PLAYREADING: New @jmc_fire play Protomartyr, available online for 48 hours from 20:00 on 25 January. Based on life of St. Alban. Sign up for free tickets at Eventbrite eventbrite.co.uk/e/protomart…

My play Coward is being revived as a rehearsed reading at Hampton Hill Theatre on Sunday 19 April. “It's the 1930s. Noël Coward is in love with actor Leonard Marlowe and also wants Cole Lesley to be his permanent secretary. Marlowe initially repels Coward but has secrets of his own... Based on a real incident in Coward's life, the play shows how some people can use their celebrity ruthlessly to get what they want.” See 👇 for booking link.

To see me through the siege... My new Substack is a reflection on where I have stood and now stand in terms of left & right, and on the place these two categories clash. Link 👇

Tom Stoppard was charm itself the one time I met him, and donated to fundraisers a couple of times. His plays were a bit variable but I enjoyed the day at the Coast of Utopia trilogy. RIP. theguardian.com/stage/2025/n…

Coming soon:
PROTOMARTYR
A new play by James Martin Charlton
 “Would you say what they tell you to?”

Shocked to hear that Paul Danan died. He was the Monster in the Edinburgh Fringe production of my Desires of Frankenstein, and read various parts in the reading of Divine Vision at Swedenborg Hall. Gone much too young.

My two most recent play publications - Divine Vision: William Blake in Felpham and The Pilgrim's Progress are available from @TSLpub The Pilgrim's Progress Step into an unforgettable journey with this epic adaptation of John Bunyan’s timeless allegory, The Pilgrim’s Progress. Originally commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, this dramatization brings to the stage the tale of Christian, who flees the City of Destruction on a perilous quest to reach the Celestial City. Guided by Evangelist, Christian encounters a host of vivid characters—both friends and foes—including the treacherous Mr Worldly Wiseman, the loquacious Talkative, and the fearsome Apollyon. We follow Christian’s trials as he battles through the murky Slough of Despond, faces persecution at the chaotic Vanity Fair, and confronts the enormous Giant Despair in the menacing Doubting Castle. Meanwhile, his family endures their own hardships in his absence, adding a poignant counterpoint to his epic journey. tslbooks.uk/product/the-pilg… Divine Vision: William Blake in Felpham London, 1800. Things aren’t going too well for William Blake. He lacks work, his wife worries over the bills, he’s seeing visions of the Apocalypse, and his planned epic poem on the divine remains unwritten. When Blake gets an offer from famous poet William Hayley to leave London and settle in a cottage at the seaside village of Felpham, he jumps at the chance. In Felpham, things don’t quite work out the way Blake had them planned… tslbooks.uk/product/divine-v… The cover designs are by brilliant @MiddlesexUni BA Graphic Design graduate Phillip Block.

New plublication by @jmc_fire - a stage adaptation of John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, originally commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company. tslbooks.uk/product/the-pilg…

Today sees the publication of my adaptation of The Pilgrim's Progress by TSL Books. "Step into an unforgettable journey with this epic adaptation of John Bunyan’s timeless allegory, The Pilgrim’s Progress. Originally commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, this dynamic adaptation offers a wealth of roles for a large ensemble, bringing to life a diverse cast of infamous and fantastical characters. Directors and designers will revel in the chance to create striking scenes that capture the drama and spectacle of Christian’s odyssey. From the dark depths of despair to the dazzling heights of hope, The Pilgrim’s Progress promises an enthralling theatrical experience for both theatre makers and audiences alike. A monumental version which brings the full scope of Bunyan’s visionary masterpiece to the stage." tslbooks.uk/product/the-pilg…

Tomorrow is Human Rights Day. Stand Up for Human Rights! ohchr.org/en/get-involved/ca…

★★★★★ 5 stars Elizabeth Fry: ‘The Angel of Prisons’ at Canning Town Library "A site specific powerhouse of a biographical play by James Kenworth, brilliantly directed by James Martin Charlton" londontheatrereviews.co.uk/p… @jmc_fire

Staged in the Elizabeth Fry Room at Canning Town Library - announcing the world premiere of 'Elizabeth Fry: The Angel of Prisons’ by James Kenworth directed by James Martin Charlton, 22 - 27 August

Portrait of Joachim II, 1520 #lucascranach #northernrenaissance wikiart.org/en/lucas-cranach…

There's still time to sign up for tonight's stream of the reading of @jmc_fire new play Protomartyr & give us feedback on the script. The stream is available for 48 hours from 8pm tonight! protomartyr.eventbrite.co.uk

The Protomartyr reading is nearly here - sign up for free access protomartyr.eventbrite.co.uk

The reading of Protomartyr is now recorded, all ready for next week's online premier on 25 January at 8pm (available for 48 hours). Book your FREE ticket at eventbrite.co.uk/e/protomart…