At its most successful, Terry Johnson's theatrical work combines postmodern and traditional-indeed populist-elements of drama. His mixing of philosophical issues with low comedy and farce has contributed to the ambivalence of critical responses and perhaps to the uneven nature of his career. Johnson is best known for his stage comedies that bring together key twentieth century figures. The view of the absurdity of human life that underlies Johnson's writing is encapsulated by the Albert Einstein-like character in Insignificance (1982): "Because of fame everything I do is likely to develop into a ridiculous comedy."

Johnson, the son of a builder, was born on 20 December 1955 and brought up in Watford. He was educated at Queen's School, Bushey, Hertfordshire, and from 1973 to 1976 at the University of Birmingham, where he studied drama and was taught playwriting by David Edgar. After obtaining his B.A., Johnson became an actor during the late 1970s, working...