Diane Samuels

Diane grew up in Liverpool in the 1960s and 70s and now lives in London where she writes for theatre, radio, literature, drawing from true-life story (often hidden) and mythology.

Her play KINDERTRANSPORT won the Verity Bargate and Meyer-Whitworth Awards, first produced by Soho Theatre Company in 1993, translated into many languages, performed in the West End, Off Broadway and all over the world. Other plays include THE TRUE-LIFE FICTION OF MATA HARI, Palace Theatre, Watford, 2002; HOW TO BEAT A GIANT, Unicorn Theatre, 2007; PERSEPHONE (a love story), with Maurice Chernick, Rosemary Branch, 2013; THE A-Z OF MRS P, with composer Gwyneth Herbert, Southwark Playhouse, 2014; POPPY + GEORGE, Palace Theatre, Watford, 2016; THIS IS ME, snapshots of girlhood, interactive memoir as monologue, Chickenshed, 2018; THE RHYTHM METHOD, with Gwyneth Herbert, a musical love story (with contraception) funded by the Wellcome Trust, at Bush Theatre Fertility Fest, and the Landor, 2018. Plays for BBC radio, include HEN PARTY, PSYCHE, Woman’s Hour serial, TIGER WINGS. In 2019 she mounted 3 concerts of new opera SONG OF DINA, with composer Maurice Chernick, giving voice to Dina, silenced sister of the Bible’s Joseph of multi-coloured coat fame.

Her plays and book, "DIANE SAMUELS' KINDERTRANSPORT" are published by Nick Hern Books.

For thirty years, she has been facilitating writing workshops for all ages, encouraging regular creative practice for a vibrant, productive life and worked for over a decade as Writer in Residence at Grafton Primary School in Islington, London. She encourages child-like playfulness in all her workshops and a spirit of “stop making sense, let go of thinking and give it a go”.

Her daily writing prompts on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter are widely enjoyed @WritingBright

Website at https://www.writingbright.org

"Sensitive encouraging inviting with the right mix of work content and fun."
Lorna Tibbles

"It was varied, challenging, and never failed to stimulate."
Annie Fienburgh

"Diane demonstrates dedicated commitment to provide value and shares her experience and expertise generously."
Ray Charlton

Email: dianesamuels@mac.com
Website : www.writingbright.org