Natasha Gordon
Natasha Delia Letitia Gordon (born 1976) is a British playwright of Jamaican heritage. In 2018, having previously been an actor, she became the first black British female playwright to have a play staged in the West End. Life. 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, finding work, a Jamaican-born husband and a reassuringly familiar West Indian community there. Gordon 's debut play "Nine Night" premiered at London's National Theatre in April 2018 to critical acclaim transferring seven months later to London's Trafalgar Studios on 1 December. The transfer marks a pivotal moment in history as Gordon will become the first black British female playwright to have a play in the West End. In a "Guardian" newspaper profile on her, Gordon explains that the "nine night" ritual of gathering to eat, drink and swap stories helped her to connect with her family’s past and inspired her first play. She also cites the recent deportation threats experienced by  many of the Windrush generation as fuel for her to learn more about the difficulties her grandparents faced. The play resulted in Gordon winning the London Evening Standard Theatre Awards Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright in 2018. As an actor, her 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". In 2019, "The Guardian" writers ranked "Nine Night" the 17th best theatre show since  2000. Gordon was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to drama.