Jessica Swale is a British playwright, theatre director and screenwriter. Her career gained prominence with her first play, Blue Stockings, which premiered at Shakespeare's Globe in 2013. The play has become widely performed by UK amateur theatre companies and is studied on the Drama GCSE syllabus, indicating its significant reach in British theatre education. Swale's play Nell Gwynn, which also premiered at the Globe, transferred to the West End where it starred Gemma Arterton in the title role. The production was highly successful, winning the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy in 2016. This recognition established Swale as a major voice in contemporary British theatre. Beyond stage work, Swale has expanded into film. She wrote and directed the feature film Summerland, released in 2020, demonstrating her range across different dramatic mediums.