Full Disclosure with James O'Brien Jack Thorne: “I was allergic to moving - the doctor said, ‘This might be forever.’”
5 snips
Oct 10, 2025 
Jack Thorne, an Emmy- and BAFTA-winning playwright, is known for works like His Dark Materials and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. He shares the impact of chronic illness on his life, including being 'allergic to moving,' and how these experiences shaped his storytelling and activism. Thorne discusses the joy of collaboration in theatre, the significance of neurodiversity, and the relentless nature of his writing journey, revealing a drive to create inclusive and truthful narratives that reflect the lives of those often overlooked.
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Dreamy Collaborative Set
- Jack recalled winning an Emmy for Adolescence and the cast's ecstatic response when Stephen Graham won Best Actor.
- He described the set atmosphere as like a summer where everyone got on and everything went right.
One-Take TV Is Hybrid Craft
- Shooting one-shot TV merges theatrical rehearsal with television craft, creating shared authorship across cast and crew.
- Jack emphasizes the director's and DOP's naked eye guiding audience attention in long takes.
Allergic To Moving
- Jack Thorne fell ill with chronic cholinergic urticaria and was literally "allergic to moving."
- He spent months bedridden, gained significant weight, and feared the condition might be permanent.
