David Lan
Encyclopedia
David Lan is an English playwright, filmmaker and theatre director.
Born in Cape Town
, South Africa in 1952, he emigrated to London in 1972. Since 2000 he has been artistic director of the Young Vic theatre in London's South Bank
.
from 1995 to 1997.
At the Young Vic, he led the campaign to rebuild the theatre which reopened to much acclaim in October 2006. He also initiated the Genesis Directors' Project, the Jerwood Directors Award and the Young Vic Award.
In addition to his many plays, libretti, and films, he is the author of the non-fiction work Guns and Rain: Guerrillas & Spirit Mediums in Zimbabwe (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520055896) about Zimbabwe
's struggle for independence from colonial rule. Some of his stage works reflect his academic interest in aspects of African religion, including spiritual possession
and cargo cult
s. He has also written and directed a number of documentaries for the BBC, mostly set in Africa.
and the George Orwell Award, and in 2004 the Young Vic received an Olivier Award for "a provocative season under the artistic leadership of David Lan". In the recent survey in The Stage
of the 100 most influential people in the UK theatre, he was ranked #15.
Born in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, South Africa in 1952, he emigrated to London in 1972. Since 2000 he has been artistic director of the Young Vic theatre in London's South Bank
South Bank
South Bank is an area of London, England located immediately adjacent to the south side of the River Thames. It forms a long and narrow section of riverside development that is within the London Borough of Lambeth to the border with the London Borough of Southwark and was formerly simply known as...
.
Career
He was writer in residence at the Royal Court TheatreRoyal Court Theatre
The Royal Court Theatre is a non-commercial theatre on Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is noted for its contributions to modern theatre...
from 1995 to 1997.
At the Young Vic, he led the campaign to rebuild the theatre which reopened to much acclaim in October 2006. He also initiated the Genesis Directors' Project, the Jerwood Directors Award and the Young Vic Award.
In addition to his many plays, libretti, and films, he is the author of the non-fiction work Guns and Rain: Guerrillas & Spirit Mediums in Zimbabwe (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520055896) about Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
's struggle for independence from colonial rule. Some of his stage works reflect his academic interest in aspects of African religion, including spiritual possession
Spiritual possession
Spirit possession is a paranormal or supernatural event in which it is said that spirits, gods, demons, animas, extraterrestrials, or other disincarnate or extraterrestrial entities take control of a human body, resulting in noticeable changes in health and behaviour...
and cargo cult
Cargo cult
A cargo cult is a religious practice that has appeared in many traditional pre-industrial tribal societies in the wake of interaction with technologically advanced cultures. The cults focus on obtaining the material wealth of the advanced culture through magic and religious rituals and practices...
s. He has also written and directed a number of documentaries for the BBC, mostly set in Africa.
Stage works
- Ion, libretto for the opera by Param VirParam VirParam Vir is a British composer originally from India.Born in Delhi, Param Vir read philosophy at Delhi University and studied composition in England with Peter Maxwell Davies and Oliver Knussen....
, (2000) - Tobias and the AngelTobias and the Angel (Jonathan Dove)Tobias and the Angel is a community opera by Jonathan Dove, with a libretto by David Lan. The story is based on the Book of Tobit from the Biblical Apocrypha....
, libretto for the opera by Jonathan DoveJonathan DoveJonathan Dove is a British composer of opera, choral works, plays, films, and orchestral and chamber music. He has arranged a number of operas for English Touring Opera and the City of Birmingham Touring Opera , including in 1990 a famous 18-player two-evening adaptation of Wagner's Der Ring des...
, (1999) - The Ends Of The Earth (1996)
- Desire (1990)
- A Mouthful of BirdsA Mouthful of BirdsA Mouthful of Birds is a 1986 play with dance by Caryl Churchill and David Lan, with choreography by Ian Spink. Drawing its themes from The Bacchae of Euripides, it is a meditation on possession, madness and female violence.-Synopsis:...
, with Caryl ChurchillCaryl ChurchillCaryl Churchill is an English dramatist known for her use of non-naturalistic techniques and feminist themes, the abuses of power, and sexual politics. She is acknowledged as a major playwright in the English language and a leading female writer...
(1986) - Flight (1986)
- Sergeant Ola And His Followers (1979)
- Red Earth (1978)
- The Winter Dancers (1977)
- Not In Norwich (1977)
- Paradise (1975)
- Homage To Bean Soup (1975)
- Painting A Wall (1974)
- Bird Child (1974)
Translations
- The Cherry OrchardThe Cherry OrchardThe Cherry Orchard is Russian playwright Anton Chekhov's last play. It premiered at the Moscow Art Theatre 17 January 1904 in a production directed by Constantin Stanislavski. Chekhov intended this play as a comedy and it does contain some elements of farce; however, Stanislavski insisted on...
, translation of the play by Anton ChekhovAnton ChekhovAnton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
(2001) - La Lupa (The She-Wolf), translation of the play by Giovanni VergaGiovanni VergaGiovanni Carmelo Verga was an Italian realist writer, best known for his depictions of life in Sicily, and especially for the short story "Cavalleria Rusticana" and the novel I Malavoglia .-Life and career:The first son of Giovanni Battista Catalano Verga and Caterina Di Mauro,...
(2000) - Uncle VanyaUncle VanyaUncle Vanya is a play by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1897 and received its Moscow première in 1899 in a production by the Moscow Art Theatre, under the direction of Konstantin Stanislavski....
, translation of the play by Anton ChekhovAnton ChekhovAnton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
(1998) - IonIon (play)Ion is an ancient Greek play by Euripides, thought to be written between 414 and 412 BC. It follows the orphan Ion in the discovery of his origins.-Background:...
, translation of the play by EuripidesEuripidesEuripides was one of the three great tragedians of classical Athens, the other two being Aeschylus and Sophocles. Some ancient scholars attributed ninety-five plays to him but according to the Suda it was ninety-two at most...
(1994) - HippolytosHippolytus (play)Hippolytus is an Ancient Greek tragedy by Euripides, based on the myth of Hippolytus, son of Theseus. The play was first produced for the City Dionysia of Athens in 428 BC and won first prize as part of a trilogy....
, translation of the play by EuripidesEuripidesEuripides was one of the three great tragedians of classical Athens, the other two being Aeschylus and Sophocles. Some ancient scholars attributed ninety-five plays to him but according to the Suda it was ninety-two at most...
(1991) - Ghetto, translation of the musical by Joshua Sobol with English lyrics by Jeremy SamsJeremy SamsJeremy Sams is a British film director, writer, translator, orchestrator, musical director, film composer, and lyricist....
(1989)
Film works
- The Sunday Judge - Mozambique (1985)
- Dark City - South Africa (1990)
- Welcome Home Comrades - Namibia (1990)
- Artist Unknown (1995)
- Royal Court Diaries (1996)
Notable productions as director
- Doctor FaustusThe Tragical History of Doctor FaustusThe Tragicall History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus, commonly referred to simply as Doctor Faustus, is a play by Christopher Marlowe, based on the Faust story, in which a man sells his soul to the devil for power and knowledge...
, (2002) - 'Tis Pity She's a Whore'Tis Pity She's a Whore'Tis Pity She's a Whore is a tragedy written by John Ford. It was likely first performed between 1629 and 1633, by Queen Henrietta's Men at the Cockpit Theatre. The play was first published in 1633, in a quarto printed by Nicholas Okes for the bookseller Richard Collins...
, (1999)
Awards
He has received the John Whiting AwardJohn Whiting Award
The John Whiting Award is awarded annually to a British or Commonwealth playwright who, in the opinion of a consortium of UK theatres, shows a new and distinctive development in dramatic writing with particular relevance to contemporary society...
and the George Orwell Award, and in 2004 the Young Vic received an Olivier Award for "a provocative season under the artistic leadership of David Lan". In the recent survey in The Stage
The Stage
The Stage is a weekly British newspaper founded in 1880, available nationally and published on Thursdays. Covering all areas of the entertainment industry but focused primarily on theatre, it contains news, reviews, opinion, features and other items of interest, mainly to those who work within the...
of the 100 most influential people in the UK theatre, he was ranked #15.