John Godber - Biography

Biography

Godber was born in Upton, West Yorkshire, near Pontefract. He trained as a teacher of drama at Bretton Hall College, affiliated to the University of Leeds, and became artistic director of Hull Truck Theatre Company in 1984. Before venturing into plays, he was head of drama at Minsthorpe High School, the school that he attended as a student, and later wrote for TV series Brookside and Grange Hill. Whilst at Minsthorpe he taught future actors Adrian Hood (Preston Front, Up n Under film) and Chris Walker (Doctors, Coronation Street). A 1993 survey for 'Plays and Players' magazine cited Godber as the third most performed playwright in the UK, after Shakespeare and Alan Ayckbourn.In 2005 won 2 BAFTAs for 'Odd Squad', written and directed on location in Hull and screened by BBC children's television. His plays are performed across the world; Bouncers being the most popular.

In 2004 he was made Professor of Popular Theatre at Liverpool Hope University. He has been Professor of Drama at Hull University for three years.

His earlier style utilises an interest in German Expressionism, an economic and physical style inspired by this and the inspiration of Bretton Hall Head of School (Drama) John Hodgson. His later and more naturalistic style reflects Godber's growth as a member of the middle classes and an Ayckbournesque world of Drama. He says that the 'new Godber' is perhaps a writer like Tim Firth.

He is married to the writer and actress Jane Thornton, also known as Jane Clifford and Jane Godber.