Simon Stephens plays include BLUEBIRD and HERONS for the Royal Court. Other work includes PORT (Roya l Exchange, Manchester), winner of the Pearson Award For Best Play 2001; ONE MINUTE (an ATC producti on); CHRISTMAS (Bush), and Country Music (Royal Court). Herons was nominated for the 2001 Olivier Aw ard for Most Promising Playwright and he is also winner of the Pearson Most Promising New Playwright Award.

'I thought Simon Stephens's play On the Shore of the Wide World was sensational. I was thrilled when it won the Olivier because I thought it was really underrated.' David Eldridge, playwright