Philip Ridley is an English storyteller working in a wide range of genres and artistic media. As a visual artist he has been cited as a contemporary of the

Young British Artists The Young British Artists, or YBAs—also referred to as Brit artists and Britart—is a loose group of visual artists who first began to exhibit together in London in 1988. Many of the YBA artists graduated from the BA Fine Art course at Golds ...

, and had his artwork exhibited internationally. He has written novels for both adults and children. In film, he is perhaps best known for his award-winning screenplay for the film, '' The Krays'' (1990), a biopic about

the Kray twins Ronald Kray (24 October 193320 March 1995) and Reginald Kray (24 October 19331 October 2000) were English gangsters or organised crime figures and identical twin brothers from Haggerston who were prominent from the late 1950s until their arrest ...

which was directed by

Peter Medak Péter Medák (born 23 December 1937) is a Hungarians in the United Kingdom, Hungarian-British film and television director. Early life Born in Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary, Hungary, he was the son of Elisabeth (née Diamounstein) and Gyula Med ...

. As a filmmaker in his own right, he created a loose trilogy of horror films: '' The Reflecting Skin'' (1990), ''

The Passion of Darkly Noon ''The Passion of Darkly Noon'' is a 1995 psychological horror drama film written and directed by Philip Ridley. The film stars Brendan Fraser, Ashley Judd, and Viggo Mortensen. The protagonist's name and film title come both from a passage in th ...

'' (1995) and '' Heartless'' (2009) for which he has acquired a cult following. As a playwright he has been described as "a pioneer of

In-yer-face theatre In-yer-face theatre is a term used to describe a confrontational style and sensibility of drama that emerged in the United Kingdom in the 1990s. This term was borrowed by British theatre critic Aleks Sierz as the title of his book, ''In-Yer-Fac ...

", which is a style and sensibility of drama that characterised many new plays that were performed in Britain during the 1990s. Ridley's debut play, ''

The Pitchfork Disney ''The Pitchfork Disney'' is a 1991 stage play by Philip Ridley. It was his first professional stage work, having also produced work as a visual artist, novelist, filmmaker, and scriptwriter for film and radio. The play premiered at the Bush Theat ...

'' (1991), is considered by many to be a seminal work that influenced the development of this form of theatre. One critic dubbed it "''the'' key play" of the 1990s. A great number of his plays for adults have been perceived as controversial, and provoked both condemnation and high acclaim upon their initial reception. As a writer for the stage he is also recognised for creating an ongoing series of plays for young people (''

The Storyteller Sequence ''The Storyteller Sequence'' is a series of one act Play (theatre), dramas written for young people by Philip Ridley. The plays, all set in east London, use fairytale stories and theatrical conventions to reveal the traumas of their young prota ...

''). He has written theatrical works for children and family audiences. As a songwriter Ridley has created songs for his films and plays, frequently collaborating with composer Nick Bicât. He and Bicât have also formed a music group, called Dreamskin Cradle, with singer Mary Leay. Ridley has also written songs for composer

Anna Meredith Anna Howard Meredith (born 12 January 1978) is a Scottish composer and performer of electronic and acoustic music. She is a former composer-in-residence with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and former PRS/RPS Composer in the House with S ...

, particularly operatic work. Ridley is also a poet, photographer, and performance artist, and has written drama for radio. Ridley dislikes his work being categorised by the medium in which it is told, often referring to the different genre pieces belonging to each other as "different peaks of the same mountain."

Biography

Ridley was born in

Bethnal Green Bethnal Green is an area in London, England, and is located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is in east London and part of the East End of London, East End. The area emerged from the small settlement which developed around the common la ...

in the East End of London, where he lived and worked until moving to another part of East London, Ilford, in 2014. Ridley studied painting at

Saint Martin's School of Art Saint Martin's School of Art was an art school, art college in London, England. It offered foundation and degree level courses. It was established in 1854, initially under the aegis of the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields. Saint Martin's beca ...

, and his work has been exhibited throughout Europe and Japan. He started as both a performance artist and the creator of a long sequence of charcoal drawings called ''The Epic of Oracle Foster''. One drawing from this sequence, "''Corvus Cum''", portraying a man

ejaculating Ejaculation is the discharge of semen (the ''ejaculate''; normally containing sperm) from the penis through the urethra. It is the final stage and natural objective of male sexual stimulation, and an essential component of natural conception. ...

a black bird, was exhibited at the ICA in London while Ridley was still a student. With calls by some viewers for it to be displayed behind a curtain, it became a ''

cause célèbre A ( , ; pl. ''causes célèbres'', pronounced like the singular) is an issue or incident arousing widespread controversy, outside campaigning, and heated public debate. The term is sometimes used positively for celebrated legal cases for th ...

''. Ridley also started his own theatre group as a student, acting in many of the productions, and made several short art films.

Writing

Ridley has written three books for adults: ''

Crocodilia Crocodilia () is an order of semiaquatic, predatory reptiles that are known as crocodilians. They first appeared during the Late Cretaceous and are the closest living relatives of birds. Crocodilians are a type of crocodylomorph pseudosuchia ...

'' (1988), '' In the Eyes of Mr. Fury'' (1989), and ''

Flamingoes in Orbit ''Flamingoes in Orbit'' is a collection of short stories by Philip Ridley. It was first published in the United Kingdom by Hamish Hamilton ltd in 1990. It was Ridley's third literary work for adults after his 1988 novella ''Crocodilia'' and his ...

'' (1990). His children's novels include ''Mercedes Ice'' (1989), ''Dakota of the White Flats'' (1989), ''

Krindlekrax ''Krindlekrax'' is a thriller children's novel by author Philip Ridley. It was first published in 1991 by Jonathan Cape and republished in 1992 by Red Fox and then again in 2001 by Puffin Books where it is still in print. The book won the Nes ...

'' (1991) (winner of the

Smarties Prize Smarties are dragée chocolate confectionery. They have been manufactured since 1937, originally by H.I. Rowntree & Company in the United Kingdom, and now by Nestlé. Smarties are oblate spheroids with a minor axis of about and a major axis ...

and the

WH Smith Mind-Boggling Book Award The WH Smith Literary Award was an award founded in 1959 by United Kingdom, British high street retailer WHSmith, WH Smith to "encourage and bring international esteem to authors of the British Commonwealth". Originally open to all residents of t ...

), ''Meteorite Spoon'' (1994), ''Kasper in the Glitter'' (1994) (nominated for the

Whitbread Prize The Costa Book Awards were a set of annual literary awards recognising English-language books by writers based in United Kingdom, UK and Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Originally named the Whitbread Book Awards from 1971 to 2005 after its first ...

), ''Scribbleboy'' (1997) (shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal), ''Zinderzunder'' (1998), ''Vinegar Street'' (2000), ''Mighty Fizz Chilla'' (2002) (shortlisted for the

Blue Peter ''Blue Peter'' is a British children's television entertainment programme created by John Hunter Blair. It is the longest-running children's TV show in the world, having been broadcast since October 1958. It was broadcast primarily from BBC ...

Book of the Year Award), and ''Zip's Apollo'' (2005). He also has written two short stories for younger children, ''Dreamboat Zing'' (1996) and ''The Hooligan's Shampoo'' (1996).

Film

After graduating from St Martin's, Ridley created the short film, ''Visiting Mr Beak'' (1987), which starred the veteran actor

Guy Rolfe Guy Rolfe (born Edwin Arthur Rolfe, 27 December 1911 – 19 October 2003) was a British character actor. He was best known for portraying villains. Early life Born in Kilburn, London, Edwin Arthur "Guy" Rolfe was descended from Thomas Rolfe, ...

. The next year he created a short film for Channel 4 called ''The Universe of Dermot Finn'' (1988), which featured renowned actress

Sheila Hancock Dame Sheila Cameron Hancock (born 22 February 1933) is an English actress, singer, and author. She has performed on stage in both plays and musicals in London theatres, and is also known for her roles in films and on television. Her Broadway ...

and was officially selected for the

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world. Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...

. A critical success there, it received theatrical distribution. While still a student at St Martin's, Ridley wrote a screenplay for '' The Krays'' (1990), which was directed by

and starred real-life brothers

Gary Kemp Gary James Kemp (born 16 October 1959) is an English songwriter, musician and actor, best known as the lead guitarist, backing vocalist, and principal songwriter for the new wave band Spandau Ballet. Kemp wrote the lyrics and music for all 2 ...

and

Martin Kemp Martin John Kemp (born 10 October 1961) is an English musician and actor, best known as the bassist in the new wave band Spandau Ballet and for his role as Steve Owen in ''EastEnders''. He is the younger brother of Gary Kemp, who is also a ...

. They had previously been recognised for their band,

Spandau Ballet Spandau Ballet ( ) were an English new wave band formed in Islington, London, in 1979. Inspired by the capital's post-punk underground dance scene, they emerged at the start of the 1980s as the house band for the Blitz Kids (New Romantics), ...

. Ridley has also directed three feature films from his own screenplays: '' The Reflecting Skin'' (1990) (winner of 11 international awards), ''

'' (1995) (winner of the Best Director Prize at the Porto Film Festival), and '' Heartless'' (2009). Ridley's third film as writer-director, '' Heartless'', premiered at the Frightfest horror film festival in London in August 2009. The film stars

Jim Sturgess James Anthony Sturgess''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.''; at ancestry.com (born 16 May 1978) is an English actor and singer-songwriter. His first major role was as Jude in the musical romance drama film ''Acros ...

Clémence Poésy Clémence Guichard (born 30 October 1982), known professionally as Clémence Poésy (), is a French actress and fashion model. After starting on the stage as a child, Poésy studied drama and has been active in both film and television since 19 ...

Noel Clarke Noel Anthony Clarke (born 6 December 1975) is an English actor, writer, director and producer. Rising to prominence for playing Mickey Smith in ''Doctor Who'' (2005–2006, 2008, 2010), he received critical acclaim for writing, directing, and ...

Eddie Marsan Edward Maurice Charles Marsan (born 9 June 1968) is an English actor. He won the London Film Critics Circle Award and the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor for the film '' Happy-Go-Lucky'' (2008). Early life and ...

Luke Treadaway Luke Antony Newman Treadaway''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916-2005.''; at ancestry.com (born 10 September 1984) is a British actor. He won an Olivier Award for Best Leading Actor for his performance as Christopher in t ...

Ruth Sheen Ruth Sheen is an English actress. From the late 1980s, she has appeared in British television shows, films and plays. A participant in the films of Mike Leigh, she won the European Film Award for Best Actress for her performance as Shirley in L ...

, and

Timothy Spall Timothy Leonard Spall ( ; born 27 February 1957) is an English actor. He gained recognition for his character actor roles on stage and screen. In 2000, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. S ...

, and was released in the UK in May 2010. It was the first mainstream British film to be released across all platforms (theatrical, DVD, Blu-ray, download) at the same time. In 1996 Hungary's Titanic Film Festival had a retrospective of Ridley's work.

Theatre

Ridley has written 15 adult stage plays: the seminal ''

'' (1990), the multi-award-winning ''

The Fastest Clock in the Universe ''The Fastest Clock in the Universe'' is a two act play by Philip Ridley. It was his second stage play and premiered at the Hampstead Theatre, London on 14 May 1992 and featured Jude Law in his first paid theatre role, playing the part of Foxtro ...

'' (1992), '' Ghost from a Perfect Place'' (1994), '' Vincent River'' (2000), the controversial ''

Mercury Fur ''Mercury Fur'' is a play written by Philip Ridley which premiered in 2005. It is Ridley's fifth adult stage play and premiered at the Plymouth Theatre Royal, before moving to the Menier Chocolate Factory in London. Set against the backdrop of ...

'' (2005), ''

Leaves of Glass ''Leaves of Glass'' is the sixth adult stage play by Philip Ridley. It premiered at the Soho Theatre in London, England, on 3 May 2007. The play was commissioned and directed by Lisa Goldman after being greatly impressed by Ridley's previous ad ...

'' (2007), ''

Piranha Heights ''Piranha Heights'' is a one act play by Philip Ridley. It is his seventh stage play for adults and premiered at the Soho Theatre, London in 2008. The production was the second collaboration between Ridley and Soho Theatre Artistic Director Lisa ...

'' (2008), ''

Tender Napalm ''Tender Napalm'' is a 2011 play by Philip Ridley. Ridley's eighth stageplay for adults, it premiered at The Southwark Playhouse, London on 19 April 2011. The original production was directed by David Mercatali, who previously directed the prof ...

'' (2011), '' Shivered'' (2012), ''Dark Vanilla Jungle'' (2013), ''Radiant Vermin'' (2015), ''Tonight with Donny Stixx'' (2015), ''Karagula'' (2016), and '' The Poltergeist'' (2020). Ridley has also written various monologues, many of which have been selectively performed together onstage. This includes ''Killer'' (consisting of the monologues ''Killer'', ''Sledgehammers'', and ''Vesper'') performed in 2017, ''Angry'' (consisting of the monologues ''Angry'', ''Okay'', ''Bloodshot'', ''Dancing'', ''Now'', and ''Air'') performed in 2018, and ''The Beast Will Rise'' (consisting of the monologues ''Performance'', ''Gators'', ''Star'', ''Rosewater'', and ''Cactus'') performed in 2020. Ridley is additionally known for his series of plays for young people (known collectively as ''

''), consisting of '' Karamazoo'' (2004), '' Fairytaleheart'' (1998), '' Moonfleece'' (2004), ''

Sparkleshark ''Sparkleshark'' is a stage play by Philip Ridley that was originally commissioned for the BT National Connections, the UK National Theatre's youth theatre scheme in 1997. ''Sparkleshark'' had a professional run at the Royal National Theatre in ...

'', and '' Brokenville'' (2003). He has also written two plays for young children, ''Daffodil Scissors'' (2004) and ''Krindlekrax'' (2002) - a stage adaptation of his successful children's novel of the same name - as well as a play for the whole family, ''Feathers in the Snow'' (2012). Ridley was one of 25 contemporary British writers asked to contribute a scene to ''NT25 Chain Play'', celebrating 25 years of the

Royal National Theatre The National Theatre (NT), officially the Royal National Theatre and sometimes referred to in international contexts as the National Theatre of Great Britain, is a performing arts venue and associated theatre company located in London, England, ...

in London.

Music

Ridley has written a wide range of songs, some of which have featured in his plays, films, and novels. As a student Ridley participated in music by creating work with a band called Haunted Staircase (who released their double-sided record ''Flutters'' in the early 1980s). He also worked as a DJ at a nightclub. As a songwriter he has regularly collaborated with composer, Nick Bicât. For Ridley's film, ''The Passion of Darkly Noon'', they created two songs: "Look What You've Done" (sung by

Gavin Friday Gavin Friday (born Fionán Martin Hanvey, 8 October 1959) is an Irish singer and songwriter, composer, actor and painter, best known as a founding member of the post-punk group The Virgin Prunes. Early life Fionan Hanvey was born in Dublin an ...

) and "Who Will Love Me Now?" (sung by

PJ Harvey Polly Jean Harvey (born 9 October 1969) is an English singer-songwriter. Primarily known as a vocalist and guitarist, she is also proficient with a wide range of instruments. Harvey began her career in 1988 when she joined local band Automat ...

), the latter of which was voted as

BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and Contemporary hit radio, current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including ...

's Best Film Song of 1998. It was later covered by the techno/house band

Sunscreem Sunscreem are a techno/house music band from Essex, England that scored a number of hits on the US Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart throughout the 1990s and into the 21st century. Sunscreem also has the rare reputation as a techno-based band th ...

as ''Please Save Me'', whose cover entered the UK top 40 chart, became a cult hit in clubs, and featured in the film ''

South West 9 ''South West 9'' is a 2001 British film about the Brixton rave scene. It was written and directed by Richard Parry. ''South West 9'' was nominated for a BAFTA award and won "Best Music" category at the British Independent Film Awards. Premise ...

''. For his film ''Heartless'', Ridley and Bicât created ten songs (performed by Mary Leay, Joe Echo, and lead actor Jim Sturgess). In 2010 Ridley and Bicât formed the music group, 'Dreamskin Cradle' (with singer Mary Leay). The group's first album, ''Songs from Grimm'' (2014), consisted of twelve songs inspired by female characters in

Brothers Grimm The Brothers Grimm ( or ), Jacob Grimm, Jacob (1785–1863) and Wilhelm Grimm, Wilhelm (1786–1859), were Germans, German academics who together collected and published folklore. The brothers are among the best-known storytellers of Oral tradit ...

fairy tales A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, household tale, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the Folklore, folklore genre. Such stories typically feature Magic (supernatural), magic, Incantation, e ...

; it was released on all major download sites. Some songs from the album were performed as part of a live performance called ''Grimm Tales'', which was developed by the St Paul's Institute and featured readings by actress

Jeany Spark Jeannette "Jeany" Spark (born 7 November 1982) is an English actress, known for portraying Linda Wallander in the British television series ''Wallander''. The actress has also had significant roles in the comedy series '' Man Down'' and the dram ...

, reflections from

Canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the material accepted as officially written by an author or an ascribed author * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western canon, th ...

Edmund Newell, and extracts from Brothers Grimm fairy tales adapted by poet laureate

Carol Ann Duffy Dame Carol Ann Duffy (born 23 December 1955) is a Scottish poet and playwright. She is a professor of contemporary poetry at Manchester Metropolitan University, and was appointed Poet Laureate in May 2009, and her term expired in 2019. She wa ...

. Dreamskin Cradle have also released two singles: ''Fade and Float'' (written for Ridley's stage play, ''Tender Napalm'') and ''Ladybird First'' (written for Ridley's stage play, ''Dark Vanilla Jungle''). Ridley also has written the libretto of an opera for teenagers titled ''Tarantula in Petrol Blue''. With music composed by

, it had its premiere in 2009.

Other work

Ridley is a photographer, and his images have appeared on the covers of some of his published plays. He also has had photography exhibitions, mainly consisting of portraits of his friends and images of East London. Ridley is also a poet. Some poetry has been published in anthologies, and he has earned a following for his ongoing series of performance poetry, ''Lovesongs for Extinct Creatures''. Ridley has won the ''

Evening Standard The ''London Standard'', formerly the ''Evening Standard'' (1904–2024) and originally ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), is a long-established regional newspaper published weekly and distributed free newspaper, free of charge in London, Engl ...

'' awards for Most Promising Newcomer to

British Film British cinema has significantly influenced the global film industry since the 19th century. The oldest known surviving film in the world, ''Roundhay Garden Scene'' (1888), was shot in England by French inventor Louis Le Prince. Early colour ...

and Most Promising Playwright. He is the only person ever to receive both prizes. He was featured on BBC2's arts programme, ''The Culture Show'', on 2 March 2012.

List of works

Literature

''Works for Adults'' * 1986 – ''Embracing Verdi'' (short story) * 1987 – ''Leviathan'' (short story) * 1988 – ''

'' (novel) * 1989 – '' In the Eyes of Mr. Fury'' (novel, expanded and rewritten version published in 2016) * 1990 – ''

'' (short story collection, rewritten new version published in 2018) * 1995 – ''Alien Heart'' (short story) * 1997 – ''Introduction'' to ''Philip Ridley Plays: 1'' (semi-autobiographical prose, extended and updated versions published in 2002 and 2012) * 1998 – ''Wonderful Insect'' (short story) * 2009 – ''Introduction'' to ''Philip Ridley Plays: 2'' (semi-autobiographical prose) * 2021 – ''Sunday'' (short story) ''Works for Children'' * 1989 – ''Mercedes Ice'' (novel) * 1989 – ''Dakota of the White Flats'' (novel) * 1991 – ''

'' (novel) * 1994 – ''Meteorite Spoon'' (novel) * 1995 – ''Kasper in the Glitter'' (novel) * 1997 – ''Scribbleboy'' (novel) * 1998 – ''Zinderzunder'' (novel) * 2000 – ''Vinegar Street'' (novel) * 2002 – ''Mighty Fizz Chilla'' (novel) * 2005 – ''Zip's Apollo'' (novel) ''Works for Younger Children'' * 1996 – ''The Hooligan's Shampoo'' (short story) * 1996 – ''Dreamboat Zing'' (short story)

Poetry

Ongoing performance sequence - ''Lovesongs for Extinct Creatures'': * ''Your Love'' * ''Dark Sky Craving'' * ''The Silver Hat'' * ''I'm Waiting to be Killed'' * ''The Seams'' Performance sequence - ''Heartbeat on the Horizon'': * ''Press Conference'' * ''After'' * ''Flash Boom'' * ''Shrapnel'' * ''I Will'' Miscellaneous poetry: * ''The Dying Lizard Man'' * ''Someone Wants to Kill Me Again'' * ''Getting Through The Day'' * ''The Prince and the Snail'' * ''Waiting For Faces To Fall'' * ''I Am The Boy'' * ''Sparkling Cannibals''

Theatre

''Adult Stage Plays'' * 1991 – ''

'' * 1992 – ''

'' * 1994 – '' Ghost from a Perfect Place'' * 2000 – '' Vincent River'' * 2005 – ''

'' * 2007 – ''

'' * 2008 – ''

'' * 2011 – ''

'' * 2012 – '' Shivered'' * 2013 – ''Dark Vanilla Jungle'' * 2015 – ''Radiant Vermin'' * 2015 – ''Tonight with Donny Stixx'' * 2016 – ''Karagula'' * 2020 – ''The Beast of Blue Younder'' * 2023 – ''In The Forest of Starlight and Shrapnel'' * 2024 – ''Copper Beeches'' * 2020 – '' The Poltergeist'' * 2021 – ''

Tarantula Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae. , 1,100 species have been identified, with 166 genera. The term "tarantula" is usually used to describe members of the family Theraphosidae, although ...

'' ''Libretto'' * 2007 – ''On Such A Day'' (short operatic piece) * 2009 – ''Tarantula in Petrol Blue'' (opera for teenagers) ''Plays for Young People (

)'' * 1997 – ''

'' (professional premiere in 1999) * 1998 – '' Fairytaleheart'' (also worked as the director of the original stage production) * 2000 – '' Brokenville'' (performed earlier as a work-in-progress under the title ''Apocalyptica'' in 1998) * 2004 – '' Moonfleece'' (professional premiere in 2010) * 2004 – '' Karamazoo'' (monologue) ''Play for the Whole Family'' * 2012 – ''Feathers in the Snow'' ''Plays for Children'' * 2000 – ''Scribbleboy'' (adapted by Ridley from his children's novel of the same name. Play unproduced and script unpublished) * 2002 – ''

'' (adapted by Ridley from his children's novel of the same name) * 2004 – ''Daffodil Scissors'' ''Monologues'' (sometimes performed as Live Art) * 1986 – ''Vesper'' (first performed as a live art piece by Ridley in the ''Ten Painters Exhibition'' at St Martins School of Art) * ???? – ''Bloodshot'' * ???? – ''Angry'' * ???? – ''Vooosh!'' * ???? – ''Now'' * ???? – ''Okay'' * ???? – ''Wound'' * ???? – ''It'' * 2013 – ''Dark Vanilla Jungle'' * 2015 – ''Tonight with Donny Stixx'' * 2017 – ''Killer'' * 2017 – ''Sledgehammers'' * 2018 – ''Dancing'' Monologues presented as theatre pieces: * 2017 – ''Killer'' (a theatrical presentation of three monologues: ''Killer'', ''Sledgehammers'', and ''Vesper'') * 2018 – ''Angry'' (a theatrical presentation of six monologues: ''Angry'', ''Okay'', ''Bloodshot'', ''Dancing'', ''Now'', and ''Air'') * 2020 – ''The Beast Will Rise'' (a theatrical presentation of five monologues: ''Performance'', ''Gators'', ''Star'', ''Rosewater'', and ''Cactus'') * 2020 – '' The Poltergeist'' * 2021 – ''

'' Online monologues: * 2014 - ''Mercury Fur - New Monologues'' (Four monologues written by Ridley to promote The Greenhouse Theatre Company's production of ''Mercury Fur'' transferring to the West End: ''Elliot'', ''Naz'', ''Lola'', ''Darren''. Presented o
The Greenhouse Theatre Company's YouTube channel
) * 2020 - '' The Beast Will Rise'' (a series of monologues in response to

Coronavirus Coronaviruses are a group of related RNA viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans and birds, they cause respiratory tract infections that can range from mild to lethal. Mild illnesses in humans include some cases of the comm ...

performed by the cast of Ridley's postponed play ''The Beast of Blue Yonder'': ''Gators'', ''Zarabooshka'', ''Chihuahua'', ''Origami'', ''Wound'', ''Telescope'', ''River'', ''Eclipse'', ''Performance'', ''Star'', ''Night'', ''Puzzle'', ''Snow'', ''Rosewater'', ''Cactus''. Presented online a
The Beast Will Rise (Tramp)

Radio plays

* 1989 – ''October Scars the Skin'' (script unpublished) * 1989 – ''The Aquarium of Coincidences'' (script unpublished) * 1991 – ''Shambolic Rainbow'' (script unpublished)

Film

''Feature Films'' * 1990 – '' The Krays'' (screenwriter) * 1990 – '' The Reflecting Skin'' (director and screenwriter) * 1995 – ''

'' (director and screenwriter) * 2010 – '' Heartless'' (director and screenwriter) ''Short Films'' * 1987 – ''Visiting Mr Beak'' (director and screenwriter) * 1988 – ''The Universe of Dermot Finn'' (director and screenwriter)

Songs

''As part of Dreamskin Cradle'' (with Nick Bicât) 2011 – From the stage play ''Tender Napalm'' * ''Fade and Float'' (sung by Mary Leay) 2013 – From the stage play ''Dark Vanilla Jungle'' * ''Ladybird First'' (sung by Mary Leay) 2014 – From the Album ''Songs from Grimm'' * The Path You Know (sung by Mary Leay) *Fearless (sung by Mary Leay) *Waiting For You (sung by Mary Leay) *Don't Call Me Magic (sung by Mary Leay) *Not Here (sung by Mary Leay) *Did That Just Happen (sung by Mary Leay) *Things Will Change (sung by Mary Leay) *Somewhere Something's Spinning (sung by Mary Leay) *I Found You (Sung by Mary Leay) *A Million Magic Things (sung by Mary Leay) *Bring You Back (sung by Mary Leay) *Tenderly Tender Me (sung by Mary Leay) ''Songs in Cinematic Works'' 1995 – From the film ''

'' (music Nick Bicât) * ''Who Will Love Me Now?'' (sung by

) * ''Look What You've Done (To My Skin)'' (sung by

) 2010 – From the film '' Heartless'' (music Nick Bicât) * ''Heartless'' (sung by

) * ''This Is The World We Live In'' (sung by

Joe Echo Joe or JOE may refer to: Arts Film and television * ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle * ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage, based on the novel ''Joe'' (1991) by Larry Brown * Joe (2023 film), an Indian film * ''Joe'' (TV ser ...

) * ''What Skin Is All About'' (sung by Joe Echo) * ''The Other Me'' (sung by Joe Echo) * ''Lie to Me'' (sung by Joe Echo) * ''It Must Be Somewhere'' (sung by Mary Leay) * ''The Darker It Gets'' (sung by Joe Echo) * ''In You Are All The Stories'' (sung by Joe Echo) * ''Beautiful'' (sung by Joe Echoe) * ''Phoenix in Dynamite Sky'' (sung by Joe Echo) ''Other musical works'' 198? – From the record single ''Flutters'' (double sided record featuring Philip Ridley as part of the band ''Haunted Staircase'') * Side A: ''Flutters (A New Kind of Lovesong)'' * Side B: ''Something for the Children (A New Kind of Lullaby)'' 2009 – ''Fin Like a Flower'' (music by

, sung by

Michael Chance Michael Chance CBE (born in Penn, Buckinghamshire, 7 March 1955) is an English countertenor and the founder and Artistic Director of The Grange Festival. Early life Chance was born in Penn, Buckinghamshire, into a musical family. After grow ...

. On the album '' The NMC Songbook'') 2009 – ''Songless'' (music by Anna Meredith. Premiered at the

Twickenham Choral Society Twickenham Choral Society (known today as Twickenham Choral) is a large, auditioned, mixed-voice, choir based in Twickenham, considered to be South West London's premier amateur choir. Twickenham Choral is best known for the excellence and f ...

. Unreleased) 2010 – ''Heal You'' (music by Anna Meredith, sung by Juice Vocal Ensemble. Performed as part of ''Laid Bare: 10 love songs''. Released as a single in 2014) 2016 – ''Love and Defection'' (Mix-tape made for The Voice of Cassandre, a French Radio show which invites international artists to create their own mix-tapes.)

Exhibitions

''Group Shows'' * 1981 – ''

New Contemporaries New Contemporaries is an organisation in the UK that works to support emerging artists at the beginning of their careers by introducing them to the visual arts sector and to the public through a variety of platforms, including an annual exhibit ...

'', ICA, London. * 1982 – ''New Contemporaries'', ICA, London. * 1983 – ''Christie's Student Show'', Christie's, London. * 1984 – ''The Leicester Exhibition'', Leicester. * 1985 – ''Open Drawing Exhibition'', Tettenhall Gallery, Wolverhampton. * 1985 – ''Open Exhibition'', Lamont Gallery, London. * 1986 – ''Ten Painters'', 7th Floor Gallery, St. Martin's School of Art, London. * 1986 – ''Summer Exhibition'', Bernard Baron Gallery, London. * 1987 – ''Group Show'', Tom Allen Centre, London. * 1987 – ''Selected Show'', Lamont Gallery, London. * 1987 – ''Young Contemporaries'', Birch & Conran, London. * 1988 – ''Decency'', Discreetly Bizarre Gallery, London. * 1988 – ''Selected Show'', Lamont Gallery, London. * 1988 – ''Mendacity'', Discreetly Bizarre Gallery, London. * 1988 – ''Magical Cats'', Lamont Gallery, London. * 1988 – ''Art Jonction International'', Nice, France. * 1988 – ''Bergamo Art Fair'', Bergamo, Italy. * 1996 – ''Freezeframe'', Lamont Gallery, London. * 2011 – ''Behind The Eyes'', The Sassoon Gallery, London. (Photographic portraits. ''Behind The Eyes'' was a community arts project inspired by Ridley's play ''Mercury Fur'')Behind The Eyes event on the Art Licks Website
/ref> ''Solo Shows'' * 1985 – ''The Roaring Dreams Show'', Tom Allen Centre, London. * 1985 – ''The Feeling Landscapes Show'', Bernard Baron Gallery, London. * 1985 – ''The Glittering Gargolyes Show'', The Fallen Angel, London. * 1986 – ''Mermaids, Monsters and Sleeping Moons'', Mermaid Theatre, London. * 1986 – ''Recent Images'', The Fallen Angel, London. * 1986 – ''The Epic of Oracle Foster'', Lamont Gallery, London. * 1987 – ''Shy Moon'', The Garden Gallery, London. * 1989 – ''The Vinegar Blossoms'', Lamont Gallery, London. * 2007 – ''Recent Portraits'', The Soho Theatre, London (photography exhibition) * 2007 – ''East London'', Trafalgar Studios, London (photography exhibition) * 2008 – ''Recent Portraits 2'', The Soho Theatre, London (photography exhibition) * 2017 – ''Rebels and Rubble'',

Shoreditch Town Hall Shoreditch Town Hall is an independent cultural, live events and community space in Shoreditch, London. The building, which previously served as the headquarters of the Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch, is a Grade II listed building. History ...

, London (mini photography exhibition)

Selected works in anthologies

* 1987 – Short Story ''Embracing Verdi'' in the anthology ''Oranges and Lemons: Stories by Gay Men'' (edited by David Rees and Peter Robbins) * 1988 – Short Story ''Leviathan'' in the anthology ''20 Under 35: Original Stories by Britain's Best New Young Writers'' (edited by Peter Straus) * 1995 – Short Story ''Alien Heart'' in ''Projections 4½'' (edited by

John Boorman Sir John Boorman (; born 18 January 1933) is a British film director, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for directing feature films such as '' Point Blank'' (1967), '' Hell in the Pacific'' (1968), ''Deliverance'' (1972), '' Zardoz'' ...

and Walter Donohue) * 1996 – Extract from ''The Fastest Clock in the Universe'' in the collection ''Live 3: Critical Mass'' (edited by David Tushingham) * 1997 – Short Story ''Embracing Verdi'' in the anthology ''The Mammoth Book of Gay Short Stories'' (edited by

Peter Burton Peter Ray Burton (4 April 1921 – 21 November 1989) was an English film and television actor. Early life Peter Ray Burton, was born in Bromley, Kent, to Frederick Ray Burton and Gladys Maude (née Frazer). Career Burton played Major Boothr ...

) * 1997 – Three poems: ''Someone Wants to Kill Me'', ''The Seams'' and ''Getting Through the Day'' in '' The Bush Theatre Book'' (edited by Mike Bradwell) * 2000 – Extract from ''Krindlekrax'' in the collection ''Out of this world'' * 2003 – Poem ''The Silver Hat'' in the anthology ''Love'' (edited by Fiona Waters) * 2005 – Poem ''The Prince and the Snail'' in the anthology ''The Works 4'' (edited by Gaby Morgan) * 2007 – Three poems: ''Dark Sky Craving'', ''Waiting For Faces To Fall'' and ''I Am The Boy'' in the anthology ''Poems for the Retired Nihilist: Volume 2'' (edited by Graham Bendel) * 2009 – Monologue ''Vesper'' in ''Modern British Playwriting: The 1990s: Voices, Documents, New Interpretations'' (edited by

Aleks Sierz Aleks Sierz is a British theatre critic. He is known for popularising the term " In-yer-face theatre", which was the title of a book he published in 2001. Sierz was educated at Manchester University and holds a PhD from Westminster University. ...

) * 2021 – Short story ''Sunday'' in ''~~Main~~stream: An Anthology of Stories from the Edges'' (edited by Justin David and Nathan Evans)

Derivative works

* In the British radio and TV comedy

Little Britain Little Britain may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Little Britain'' (TV series), a British radio and then television series ** '' Little Britain USA'', an American spin-off * "Little Britain", a song by Dreadzone from the 1995 album ''Second ...

, the character of

Vicky Pollard This is a list of characters for the British television and radio sketch show ''Little Britain'' (and its American spin-off, ''Little Britain USA''). Overview ;Key : Characters that appear for only one sketch are not listed in the table A ...

comes from Darkley Noone council estates. This is named after Ridley's film ''

''. * The music track ''The Light at the End (Effect)'' by industrial/noise rock duo Uniform (from their 2017 LP ''Wake in Fright'') uses a dialogue excerpt from ''The Reflecting Skin''. * In 2011 the Schema Arts Collective used Ridley's 2005 play ''

'' as the basis for a community arts project called '' Behind the Eyes'', which took place at the Sassoon Gallery, London. The project featured an amateur production of ''Mercury Fur'', displayed artwork inspired by the play, and Ridley collaborated by exhibiting a series of photographic portraits he had created of the production's cast. A behind the scenes documentary about the project called ''Mercury Fur Unveiled'' was also made and later broadcast on the Community Channel in 2013. It i
free to watch online
* In 2007 performance pieces inspired by Ridley's semi-autobiographical ''Introduction'' to ''Philip Ridley Plays: 1'' were presented by young directors under the title ''Gleaming Dark''. This received a one-off performance at

Trafalgar Studios Trafalgar Theatre is a West End theatre in Whitehall, near Trafalgar Square, in the City of Westminster, London. The Grade II listed building was built in 1930 with interiors in the Art Deco style as the Whitehall Theatre; it regularly staged ...

in conjunction with the venue's revival of Ridley's play '' Vincent River''. * A quote from Ridley's children novel ''Dakota of the White Flats'' is used as the epigraph for chapter 6 of

Cornelia Funke Cornelia Maria Funke (; born 10 December 1958) is a German author of children's fiction. Born in Dorsten, North Rhine-Westphalia, she began her career as a social worker before becoming a Book illustration, book illustrator. She began writing no ...

's young adult fantasy novel ''

Inkspell ''Inkspell'' (German title: ''Tintenblut'') is a 2005 young adult fantasy novel by Cornelia Funke, translated by Anthea Bell. It was named the 2006 Book Sense Book of the Year in the Children's Literature category. ''Inkspell'' is the second nove ...

''. * The German band Troy Flamingo are named after a character from one of Ridley's short stories. * The American band Reflecting Skin is named after Ridley's film of the same name. * Reece Nagra's remix of

Buju Banton Mark Anthony Myrie (born 15 July 1973),Larkin, Colin (1998) "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", Virgin Books, known professionally as Buju Banton, is a Jamaican dancehall, ragga, and reggae singer. He is one of the most significant and well-re ...

's song ''Murderer'' opens with an excerpt of dialogue from '' The Krays''. It develops as a drum and bass anthem. *

Phil Western Phillip Charles Western (August 12, 1971 – February 4, 2019) was a Canadian musician, based in Vancouver and a founding member of the bands Download, PlatEAU, Frozen Rabbit, and Off and Gone. Biography Having started his career as a drumm ...

's 1998 album ''The Escapist'' features excerpts of dialogue from ''The Reflecting Skin''. *The song ''

Fury Eyes "Fury Eyes" is a song recorded by English band the Creatures (aka singer Siouxsie Sioux and drummer Budgie). The song was co-produced by Mike Hedges. It was remixed by Pascal Gabriel for release as the second single of the critically acclaimed ...

'' (from

the Creatures The Creatures were an English band formed in 1981 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and drummer Budgie both members of the group Siouxsie and the Banshees. Their music, initially based on drums and voice, evolved over the years. The Creatures releas ...

' second album, ''

Boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool typically constructed with airfoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight, designed to return to the thrower. The origin of the word is from Australian Aborigin ...

'') is dedicated to Ridley's novel '' In the Eyes of Mr. Fury''. * The Song ''Troy Flamingo'' from Madonna Hip Hop Massaker's 1995 album ''Teenie Trap'' is based on the title story of Ridley's 1999 book ''

''. * Ridley's song ''Who Will Love Me Now?'' was covered by the techno/house band

under the title ''Please Save Me''. The song became a cult hit in clubs, entered the top 40 UK chart, top 30 US dance chart and featured in the film ''

''. * The song ''Omlagus Garfungiloops'' (from Coil's 1992 album ''

Stolen & Contaminated Songs ''Stolen & Contaminated Songs'' was the first of two albums recorded and produced by the band Coil in 1992. The album is composed of outtakes and unreleased songs from their prior album, ''Love's Secret Domain''. Background Although track one ...

'') features excerpts of dialogue from ''The Reflecting Skin''. *The Scottish band River Head used a photography still from ''The Reflecting Skin'' on the cover of their 1992 single sided 7-inch EP ''Was Away / Haddit''. * Ridley's image ''Rainbow Kiss'' was used on the cover of the short story collection ''Oranges and Lemons: Stories by Gay Men'', to which he also contributed as a writer. * Ridley's charcoal drawing ''The Conversation'' was used as the cover to cult band Blowzabella's 1988 album ''Pingha Frenzy''.

Notable awards won

* The 2013

Scotsman Scottish people or Scots (; ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Scotland. Historically, they emerged in the early Middle Ages from an amalgamation of two Celtic peoples, the Picts and Gaels, who founded the Kingdom of Scotland (o ...

Fringe First The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as the Edinburgh Fringe, the Fringe or the Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest performance arts festival, which in 2024 spanned 25 days, sold more than 2.6 million tickets and featur ...

Award for ''Dark Vanilla Jungle''. * The 2010

Toronto After Dark Film Festival Toronto After Dark Film Festival (TADFF) is a showcase of horror, sci-fi, action and cult cinema held annually in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The festival premieres a diverse selection of feature-length and short-films from around the world incl ...

Vision Award for Best Independent Feature Film for ''Heartless''. * The 2010

Fantasporto Fantasporto International Film Festival (Portuguese: Festival Internacional de Cinema do Porto) is an international genre film festival, annually organized since 1981 in Porto, Portugal. Screening and awarding fantasy, sci-fi and horror orient ...

Film Festival Best Film Award for ''Heartless''. * The 2010 Fantasporto Film Festival Best Director Award for ''Heartless''. * The 2009

Leeds International Film Festival The Leeds International Film Festival (LIFF) is an annual film festival hosted in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is the largest film festival in England outside of London. Founded in 1987, it is held in November in various venues throughou ...

Silver Melies Award for ''Heartless''. * The 1993

for ''Krindlekrax''. * The 1993

Meyer-Whitworth Award The Meyer-Whitworth Award was a literary prize established in 1991 and awarded from 1992 until 2011 to new British playwrights to help them further their careers. The £10,000 prize, one of the largest annual prizes for play writing in the UK, was ...

for Most Promising New Playwright for ''The Fastest Clock in the Universe''. * A 1992 Time Out Award for ''The Fastest Clock in the Universe''. * The 1992

Critics' Circle Theatre Award The Critics' Circle Theatre Awards, known as the Drama Theatre Awards until 1990, are British theatrical awards presented annually for the closing year's theatrical achievements. The winners, from theatre throughout the United Kingdom, are selec ...

for Most Promising Playwright for ''The Fastest Clock in the Universe''. * The 1992

Evening Standard Theatre Award The ''Evening Standard'' Theatre Awards, established in 1955, are the oldest theatrical awards ceremony in the United Kingdom. They are presented annually for outstanding achievements in London Theatre, and are organised by the ''Evening Standa ...

for Most Promising Playwright for ''The Fastest Clock in the Universe''. * The 1991 Nestle Smarties Book Prize (9–11 years category) for ''Krindlekrax''. * The 1990

Evening Standard British Film Award The Evening Standard British Film Awards were established in 1973 by London's ''Evening Standard'' newspaper. The Standard Awards is the only ceremony "dedicated to British and Irish talent", judged by a panel of "top UK critics". Each ceremony ...

for Most Promising Newcomer for ''The Krays''. * The 1990 Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Film for ''The Krays'' * Silver Leopard at the

Locarno Film Festival The Locarno International Film Festival is a major international film festival, held annually in Locarno, Switzerland. Founded in 1946, the festival screens films in various competitive and non-competitive sections, including feature-length narr ...

for '' The Reflecting Skin''. * Grand Prize at the

Stockholm Film Festival The Stockholm International Film Festival () is an annual film festival held in Stockholm, Sweden. It was launched in 1990 and has been held every year since then during the second half of November, and focuses on emerging and early career fil ...

for ''The Reflecting Skin''.

Notable award nominations

* Longlisted for the 2016 Off-West End Best New Play Award for ''Karagula'' * Longlisted for the 2016 Off-West End Best Production Award for ''Karagula'' * Shortlisted for the 2011 London Festival Fringe Best Play Award for the 2010 London revival of ''Vincent River''. * Shortlisted for the 2013 Brian Way Best New Play Award for ''Feathers in the Snow'' * Shortlisted for the 2012 Off-West End Best New Play Award for ''Shivered'' * Shortlisted for the 2011 London Festival Fringe Best Play Award for the 2010 London revival of ''Vincent River''. * Nominated for the 2011 London Festival Fringe Best Play Award for ''Tender Napalm'' * Shortlisted for ''The MOBIUS Best Off-West End Production'' award for ''

'' at the 2009 WhatsOnStage.com Theatregoers Choice Awards * Longlisted for the Carnegie Medal for ''Mighty Fizz Chilla'' * Shortlisted for the

Blue Peter Book Award The Blue Peter Book Awards were a set of literary awards for children's books conferred by the BBC television programme ''Blue Peter''. They were inaugurated in 2000 for books published in 1999 and 2000. The awards were managed by reading charity ...

: The Book I Couldn't Put Down for ''Mighty Fizz Chilla'' * Shortlisted for The Carnegie Medal for ''Scribbleboy'' * Shortlisted for the 1995 Whitbread Children's Book Award for ''Kasper in the Glitter'' * Shortlisted for the 1990

Evening Standard British Film Awards The Evening Standard British Film Awards were established in 1973 by London's '' Evening Standard'' newspaper. The Standard Awards is the only ceremony "dedicated to British and Irish talent", judged by a panel of "top UK critics". Each ceremony ...

for Best Screenplay for ''The Krays'' * Best Short Film at

for ''The Universe of Dermot Finn''

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ridley, Philip Living people Year of birth missing (living people) 20th-century English novelists 21st-century English novelists English dramatists and playwrights English children's writers English screenwriters English male screenwriters English film directors Writers from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Alumni of Saint Martin's School of Art English male dramatists and playwrights English male novelists 20th-century English male writers 21st-century English male writers People from Bethnal Green British horror film directors