Benedict Lombe

Benedict Lombe is a writer of Congolese-British heritage. She is based in London and was born in Kinshasa.

She is the writer of two acclaimed plays, Lava[1][2] and Shifters,[3] both of which received their premieres at the Bush Theatre. Lava, a one-woman play starring Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo and directed by Anthony Simpson-Pike, opened at the Bush in 2021. It went on to win the 2022 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize[4] - the oldest and largest prize honouring women+ playwrights[5] writing for English-speaking theatre.[6] Lombe thus became one of the first playwrights to win the prize for a debut play.[7] Lava also won prizes at the Black British Theatre Awards and the 2022 Offies, and it was nominated for the Alfred Fagon Award for Best New Play of the Year.

Lombe's next play Shifters, a two-hander romance starring Tosin Cole and Heather Agyepong, directed by Lynette Linton, opened in 2024 to widespread acclaim from UK theatre press.[3][8][9][10][11] Shifters transferred to the Duke of York's Theatre in the West End from 12 August to 12 October 2024.[12]

Among Lombe's writing influences are Lynn Nottage, debbie tucker green and Paula Vogel.[13]

References

  1. ^ Beecher, Natasher (2021-08-13). "Lava by Benedict Lombe – review • Afridiziak Theatre News". Afridiziak Theatre News. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  2. ^ Marlowe, Sam (2024-03-23). "Lava review — a penetrating and witty monologue about race, roots and identity". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  3. ^ a b Hutera, Donald (2024-03-23). "Shifters review — a love story easy to fall in love with". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  4. ^ Bahr, Sarah (11 April 2022) [11 April 2022]. "Benedict Lombe Wins the Blackburn Prize for 'Lava'". The New York Times.
  5. ^ "Benedict Lombe | The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize". www.blackburnprize.org. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  6. ^ Wiegand, Chris (2022-04-11). "Benedict Lombe wins theatre prize for play 'celebrating Blackness in its fullness'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  7. ^ "Benedict Lombe's Lava is first debut play to win Susan Smith Blackburn Prize". The Stage. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  8. ^ Clapp, Susannah (2024-03-03). "The week in theatre: Shifters; The Human Body; Nachtland – review". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  9. ^ "Shifters, Bush Theatre review - love will tear us apart again". theartsdesk.com. 2024-02-27. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  10. ^ Curtis, Nick (2024-02-26). "Shifters at the Bush: an almost perfect bittersweet rom-com". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  11. ^ Nicole, Christina (2024-02-26). ""Shifters", written by Benedict Lombe - review • Afridiziak Theatre News". Afridiziak Theatre News. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  12. ^ Khomami, Nadia; Haji, Zainab (18 August 2024). "Is the theatre interval becoming a thing of the past?". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  13. ^ "Benedict Lombe". Alfred Fagon Award. Retrieved 2024-03-26.


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