In our profile series, Tell Us In Ten, we ask cast members and creatives of top London shows to tell us all about themselves in just 10 questions. From how they got their start in the industry to their favourite shows, we want to know everything.
This time we’re chatting to Olivier-nominated Peter Quilter, the talented playwright of Allegra, which is running from 8 July – 8 August at the Harold Pinter Theatre.
1) My route into theatre was…
Through studying Theatre Arts at Bretton Hall (Leeds University) and then writing showcases for my unemployed actor friends.
2) My West End idol is…
Noël Coward.
3) My colleagues would describe me as…
Diplomatic, hard working, tired!
4) My favourite show (that isn’t one I have worked on) is…
Present Laughter, pretty much any version of it.
5) The career moment I’m most proud of is…
Opening my play, End Of The Rainbow, on Broadway.
6) The hardest part about my job/role is…
Re-writes! New plays are not written, they are re-written…
7) If I wasn’t a playwright, I would be…
If I wasn’t a writer, I would be some kind of theatre manager, I guess, because I can’t imagine not being in this industry somewhere.
8) Something people don’t know about me is…
I live in Spain, in the Canary Islands, which I feel is a definite upgrade from Colchester, Essex where I was born.
9) The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is…
From director Alan Strachan, when I said I was worried about whether my first London play would get good reviews,
‘Peter, you don’t need good reviews. You need three good reviews. That’s all. For the front of house, the posters and to sell the show elsewhere. Three is enough. Relax.’ (Though, of course, more than three would be nice!)
10) The one thing I wish I could tell my younger self is…
Don’t expect to earn anything for the first ten years. Learning to write well takes a very long time. Be patient. You’ll get there eventually.
Get your tickets to see Peter’s work in Allegra at Harold Pinter Theatre now!
