David Harrower
Encyclopedia
David Harrower is a Scottish playwright
who (as of 2005) lives in Glasgow
.
His agents (as of 2005) are Casarotto Ramsay.
in 1995, was considered a critical and popular success. It deals with a relationship triangle in a rural setting, and a woman's internal quest to find out what she wants from life.
Subsequent plays include Kill the Old Torture Their Young (Traverse, 1998), which follows a disparate group of characters across an unnamed city, mixing realism with poetry and fantasy. Presence (Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, April 2001) takes another look at the Beatles's legendary residency at the Star Club in Hamburg on the eve of their success, and Dark Earth (Traverse, August 2003) begins as a broad comedy and turns into a speculation about the meaning of history and the land.
Harrower has also written adaptations including: The Chrysalids
(1999), adapted from John Wyndham
's novel, for the National Theatre's Connections project; a version of Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author
(Six Characters Looking for an Author (2000)), first staged at the Young Vic in 2000; Chekhov's Ivanov (2002), performed at the National Theatre
; and Buchner's Woyzeck
, performed at the Edinburgh Lyceum in 2002.
He has also translated The Girl on the Sofa (2002), by Jon Fosse
, presented in a joint production by the Edinburgh International Festival and the Schaubuhne, Berlin, and Schiller's Mary Stuart for the National Theatre of Scotland
/Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh/Citizens' Theatre, Glasgow.
In 2005, his play Blackbird
was produced by the Edinburgh International Festival, directed by Peter Stein
and transferred in February 2006 to the Albery Theatre in London's West End http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/blackbird-rev.htm. It depicts the meeting between a young woman and a middle-aged man with whom, fifteen years earlier, at the age of 12, she had had a sexual relationship. In April 2008 the play was revived by David Grindley at the Rose Theatre, Kingston
prior to a national tour http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/blackbirdtour-rev.htm.
His most recent work is 365
, presented at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2008, directed by Vicky Featherstone. This recounts the stories of 14 young people who have been in care are now living on their own in 'practice flats'. It was subsequently performed in London at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
who (as of 2005) lives in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
His agents (as of 2005) are Casarotto Ramsay.
Career
Harrower's first play, Knives in Hens, which premiered at Edinburgh's Traverse TheatreTraverse Theatre
The Traverse Theatre is a theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was founded in 1963.The Traverse Theatre commissions and develops new plays or adaptations from contemporary playwrights. It also presents a large number of productions from visiting companies from across the UK. These include new plays,...
in 1995, was considered a critical and popular success. It deals with a relationship triangle in a rural setting, and a woman's internal quest to find out what she wants from life.
Subsequent plays include Kill the Old Torture Their Young (Traverse, 1998), which follows a disparate group of characters across an unnamed city, mixing realism with poetry and fantasy. Presence (Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, April 2001) takes another look at the Beatles's legendary residency at the Star Club in Hamburg on the eve of their success, and Dark Earth (Traverse, August 2003) begins as a broad comedy and turns into a speculation about the meaning of history and the land.
Harrower has also written adaptations including: The Chrysalids
The Chrysalids
The Chrysalids is a science fiction novel by John Wyndham, first published in 1955 by Michael Joseph. It is the least typical of Wyndham's major novels, but regarded by some people as his best...
(1999), adapted from John Wyndham
John Wyndham
John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris was an English science fiction writer who usually used the pen name John Wyndham, although he also used other combinations of his names, such as John Beynon and Lucas Parkes...
's novel, for the National Theatre's Connections project; a version of Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author
Six Characters in Search of an Author
Six Characters in Search of an Author is a play by the Italian writer Luigi Pirandello.The play is a satirical tragicomedy. It was first performed in 1921 at the Teatro Valle in Rome, to a very mixed reception, with shouts from the audience of "Manicomio!" .Subsequently the play enjoyed a much...
(Six Characters Looking for an Author (2000)), first staged at the Young Vic in 2000; Chekhov's Ivanov (2002), performed at the National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
; and Buchner's Woyzeck
Woyzeck
Woyzeck is a stage play written by Georg Büchner. He left the work incomplete at his death, but it has been variously and posthumously "finished" by a variety of authors, editors and translators. Woyzeck has become one of the most performed and influential plays in the German theatre...
, performed at the Edinburgh Lyceum in 2002.
He has also translated The Girl on the Sofa (2002), by Jon Fosse
Jon Fosse
Jon Fosse is a Norwegian author and dramatist.Fosse was born in Haugesund, Norway and currently lives in Bergen. He debuted in 1983 with the novel Raudt, svart . His first play, Og aldri skal vi skiljast, was performed and published in 1994. Jon Fosse has written novels, short stories, poetry,...
, presented in a joint production by the Edinburgh International Festival and the Schaubuhne, Berlin, and Schiller's Mary Stuart for the National Theatre of Scotland
National Theatre of Scotland
The National Theatre of Scotland is a theatre company established in February 2006. The company performs in a wide range of venues including theatres, halls and found spaces across Scotland....
/Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh/Citizens' Theatre, Glasgow.
In 2005, his play Blackbird
Blackbird (play)
Blackbird is a one-act, ninety-minute play written in 2005 by Scottish playwright David Harrower. It was inspired in part by the crimes of sex offender Toby Studebaker and depicts a young woman meeting a middle-aged man fifteen years after having a sexual relationship, when she was twelve.-...
was produced by the Edinburgh International Festival, directed by Peter Stein
Peter Stein
Peter Stein is a critically acclaimed German theatre and opera director who established himself at the Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz, a company that he brought to the forefront of German theatre....
and transferred in February 2006 to the Albery Theatre in London's West End http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/blackbird-rev.htm. It depicts the meeting between a young woman and a middle-aged man with whom, fifteen years earlier, at the age of 12, she had had a sexual relationship. In April 2008 the play was revived by David Grindley at the Rose Theatre, Kingston
Rose Theatre, Kingston
The Rose Theatre, Kingston is a theatre on Kingston High Street in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. The theatre seats 899 around a wide, lozenge shaped stage....
prior to a national tour http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/blackbirdtour-rev.htm.
His most recent work is 365
365
Year 365 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Augustus and Valens...
, presented at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2008, directed by Vicky Featherstone. This recounts the stories of 14 young people who have been in care are now living on their own in 'practice flats'. It was subsequently performed in London at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith
Original plays
- Knives in Hens
- Kill the Old Torture Their Young
- Presence
- Dark Earth
- BlackbirdBlackbird (play)Blackbird is a one-act, ninety-minute play written in 2005 by Scottish playwright David Harrower. It was inspired in part by the crimes of sex offender Toby Studebaker and depicts a young woman meeting a middle-aged man fifteen years after having a sexual relationship, when she was twelve.-...
- 365365Year 365 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Augustus and Valens...
- Lucky Box
Adaptations & translations
- Six Characters in Search of an AuthorSix Characters in Search of an AuthorSix Characters in Search of an Author is a play by the Italian writer Luigi Pirandello.The play is a satirical tragicomedy. It was first performed in 1921 at the Teatro Valle in Rome, to a very mixed reception, with shouts from the audience of "Manicomio!" .Subsequently the play enjoyed a much...
- The ChrysalidsThe ChrysalidsThe Chrysalids is a science fiction novel by John Wyndham, first published in 1955 by Michael Joseph. It is the least typical of Wyndham's major novels, but regarded by some people as his best...
- Tales from the Vienna Woods
- Ivanov
- WoyzeckWoyzeckWoyzeck is a stage play written by Georg Büchner. He left the work incomplete at his death, but it has been variously and posthumously "finished" by a variety of authors, editors and translators. Woyzeck has become one of the most performed and influential plays in the German theatre...
- The Girl on the Sofa
- Mary Stuart
- The Good Soul of Szechuan for Young Vic
- Sweet Nothings (after Arthur SchnitzlerArthur SchnitzlerDr. Arthur Schnitzler was an Austrian author and dramatist.- Biography :Arthur Schnitzler, son of a prominent Hungarian-Jewish laryngologist Johann Schnitzler and Luise Markbreiter , was born in Praterstraße 16, Leopoldstadt, Vienna, in the Austro-Hungarian...
's Liebelei) for the Young Vic