2018),

A short duologue exploring grief, sense of home and ASMR for Little Pieces of Gold.

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• Wading (Create Theatre Mansfield 2018, developed with Vision West Nottinghamshire College)

[longlisted for Royal Court’s Lynne Gagliano Award 2019]

A full-length dystopian comedy-drama set in a future Nottinghamshire, where sea levels have risen 13 metres, and society is split between those building the future and preserving the past.

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• Holly And/Or Ivy (Arcola Theatre November 2017 & Bread and Roses Theatre for The Platform January 2018)

• Brave Face, (rehearsed readings, Mountview Academy 2017 & Place Theatre Bedford 2018)

• Zips, From Devon With Love festival (Exeter Bikeshed 2017)

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Dramaturgy experience includes:

• The Devil's In The Chair by Eoin McAndrew (winner of the Verity Bargate Award with Soho Theatre for Little Brother)

• supporting Something Old, Something New by Tess Seddon

• 2024 R&D by Morven Robinson

• Everywhere by Nicky Bellenger​

• Script Reader for Sheffield Theatres 2024

 

Participation Producer:​

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• Community Project Manager for Sheffield Theatres, building relationships with communities across the city as legacy of 'Together In The City', to maintain access to theatre and creative opportunity. Lead Producer of the 'Together Too' Festival 2023, reaching 4000+ individuals in Sheffield with free creative workshops, performances, installations and activity.

• [Part-Time] (Nov 2022 - Present) 

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WINNER OF THE STAGE AWARD 2023 'DIGITAL PROJECT OF THE YEAR'

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'So ambitious as it takes audience on a journey; at heart a mediation on home, what you leave behind, what you take with & standing on the shore facing the future.' Lyn Gardner on 'Odyssey.'

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• Co-created 'Odyssey' VR audio-play with care-experienced young people from Plus One, navigating growing up, ambition and hope. 
  [Derby Roundhouse, July 2022, available online here]

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• Dramaturg & Facilitator for 'Everywhere' by Nicky Bellenger

A new youth theatre play exploring Alzheimer's, co-created with those living with Dementia and their carers and Universal Services for Carers in Derby.

[Derby Theatre, Feb-April 2023, rehearsed readings before being shared further.]

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• Co-created 'Reimagine: What the Stars Mean To Us', an original musical written from young people's contributions across North and South Derbyshire on what their futures, dreams and hopes mean to them. [Derby Theatre, February 2022 - July 2022, Buxton Opera House Sep 2022]

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• Drama & Creative Writing Workshop Leader for BBC Radio Sheffield & Creative Lives' 'Where We Belong' workshop series, inspired by the musical film 'Everybody's Talking About Jamie' at Theatre Deli (6th November 2021)

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• Produced, programmed & hosted 'Derby Loves You: A Night of New Writing' for Derby Theatre in the Market Place venue, featuring original writing by Paines Plough, Boundless Theatre & Charlotte Vickers [August 2021]

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• Co-created original film 'Our Place' with Derbyshire LGBT+ & Junction Arts, exploring the queer experience of Chesterfield, see adjacent (July - August 2021)

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• Co-created animation scripts with 3 Derby city primary schools for Reimagine with Derby Theatre (July 2021)

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• Déda, Learning Coordinator (This Is Derby & Reimagine) [Part-Time] (Jan 2019 – July 2021)

Leading on communications, programming & evaluation of sports & arts activity for schools & community venues in Derwent & Chaddesden as Hub Coordinator for Déda.  Reporting to Derby’s Cultural Education Partnership, working alongside Youth Workers and partnered primary & secondary schools, community centres & young people. Facilitating development of creative talent, including producing young performance companies & young poets for national symposiums.

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• Plus One creative writing Half-Term Residency with Zee Musiq (October 2020)
   

• ‘Homegirl’ by Alex Wheatle Online Book Club (Summer 2020)
   

• Reimagine Audio Plays (Summer 2020) online

- nine original audio dramas facilitated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

• Care About Care, Newcastle (October 2019)

​Short play co-created with care-leavers and care-experienced young people, alongside Derby Cultural Education Producer, for national ‘Care About Care?’ Conference hosted by Curious Monkey Theatre (Gosforth Civic Hall, October 2019)

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As a Creative Mentor with Plus One for Derby Theatre since 2019, I regularly lead 1to1 creative sessions and enable participation in cultural activities for care-experienced young people. My participation efforts in 2020-21 earned me a nomination in the top 3 for the Mainframe Award 2021's Rising Digital/Creative Star Under 25.

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Other:

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Hubbub Theatre, Development Producer [Part-Time] (Dec 2019 – Nov 2022)

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- Leading on major fundraising & developmental bids including successful Arts Council England, National Lottery Community Fund, Garfield Weston, Foyle Foundation & COVID-19 Response funds.

Working alongside the Artistic Director & Co-Producer across creative production development, organisational growth & outreach plans for SEND schools & Learning Disabled orgs.

Administrates & expands company’s Board and partnerships. Achieved ‘Creativity for Good’ Mainframe 2020 award & launched successful individual giving & press campaigns.