Josh Elliott writes about care, control, and the cost of survival.
About
Josh Elliott is a playwright and dramaturg of Indian and Irish heritage. His work is darkly funny and emotionally sharp, exploring what happens when love becomes control, help turns into harm, and ordinary rituals carry heavy consequences.
Josh has written for the Almeida and the Royal Court. His recent work includes The Funeral Directors’ Play for The Key Workers’ Cycle, described by The Guardian as “fantastically weird, funny, macabre” and by The Times as “neat, witty.” The Almeida called it “richer and more moving than many full-length plays,” praising his ability to explore grief, masculinity, and mortality with bold theatricality and formal simplicity.
He is currently developing Cannibal Tom, a four-act historical drama about survival and complicity, commissioned by the Almeida—a project that, according to Stephanie Bain (Head of Literary), reflects his “growing ambition, matched by rigour, integrity, and curiosity”.
As a dramaturg, Josh has worked with the RSC, Royal Exchange Manchester, Talawa, and Graeae, supporting disabled and marginalised artists to create bold new work. He is the Artistic Director of Vital Xposure, a disabled-led theatre company.
Selected Work
Cannibal Tom
A four-act historical drama about survival and the ethics of complicity, commissioned by the Almeida Theatre. In development.
Living Archive: Imagine
Royal Court, 2022. Directed by Hamish Pirie.
An imagined archive of Royal Court plays that never existed but should have. Co-written with Amy Bethan Evans, Deborah Pearson, and Daniel York Loh.
The Key Workers’ Cycle: The Funeral Directors’ Play
Almeida Theatre, 2022. Directed by Emily Ling Williams.
A darkly comic piece about grief, masculinity, and the rituals of death care.
“Fantastically weird, funny, macabre.” – The Guardian
“Neat, witty.” – The Times
“Unexpectedly sweet and sad.” – Evening Standard
Living Newspaper, Edition 3: Horoscopes
Royal Court, 2021. Co-written with Eve Leigh. Directed by Sam Pritchard.
A cynical, late-night horoscope writer tries to predict the future while quietly falling apart.
“A cross between a cynical Sybil Trelawney and a hard-drinking hack writer.” – Exeunt
“McSweeney herself is a delight.” – The Arts Desk
Never Better
Royal Court (reading), 2020. Directed by Lucy Morrison.
A bleak comedy about mental health, medication, and the impossibility of "getting better."
“Authentic, surprising, complex and witty.” – Almeida Literary
After Care
Developed at the Royal Court as part of their Long-Form Writers’ Group.
A domestic thriller about love, damage, and erasure. A father washes his daughter’s clothes to keep the family together—accidentally destroying the only proof of her trauma.
Stomach Full
Editor, 2021. A collaborative zine supporting queer artists of colour during the pandemic, curated by Rachael Young and edited by Josh Elliott.
Current & Upcoming
Cannibal Tom – In development with the Almeida Theatre.
When I See Blue – A stage adaptation of Lily Bailey’s novel about OCD, survival, and finding friendship when your brain is working against you. Commissioned by Vital Xposure.
Leading new work with Vital Xposure, supporting disabled and marginalised artists to make bold, unapologetic theatre.
Dramaturgy
Josh works with writers and companies developing new work—whether that’s supporting a first draft, rethinking structure, or moving a play toward production. He also collaborates as a mentor, workshop leader, and creative consultant for theatre projects.
“Josh is highly skilled at understanding quickly the heart of a story, asking questions that stretch and inspire whilst honouring the fragility of ideas developing.”
— Anita Kelly
“Josh’s support has been vital to the development of my writing. I came away from our last conversation feeling completely rejuvenated for the second draft and inspired to keep developing as a writer.”
— Jaz Nikolai, playwright
For script development, collaborations, or commissions, get in touch.