Benjamin Yeoh  / Ben Yeoh

Writer Biography

Born in London, Ben studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge University before dramaturgy, play writing and other arts as well as science at Harvard University. Forrest Gander (poetry), Chris Killip (photography), Adrienne Kennedy (playwright), Patrick Strzelec (sculpture) and Gideon Lester (dramaturgy) were teachers in arts.

He has written several plays including: NAKAMITSU (Gate theatre, translation award winner), YELLOW GENTLEMEN (Oval House), LEMON LOVE (Finborough Theatre) and LOST IN PERU (Camden People’s Theatre). Radio work: PLACES IN BETWEEN (R4, Times, Guardian, Pick of the Day), PATENT BREAKING LIFE SAVING (World Service), INVENTOR OF FIREWORKS (R3).

Ben  is current Chair of theatre company, Coney  (2013 - ).  He was Chair of the board of Talawa Theatre Company, a leading black British theatre company (2006 - 2013). 

“vertiginous sense of possibility and regret in Yeoh’s intelligent script”,       Time Out, Yellow Gentlemen
“rare and riveting” Times, Nakamitsu
“superb dramatisation… entertaining and informative” Guardian, pick of the day, Places in Between

2007
Nakamitsu, Gate Theatre, dir Jonathan Munby
The Broken Necklace, Arcola Theatre, miniaturists, dir Hannah Eidinow
BBC Radio 4, Places In Between, dir Steve Canny
Greed, Seven Sins, Soho theatre, reading, dir Annette Mees

2006
Winner of the Gate Translation Award for Nakamitsu
BBC World service, Patent Breaking Life Saving, dir Jessica Dromgoole
Yellow Gentlemen, Oval House Theatre, dir Bronwyn Lim
Appointed to the Board of Talawa Theatre

2005
On the Eve of the Collapse, Soho Theatre, reading, dir Ben Thomas
Confessions in ROAR festival, Chelsea Theatre
Royal Court writers programme led by Jane Bodie

2004
Staged Reading of Yellow Gentlemen, Soho Theatre, dir Ben Payne
Inventor of Fireworks, BBC Radio 3, dir Jonathan Man
BBC radio writers programme led by Nandita Ghose

2003
Lost in Peru, Camden People’s Theatre, dir Sarah Levinsky, Mapping4D
Letters & Nights of Love & War, Theatre & Beyond, reading, dir Maria Pattinson
Asst. Director to John Tiffany on Mark Ravenhill’s The Cut

2002
Statements, Pleasance, reading, dir Amanda Hill
Day in Life, Gate Theatre, reading, dir Tassos Stevens
Suburbia, Soho Theatre, reading, dir Yael Shavit

2001
Lemon Love, Finborough Theatre, dir Elizabeth Freestone