After completing her training at Birmingham School of Acting and The School at Steppenwolf, Chicago, playwright Charlene James was quick to find success.

In 2008, she participated in the Royal Court's Young Writers Programme and in 2012, the 34-year-old was selected to be one of the 503 Five at Theatre 503. In 2013, James notably became a writer in residence at the Birmingham Rep for their season which explored mental health, where her play, Tweet Tweet, was commissioned by the company as part of their Young Theatre Makers programme. James was awarded the Alfred Fagon Award in 2014, for best new play at the National Theatre for Cuttin' It, which focuses on Female Genital Mutilation, a topic that James raises awareness for. The play transferred in 2016 to the Royal Court and Young Vic respectively to considerable critical acclaim, winning James the gong of Best New Play at the UK Theatre Awards 2016. James then went on to win BBC Audio Drama award for her radio adaption of the script and most recently was awarded the Charles Wintour award for Most Promising Playwright at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2016.