Julia Pascal
Playwright, Radio/tv/screenwriter
About
Julia Pascal is a playwright whose dramas mainly explore war, exile and inherited trauma. The granddaughter of Romanian Jews, who came to Manchester to escape antisemitism, her work frequently reflects themes of displacement and otherness. Julia’s first published volume was The Holocaust Trilogy (Oberon Books, 2000). Within this collection, Theresa explored the hidden story of the Channel Islands’ collaboration with the Nazis. Also featured was The Dybbuk. The myth was set in an East European ghetto. For BBC Radio, The Road to Paradise was transmitted in 1996. Much of the work is driven by historical research. St Joan explores slavery and Shoah, from the point of view of a Black Jewish Londoner. Nineveh (Oberon Books, 2014) reveals the post-traumatic stress of former soldiers and was set in a whale. Crossing Jerusalem (Oberon Books, 2003), traces 24 hours in the life of a Jewish family and their relationship with a Palestinian father and sons, during the second intifada. Julia’s paternal family were Irish. This inspired the writing of 12:37 (Methuen Drama, 2022) which connects Irish and Jewish nationalism. In 2005, she was awarded a National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts Fellowship, in recognition of the body of her work.
She also writes dance dramas produced for the Bloomsbury Festival. These profile the achievements of nineteenth-century women who struggled for equality in professional careers that were denied to them. As a radio journalist/presenter, Julia has made a BBC World Service documentary and has written for the quality press.