Natasha Delia Letitia Gordon (born 1976) is a British playwright of Jamaican heritage. In 2018, after a career as an actor, she made her debut as a playwright with the play Nine Night, becoming the first black British female playwright to have a play staged in the West End. Nine Night was also nominated for Best New Comedy at the 2019 Olivier Awards, making Gordon the first Black British Female Playwright to be nominated.

Early life and education Natasha Gordon was born in North London in 1976 to parents who were both migrants from Jamaica. Her grandparents had arrived in London from Jamaica by boat as part of the so-called Windrush generation in the late 1950s. Her mother joined them in 1963, where she found work, a Jamaican-born husband, and a comforting West Indian community.

Gordon grew up in the Leyton and Walthamstow areas and was a pupil at Holy Family Catholic School. She has credited her drama teacher at school for her love of acting and performing on stage. Gordon studied acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1999. She had auditioned three times before being accepted onto the course.

Career

Acting As an actor, Gordon's stage credits include Red Velvet (Tricycle Theatre), The Low Road and Clubland (Royal Court Theatre), Mules (Young Vic) and As You Like It (Royal Shakespeare Company). Her film and TV credits include Dough, Line of Duty, Class and Danny and the Human Zoo.

Writing Initially trained as an actor, Gordon started writing later in her career in response to the lack of opportunity offered to actresses of colour, especially as they get older and especially in lead roles. She has spoken about feeling a sense of responsibility to "create work for Black actors and for female actors" as a playwright. Nine Night is Gordon's debut play, which premiered in 2018 at the National Theatre and won her several accolades.

Gordon was appointed to be an Associate of the National Theatre in 2023, where she is also under commission. In 2024, she was a finalist in the Hermitage Major Theater Award, earning her a residency and fellowship at Hermitage, as well as a cash prize of . In 2025, she was announced as one of six writers in residence at the Royal Shakespeare Company, where she has been commissioned to write a new play.

Nine Night

Gordon's debut play, Nine Night, premiered at London's National Theatre in April 2018 and received critical acclaim. It later transferred to London's Trafalgar Studios on 1 December, marking a historic moment as Gordon became the first black British female playwright to have a play in the West End. In a profile by The Guardian newspaper, Gordon explained that the "nine night" ritual of gathering to eat, drink and share stories helped her connect with her family's past and served as inspiration for her first play. She also mentioned the deportation threats faced by many of the Windrush generation as a catalyst for her to delve deeper into her grandparents' challenges. The success of the play led to Gordon winning the London Evening Standard Theatre Awards Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright in 2018.

In 2019, The Guardian writers ranked Nine Night the 17th best theatre show since 2000.

Recognitions In 2019, Gordon was recognised in The Stage 100 list, which recognises 100 most influential people in the theatre and performing arts sector in the UK in a given year. She was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to drama. In 2021, she was made a Fellow of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, her alma mater.

Personal life Gordon's partner is Tom Anderson, who is also an actor. She has two children.

Gordon has spoken about the lack of racial diversity in the theatre industry in the UK. On becoming the first Black female playwright to have her work staged in the West End in 2018, Gordon said, "It didn't occur to me that it hadn't happened before; I felt sad and angry that that is the case". Gordon sees her achievement as a way to pave the way and "push the door open even wider" for other Black British theatre makers.

In 2018, Gordon was a contributor to the book Mother Country: Real Stories of the Windrush Children, edited by journalist Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff.

Acting credits

Theatre YearTitleRoleVenue/Production company Refs2001Clubland (by Roy Williams)SandraRoyal Court Theatre2001-2002AladdinPrincessLyric Theatre, Hammersmith; Told by an Idiot production2002Skin Deep (by Richard Vincent)Dr Amanda HollandWarehouse Theatre2002Inside Out (by Tanika Gupta)DianaArcola Theatre; Clean Break production2003As You Like ItPhebeSwan Theatre and Eisenhower Theater; Royal Shakespeare Company productionCymbelineHelenSwan Theatre; Royal Shakespeare Company production2003-2004The Tamer TamedCountry WifeSwan Theatre, Queen's Theatre, Eisenhower Theater; Royal Shakespeare Company production2010 - 2012SpeechlessJennifer GibbonsSherman Cymru and Shared Experience production; Traverse Theatre, Bute Theatre (Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama), and UK tour2012-2014Red VelvetConnieTricycle Theatre, St. Ann's Warehouse2013The Low RoadOld One-eyed TizzyRoyal Court Theatre2016LUCEHarrietSouthwark Playhouse2018Nine NightLorraineTrafalgar Theatre Film and television TitleYearRoleNetwork/ChannelNoteThe Bill1994Annie SimsITVSeries 10, Episode 412000Amy OkinSeries 16, Episode 35Holby City2004Gayle HortonBBC OneSeries 6, Episode 34Little Miss Jocelyn2006BBC2 episodesEastEnders2007Natasha PowellBBC One2 episodes2016Kay Breeze1 episodeDoctors2006Karen DennisBBC OneSeries 7, Episode 1662007Nimi JonesSeries 9, Episode 1312016Ella WardSeries 17, Episode 16610 Days to War 2008ReceptionistBBC TwoEpisode 3Law & Order UK2010Andrea PooleITVSeries 4, Episode 2Danny and the Human Zoo2015PearlBBC OneTelevision filmDough2015Safa HabimamaFeature filmYou, Me and the Apocalypse2015HiggsSky OneSeries 1, Episode 1Line of Duty2016PS Karen MarleyBBC TwoSeries 3, Episode 1Class2016Vivian AdeolaBBC Three3 episodes

Writing credits Nine Night (2018), writer, National Theatre Mr Loverman (2027), adaptation, National Theatre

Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryWorkResult Refs2010Stage Awards for Acting ExcellenceBest ActressSpeechless2018The Stage Debut AwardsBest WriterNine NightStandard Theatre AwardsMost Promising PlaywrightCritics' Circle Theatre AwardMost Promising Playwright2019Olivier Award Best New Comedy2024Hermitage Major Theater Award

References