Supporting Wall


Supporting Wall was an award-winning London-based theatre and general arts production, promotion and management company, founded in 2008 by producers Ben Monks and Will Young and operated for nine years until 2017. The company's own productions primarily focused on new writing and contemporary theatre, while management and publicity work has included projects across theatre, comedy, film, festivals, live music and dance - including work at the BFI Southbank, Royal National Theatre and many others. During most of this time, Ben Monks and Will Young were also based at the Actors Centre as creative producers for the Tristan Bates Theatre. In November 2023 Will Young was appointed executive director of London's Royal Court Theatre.

Productions

Supporting Wall's original productions include:
ProductionWriterDirectorVenueYear
Blue HeavenTennessee WilliamsAbigail GrahamFinborough Theatre, London2009
Big Breath InOscar Wood & CompanyMatthew EvansTour, London & South East2009
Three Shit Hot ShortsDean StalhamSam Miller, Emily Lim, Pam BrightonCamden Fringe2009
MoonfleecePhilip RidleyDavid MercataliLondon & UK Tour2010
Election DramaVariousVariousNew Players Theatre2010
The Jewish Wife Bertolt BrechtMatthew EvansBattersea Arts Centre2010
Tender NapalmPhilip RidleyDavid MercataliSouthwark Playhouse2011
YellowDaniel SaleebDaniel SaleebTete a Tete Festival / Riverside Studios2011
Shallow SlumberChris LeeMary NighySoho Theatre2012
Tender NapalmPhilip RidleyDavid MercataliUK Tour2012
Dark Vanilla Jungle Philip RidleyDavid MercataliSoho Theatre, London; Royal Exchange, Manchester and Pleasance, Edinburgh Festival2013
Our AjaxTimberlake WertenbakerDavid MercataliSouthwark Playhouse2013
Jonny & the Baptists: The Stop UKIP TourJonny Donahoe & Paddy GerversThe companyUK Tour / Soho Theatre2014
Dark Vanilla JunglePhilip RidleyDavid MercataliUK Tour & Soho Theatre2014
Jonny & the Baptists: The Satiric VersesJonny Donahoe & Paddy GerversThe companyThe Pleasance, Edinburgh Festival2014
Bull Mike Bartlett (playwright)Clare LizzimoreYoung Vic Theatre2015
Radiant VerminPhilip RidleyDavid MercataliTobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol / Soho Theatre, London2015
Jonny & the Baptists Rock The VoteJonny Donahoe & Paddy GerversThe companyUK Tour & Soho Theatre2015
You Look Tasty Stewart PringleDavid MercataliThe Pleasance, Edinburgh Festival2015
Tonight with Donny StixxPhilip RidleyDavid MercataliPleasance, Edinburgh Festival2015
Jonny & the Baptists: The End Is NighJonny Donahoe & Paddy GerversThe companyPaines Plough Roundabout Theatre & UK Tour2015-16
OctagonKristiana ColonNadia LatifArcola Theatre, London2015
Jonny & the Baptists: Eat the PoorJonny Donahoe & Paddy GerversThe companyPaines Plough Roundabout Theatre & UK Tour2016-17
Radiant VerminPhilip RidleyDavid Mercatali59E59 Theaters, New York2016
Thirty ChristmasesJonny Donahoe, with Paddy GerversAlice HamiltonOld Fire Station, Oxford & New Diorama Theatre, London2017-18

Awards and nominations

Supporting Wall's productions won or were nominated for various awards, including for Bull the 2015 Olivier Award for Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre; for Dark Vanilla Jungle a Fringe First Award and a nomination for lead actress Gemma Whelan for the Stage Award for Best Solo Performance; for Tender Napalm, winning the OffWestEnd.Com Award for Best Actress for Vinette Robinson and a nomination for the Evening Standard Outstanding Newcomer Award for director David Mercatali; for Shallow Slumber, nominations for the OffWestEnd.Com Best Actress Award for both Amy Cudden and Alexandra Gilbreath, as well as for Best New Play at the same awards; and for The Jewish Wife,'' ''winning the JMK director's award for Matthew Evans.
For Supporting Wall Ben Monks and Will Young were jointly nominated for the OffWestEnd.Com Best Producer Award twice consecutively in 2011 & 2012.