Hope

‘Valuable and timely… a sunburst of optimism”

‘A surprisingly entertaining state-of-the-nation drama’

‘Mischievous without being strident, combining pensiveness and wry humour’

‘Sharp yet generous-spirited… [Hope] earns its final glow of optimism by being a critical, hard-edged play that is not a cynical one… it’s rather beautiful’

‘Jack Thorne’s play about local authority cuts could not be more timely: what is equally important is that it entertains even as it offers a call to arms… [Hope] is part of a valuable tradition in combining the residual optimism of David Hare with the preoccupation with process of David Edgar. But it exists on its own terms and is particularly good on edgy personal relationships… it resonantly lives up to its title’

Jack Thorne is a playwright and BAFTA-winning screenwriter.His plays for the stage include: When Winston Went to War with the Wireless (Donmar Warehouse, 2023); The Motive and the Cue (National Theatre and West End, 2023; Evening Standard Award for Best Play; Critics’ Circle Award for Best New Play); After Life, an adaptation of a film by Hirokazu Kore-eda (National Theatre, 2021); the end of history… (Royal Court, London, 2019); an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (Old Vic, London, 2017); an adaptation of Büchner’s Woyzeck (Old Vic, London, 2017); Junkyard (Headlong, Bristol Old Vic, Rose Theatre Kingston & Theatr Clwyd, 2017); Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Palace Theatre, London, 2016); The Solid Life of Sugar Water (Graeae and Theatre Royal Plymouth, 2015); Hope (Royal Court, London, 2015); adaptations of Let the Right One In (National Theatre of Scotland at Dundee Rep, the Royal Court and the Apollo Theatre, London, 2013⁄14) and Stuart: A Life Backwards (Underbelly, Edinburgh and tour, 2013); Mydidae (Soho, 2012; Trafalgar Studios, 2013); an adaptation of Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s The Physicists (Donmar Warehouse, 2012); Bunny (Underbelly, Edinburgh, 2010; Soho, 2011); 2nd May 1997 (Bush, 2009); When You Cure Me (Bush, 2005; Radio 3’s Drama on Three, 2006); Fanny and Faggot (Pleasance, Edinburgh, 2004 and 2007; Finborough, 2007; English Theatre of Bruges, 2007; Trafalgar Studios, 2007); and Stacy (Tron, 2006; Arcola, 2007; Trafalgar Studios, 2007).His television work includes Adolescence (with Stephen Graham), His Dark Materials, Then Barbara Met Alan (with Genevieve Barr), The Eddy, Help, The Accident, Kiri, National Treasure and This is England ‘86/‘88/‘90.His films include The Swimmers (with Sally El Hosaini), Enola Holmes, Radioactive, The Aeronauts and Wonder.He was the recipient of the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Award for Outstanding Contribution to Writing in 2022, and was elected the Guild’s President in 2025.Author photo by Antonio Olmos