Writer CV
about me
I am an internationally produced, multi-award winning writer who is based in London and Cambridge, UK and I have been writing professionally since 2015.
In 2022 I saw three of my plays staged in runs across the UK. Evelyn ran at the Southwark Playhouse and Mercury Theatre in June 2022 in a co production between Wildcard and Mercury Theatre. The play, starring Rula Lenska, was directed by Madelaine Moore and ran for 40 performances. The initial premise of the play saw me shortlisted for the 2016 intake of the Old Vic 12 and before Evelyn was longlisted for multiple awards including Theatre503 playwriting award, Papatango Award and Soho Theatre’s Verity Bargate Award. In 2022, Wreckage, a commission from Harlow Playhouse, will run at Summerhall during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Wreckage, which was commissioned by Harlow Playhouse, ran at Summerhall during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the summer of 2023, winning Summerhall's Lustrum Award, before transferring to the Turbine Theatre in January 2023. Wreckage was translated into German by Robin Kulisch ahead of its German premiere in 2023, where it ran at Theater das Zimmer. The play is currently on the shortlist for the 2024 Hamburg Theaterpreis. Fame Whore, a dark-comedy solo show with parody songs from Gigi Zahir (Crayola the Queen) ran at the Kings Head Theatre throughout October 2022.
My debut play, Circa, premiered at the Theater de Meervaart, Amsterdam, in 2016 before running at The Vaults Theatre later the same year as part of Pride In London. The play was revived In 2019 at The Old Red Lion theatre where it ran for four weeks in a co-production with Harlow Playhouse. Most recently my solo-show VELVET toured the UK and Ireland before running for four weeks at London’s Above the Stag Theatre. VELVET originally premiered at the Pleasance Courtyard during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2018. The show received multiple 5* reviews as well as 4* reviews from the likes of The Stage and The Scotsman. The play featured in The Scotsman’s ‘Best of the Fest’ feature on multiple occasions and won ‘Outstanding Monologue’ in Theatre Weekly’s ‘Best of the Fest’. VELVET also ran at both VAULT Festival and Dublin International Gay Theatre Festival in 2019, where the play won the Sean Meehan Identity in Theatre award at the latter.
In 2020 I was the recipient of the JB Priestley Award for Writers of Promise.
Evelyn, Wreckage and Fame Whore are published by Methuen Drama whilst Circa and VELVET are published by Playdead Press. All are available at online retailers such as Amazon, as well as on sale in the National Theatre and Royal Court Theatre bookshops.
The rights for Robin Kulisch's translation of Wreckage have been acquired by Concord Theatricals for all German speaking territories.
CV
In Development
Thenland | Commissioned by Harlow Playhouse & HighTide | TBC
Theatre
Trümmer (Wreckage) | Theater das Zimmer / Theater Bielefeld
Translated by Robin Kulisch | 2023 / 25
Wreckage | Summerhall / Harlow Playhouse / Turbine Theatre / UK Tour
Directed by Rikki Beadle Blair | 2022 / 23 / 24
Fame Whore | Kings Head Theatre
Self Directed | 2022
Evelyn | Wildcard / Mercury Theatre / Southwark Playhouse
Directed by Madelaine Moore | 2022
VELVET | Above the Stag / work.Theatre UK & Ireland Tour / Pleasance Courtyard
Directed by Andrew Twyman | 2018/19
Circa | Old Red Lion Theatre / The Vaults Theatre / Theater de Meervaart
Directed by Andrew Twyman* | 2016/19
Gifted | Pleasance Theatre
Directed by Polina Kalinina | 2018
Gifted (short) | Theatre503 / Old Red Lion
Directed by Joe Allan | 2016
Stickers (short) | St James Theatre / Pleasance Theatre
Self-directed | 2015/16
Other
Sweet Like Chocolate | Internet-play | National E-Theatr | 2020
* Circa was mounted as a production on three separate occasions, all of which had a different director. Andrew Twyman directed the most recent production at The Old Red Lion Theatre in 2019 in a co-production between Harlow Playhouse and work.Theatre.
Awards
WINNER | JB Priestley Award for Writers of Promise | 2020
WINNER (for Wreckage) | Lustrum Award | 2022
WINNER (for VELVET) | Sean Meehan Identity in Theatre Award | 2019
WINNER (for VELVET) | Best Monologue in Theatre Weekly's 'Best of the Fest' | 2018
SHORTLISTED | Hamburg Theaterpreis | 2024
SHORTLISTED | Old Vic 12 | 2016
LONGLISTED (for Evelyn) | Theatre503 Playwrighting Award | 2018
LONGLISTED (for Evelyn) | Verity Bargate Award | 2017
LONGLISTED (for Evelyn) | Papatango Playwriting Prize | 2017
press
INTERVIEWS & ARTICLES
Interview for Theatre Weekly - VELVET
Interview for Female First - VELVET
Interview with Entertainment Focus - VELVET
Interview with West End Wilma - VELVET
Interview with This Week London - VELVET
Interview with Love London Love Culture - Circa
Interview with London Theatre Reviews - Circa
Interview with My Theatre Mates - Circa
Article on MeToo in A Younger Theatre - VELVET
REVIEWS
SOME PRAISE FOR VELVET
"Engaging and important... Velvet offers a personal perspective that feels raw and human."
- The Stage on VELVET | FOUR STARS
"As the skilfully structured writing scratches and then vigorously scrubs away at superficial surfaces, what lies beneath is something more sinister."
- The Scotsman on VELVET | FOUR STARS
"A darkly comic story which borders on being a taught thriller, as the audience are left wondering what will happen next. This is a refreshingly emotional play which keep audiences enthralled from beginning to end."
- Theatre Weekly on VELVET | FIVE STARS
"The piece is ultimately subtle, brutal and necessary."
- The List on VELVET | FOUR STARS
"An evocative semi-autobiographical one-man show that vibrates with authenticity."
- QX Magazine on VELVET | FOUR STARS
"This is a triumph."
- Bouquets & Brickbats on VELVET | FIVE STARS
"Velvet is an exploration of drive, passion, and what it takes to cross the line... honest and painfully real."
- Broadway World on VELVET | FOUR STARS
"The show is sincere, emotional and human. It raises uncomfortable questions, from a new perspective that needed to be explored."
- London Theatre Reviews on VELVET | FOUR STARS
"An intriguing production with plenty of food for thought."
- LondonTheatre1 on VELVET | FOUR STARS
"A tour de force from Tom Ratcliffe... Outstanding."
- Edinburgh 49 on VELVET | FOUR STARS
"A clever and intelligent piece about the subtle nature of sexual coercion that is a fantastic showcase for the writing and performance skills of Tom Ratcliffe."
- Boyz on VELVET | FOUR STARS
"An emotionally disturbing look at how easily one can be victimised by a predator whose own intentions are hidden but unwavering."
- Living London Large on VELVET | FOUR STARS
SOME PRAISE FOR CIRCA
"A very beautiful piece of theatre."
- Theatre Weekly on Circa | FIVE STARS
"An accomplished piece of theatre with a wow factor. Passionate and powerful entertainment."
- Boyz on Circa | FOUR STARS
"There is a feeling of deep loneliness behind all the characters of Circa. Life is a journey, and sexuality too. The play shows this very honestly, and does not provide any answers. But neither does life."
- London Theatre Reviews on Circa | FOUR STARS
"I’m pleased there are no set-in-stone answers provided in this most thoughtful debut play from Tom Ratcliffe. As audiences shout at concerts and gigs after a band has done a good job, 'More! More!'"
- LondonTheatre1 on Circa | FOUR STARS
"Ratcliffe is proving to be a significant new voice in LGBTQ+ theatre."
- Reviews Hub on Circa | FOUR STARS
"Filled to the brim with truth, emotion and wit"
- Spy in the Stalls on Circa | FOUR STARS
"Fascinating and challenging in equal measure"
- Queerguru on Circa | FOUR STARS
"Ratcliffe’s play is a fantastic exploration of the toxicity of social expectations for gay men."
- North West End on Circa | FOUR STARS
SOME PRAISE FOR GIFTED
"Puts a human face on this conundrum, and in doing so is all the more persuasive because of the questions it raises."
- My Theatre Mates on Gifted | FOUR STARS
"A rigorous and riveting production that pulls no punches"
- LondonTheatre1 on Gifted | FOUR STARS
"Tom Ratcliffe’s Gifted is a timely and challenging show, delving into the murley world of sex, consent and revenge."
- Arthurs Seat on Gifted | FOUR STARS
"Gifted is not a light-hearted, romantic or relaxing theatre choice, but it is a thought-provoking and frightening experience that sheds light on issues that desperately need it."