David Fletcher joined The Questors in 1975. Although he directed four productions in the Playhouse and even acted occasionally, most of his artistic input was in the Studio, where he directed many plays and other projects. He was Studio Director and a member of the Committee of Management when he left The Questors in 1985 to join the RSC, where he is now Finance Director. He lives in Stratford-upon-Avon with Glynis (whom he met at The Questors), Jonathan (who was six months old when they left London and is now 16 and over six feet tall) and Helen (who is 12).

Tongues of Fire is David's first play. It was given a rehearsed reading by RSC actors in July 1999 and the first stage production was at the Loft Theatre in Leamington Spa in January 2000.

The author, David Fletcher, writes:

My original idea was to devise a piece of theatre based on the Jesus story and the text of the King James Bible - one of the great works of English Literature. A great story, a great text, the ideal subject for a Millennium production for the Loft Theatre Company. As the King James Bible is not a play, we needed to hold a workshop to test the idea and my first attempts at a few scenes. The results were only partly successful.

Just before the workshop I became fascinated by the idea of the meeting between Pontius Pilate and Joseph of Arimathea, described in the Gospel, when Joseph asks for the body of Jesus after the crucifixion. My thoughts about the relationship between the two men led to my writing a scene which was included in the workshop. It was generally thought to be the most interesting part of the presentation and Vanessa Comer, the Loft's Artistic Director, then persuaded me to try to write the whole play. And I did.

It was, therefore, a long but not particularly painful birth. I am grateful to the Loft actors who took part in the workshop and the first production, and to the group of RSC actors who gave a rehearsed reading of the play last summer, under the direction of Helen Raynor.