Film and television

Writer and director · magic reality short film

Produced by David Martin for IAP:MCR. World premiere at HOME, Manchester, on 26 August as part of SCENE Festival. Premiere listing.

  • PROVENANCE — In development

Creator and writer · Television series

Pilot script and series treatment developed with Diane Shorthouse / Evolutionary Films.

  • THE VANGUARDS — In development

Writer · Feature film

Screenplay developed with Luke Oliveira-Davies / Polari.

  • TAKING STOCK — 2021

Writer · Television drama

Commissioned episode script and writers' room for Sky Television. Exec Producer Vicky Wharton. Unproduced.

Theatre and live work

Listed by most recent production, presentation or period of work; earlier dates are retained for revivals.

Writer and performer · Solo play

Produced by Factory International and David Martin. Work-in-progress performances at Aviva Studios, 24–25 July. Production listing.

  • PROTEST! — DOCUMENTING DISSENT — 2024–2026

Co-director and events producer

Led the creation and production of ten events drawing on LGBTQ+ oral histories, including On the Scene, an archive pub quiz and oral-history walking tours. Presentations at Factory International, the Royal Exchange Theatre, HOME and People's History Museum. Programme.

  • ON THE SCENE — 2025

Writer, director and producer · Live film set and participatory performance

Produced for SCENE Festival, at Fairfield Social Club, Manchester. A post-protest party reconstruction, and participatory film shoot.

  • WITH LOVE, MR. GAY — 2024–2025

Writer and performer · Play

Directed by Jez Dolan. Winner, WriteForTheStage Prize for Best New Writing, Greater Manchester Fringe 2024. Social Refuge, Manchester; King's Arms, Salford; The Actors, Brighton Fringe; The Met, Bury as part of Queer Fest; Camden People's Theatre, as part of Camden Fringe. Canal Street Media review. Everything Theatre review. The Reviews Hub review.

  • RECOVERIST CURATORS: RE-IMAGINING THE WORLD WE LIVE IN — 2025

Lead writer and writing facilitator

The Whitworth / Portraits of Recovery. Led writing sessions around artworks, helped develop participants' interpretative texts in their own voices, and wrote additional gallery material. Exhibition.

  • THE ROYAL EXCHANGE DEN FESTIVAL — 2025

Writer in residence and performer

Royal Exchange Theatre. Created Stalybridge Party Bus, a theatrical journey to Abigail's Party on 13 May; the festival's closing song; and commissioned written responses. Party Bus; Full Circle: Notes from The Den.

  • SPEAK UP! — 2024–2025

Composer, writer and lyricist (2024); lead songwriting artist (2025) · Original musical and collaborative songwriting

National Theatre Speak Up programme / The Lowry. Wrote the music and lyrics for the 2024 musical, created with Phoebe Foxtrot and Hollingworth Academy students and performed at The Lowry. Led a separate 2025 song project with lyrics developed with participating schools. Project account.

  • I WANT TO BE WHO YOU NEED ME TO BE — 2024

Writer · Play · Unproduced and available for production

Commissioned by Silent Uproar; developed at the National Theatre Studio. Director: Alex Mitchell. Formerly known as WHAT HAPPENS IN SCARBOROUGH.

  • A QUEER WINTER CONGREGATION — 2023

Writer and performer · Experimental performance

Commissioned by Lancaster Arts, Peter Scott Gallery. Collaborative work-in-progress sharing on 22 November. Event listing.

Writer · Musical play

Commissioned and produced by the Royal Exchange Theatre; directed by Amy Hailwood. Performed by professional actors and East Manchester community musical groups at The Den, August 2023. Production listing.

  • GREAT INDECENCIES — 2023

Writer · Play

Commissioned by IAP:MCR; directed by Sue Dunderdale. First performed at The Edge, Manchester, 30 March. Production details and making/performance film.

  • THE UNFORGETTABLE NAME — 2023

Writer and performer· Autobiographical solo play

Directed by Jez Dolan. VAULT Festival, London, February. The work has also been presented in immersive versions in a Manchester flat and at The Edge, Chorlton.

  • NATIONWIDE VOICES / BUS TOUR TO THE UNKNOWN — 2023

Playwright in residence

English Touring Theatre / Royal Exchange Theatre. One of three playwrights selected for the programme, led by Ned Glasier. Developed participatory theatre projects, including one around housing, through conversations with canal communities, leading to BUS TOUR TO THE UNKNOWN, directed by Nickie Miles-Wildin.

Book and lyrics · Musical

Commissioned for the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama; music by Toby Ingram, directed by Sue Dunderdale. Concert revival at Hope Mill Theatre in 2022.

Writer · Play · Unproduced and available for production

Winner, Bruntwood Prize Commendation Award, 2017. R&D reading at the Bush Theatre, directed by Matthew Xia; 2022 reading at Stephen Joseph Theatre, directed by Kash Arshad.

  • TELL ME IF I TALK TOO FAST — 2019, 2021

Writer and performer · Solo play

Previously titled GUIDED MISSILES. First presented within Double-Ender, a double bill with Jez Dolan; directed by Josh Coates. Venues included Oldham Coliseum, The Edge and The Met, Bury. Production listing and highlights.

Writer

Written in 2016 in response to the Pulse nightclub shootings. Subsequent presentations include at The Arcola by The Miniaturists and directed by Laura Woodward, at Contact Theatre by Take Back Theatre, Octagon Bolton by Gabriel Clarke and by forty-nine gay men at Bury Art Museum.

  • I'M AFRAID OF AMERIKANS — 2018

Book and lyrics · Musical

Commissioned for the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama; music by Toby Ingram, directed by Sue Dunderdale. Production credits.

  • 60 MILES BY ROAD OR RAIL — 2018

Writer and co-deviser · Play

Created with director Andy Routledge and a company of artists. Performances at Royal & Derngate, Northampton, September 2018. Project history.

  • THE LAST GAY PLAY, in OUTLAWS TO IN-LAWS — 2017

Writer of one of seven plays

Making Productions, King's Head Theatre, London; directed by Mary Franklin. Other writers included Phillip Meeks, Jonathan Harvey, Jonathan Kemp, Patrick Wilde, and Topher Campbell. Producer's account.

  • IN A TOWN SOMEWHERE NORTH OF MILTON KEYNES — 2016

Writer · Play · Unproduced and available for production

Rehearsed reading and R&D with the Royal Exchange Theatre, directed by Sue Dunderdale. Longlisted (Top 40), Bruntwood Prize 2015.

  • AN ODE TO US — 2016

Writer

Take Back Theatre / Royal Exchange Theatre; directed by Ian Townsend.

  • WORD ON A WING — 2016

Writer

Opening play for the venue 53Two, Manchester. Directed by Craig Sanders / Simon Naylor.

  • PAINTED ARROWS — 2016

Writer

Irlam Catholic Men’s Club, Irlam Fringe. Directed by Amy Liptrott.

  • BACK SEAT BETTY — 2015

Writer · Play

Directed by Esther Dix. Presentations at Joshua Brooks, Manchester; the King's Arms, Salford; and LOST Theatre, London. Best Drama, Greater Manchester Fringe 2015; also Best Play, LOST One-Act Theatre Festival. 2015 award. British Theatre Guide review.

  • I BELONG TO THE STARS — 2015

Writer

Royal Exchange Theatre; directed by Matthew Xia.

  • NOW DEPARTING — 2015

Writer and director

King’s Arms Theatre, Salford.

  • UNION — 2014

Writer and director

Belinda’s Showbar.

  • STRANGEWAYS — 2013–2014

Writer and director · Play

Edinburgh Festival Fringe; the King’s Arms, Salford; and LOST Theatre, London.

OTHER CREDITS

THE PANSY BOYS (LET’S ALL BE FAIRIES), Glastonbury Festival, 2023 — performer; produced and directed by Andrew Pollard.

UNEARTHED, New Vic Theatre, 2015 — assistant director to Theresa Heskins. Production listing.

BRASS, National Youth Music Theatre, City Varieties Music Hall, Leeds, 2014 — assistant director to Sara Kestelman. The production won Best Musical Production at the UK Theatre Awards 2014. Production award.

Selected awards and recognition

WriteForTheStage for Best New Writing, Greater Manchester Fringe, 2024 — With Love, Mr. Gay.

Bruntwood Prize Commendation Award, 2017 — This Is Not America.

Best Drama, Greater Manchester Fringe, 2015 / Best Play, LOST One-Act Theatre Festival, 2015 — Back Seat Betty.

Longlisted (Top 40), Bruntwood Prize, 2015 — In a Town Somewhere North of Milton Keynes.

Training and education

MA History, University of Manchester, 2019-2021

Royal Exchange Theatre and Soho Theatre playwriting programmes, 2015-2016

RTYDS training at the New Vic Theatre with Theresa Heskins, 2014-2015

BMus Music, University of Manchester, 2010-2013

Updated September 2026.

JOSHUA VAL MARTIN

Writer for stage and screen.

For scripts and writing enquiries, contact Giles Smart at United Agents.