Paines Plough

Tour the Writer Festival ‘26

Photos of the 14 Paines Plough Tour the Writer Year 3 mentored writers.

List of the partner organisations for Paines Plough’s Tour the Writer 3-year project and festival.

Thrilled to be 1 of the 14 mentored writers in @painesplough.bsky.social’s Tour the Writer Festival @belgradetheatre.bsky.social on 7 March. After 2 years of script development @mercurytheatre.bsky.social, catch an extract from my play DEMONS in our showcase.
🎟️ www.belgrade.co.uk/events/tour-...

Mark Thomas poses with an Iggy Pop t shirt, behind him are director Charlotte Bennett and play wright Ed Edwards against a white rehearsal room wall.

1/1 A brief history of the play Ordinary Decent Criminal in dodgy photos.

Starts with the prerequisite rehearsal room photo with playwright Ed Edwards and director Charlotte Bennett.

The set to the play, two crowd barriers either side of a prison issue toilet in front of the metal crowd barrier sculpture.

Mark selfie in front of metal crowd barriers making an awkward triangular structure draped with a blood stained red cloth.

I named the set for Ordinary Decent Criminal "my IKEA Barbara Hepworth", so for the last time it's once more round the metal Babs.

Crowd outside the theatre royal York. Full moon on back ground.

Me and some audience members outside . Someone has lent me a blue coat.

Well that was a gig to finish the tour. Fire alarm lead to evacuation so we stood on the cold for 30 mins mid gig. Lovely person lent me their coat and someone else a scarf as I was in t shirt. Then went back in and finished the show. Thanks to tonight’s lovely audience.

Play text of Ordinary Decent Criminal by Ed Edwards published by Nick Hern. Front cover Mark Thomas in an olive green Harrington jacket with a cup of tea and a biscuit.

Ordinary Decent Criminal finishes tonight.

Thanks to all the team at @painesplough.bsky.social especially Charlotte, Ellie and @tinehs.bsky.social and of course to Ed Edwards.

Thanks to all who came to see it too.

If you missed it you an always get a play script www.markthomasinfo.co.uk/store/

Cover of the play Ordinary Decent Criminal by Ed Edwards, the picture is Mark Thomas the awesome performer in the play who is much slimmer in real life as photography can put a stone on your appearance. Mark is holding a cup of tea and dunking a biscuit. The biscuit and the consumption of it/them during the photoshoot has nothing to do with his appearance.

Thanks to HOME Manchester for having us this past week. The team there are great, tech, box office, everyone, thank you xx

ALSO we sold out of play scripts at the gig BUT you can get a copy on the website.

www.markthomasinfo.co.uk/store/

HOME Manchester this week for the play Ordinary Decent Criminal by Ed Edwards. Week after we have a couple of dates in York. Then the tour is done.

So last chance to see it.

The playscript is for sale on the website.

markthomasinfo.co.uk/store/

Consumed - Paines Plough Four generations of Northern Irish women, reunited under one roof. A 90th birthday party that no-one seems to want. A house full of hungry ghosts, with more than one skeleton in the closet. Turn off y...

Touring to:
24 Feb - 8 Mar 2026 - Lyric Theatre, Belfast
18 Mar - 18 Apr 2026 - Park Theatre, London

Can’t wait to get back into the room with these incredible humans. We’re cooking up something bolder, juicier, funnier and more dangerous than ever.

On sale now: painesplough.com/productions/...

announcing: the returning cast for Consumed by Karis Kelly, coming to Belfast and London in Spring 2026:

Julia Dearden (Derry Girls, After Life)
Caoimhe Farren (The Woman in the Wall, Derry Girls)
Andrea Irvine (Blue Lights, Line of Duty)
Muireann Ní Fhaogáin, in her professional stage debut ✨

Presenting the shortlist for the Women's Prize for Playwriting 2025 @womensplayprize.bsky.social.

20 outstanding plays, selected from 1275 submissions.
Massive congratulations to the shortlisted writers 👏

Brilliantly both x

Morning. Don’t know if this counts as promotion or just me
Mouthing off? Possibly both. Anyway Ordinary Decent Criminal is on your for three more weeks.

a brief history of resistance, with @markthomasinfo.bsky.social 🔥

I mean you should see this show, it is purring like a Le Mans racer at the moment.

Dispatches from the road. Only four stops left on the tour. Catch @markthomasinfo.bsky.social - our Ordinary Decent Criminal - in the next few weeks in Nottingham, Lancaster, Manchester and York.

Book: painesplough.com/productions/...

writers, your spoooky costume has arrived

three certainties in life: death, taxes and first drafts that look like this

Absolutely amazed and grateful to have made the Longlist for the Women’s Prize for Playwriting 2025! 🎉🥰

Announcing the longlist for the Women’s Prize for Playwriting 2025 💜

Congratulations to the longlist, and thank you to EVERY writer who shared their play. Finishing & submitting a play is an act of tenacity & courage: we're proud of you and honoured to read your work.

@womensplayprize.bsky.social

🥰We are thrilled that the fantastic Jane Upton has been longlisted for the 2025 Women's Prize for Playwriting for BELONGINGS. ✨

Read the full longlist on the Prize website here: womensprizeforplaywriting.co.uk/2025-longlist/

Announcing the longlist for the Women’s Prize for Playwriting 2025 💜

Congratulations to the longlist, and thank you to EVERY writer who shared their play. Finishing & submitting a play is an act of tenacity & courage: we're proud of you and honoured to read your work.

@womensplayprize.bsky.social

Ordinary Decent Criminal - Paines Plough Meet recovering addict Frankie, played by renowned political comedian Mark Thomas. Frankie’s just been sentenced to three and a half years in jail for dealing drugs. When he gets there, none of his fe...

Tour dates for Ordinary Decent Criminal are here:

painesplough.com/productions/...

On prison, on getting out, on getting clean, and fighting the good fight. This is Mark Thomas @markthomasinfo.bsky.social, in Ordinary Decent Criminal.

Written by Ed Edwards. Directed by Charlotte Bennett.

Out on tour from 7 Oct.

painesplough.com/productions/...

On prison, on getting out, on getting clean, and fighting the good fight. This is Mark Thomas @markthomasinfo.bsky.social, in Ordinary Decent Criminal.

Written by Ed Edwards. Directed by Charlotte Bennett.

Out on tour from 7 Oct.

painesplough.com/productions/...

a playlist for revolution, with your mate and mine @markthomasinfo.bsky.social. How about yours?

Ordinary Decent Criminal is back on the road from 7th October, and all venues are now on sale (and selling out pretty sharpishhhh).

painesplough.com/productions/...

a playlist for revolution, with your mate and mine @markthomasinfo.bsky.social. How about yours?

Ordinary Decent Criminal is back on the road from 7th October, and all venues are now on sale (and selling out pretty sharpishhhh).

painesplough.com/productions/...

Paines Plough, Park Theatre and the Lyric Belfast present Consumed.

✨ 24 Feb - 8 March 2026: Lyric Theatre, Belfast
✨ 18 March - 18 April 2026: Park Theatre, London

A Paines Plough, Belgrade Theatre, Sheffield Theatres and Women’s Prize for Playwriting production.

Directed by Katie Posner.

announcing: two homecomings for our happy family.
Consumed by Karis Kelly is coming to the the Lyric Belfast and Park Theatre in London in Spring 2026.

Link: painesplough.com/productions/...

I had a brilliant idea last night I told myself not to forget.

I forgot.