Steph Martin

Playwright and performer. My writing is centred on the need to stage new perspectives and narratives, too often kept in the margins or shadows.

Current projects include "Joy" is a coming-of-age story about a young woman with Down’s syndrome as she demands her place in a world that tries to keep her in the margins. (Theatre Royal Stratford East studio Directed by Melanie Fullbrook)

"Alkaline" (Park theatre, dir. Sarah Meadows) exploring the Islamic conversion of a British (white) woman who leaves her party-girl lifestyle behind her after meeting an older British (Asian) man. It explores faith in Britain in 2017 and the prejudices and dangers of “other-ing” (or the fear of the unknown) and Islamaphobia as well as the breakdown of friendships, marriage and duty we have to ourselves and to others.

"Bridle", (Camden People's Theatre, King's Head, directed by Chloe Doherty) an exploration of female sexuality and attempts to control it. A woman is arrested for an unknown crime and it emerges that subtly and without warning, aspects of behaviour and the expression of female sexuality have become criminal offences. Bridle explores shame, violence against woman, body and sex-positivity, freedom and control, heartbreak, pornography and demands new perspectives and discussions on these themes.

"Bathsheba" exploring the world of sex-work and escorting. (directed by Melanie Fullbrook) Two women find themselves unmarried and jobless in their early 30’s and decide to set up an escort business from their rented flat. The piece explores grief, friendship, sex-work, unemployment as well as issues around the decriminalization.