Simon Stephens

Simon Stephens
Born	6 February 1971 Manchester
Occupation	Playwright
Nationality	British
Spouse	Polly Heath
Literature portal

Simon Stephens (born 6 February 1971 in Manchester) is an English playwright. Having taught on the Young Writers' Programme at the Royal Court Theatre for many years, he is now an Artistic Associate at the Lyric Hammersmith. He is the inaugural Associate Playwright of Steep Theatre Company, Chicago, where two of his plays, Harper Regan and Motortown, had their U.S. premieres.^[1] His writing is characterised as part of the in-yer-face generation and is widely performed not only in the UK but also throughout Europe, with several of his plays being premiered abroad. Along with Dennis Kelly, he is one of the most performed English-language writers in Germany.

Life

Originally from Stockport, Greater Manchester, Stephens graduated from the University of York with a degree in History. After university, he lived in Edinburgh for several years, where he met his future wife Polly, before later completing a PGCE at the Institute of Education. He worked as a teacher for a few years, before quitting to become a professional playwright.

He was a member of Scottish art punk band Country Teasers.

He lives in London with his wife and three children.

Plays

• The Threepenny Opera (2016, script unpublished!) new adaptation of book and lyrics by Bertolt Brecht (in collaboration with Elisabeth Hauptmann), music by Kurt Weill, at the National Theatre, directed by Rufus Norris No recording of soundtrack and NTlive was not shown in German-speaking countries.^[2]
• Heisenberg (2015) premiered Off-Broadway at the New York City Center-Stage II, directed by Mark Brokaw^[3]
• Song From Far Away (2015) premiered at the Young Vic, directed by Ivo van Hove^[4]
• The Cherry Orchard (2014) premiering at the Young Vic, directed by Katie Mitchell
• Carmen Distruption (2014) premiering at Deutsches Schauspielhaus, directed by Sebastian Nübling^[5]
• Blindsided (2014) premiered at the Royal Exchange Theatre, directed by Sarah Frankcom^[6]
• Birdland (2014) premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by Carrie Cracknell^[7]
• London (2012) incorporating Sea Wall and T5 premiered at Salisbury Playhouse, directed by George Perrin^[8]
• Morning (2012) premiered at the Traverse Theatre, directed by Sean Holmes^[9]
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2012) premiered at the National Theatre, directed by Marianne Elliott, adapted from the Mark Haddon novel of the same name^[10]
• A Doll's House (2012) premiered at the Young Vic, directed by Carrie Cracknell^[11] American premiere at Brooklyn Academy of Music (2014)^[12]
• Three Kingdoms (2011) premiered at Theatre NO99 in Tallinn, Estonia, directed by Sebastian Nübling,^[13] English premiere at the Lyric Hammersmith (2012)^[14] | German premiere at the Munich Kammerspiele (2011)
• I Am the Wind (2011) translation of the Jon Fosse play premiered at the Young Vic, directed by Patrice Chéreau^[15]
• Wastwater (2011) premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by Katie Mitchell^[16]
• The Trial of Ubu (2010) premiered at the Toneelgroep in Amsterdam, (2012) English premiere at the Hampstead Theatre, directed by Katie Mitchell^[17]
• T5 (2010) premiered at DryWrite at the Roundhouse, directed by Vicky Jones, and further developed at the Traverse Theatre as part of Traverse Live!, directed by Dominic Hill^[18]
• A Thousand Stars Explode in the Sky (2010) written with David Eldridge and Robert Holman premiered at the Lyric Hammersmith, directed by Sean Holmes^[19]
• Marine Parade (2010) with music by Mark Eitzel premiered at the Brighton Festival directed by Jo McInnes^[20]
• Punk Rock (2009) premiered at the Royal Exchange Theatre, directed by Sarah Frankcom^[21]
• Canopy of Stars (2008) premiered at the Tricycle Theatre as part of the 'Great Game' series
• Sea Wall (2008) premiered in the Broken Space Season at Bush Theatre, directed by George Perrin^[22]
• Pornography (2007) premiered at the Traverse Theatre directed by Sean Holmes^[23]
• Harper Regan (2007) premiered at the National Theatre, directed by Marianne Elliott^[24]
• Motortown (2006) premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by Ramin Gray^[25]
• On the Shore of the Wide World (2005) premiered at the Royal Exchange Theatre, directed by Sarah Frankcom^[26]
• Country Music (2004) premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by Gordon Anderson^[27]
• Christmas (2004) premiered at the Bush Theatre, directed by Joanne McInnes^[28]
• One Minute (2003) premiered at the ATC, directed by Gordon Anderson^[29]
• Port (2002) premiered at the Royal Exchange, directed by Marianne Elliott^[30]
• Herons (2001) premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by Simon Usher^[31]
• Bluebird (1998) premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by Gordon Anderson^[32]
• Bring Me Sunshine (1997) premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, directed by Heather Davies

Awards

• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time won the Olivier Award for Best New Play 2013 and the 2015 Tony Award for Best Play^[33][34]
• Punk Rock was nominated at the TMA Awards for Best New Play in 2010, and was also nominated for the Evening Standard Award for Best New Play in 2010^[35][36]
• Pornography won the Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland for Best New Play in 2008-09^[37]
• On the Shore of The Wide World won the Olivier Award for Best New Play in 2006^[38]
• One Minute won at the Tron Theatre Awards as Best New Play in 2003
• Port won the Pearson Award for Best New Play in 2001

References

1. "Steep Theatre Opens 13th Season with Simon Stephens' MOTORTOWN Premiere Tonight". broadwayworld.com. BMW News Desk. Retrieved 10/2/2014. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
2. "The Threepenny Opera | National Theatre". www.nationaltheatre.org.uk. Retrieved 2016-06-21.
3. Heisenberg lortel.org, accessed February 3, 2016
4. Gardner, Lynn. "'Song from Far Away' review – Simon Stephens sneaks a late emotional punch" The Guardian, 6 September 2015
5. "Carmen Disruption", Deutsches Schauspielhaus, 2014
6. "Blindsided", Royal Exchange Theatre, 2014
7. "Birdland", Royal Court Theatre, 2014
8. "London", Salisbury Playhouse, 2012
9. "Morning", Lyric Hammersmith, 2012
10. "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time", Royal Court Theatre, 2012
11. "A Doll's House", Young Vic, 2012
12. "A Doll's House", Brooklyn Academy of Music, 2014
13. "Three Kingdoms", Theatre NO99, 2011
14. "Three Kingdoms", Lyric Theatre, 2011
15. "I Am The Wind", Young Vic, 2011
16. "Wastwater", Royal Court Theatre, 2011
17. "The Trial of Ubu", Hampstead Theatre, 2012
18. "T5", Picture House, 2010
19. "A Thousand Stars Explode in the Sky", Lyric Hammersmith, 2010
20. "Marine Parade", ETT, 2010
21. "Punk Rock", Royal Exchange Theatre, 2009
22. "Sea Wall", Bush Theatre, 2008
23. Walker, Lynne (2007), "Pornography Review", The Independent, London
24. "Harper Regan", National Theatre, 2007
25. "Motortown", Royal Court Theatre, 2006
26. "Premieres; On the Shore of the Wide World" (PDF), Royal Exchange Theatre, 2005
27. "Country Music", Royal Court Theatre, 2004
28. "Christmas", Bush Theatre, 2004
29. "One Minute", ATC, 2003
30. Hickling, Alfred (14 November 2002), "Port Review", The Guardian, London
31. "Herons", Royal Court Theatre, 2001
32. "Bluebird", Royal Court Theatre, 1998
33. "'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time' Broiadway" playbillvault.com, accessed February 3, 2016
34. "Olivier Awards, 2013" olivierawards.com, accessed February 3, 2016
35. "Evening Standard theatre awards" standard.co.uk, 9 November 2009
36. "Awards 2010" uktheatre.org, accessed February 3, 2016
37. "Awards, 2008-09" criticsawards.theatrescotland.com, accessed February 3, 2016
38. "Olivier Awards, 2006" olivierawards.com, accessed February 3, 3016

External links

• Simon Stephens at Doollee

Official website of the Sea Wall movie, performed by Andrew Scott