Featured Playwright
Karen Bartholomew
About Me: Karen Bartholomew is a playwright, actress, and founder of Motormouse Productions, celebrated for her darkly comedic, socially relevant work. Her play Giving Up Marty, which explores adoption, earned a Vault Festival People’s Choice nomination and acclaim for amplifying marginalised voices. Her work has been featured by Soho Theatre, Paines Plough, NHS Medway, and Pilgrim’s Hospice, and she was a joint recipient of the StageWrite Award. Karen’s sharp comedic style has led to recognition, including shortlisting for Old Vic 12, BBC Writer’s Room, and the Blackshaw Showcase Award. Her plays have been produced by Open Page Productions, Bootleg Theatre, Motormouse Productions, Bootcamp Theatre, and Wireless Theatre. She is published with Wordsmithery. She is also creating radio comedies like Fifty Shades of Grace and M25…sort of and developing a feminist short film script. Praised for her relatable characters, Karen blends humour with humanity to tackle tough issues. Spy in the Stalls describes her work as “poignant, funny, and deeply human.” www.motormouseproductions.com
Featured Play
Paradise Now
When Tam loses a score her foster siblings step up to settle the debt. Their faith is strong but broken hearts can be dangerous. Will they hold on to the squat that affords them their only shelter? A loving future struggling to break free from a damaging past can only be real if all debts are paid.
Playwright: Dan Horrigan