Judith Johnson
Playwright
About
Judith Johnson is a freelance writer and teacher. She has written more than 20 plays, including Uganda for the Royal National Studio/Royal Court, Somewhere for the Royal National Theatre/Liverpool Playhouse, Exclude Me for Chelsea Theatre and Brave New Food for Razed Roof. Judith has written two musicals with the composer Karl Lewkowicz — Release the Beat and Goodbye Barcelona – both performed at the Arcola Theatre (Goodbye Barcelona was also performed at Teatre del Raval, Barcelona).
She has also written extensively for young people, including five plays for Y Touring Theatre Company and three plays for National Theatre Connections. Her television work includes Grange Hill, The Bill and First Sex (which was nominated for a children’s Bafta). Her film Strawberry Fields, co-written with director Frances Lea, premiered at the London Film Festival in 2011.
Judith has written a number of plays for radio and was a core writer for the BBC World Service soap Westway for five years. Other work includes dramaturgy for the verbatim theatre company Recorded Delivery; script-reading and guidance for Arcola Theatre and Y Touring Theatre Company; extensive experience as a workshop leader and creative-writing teacher, including creative-writing tutor for Idea Stores, Tower Hamlets; and lecturer in narrative fiction (TV drama series) for the University of Greenwich.
She was an RLF Fellow from 2007 to 2011 and has also supported students’ academic writing at the University of East London. A number of Judith’s plays have been published by Methuen, Oberon, Faber/NT and HarperCollins. Her first children’s novel is entitled The Scholar and The Scrape.
Judith Johnson
Playwright
Posts
- University of Greenwich, 2014–2016
- University of Greenwich, 2007–2011