Stephen Brown (playwright)

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Stephen Brown is best known as a playwright, but has also been a publisher and writer.

Contents

Life and career

Brown was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge, and the University of Sussex.

He was the publisher of Prospect magazine, and has reviewed theatre for Radio 4's Front Row , the Times Literary Supplement and others. [1]

In 2003, he wrote the script for Filter Theatre's Faster, based on the James Gleick book of the same name. After running at the Battersea Arts Centre and Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, this production toured nationally and internationally. [2] [3]

In 2007, his play Future Me, which dramatised the prison treatment of a successful lawyer convicted of sex offences, was produced at Theatre503 in Battersea. It was subsequently produced in Berkeley and New York, and toured England with Coronation Street's Rupert Hill. [4] [5] [6]

He was subsequently commissioned by the Royal National Theatre to write a play about René Descartes, and to adapt Occupational Hazards, Rory Stewart's memoir of his experiences as a senior coalition official in Iraq. [7] This latter work was produced at the Hampstead Theatre in May 2017. [8]

In summer 2020, the Bristol Old Vic was scheduled to premiere his new play, Dr Semmelweis, modelled on the Hungarian physician, written with and starring Mark Rylance. The premiere was postponed due to COVID-19. [9] It was eventually premiered in January 2022 and scheduled to run until February 5. After selling out and receiving positive reviews, its run was extended to 19 February. [10] A West End run of Dr Semmelweis opened at the Harold Pinter Theatre in June 2023, again to critical acclaim with Mark Rylance in the title role.

Books

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References

  1. ↑ "Stephen Brown". United Agents. Retrieved 2012-06-17.
  2. ↑ "Home". Filter Theatre. Retrieved 2012-06-17.
  3. ↑ "A modern production – Theatre & Dance – Arts – Evening Standard". Thisislondon.co.uk. 2003-04-08. Archived from the original on 2013-05-05. Retrieved 2012-06-17.
  4. ↑ Alistair Smith (2007-06-27). "Reviews – Future Me". The Stage. Thestage.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-06-17.
  5. ↑ Sadie Gray Last updated at 7:53PM, June 16, 2012. "The Times | UK News, World News and Opinion". London: Entertainment.timesonline.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-06-17.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ↑ Lyn Gardner (2007-06-27). "Theatre review: Future Me / Theatre 503, London | Stage". The Guardian. Retrieved 2012-06-17.
  7. ↑ "Stephen Brown". United Agents. Retrieved 2012-06-17.
  8. ↑ Billington, Michael (9 May 2017). "Occupational Hazards review – headlong rush through Rory Stewart's Iraq memoir". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  9. ↑ Ltd, Supercool (2020-06-15). "Semmelweis". Bristol Old Vic. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  10. ↑ "Dr Semmelweis". 23 April 2022.
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