Iestyn Edwards is an Olivier Award winning memoirist, playwright and poet, currently based in Saffron Walden. He is represented by Lisa Eveleigh at the Richard Becklow Agency.
His first play, Along Came Bill, toured nationally and won a Best Of…at the Bath International Festival.
My Tutu Went AWOL, his memoir of entertaining British troops in Iraq and Afghanistan (in the eponymous tutu) was published by Unbound in 2017, then on Audible narrated by the author in 2018. It reached number one in the Amazon Gay and Lesbian Biography Chart above Sue Perkins and Graham Norton.
Iestyn has been interviewed about his warzone experiences on Radio 4’s Midweek (twice), Loose Ends, Woman’s Hour and Saturday Live. He also featured in Channel 4’s Rough Guide to Choreography.
‘Achingly funny!’ Daily Mail.
‘Extremely funny – and fascinating. An enchanting and unlikely mixture of showbiz memoir, war reportage and bromantic comedy.’ ***** Piers Torday
‘Only the divinely unique Iestyn Edwards could be in a warzone in a tutu and write about it so perfectly. Fascinating, moving and completely hilarious.’ Miranda Hart.
He is currently pitching his second piece of non-fiction to agents and publishers: working title: The Devil Made Your Todger: a linked series of interviews about how people learn (or don’t) the facts of life. His second play, Death Round the Bend, will begin workshopping in early autumn.
His ‘other’ job is as a west end and international variety and cabaret headliner, opera singer and stand up comic – and he tours an all singing, all dancing book show based around My Tutu Went AWOL. This is currently being a hit at literary festivals such as Cheltenham, Olympia, Cambridge, et al; Probus and Rotary Clubs, WIs, luncheon clubs, schools, colleges and the U3a.
‘An hour and twenty-four minutes of corporate sponsor crowd ‘requests’ has to be some sort of record, surely?’ Madeleine Toy, Cheltenham Festival Admin.
‘Unmissable…a force of nature…the stories had me in the throes, and that VOICE!’ U3a Chepstow
‘What an illuminating performance – I had no idea I would be so thrilled to learn what I have. In such a beguiling presentation – not to mention bloody funny. I hear we were his first Probus? May he get many more bookings. And congratulations on that voice!’ Chair, the Chapter Bury.
‘Incredible. Can every Monday at school start with a talk from Iestyn?’ Pupil at Sir Thomas Mills High School
