Stanislas Cotton

Trained as an actor, Stanislas Cotton has devoted himself entirely to writing plays and novels since the early 90s.

His active participation in the « Etats généraux du Jeune Théâtre » movement (from 1994 to 1998 in Belgium) gave his work a social and political dimension. Within RépliQ - the writers' association he chaired in 1997 and 1998 - he has taken part in a number of initiatives to promote contemporary writing.

In Brussels, he won the 2001 Prix du Théâtre for best playwright for « Bureau national des Allogènes » (National Alien office), and the same year, the SACD (Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers) prize for theatrical creation. In 2003, he won the André Praga prize from the Académie de langue et de littérature de Belgique for « Le sourire de Sagamore » (Sagamore’s smile). He was a finalist in the 2008 Sony Labou Tansi high school students' prize for « Bureau national des Allogènes». He was also a finalist in the 2010 Prix littéraire du Parlement de la Communauté française de Belgique for « La dictée » (The dictation). Winner of the Journées de Lyon des auteurs de Théâtre in 1999 and 2013, finalist for the Prix Collidram 2015, finalist for the Prix SACD de la dramaturgie francophone 2015 and finalist for the Grand Prix de littérature dramatique - Artcena 2016, for « Et dans le trou de mon coeur, le monde entier » (And in the hole of my heart, the whole world). Annick Lansman Prize and Grand Prix des Arts du spectacle de l'Académie de langue et de littérature française de Belgique 2020 for « Mes papas, l'ogre et moi » (My daddies, the ogre and me)…

Most of the plays in his repertoire have been premiered, including « Les dents » (Theeth), « Le rapport des enfants sur l'état du monde » (Children’s report on the state of the world), « L'humanité plage » (Beach humanity), « Le ventre de la baleine » (The belly of the whale), « Si j'avais su j'aurais fait des chiens » (If I had known I would have made dogs), « Coro nero » (Black choir), « La gêne du clown » (The clown's embarrassment), « La profondeur des forêts » (The depth of the forests), « Le complexe de Robinson » (Robinson’s complex), etc.

He took part in a writers' residency in Quebec in 2003, at the invitation of the Centre des auteurs dramatiques, a residency in Beirut in November 2005 at the invitation of the Ecritures vagabondes association, he took part in the first residency for French-speaking playwrights in Valais, in Monthey, Switzerland, in January 2015 and to a residency in Saint-Louis in Senegal in 2019, invited by the Polish association 10sur10 promoting theatre in schools. In 2007, he chaired the jury for the Prix d'écriture théâtrale de la ville de Guérande. In 2008/2009, he was a « committed writer » at the Théâtre de l'Est Parisien. Associate author at the Théâtre du Peuple de Bussang for the 2012/2013 season.

His plays are published by Lansman Editions. Latest publications: « Mes papas, l'ogre et moi » (2020), « Ce que baleine veut » (What whale wants) (2021). His novels are published by Murmure des soirs and Asmodée Edern Editions.