Philip Braithwaite

Philip Braithwaite enjoyed early success in his writing career when, shortly after graduating from university, he won the 2001 BBC World Service International Radio Playwriting Competition with Blood, redrafted for radio from his stage play, The Human Engine.

Since then his work has been produced in New Zealand, Australia and Europe, and he has collaborated with groups from the Royal Court Theatre in London, the BBC and the SEEyD theatre company. His radio plays have been produced on the BBC World Service and Radio New Zealand.

Phil has also worked as a scriptwriting and theatre teacher at Massey University, Victoria University of Wellington, and Whitireia Polytechnic. He has provided mentorship for young playwrights at the Fortune theatre, Dunedin; and in 2013-14 he was the William Evans Playwriting Fellow at the University of Otago.

Plays include his comedy, The Ghost of Woody Allen, produced at BATS Theatre as part of the 2003 Wellington Fringe Festival. It was then moved to Circa 2 in 2004, to rave reviews. His Young & Hungry play Arcadian Nights (2003) proved successful, and has been produced in schools. 

In 2014 The Mercy Clause, which won the 2013 Adam NZ Play Award, was premiered at Palmerston North’s Centrepoint Theatre. The War Play, which premiered at the Fortune Theatre in 2015, is perhaps Braithwaite’s most personal piece.

The Atom Room premiered at Circa Theatre in 2018.

With thanks to Alister McDonald.