HEDDA – ORANGE TREE THEATRE, RICHMOND – 2025
Ibsen’s classic drama, radically revived in post-war London with echoes of Merle Oberon
A TUPPERWARE OF ASHES – ROYAL NATIONAL THEATRE – 2024
Meera Syal was Olivier nominated for her role in this epic story of a Michelin-star chef with Alzheimer’s
GREAT EXPECTATIONS – ROYAL EXCHANGE THEATRE, MANCHESTER – 2023
A reworking of the adatation from 2011, relocating the action to India in 1905
THE EMPRESS – RSC / HAMMERSMITH LYRIC – 2023
Ten years on from the first production, a five month run in Stratford Upon Avon and London.
THE OVERSEAS STUDENT – LYRIC HAMMERSMITH – 2021
An 18-year old Gandhi has just arrived from India to study Law.
MIRROR ON THE MOOR – ROYAL COURT THEATRE – 2021
Priti Patel and Rishi Sunak compete in this Asian soap-opera style satire
A DOLL’S HOUSE – LYRIC HAMMERSMITH – 2019
‘Tanika Gupta has transposed Ibsen’s seminal play to 1879 Calcutta and the result is multilayered, massively intelligent and moving.’ The Guardian
HOBSONS CHOICE – ROYAL EXCHANGE – 2019
Hobson’s Choice was written in 1915 by Harold Brighouse and set in a nineteenth-century Salford cobbler’s shop. Tanika supplants the characters to a 1980s tailor’s shop in the heart of Manchester.
RED DUST ROAD – EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL – 2019
Opened at the Edinburgh International Festival in August 2019 and then at HOME, Manchester in September 2019. Toured to Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling and Eden Court Theatre, Inverness in Autumn 2019.
Adapted from the memoir by Jackie Kay. From Nairn to Lagos, Red Dust Road takes you on a journey full of heart, humour and deep emotions. Discover how we are shaped by the folk songs we hear as much as by the cells in our bodies.
LIONS AND TIGERS – SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE – 2017
‘Based on the true story of her great uncle and freedom fighter Dinesh Gupta’
A SHORT HISTORY OF TRACTORS IN UKRAINIAN – HULL TRACK THEATRE – 2017
Marina Lewycka’s bestselling debut novel has sold over one million copies worldwide. Tanika Gupta has adapted this story for stage; it was perrformed at Hull Track Theatre from the 22nd September to 14th October 2017
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM – SHAKESPEARES GLOBE – 2016
This adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream fuses Bollywood music, dance and original comedy.
ANITA AND ME – BIRMINGHAM REP 2015 & THEATRE ROYAL STRATFORD EAST 2017
Adapted from Meera Syal’s autobiographical first novel, Anita and Me paints a colourful portrait of village life in 1970’s West Midlands during the era of flares, power cuts and glam rock.
LOVE ‘N STUFF – THEATRE ROYAL STRATFORD EAST – 2o13
‘A comedy two hander. ’ Sept-Oct 2013
THE EMPRESS – ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY –
Swan theatre – Stratford Upon Avon. 2013.
THE BOY I LOVE – VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM 2013
Original play for installation linked to Music Hall and Walter Sickert exhibition (Until Dec 2013)
WAH! WAH! GIRLS – SADLERS WELLS AND THEATRE ROYAL STRATFORD EAST THEATRE. 2012
A British Bollywood musical. Peacock Theatre May-June 2012. Reopening at Theatre Royal Stratford East in Sept 2012.
MINDWALKING – BANDBAZI THEATRE. 2011 & 2013
An aerial play touring UK and India September – November 2011. Remounted for a second tour around Britain – 2013.
GREAT EXPECTATIONS – WATFORD PALACE THEATRE & ENGLISH TOURING THEATRE 2011 (& 2023)
Feb- May 2011. Published by Oberon. Remounted in 2023 at Royal Exchange, Manchester
BROOD – THEATRE ROYAL STRATFORD EAST. 2010
Young adults tour. July 2010.
DREAMING BY DAY – UNICORN THEATRE/PLAYHOUSE FESTIVAL. 2010
Play for schools. July 2010.
US OR THEM – NATIONAL YOUTH THEATRE AND HOME OFFICE. 2010
Anti Knife crime play toured around Pupil Referral Units. Jan/Feb 2010.
2 YOUNG 2 LUV – BIRMINGHAM REPERTORY THEATRE. 2009
Young people’s theatre. June 2009.
TALKING TO BYRON – NATIONAL YOUTH THEATRE AND HOME OFFICE. 2009
Anti Knife crime play toured around Pupil Referral Units. March/April 2009.
MEET THE MUKHERJEES – BOLTON OCTAGON THEATRE. 2008
May 2008. Published by Oberon
WHITE BOY – NATIONAL YOUTH THEATRE AT SOHO THEATRE. 2007 & 2008
July 2007. Remounted at Soho Theatre in January 2008. Published by Oberon
CATCH – 2006
Unique group writing collaboration at the Royal Court with four other leading women writers – April De Angelis, Laura Wade and Stella Feehily. Produced in December 2006 in THE JERWOOD THEATRE AT THE ROYAL COURT. Published by Oberon
SUGAR MUMMIES – ROYAL COURT THEATRE – 2006
July/August 2006 and went on to tour Birmingham Rep and Bolton Octagon Theatres. Published by Oberon
GLADIATOR GAMES – 2005
A part verbatim play based on the racist murder of Zahid
Mubarek in Feltham YOI in 2000 and the resulting Public Inquiry. The play began in SHEFFIELD CRUCIBLE THEATRE IN OCTOBER 2005 AND WENT TO THEATRE ROYAL STRATFORD EAST. Remounted Feb 2006 at Theatre Royal Stratford East. Published by Oberon.
HOBSON’S CHOICE – 2003 and 2023
A modern adaptation of Harold Brighouse’s ‘Hobson’s Choice’ for THE YOUNG VIC. June – Aug 2003 followed by a nationwide tour. Published by Oberon. Remounted at Royal Exchange, Manchester in 2023
FRAGILE LAND – 2003.
An original play for HAMPSTEAD THEATRE March-April 2003. Published by Oberon
INSIDE OUT – 2002
Commissioned by CLEAN BREAK on the subject of women in the criminal justice system. This included a period of research for three months at HMP WINCHESTER. 2002 Nationwide tour, and a run at the Arcola theatre in London. Published by Oberon.
SANCTUARY – NATIONAL THEATRE – 2002
An original play at The NATIONAL THEATRE for the ‘Transformation’ Season in July 2002 Completed a national tour. Published by Oberon
BERTOLT BRECHT’S – THE GOOD WOMAN OF SETZUAN – NATIONAL THEATRE – 2001
Commissioned to write a translation for the Royal NATIONAL THEATRE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. Toured nationally for six months and then ended the run at the Cottesloe Theatre in June 2001.
THE WAITING ROOM – NATIONAL THEATRE – 2000
Stage play commissioned by The NATIONAL THEATRE. PRODUCED AT THE COTTESLOE in May/June 2000 – starring Shabana Azmi. Published by Faber & Faber. Winner of the John Whiting award 2000.
A RIVER SUTRA – 1997
age adaptation of Geeta Mehta’s novel for Indosa Productions/National Theatre Studio. First production at Three Mill Islands Studios. Sept/Oct 1997. Granted a Peggy Ramsay Foundation Award. (1997).
ON THE COUCH WITH ENOCH – 1998
A short play about Enoch Powell on his death-bed for BAC’s Seeing Red Festival of Dissent (May 1998).
SKELETON – SOHO THEATRE – 1997
May-June 1996 Part of being writer-In-Residence at the Soho Theatre Company (1996-98), Published by Faber & Faber.
VOICES ON THE WIND – 1995
Stage play selected by TALAWA THEATRE company as their black Women Writers project; had a rehearsed reading at Theatre Royal Stratford East; the play was further developed through work-in progress at the Royal National Theatre Studio and produced for a selected audience, Sept 1995.