15 Facts About Dennis Kelly

Dennis Kelly wrote the book for Matilda the Musical, which featured music and lyrics from musician and comedian Tim Minchin.

The musical went on to win multiple awards, with Kelly receiving a Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical.

Dennis Kelly wrote the screenplay for the 2014 film Black Sea.

Dennis Kelly grew up on a council estate in Barnet, North London.

Dennis Kelly says that he struggled with alcoholism during much of his 20s.

Dennis Kelly attended Alcoholics Anonymous and has been sober since 2001.

At one point Dennis Kelly shared his home in Deptford with Vladimir Shcherban from the Belarus Free Theatre company when Shcherban was homeless.

Dennis Kelly has credited Sharon Horgan for making him become a writer.

Dennis Kelly says he wrote it imagining he'd give himself a part.

Dennis Kelly was one of the ten writers who took part in writing monologues based on a children's account for a one-off event at the Old Vic Theatre directed by Danny Boyle in London in support of Dramatic Need in 2010.

In 2010, Dennis Kelly returned to the Hampstead Theatre once more for his response to Shakespeare's King Lear, The Gods Weep starring Jeremy Irons, with mixed reviews.

Dennis Kelly's script adapted from Roald Dahl's book for Tim Minchin's production of the musical Matilda proved highly successful, with the musical winning 99 awards between its opening in December 2010 and 2021, and scheduled to continue to run in the West End of London until at least December 2022.

Dennis Kelly wrote an adaptation of Pinocchio featuring the songs and score from the Walt Disney film for the National Theatre, opening in December 2017.

Dennis Kelly's work has been produced in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Poland, Italy, Australia, Japan, the United States, France, Belgium, Denmark, Romania and Canada.

In July 2017 Dennis Kelly received an 'Honorary Fellowship' from Goldsmiths, University of London.