Professor Jonathan Lichtenstein

Biography

My work primarily looks at ways of representing the effects of trauma through theatre work and in prose. My latest book, 'The Berlin Shadow- Living with the Ghosts of the Kindertransport' (pub, Scribner, UK, 2020) investigates this theme in terms of 'the Second Generation' and has been published in the U.K, Italy, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark and the U.S. and was shortlisted for the Slightly Foxed Best First Biography Prize of 2020 and the Livre de Poche Prix des Lecteurs of 2024. My play, 'The Pull of Negative Gravity' looks at the way PTSD in the military then impacts women in the domestic world. It won an Edinburgh Fringe First for, 'innovation and outstanding new stage writing'. It transferred from the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh to Off Broadway- New York (59E59) and has had further productions in Germany, Australia and Florida. My play, 'Memory , by Theatr Clwyd Cymru also transferred to New York, (59E59) with further productions in London , Cardiff, and Chicago. 'Darkness' performed at the Edinburgh Festival in 2011. I have had two attachments at the National Theatre as well as commissions from The Sherman Theatre, the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, and Theatr Clwyd. I was the writer on , 'Confessions of a Cockney Temple Dancer' with Shane Shambhu. My radio plays, broadcast by BBC Radio 4, are 'Moving the Scrolls' and 'Human Rights'. I welcome students who wish to work on contemporary theatre, writing for theatre, autofiction and memoir.

Qualifications

• BA Leeds

Appointments

University of Essex

• Director of the Centre for Theatre Studies, Literature, Film and Theatre Studies, University of Essex (1996 - 2014)

Other academic

• Head of Department, University of Essex (2011 - 2014)