iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

LULLA’s at the Omnibus until 10 July. 25% discount code: FLAMINGFRIEND www.omnibus-clapham.org/whatson/lull... “Intriguing and entertaining.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ London Theatre 1 “Delicious. A rich metaphorical dreamscape. It’s imagination made tangible, as theatre magic can.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 A Young(ish) Perspective

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

It’s taken 9 years for me to stage my wild queer dream play LULLA. Please come see it! Omnibus Theatre, 30 June-10 July 🎟️ BOOK HERE 🎟️ www.omnibus-clapham.org/whatson/lull... Marin’s 16, queer and in love. When her parents try to control her, she escapes into a dream world to discover herself.

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

Only 5…? Kate Bush - The Dreaming Elizabeth Fraser - Victorialand (Cocteau Twins) PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love Billie Holiday - Lady in Satin Joni Mitchell - Hejira

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

Thrilled that Arts Council England’s funded my company Flaming Theatre’s production of my play LULLA for a 2-week London run, directed by Martha J. Baldwin. Venue/dates announced soon. LULLA reached the Verity Bargate Award top 100 longlist in 2017. High time we staged this wild LGBTQ+ adventure!

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

Thrilled to be 1 of the 14 mentored writers in @painesplough.bsky.social’s Tour the Writer Festival @belgradetheatre.bsky.social on 7 March. After 2 years of script development @mercurytheatre.bsky.social, catch an extract from my play DEMONS in our showcase. 🎟️ www.belgrade.co.uk/events/tour-...

Photos of the 14 Paines Plough Tour the Writer Year 3 mentored writers.

List of the partner organisations for Paines Plough’s Tour the Writer 3-year project and festival.

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 23/12/2025

Unfathomably terrible year globally. So many people keeping things real. Love to all. Hope you get some rest.

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 21/12/2025

56% funded in our first week! 🥲 Huge thanks to everyone who’s supported my non-profit project so far. If you’re able to share the Crowdfunder link or donate anything at all, I’d be massively grateful. 😘

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

I’m excited to launch the crowdfunder for my new queer dream play, LULLA. It’s taken 8 years of unpaid work to get to this point since it reached the Verity Bargate Award top 100 longlist. If you get a sec to read about it, share the info or donate to this non-profit project, I’d be so grateful. 🙏

crowdfunder.co.uk

Lulla: a new queer dream play + creative workshops

Help us raise key funding to stage a wild new queer dream play at a leading London venue and run creative workshops for young LGBTQ+ people.

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 06/12/2025

Planning the first new show for my theatre company Flaming Theatre since before the pandemic. If you feel like following/sharing that account, I’d be really grateful. More news soon. 🔥🙏🔥 bsky.app/profile/flam...

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

Introduce yourself with five concerts you’ve seen. Kate Bush The Smiths Aretha Franklin k d lang Cocteau Twins

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

So grateful to be awarded a Peggy Ramsay Foundation grant - and double the amount I requested! Huge affirmation for me about a risk-taking play I’ve believed in for many years and can finally develop for a production.

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 30/08/2025

share one of your favorite moments from a HORROR film or TV show 🎥📺🖤

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 20/08/2025

Obviously, Control. But I’d pine for Velvet Rope.

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Byline Times @bylinetimes.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

🔴Reform Council Bans All Mentions of Climate Change While Quietly Taking Green Funds From Government Reform-run West Northamptonshire is removing all references to ‘climate change’ and ‘net zero’ from official documents yet continuing to take government green grants bylinetimes.com/2025/07/23/r...

bylinetimes.com

Reform Council Bans All Mentions of Climate Change While Quietly Taking Green Funds From Government

Reform-run West Northamptonshire is removing all references to ‘climate change’ and ‘net zero’ from official documents, yet continuing to take government green grants

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Anna Jordan @annaruthjordan.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

If you work in #Theatre or #TV please give this a little share. London Summer Social for #Playwrights #Screenwriters & their friends! THIS THURS 23rd July 7-10pm at Soho Theatre WALTHAMSTOW. All levels of experience. Come with friends or come alone! #SupportPlaywrightsSummerSocial

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

I only wish I’d had the option to be recognised as non-binary for my whole life. It would’ve made so much difference and saved me from so many toxic ‘friendships’. It’s still a struggle to deal with binary people and behaviour but I’m so glad to have partly escaped that binary trap.

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 13/07/2025

Lovely community creation by @annaruthjordan.bsky.social & co again. 🥳 I wonder if we can also ripple this out online? Folk keep saying they miss Theatre/Screen Tw***er for contacts & advice, but we have Bluesky. Just need to collectively talk here more instead of Meta. But real world’s best, obvs!

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

So annoyed Theatre & Film Tw***er hasn’t migrated here and still hangs out on Meta. Thought the whole point was to go somewhere more progressive but all the main industry action’s still on Insta. 🫠

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Jeff VanderMeer @jeffvandermeer.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

Just a reminder that generative AI is theft of labor and intellectual property, uses vast amounts of energy/ water, provides at best mediocre results (if not outright lies or misinformation), actually affects your ability to think over time (mind duh), and is in general a really fucking bad idea.

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

Not gonna trust anyone who gives PLAINCLOTHES less than 5 stars. Blown away by the BAFTA screening tonight.

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Paines Plough @painesplough.bsky.social · 30/05/2025

dead pleased to announce the Y3 cohort of our Tour the Writer development programme. 14 writers from 7 areas across the country who will continue their mentorship over the next year, culminating in a showcase of their work. Find out more about the cohort here: painesplough.com/news/announc...

painesplough.com

Announcing our Mentored Writers for Year 3 of Tour the Writer - Paines Plough

We’re delighted to announce year three of Tour the Writer, our multi-year writer development programme in partnership with seven locations around the country. We’ve selected two writers from each of t...

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 30/05/2025

Thrilled to continue developing a play that means so much to me in Year 3 of Tour the Writer with the incredible support of @painesplough.bsky.social & @mercurytheatre.bsky.social. Year 2 was a blast with my Mercury writers gang. Looking forward to more fun leading up to our showcase next year. 🙏

Photos of Emma Bernard & Ben SantaMaria - Mercury Theatre Colchester/Paines Plough mentored writers.

Tour the Writer Mentored Writers Class of Year 3

List of names of Tour the Writer Year 2 mentored writers in Bradford, Colchester, Coventry, Keswick, North Devon, Peterborough & Plymouth.

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 16/05/2025

Another spellbinding Patrick Wolf show. Tears of laughter when he called that tech-wrecked old Astoria part of London “Dubai”. And in full tears at the beauty and grief and genius on display.

Patrick Wolf performing in London at HERE at Outernet.

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Chris Packham @chrisgpackham.bsky.social · 08/05/2025

C'mon , let's get fossil fuel ads banned . . . first step , a debate in Parliament . Will you be the 100,000th signature on my petition ? Sign at govpetition.uk/700024 – almost there !

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Anna Jordan @annaruthjordan.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

A bunch of wonderful playwrights (headed up by @kaylatmf.bsky.social ) have been working in support of the trans community in wake of the UK Supreme Court ruling organising this open letter in support & solidarity. We have over 1500 names. If yr a UK-based writer & pls add your name

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Al Jazeera English @aljazeera.com · 24/03/2025

Israeli forces arrested Hamdan Ballal, a Palestinian co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary 'No Other Land,' in the occupied West Bank after settlers beat and injured him, according to his colleague

aje.io

‘No Other Land’ co-director attacked by Israeli settlers and arrested

The film is an Oscar-winning documentary collaboration by Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers.

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

The poster’s the only thing that’s dated about this masterpiece, which is on iPlayer now. Hadn’t revisited it in ages but can confirm STONEWALL (the 1995 version - not the dodgy later flop) is still one of the greatest films ever made.

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

I’m not convinced most people are actually using Bluesky. And a lot are still posting on X(terminate). Just isn’t taking off, which is slightly worrying.

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

Fab BAFTA Connect LGBTQIA+ Creatives networking night. Always reassuring to hear others admit they find networking awks but still keep showing up at events and being lovely to chat with. Big congrats to the new BAFTA x BFI NETWORK Flare mentees who were announced there too. #BAFTAConnect #BFIFlare

BAFTA Connect LGBTQIA+ Creatives networking in BAFTA bar.

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Beautiful new reimagining of The Wedding Banquet. Fascinating makers talk. Flare’s off to a great start. #BFIFlare

Andrew Ahn and James Schamus producer/director talk at BFI Flare.

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 16/03/2025

Profoundly traumatic. Stunningly filmed and acted. Left me in a state of shock.

The Girl with the Needle (2024) film poster

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Alison Moyet at the Palladium. Need I say more? 💐

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Stratford East @stratfordeast.com · 10/03/2025

CALLING ALL PERFORMERS! 📣 We’re on the hunt for four incredible acts to take the stage at our Variety Night at Stratford East this May and perform alongside an exciting line-up of special guests. Apply via our website 👇 🔗 bit.ly/SE_140

bit.ly

This is a fantastic paid opportunity to showcase your act, with a top-class technical team supporting you and a ready-made audience in one of London’s most iconic theatres.

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Anna Jordan @annaruthjordan.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Made a vid about SMASHING WRITERS BLOCK - for #Playwrights #Screenwriters or any #Writers really. Seven simple but effective points of action which can make a real difference. Hope it's helpful - please share if it is. #SupportPlaywrights www.youtube.com/watch?v=58uf...

youtube.com

How to SMASH WRITERS BLOCK with playwright / screenwriter Anna Jordan

YouTube video by Without a Paddle

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 09/03/2025

Legendary talk from Judith Butler. Rubbish heckling was no match for the great mind. Ash Sarkar kept the chat fast and witty. Has an academic sold out the Royal Festival Hall with a rock star fan response like this before tonight?

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Annie Lennox just blew the roof off the Albert Hall and saved 2025. What. A. Show.

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Ben SantaMaria @bensantamaria.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

OTHERLAND is the best show so far this year. Thrilling writing from @chrisbushwrites.bsky.social. Beautiful staging. Incredible cast. Do yourself a favour and run to the Almeida.