Derek Martin

Derek was born in Warwickshire in 1965, but his family moved to Lancashire in the North-West of England when he was months old. Predominantly a playwright, he wrote his first full-length play at the age of 14 which came to the attention of legendary agent Peggy Ramsay. Ramsay was suitably impressed; she encouraged and nurtured his talent from then on. An accomplished and versatile playwright, Derek has written a wide range of plays in many different styles, from children's theatre and theatre-in-education to political theatre and adaptations of the classics. He often writes comedy and his work has featured on 'The Show What You Wrote' on BBC Radio 4. In more recent years, he has branched out as a lyricist and librettist, writing musicals, opera, a cantata and various stand-alone songs, particularly for the classical repertoire. His stage work has been performed at: Riverside Studios, Hammersmith; the Edinburgh Fringe Festival; Theatre 503, Battersea; Swansea Grand Theatre; Theatre Clwyd; Charter Theatre, Preston; the Lowry, Salford; the Royal Northern College of Music; and many other venues around Wales and the North of England. In 2017, he ventured into film, writing a short screenplay for actress Lucinda Sinclair which became Pretty, directed by Chris Green. He continues to write stage plays and musical theatre.