Christopher Alan Taylor

Christopher Alan Taylor, 43, passed away on May 10, 2024, after a two-year battle with motor neuron disease. Chris was an award-winning playwright whose works explored disability, identity, and human connection. Born in Bristol, he began experiencing symptoms while his play 'The Space Between Words' was enjoying a successful West End run a cruel irony for a writer whose tool was language. As his physical abilities declined, Chris adapted brilliantly, writing his final play 'Breath' using eye-tracking software. The play about a poet losing her voice won the Olivier Award for Best New Play in 2023, with Chris becoming the first physically absent playwright to accept the award via recorded message. His courage and creativity in the face of progressive disability inspired countless others. He is survived by his husband Mark, his parents, and his sister. The Chris Taylor Accessibility Fund has been established to make theaters more accessible. In his final public message, he wrote: 'The body may fail, but imagination knows no disability.' His words continue to challenge, move, and inspire audiences worldwide.