David Wood

David Wood OBE, described by the late great Times theatre critic Irving Wardle as “the national children’s dramatist”, has written more than 70 plays, including adaptations of books by Judith Kerr, Michelle Magorian, Philippa Pearce and Roald Dahl, as well as original plays of his own.

His plays are performed worldwide, and include THE GINGERBREAD MAN, THE PLOTTERS OF CABBAGE PATCH CORNER, SAVE THE HUMAN and THE IDEAL GNOME EXPEDITION. Among his adaptations are eight Roald Dahl stories (THE BFG, THE TWITS, THE WITCHES, FANTASTIC MR FOX, JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, DANNY THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD, GEORGE’S MARVELLOUS MEDICINE and THE MAGIC FINGER), Dick King-Smith’s BABE, THE SHEEP-PIG, Eric Hill’s SPOT’S BIRTHDAY PARTY, HRH King Charles III’s THE OLD MAN OF LOCHNAGAR, Philip Pullman’s CLOCKWORK, Judith Kerr’s THE TIGER WHO CAME TO TEA (Olivier Award nomination 2012), Sam McBratney’s GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU, the award-winning TOM’S MIDNIGHT GARDEN (from Philippa Pearce’s novel) and Michelle Magorian’s GOODNIGHT MISTER TOM, which opened at Chichester, toured twice, played seasons at the Phoenix Theatre and Duke of York’s in the West End and won the Olivier Award 2013 for Best Entertainment and Family. His book, THEATRE FOR CHILDREN (Faber) is a set text on both sides of the Atlantic.

Film screenplays include SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS and the award-winning BACK HOME (from Michelle Magorian’s novel). For the the late Queen Elizabeth II's 80th birthday, he wrote THE QUEEN’S HANDBAG, broadcast live from Buckingham Palace Gardens to 8,000,000 BBC1 viewers. With composer Richard Taylor he adapted L P Hartley’s THE GO-BETWEEN, which won Best Musical Production, Theatre UK Awards 2012, and played a West End season at the Apollo Theatre, starring Michael Crawford, in 2016.

His children’s books, many created with illustrator Richard Fowler, include MOLE’S BEDTIME STORY, FUNNY BUNNY’S MAGIC SHOW and A PRESENT FOR FATHER CHRISTMAS, and he regularly visits schools with the message ‘BOOKS ARE FUN!’. He also performs THE DAVID WOOD MAGIC AND MUSIC SHOW in theatres all over the UK. As an actor David played on stage opposite Sir Michael Redgrave in John Mortimer’s A VOYAGE ROUND MY FATHER, on the big screen with Malcolm McDowell in Lindsay Anderson’s IF ... and on the small screen, starring opposite Shelley Winters in THE VAMP.

David is President (and former Chair) of Action for Children’s Arts, and a Trustee of The Story Museum, Oxford.

He received the JM Barrie Award, for a lifetime’s contribution to children’s arts in 2017.

David was awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the late Queen Elizabeth II's Birthday Honours (2004) for services to literature and drama. 

The 2026 Olivier Awards honored him with the prestigious Industry Recognition Award for services to theatre.

Visit David's website

The Stage exclusive feature - David Wood at 80

BBC Listed Londoner - David Wood is Robert Elms' guest in recognition for his contribution to London theatre