Simon Blake grew up in London and trained in English and Drama. He was involved in the music scene, writing lyrics for Maxim Rad, and choreographing dance pieces for an experimental German dance company. He then founded his own theatre company, CHANGEINSPEAK and wrote and directed many successful shows with them. He is also a talented music promo director and producer, and was nominated for the Best Brit Video for the promo for Cornershop’s single Brimful of Asha. He has directed several short films and is currently developing feature length film scripts.

FILM / TELEVISION - AS WRITER/DIRECTOR

LAZARUS MAN Adaptation of his own stageplay in development. Had a rehearsed reading at the Soho Theatre in April 2005, starring Mark Strong and Ruth Gemmell.

BALANCE Short film

LOVE IN VAIN Short Film

LOVEJUGGLING Short Film, screened at British Short Film Festival, Toronto and Brussels, screened on C4.

AWAYDAY Short film, black and white. Winner of Best Short Film and Best Screenplay at Valencia Film Festival 1995. Also screened at British Short Film Festival, Hamburg, Edinburgh, Montreal and Brussels Film Festival. Screened by C4 as part of Tribe Time series. Released on VHS as part of FOOTBALL SHORTS and bought by British Council in 1999 to be screened at 46 festivals under banner “Best of British”.

AS WRITER

HEAVEN’S ONLY DAUGHTER 82’ film, black and white, 16mm. Dir: Philip Harder Screened at New York Film festival, Amsterdam, Berlin, Chicago and Austin Film Seminar

CELL 28’ colour film. Directed by Philip Harder

THEATRE - AS WRITER / DIRECTOR

MOLOTOV, a love story Old Red Lion Theatre
“Blake’s dark, directionless thirty-something world hovers somewhere between Nick Hornby and Douglas Coupland. His dialogue-confident, poetic, plausible London life stuff raises knowing laughs. His intriguing characters and animated staging make for a lushly seductive exposition” Time Out, Critics Choice

WRETCHED GROOMS Old Red Lion Theatre, BAC and Edinburgh Festival
“A first class thriller …the dialogue is perfect – hard-boiled and lyrical…If there has been a better play in terms of writing, acting and directing on the fringe this year, the I am sorry to have missed it. Unmissable” Highbury & Islington Express
“Blake writes beautifully, marshalling the poetic and the demonic, the passionate and the humorous” The Scotsman

LAZARUS MAN Old Red Lion Theatre
“A compelling and sincere drama, scenes of enormous warmth and insight show Blake to be a writer of discernment and an infinitely sensitive director…A terribly sad and cogent picture of a life tumbling inexorably and surprisingly into the abyss” Time Out, Critic’s Choice

THE PRINCE The Young Vic
“Simon Blake certainly knows a well turned phrase when he sees one. The writing is sharp and well observed and the dialogue comes at you like a runaway train” The Financial Times

PASSION PLAYS BAC
COLLECTING THE 20TH CENTURY BAC “Brave and remarkable” The Independent
POP BAC
“a biting, beautifully written piece” What’s On in London. Best of the Festival in the Independent.
BROKEN HEADS BAC and UK tour
JIMMY JAZZ Etcetera Theatre and UK tour.
COLOURED SANDS Etcetera Theatre
PITY FOR THE DREAMBOYS Cockpit Theatre and Edinburgh Festival
“An indictment no-one can hear without sympathy and unease” The Observer


AS DIRECTOR
TAB LAB Plays by Jozede Scrivener and Noriko Aida at Brighton festival
BLUE EYE CAT by Noriko Aida. Etcetera Theatre
THE TEMPEST by William Shakespeare. BAC

MUSIC VIDEOS
Many since 1993 including videos for Ash, Cornershop, Sneaker Pimps, Billy Childish, Stan Ridgeway, The Wedding Present, Babes in Toyland, Chainsaw Kittens, Last Crack, Xentrix, Big Troublehouse, Brenda Khan, Grant Hart, The Afghan Wigs, Seaweed, Joe Henry, Sugarblast, Rhythm Collision, Helicopter, Anna, Maxim Rad, Compulsion and Low.