Benedict Lombe

Early life and education Lombe was born in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. She moved to the UK as a child, residing in Wigan from the age of 12 until moving away for university. She attended Bournemouth University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Scriptwriting for Film and TV in 2013.

Career After finishing university, Lombe co-founded The Rat’s Nest Theatre Company with her friend Charlotte Rogers with the help of a grant from their university. a play about the struggles of women in the DRC. The piece was performed at the Edinburgh Fringe in August 2013, She has also been an attachment writer at the National Theatre and has been part of the Emerging Writers' Group at the Bush Theatre, where both of her major plays, Lava and Shifters, were premiered.

In 2026, Lombe was named by critic Dominic Cavendish in The Telegraph as one of the "six most exciting playwrights in Britain".

Lava

Lava, a one-woman play starring Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo and directed by Anthony Simpson-Pike, opened at the Bush in 2021. It went on to win the 2022 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize - the oldest and largest prize honouring women+ playwrights writing for English-speaking theatre. Lombe thus became one of the first playwrights to win the prize for a debut play. Lava also won prizes at the Black British Theatre Awards and a 2022 Offie, and it was nominated for the Alfred Fagon Award for Best New Play of the Year.

Shifters

Lombe's next play Shifters, a two-hander romance starring Tosin Cole and Heather Agyepong, directed by Lynette Linton, opened in 2024 to widespread acclaim from UK theatre press. Shifters transferred to the Duke of York's Theatre in the West End from 12 August to 12 October 2024. Shifters was nominated for Best New Play for the 2025 Olivier Awards (making Lombe the first Black British woman to achieve this nomination).

The play is set to make its Off-Broadway debut in July 2026 at the Cherry Lane Theatre starring Agyepong and Daniel Ezra.

Artistry Among Lombe's writing influences are Lynn Nottage, debbie tucker green and Paula Vogel.

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work(s) ResultNote 2021 Black British Theatre Awards Book and Lyrics Recognition Award Body of work Alfred Fagon AwardLava 2022 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize 2025OffieCreationShifters Laurence Olivier AwardsBest New Play The Stage Debut AwardsBest creative West End debut Clarissa Luard Award Body of work Nominated by the David Cohen Prize recipient, Alan Hollinghurst