A conversation with writer Stephen Greenhorn
I was lucky to have a conversation with Stephen Greenhorn about his development as a writer - from his early plays, to working on tv series like River City Doctor Who and musicals like Sunshine on Leith.
Writing for Stage, Screen and Musical Theatre: A Conversation with Stephen Greenhorn
I met writer Stephen Greenhorn in Glasgow at the Playwrights’ Studio in 2013 and talked about his amazing journey as a writer—from his early plays like Passing Places, to Doctor Who, to the hit musical Sunshine on Leith. Here's an edited version of that conversation, where Stephen reflects with warmth and insight on his life in writing.
Finding a Start in Theatre
"I wrote my first play at university. It was picked up at the Student Drama Festival and eventually performed at the Fringe. That’s when John McGrath saw it and championed it."
Stephen began writing jokes for BBC Radio, which became his first paid gig—a big deal at the time. That experience led him into theatre commissions for companies like Cumbernauld and TAG. Eventually, he wrote Solvent for 7:84 and later Passing Places for the Traverse, the play that, in his words, "opened doors."
From Stage to Screen
As his theatre career grew, television soon followed.
"I moved quickly into TV—shows like The Bill, Where the Heart Is, and eventually Glasgow Kiss, my own series."
Greenhorn balanced theatre with screenwriting, doing both adaptations and original work. Notably, he contributed episodes to Doctor Who and he was the creator of BBC Scotland’s River City.
Navigating Commissioning and Creativity
Stephen discussed the tension between artistic freedom and the practical constraints of commissioned work:
"In theatre, you can start by writing what you want—there’s no one on your shoulder. But as a professional, especially in telly, you have to balance that with fulfilling a remit."
Sometimes the pressure to deliver commissions took its toll:
"I reached a point where I had a mental health crisis. I'd worked so hard against my instincts that they went on strike."
He also acknowledged the complexity of collaboration—especially in rehearsal rooms or television writers’ rooms—where multiple voices and visions come into play:
"You have to know what you’re willing to compromise on, and what’s non-negotiable. And that takes experience—and self-knowledge."
Writing Sunshine on Leith
Perhaps his most celebrated work is the musical Sunshine on Leith, built around the songs of The Proclaimers. But it didn’t start out as a grand plan.
"We thought: what if we use existing songs and build a show that’s recognisably Scottish?"
They weren’t just looking for famous tracks. They were looking for a back catalogue with emotional range and storytelling depth—songs that felt like moments of lived experience:
"The Proclaimers’ songs have that immediacy. They're about love, politics, work, compromise, home—everything."
"We didn’t want a 'play about a band'. We wanted proper musical theatre—characters singing because that’s how they needed to express themselves in that moment."
Developing his craft as a writer
Stephen speaks passionately about continuing to learn his craft through every new format:
"When I moved from theatre to television, I knew I was an apprentice again. I read scripts. I asked questions. I watched and reverse-engineered everything."
That same openness applied when tackling a musical for the first time:
"I didn’t know how to write a musical, but I was fascinated by what happens when music lifts a story—and an audience."
He also spoke about what he learned from working with Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies:
"Russell taught me about pacing and visual rhythm. He’d break a suspense scene into 12 clear beats. It wasn’t about directing—it was about giving the director the building blocks of rhythm and impact."
Final Thoughts
Stephen Greenhorn's career shows how a writer can move between media while remaining grounded in curiosity, collaboration, and the craft itself. Whether it's a political play, a soap, or a show-stopping musical, I think we can all learn from how he approaches his work.
Listen to the conversation
I had a conversation with another great Scottish writer, David Greig. You can read about it here : Writing tips from David Greig