About the author: Barney Norris
Currently playing at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, Second Best marks the stage debut of renowned screen actor Asa Butterfield. This poignant comedy play centres around fictional character Martin Hill, the boy who lost out to Daniel Radcliffe for the iconic role of Harry Potter. Now approaching fatherhood, Martin is navigating a whirlwind of emotions, reflecting on the paths that life leads us down, and wondering whether the road not taken is as glittering as it looks. The play is based on the best-selling novel by David Foekinos, and has been specially adapted for the stage by novelist and playwright Barney Norris. Let’s learn more about his life and work.
Early life and career
Born in Chichester, West Sussex in 1987, Norris grew up in a musical family; his mother is a musical professional and his father, David Owen Norris is a pianist, broadcaster and educator. Norris spent his teenage years in rural Hampshire where he attended Youth Theatre before moving to Oxford to study English at Keble College. While there he met playwrights Peter Gill and Michael Frayn, through whom he had a unique opportunity to learn, as well as meet people within the industry.
Following his graduation from Oxford, Norris pursued a Masters in creative writing at Royal Holloway, University of London, then set up the touring theatre company Up In Arms with director Alice Hamilton. Central to the company is taking work on tour, enabling communities to enjoy theatre without having to travel to cities.
Following the success of two short plays, At First Sight (2011) and Fear of Music (2013), Norris’ full length debut play, Visitors (2014) was produced, winning him the Critics’ Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright.
Novels and theatre
In April 2016, Norris’ first novel, Five Rivers Met on a Wooded Plain, was published to critical acclaim and became a Times bestseller. In the following year, his plays Echo’s End and While We’re Here were staged, the latter of which aired on Radio 4. Next came another two novels, Turning For Home (2018) and The Vanishing Hours (2019), alongside his original play Nightfall (2018) and an adaption of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Nobel Prize-winning novel The Remains of the Day (2019).
In the early 2020s, Norris wrote three further plays and took his non-fiction work, The Wellspring, on tour. He also published his fourth novel, Undercurrent (2022). Next came The Band Back Together (2024) which was taken on tour before, in January 2025, Second Best opened. Described in London Theatre as “quietly poignant and emotive” it explores the ache of almost touching greatness - then narrowly missing out. Norris is currently the Martin Esslin playwright in residence at Keble College, Oxford.
Book your tickets today
Fans of both Barney Norris’ writing and Asa Burtterfield’s screen work will find plenty to inspire and entertain them in this comedy theatre show. Playing until 22 February 2025, it’s an opportunity to experience ground-breaking theatre at its finest. Book your tickets today with KX Tickets.
