GEORGE KEMP
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
21:57:23 GMT+11
Some highlights from the past year
WORK.
A selection of recent projects.
Soft Serve
George's debut novel Soft Serve will be released by UQP in February 2026. UQP hold world rights.
Set over the course of a day in a regional McDonald's, three twenty somethings and their dead friend's mum wrestle with their grief — longing for something more, somewhere else. It's drive-thru Chekhov… but a little bit gayer.
Publisher Aviva Tuffield says:
I immediately fell in love with Soft Serve and with how, despite its limited timeframe and small-town setting, it encompasses so much about the human condition.
NOVEL
LITERARY FICTION
UQP BOOKS
Shack
Winner of the ATYP Foundation Commission Award, Shack had its premiere season at ATYP, followed by a return season at Monkey Baa.
Antarctica. A blizzard. In the ghostly footsteps of Ernest Shackleton, nine teens find themselves in unchartered waters, trying valiantly to plant the flag that says: this is me.
Shack is now performed around the country and internationally (Singapore, Texas, Tokyo). Shack is on the NSW Drama Syllabus and is in the early stages of development for television.
PLAY
ADVENTURE
ATYP
As Hamlet Likes It
As Hamlet Likes It was originally commissioned by Sport for Jove and is performed around Australia.
Murder. Revenge. Love. Goats? A smashing together of two of Shakespeare's most beloved plays. A rough and ready comedy just waiting to be staged by beginners or Shakespeare aficionados.
Damien Ryan says:
If Shakespeare had known, thousands of moons ago, that his works would one day be the intimidating brain exercise of millions of teenaged students, he would have written a play like Kemp’s joyous and dazzling new piece – this is smart stuff.
PLAY
COMEDY
SPORT FOR JOVE
The Nutcracker
Commissioned by the Australian Chamber Orchestra, The Nutcracker is an adaptation of the classic ballet for one actor, two dancers and the ACO musicians.
The show enjoyed a sold out extended season in 2023 and returned for a second sold out season in 2024.
David McAllister says:
Kemp captured the spirit of the ballet with his words in a way that was so inclusive and current and exciting!
THEATRE
ADAPTATION
ACO
AVAILABLE FOR HIRE
OTHER WORK.
Screen
In the second half of 2024, George worked as a contributing Notetaker for multiple projects for Silent Firework (Jodi Matterson), Runaway Unicorn (Libbie Doherty) and Wolf House Productions (Abe Forsythe) with Tommy Murphy and Jacqueline Perske. He has also completed a pilot for his original series Slack/Tide.
Dramaturgy
George worked as Dramaturg on the Belvoir 25A show Pickled ﻛﺑﯾس and the stage adaptation of Tanya Hennessy's best-selling YA novel Drumroll Please, It's Stevie Louise. The stage adaptation is available for purchase through Playlab.
Mentorship
George is a passionate arts educator. He was a mentor at Australian Theatre for Young People's National Studio program in 2023 and is the Sydney mentor for ATYP's flagship writer's program Fresh Ink in 2025.
George won the Australian Theatre for Young People Foundation Commission Award 2020 for his play SHACK (published by Playlab). Since the premiere production in 2022, SHACK has enjoyed prolonged success, being performed continuously around the country and internationally in Singapore, Texas and Tokyo so far. SHACK will be included on the new 2026 NSW Drama Curriculum and is in the early stages of development for television.
George was commissioned to adapt THE NUTCRACKER for Australian Chamber Orchestra in 2022. The production enjoyed an extended sold-out season in 2023 and a return season in 2024.
George’s most recent play AS HAMLET LIKES IT was published by Playlab in 2024.
George was Dramaturg on the Belvoir 25A production of PICKLED ﻛﺑﯾس as well as the stage adaptation of DRUMROLL PLEASE, IT’S STEVIE LOUISE (Playlab), a best-selling YA novel by Tanya Hennessy.
George is also an experienced and passionate educator, having worked for Bell Shakespeare and NIDA as well as many other institutions around the country. He is Education Manager & Resident Artist at Australian Theatre for Young People, and was a playwright mentor at ATYP’s flagship writing program National Studio in 2023 as well as their Fresh Ink program in 2025.
George is beginning to turn his attention to screen, working with several production companies in 2024 and completing a pilot episode for his original series SLACK/TIDE.
George is a regular presenter at conferences both in Australia and internationally.
In a past life, George previously had a successful career as an actor across Australia & England, in productions including, amongst others, ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD starring Tim Minchin (Sydney Theatre Company) and CYRANO DE BERGERAC starring Richard Roxburgh (Sydney Theatre Company), LONGING (Hampstead Theatre, UK) and national and international tours of THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG, PETER PAN GOES WRONG and POP UP GLOBE. He also trained with Steppenwolf Theatre in the USA, Cheek By Jowl in the UK and Makhampom Living Theatre in Thailand.
When he's not staring nervously at a blank page and a blinking cursor, you'll probably find him reading by an ocean pool, down in Berry with his family or in a sunny beer garden somewhere…
NEWS.
What's goss?
MORE TO COME
New
2023, 2022 and 2021 Australian Small Publisher of the Year acquires accomplished debut from actor and playwright George Kemp.
MARCH 18, 2025
ATYP announces Fresh Ink mentors
Australia's most respected professional development program for emerging writers has announced their mentors for Sydney, Brisbane and Hobart.
FEBRUARY 03, 2025
HLA is delighted to announce that we have welcomed author and playwright George Kemp to the HLA family.
AUGUST 26, 2024
LET'S CHAT
CONTACT.
For professional enquiries, please contact:
Natalie Stewart
HLA Management
natalie.stewart@hlamgt.com.au
Find me here at HLA
Or to start a conversation, reach out directly:
