With a unique voice shaped by their mixed Chinese-Malaysian heritage, London writer Kathryn Golding asks what it truly means to be from the British Isles. Across stage, screen, and audio, they craft stories that pulse with the hopeful, humorous, and heartbreaking realities of modern life, exploring all its joy, rage, and sadness. Kathryn’s work is a powerful investigation into identity, relationships, and our need to belong
CURRENT: They are currently developing work with Bush Theatre and Graeae theatre company.
Recently, they took part in a writers room for a long-running BBC Children’s drama, and a writers room for a children’s animation show.
Inaugural BEATS Fellow, Kathryn was on a year-long attachment with Graeae, a leading disabled-led theatre company and has been part of writers’ groups at the Royal Court and Soho Theatre. Most recently, they were members of Bush Writers Group 2025, with Bush Theatre, and the BBC Writersroom’s writers access group 23-25
Their first full-length play, A PERPETUAL STATE OF HAPPINESS, developed on attachment with Graeae, had a rehearsed reading in 2019 at the Bush Theatre. They have also written for Royal Court Theatre, Bush Theatre, English Touring Theatre Company, Paines Plough and Tamasha
Their TV pilot, ‘BREEDERS’ was longlisted for the TriForce Creative Network’s WriterSlam. They are supported by the TV Foundation and have worked on shorts for BBC Comedy
Kathryn is currently developing works for TV, Radio and Theatre and has performed on stage across London, including the Royal Court and The Rose Theatre, Kingston
‘Dragons of the Pool’
top pick for Radio Times and The Times
inspired by the true story of the Chinese seamen, forcibly repatriated from Liverpool, to Hong Kong and China, in 1945-46.
DRAGONS OF THE POOL is a fictional account based on the history of the “compulsory repatriation of undesirable Chinese seamen” following their service during World War 2
set over the course of 50 years, the drama follows the journey of middle-aged Leigh and long-lost father, Haoyu, as he tries to make his way back to the child he was forced to leave behind
this collection features over 100 brand new monologues, edited by Titi Dawudu, with a focus on actors and writers who are either ethnically diverse and/or deaf and disabled
their works OBLIVION and KILONOVA have been included
a feel-good new series about wheelchair user Stella, homeless Ali and anxious Erica, who unexpectedly come together when they get locked in at Sharewoods, a home furnishings store.
During this memorable evening, they’ll make new friends, discover what independence means, find love and learn to challenge perceptions
episode 3 of a 5 part audio drama was written by Kathryn for Naked Productions
airing on local radio stations nationwide
Creating Apart, 2021
stuck in a dead-end job, Kayla’s world is turned upside down when her grandmother dies leaving her with some tough decisions to make
THE OBITUARY is a short film written for the East Asian & South East Asian actors showcase ‘Creating Apart’
from the family gathering for her grandmother’s passing to the birth of her newest family member, we spend the day through the eyes of Mei, experiencing the circle of life
ONE DAY is a short film written to support QianEr Jin’s vision for set design, using the theme of the life of a Mayfly.
bush theatre, online
‘DNA’
thanks to the never-ending lockdown, Qingming festival is cancelled.
this year, Suzy plays chat roulette with her ancestors as Tomb-Sweeping Day moves online
a short play for graeae theatre company, online
‘My Time’
nominated for Audio Drama Awards 2021; Commendations for ‘The Year of Reinvention’ category
sitting out lockdown by sorting through her cupboards, a woman finds old mixtapes and rekindles an old friendship
an audio drama with Naked Productions, aired on local radio stations, nationwide, and BBC Radio 4
a “deceptively destructive account … that looks right into the storm of this epidemic”~ Jack Thorne on PARASITE
after a run-in with strangers, Joe feels the full brunt of anti-Asian hate. Unable to stay with his girlfriend, Joe finds himself rawdogging lockdown, alone
a short film for graeae theatre company’s Crips Without Constraints
available on graeae’s YouTube channel
‘The Woman of Tiananmen Square’
a man stands in front of a procession of tanks the middle of Tiananmen Square clutching a plastic bag. As the tank rolls to a stop, the man scales the tank …
drawing on the well-known photograph, ‘The Woman of Tiananmen Square is the imagined conversation between the driver and ‘Tank Man’
a short play, first developed with graeae theatre company in 2018
performed again with papergang theatre, at clapham omnibus
‘A Perpetual State of Happiness’
girl meets boy, in therapy, what could go wrong? Jessi strikes up an unlikely friendship with Scott after he stumbles into her group therapy. As they ride the highs and lows of mental health, they test whether love really can cure all
a play, developed with Graeae Theatre Company and performed at Bush Theatre, January 2019
Kathryn Golding 