Tess Berry-Hart facts for kids

Tess Berry-Hart is a British writer. They write plays for the theatre and novels. Tess writes for adults, young adults, and children. Their stories often explore important topics. These include helping people who have moved from their homes. They also write about fairness for everyone, and understanding mental health. Tess has also created plays based on real interviews. These plays help support human rights and raise money for people in need.

Early life and education

Tess Berry-Hart was born in Warwickshire, England. They grew up in Oswestry near the Welsh border. Tess comes from a family of artists and writers. Their grandmother, Alice Berry-Hart, wrote children's books. Their aunt, Marian Lines, was also a playwright and children's author.

From age 11 to 18, Tess studied music at Howell's School, Denbigh in North Wales. After school, they traveled and worked as an English teacher. They taught in Turkey and Pakistan. Later, Tess studied law at King's College London. They graduated with top honors.

Career as a writer

Tess Berry-Hart learned to write plays at the Royal Court Theatre in London. They were part of a special program for young writers. Their first play, Legoland, was about dealing with difficult experiences and mental health. This play was chosen for a festival in Poland.

Since then, Tess's plays have been shown in many cities. These include London, New York, and Edinburgh. Their plays have also been translated into German and Turkish. In 2019, Tess was considered for a special writing award in Wales. Since 2021, they have been part of the Writers' Group at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff.

Theatre plays

In 2016, Tess Berry-Hart's play CARGO was performed in London. This play was inspired by their experiences helping young refugees. It tells the story of young people traveling to Europe in a cargo container. The play was later translated and performed in Turkey.

In 2018, a theatre in Cardiff asked Tess to write a new play. This play, called "The Story," was inspired by their volunteer work during the Syrian refugee crisis. It premiered in 2019 and toured around Wales and London. "The Story" later won an award in 2020.

In 2021, Tess started working on a new play called "Last Flight." This play is inspired by their volunteer experiences during the evacuation from Afghanistan in 2021.

Plays based on real stories

Tess Berry-Hart has also created "verbatim theatre." This means plays are made using the exact words from real interviews.

In 2012, Tess wrote "Someone To Blame." This play was based on the true story of Sam Hallam. He was a teenager who was wrongly accused and spent years in prison. The play showed problems with his case. It was performed just before his second appeal. Sam Hallam was later released from prison.

In 2014, Tess wrote "Sochi 2014." This play was about the lives of people in Russia who identify as LGBT. It was performed in London, New York, and Los Angeles. The play aimed to raise awareness about fairness for everyone.

Tess has also created plays for International Women's Day. In 2019, they curated stories from women workers around the world. Famous actors performed this play in London. In 2020, they created another play about people who had to leave their homes because of climate change. This play was performed at The Royal Festival Hall.

Young adult novels

Tess Berry-Hart has written novels for young adults. Their first novel, Escape from Genopolis, was published in 2007. It was followed by a sequel, Fearless, in 2009.

Helping people in need

In September 2015, Tess Berry-Hart visited the Calais Jungle refugee camp in France. After this visit, they became a coordinator for Calais Action. This group helps send aid to refugee camps in France and Greece.

Tess has spoken at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva. They have also appeared on BBC and ITV. They talk about the importance of helping refugees and creating safe ways for them to seek safety.

In 2016, Tess organized a special event to raise money for the Syrian refugee crisis. It featured short plays and poetry. Many famous actors and comedians took part.

Tess is also a founder of the Citizens of the World Choir. This choir includes refugees, migrants, and their friends. In 2021, Tess volunteered to help LGBTQ Afghans leave Afghanistan after the Taliban took over. They worked with an organization called Aman Project.

Personal life

Tess Berry-Hart identifies as LGBT. They are non-binary and use they/them pronouns.