Ed Harris (playwright)

Ed Harris is a playwright, radio dramatist, comedy writer, librettist, poet and performer[1] based in Brighton, England.

Ed Harris
BornWest London
OccupationPlaywright
NationalityBritish
Notable works
  • Mongrel Island (2011)
  • The Cow Play (2013)
  • Dot (2015)
Notable awards

Early life

Harris grew up in West London and attended Drayton Manor High School and Twyford Church of England High School in Acton. After finishing high school, he worked as a bin man and later a careworker, as well as travelling and working abroad, including waiting tables in Turkey and training huskies in Kiruna, Sweden. He received his first theatrical commission after being ‘discovered’ at a poetry gig he performed at in Brighton in 2002.[2]

Career

Harris has written extensively for BBC Radio drama and comedy. His first radio play, Porshia, was produced in 2007 and starred Robert Webb[3]

Harris' first play, Never Ever After, was shortlisted for the Meyer-Whitworth Award in 2008.[4]

His first major play, Mongrel Island, was commissioned by Soho Theatre[5] and opened Steve Marmion’s first season as Artistic Director in July 2011. It was later produced in Mexico City in 2014 as Perro Sin Raza,[6] directed by Fernando Rozvar.

Harris' The Cow Play was revived for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[7]

His first play for children, What The Thunder Said, won the Writers' Guild Award for Best Children’s Play 2017.[8]

Between 2011 and 2015 he won a Sony Gold Radio Academy Award for his series The Resistance Of Mrs Brown, a Writers' Guild Award for Troll[9] and a BBC Audio Drama Award for Billions.[10]

As well as many stand-alone plays, Harris has written numerous series, including an adaption of Franz Kafka’s The Castle.[11]

Harris also wrote and starred in the semi-autobiographical play, The Slow Kapow,.[12] He is also the writer of DOT[13] a sitcom that follows the exploits of some female staff in the Cabinet War Rooms during the Second World War, starring Fenella Woolgar, Kate O’Flynn, Freya Parker, Jane Slavin and David Acton.

Harris is also a published poet.[14]

In 2018, Harris wrote the libretto for a new opera A Shoe Full Of Stars for Opera Schmopera with composer Omar Shahryar.[15]

Works

Awards
  • A Shoe Full Of Stars - YAM Award - RESEO Prize for best Opera.[16](2018)
  • What The Thunder Said - Writers' Guild Award for Best Children’s Play[17] (2017)
  • Billions - BBC Audio Drama Award (2014)
  • The Resistance Of Mrs Brown - Radio Academy Award (2011)
  • Troll - Writers' Guild Award (2011)
  • Never Ever After - shortlisted for Meyer-Whitworth Award (2008)

Stage
  • A Shoe Full of Stars (2018) – Opera Schmopera / Gestalt Arts
  • Chevalier D'eon (2016) - Menagerie Theatre / Hotbed (2016)
  • Chicken Shop (2014) - Islington Community Theatre
  • The Cow Play (2014) - Smoke & Oakum / Edinburgh Festival
  • What The Thunder Said (2014) - Theatre Centre / UK tour (revived in 2016)
  • Piglet (2012) - Menagerie Theatre / Hotbed Festival
  • Mongrel Island (2011) - Soho Theatre / Mexico (2014)
  • Total (2008) - Squaremoon / Brighton Festival Fringe
  • Never Ever After (2007) - Chalkfoot / UK tour
  • Lucy (2006) - National Youth Theatre / Brighton Fringe Festival
  • Sugared Grapefruit (2005) - Zygo Arts / Brighton Festival Fringe

Radio
  • Dot (2015–present) - BBC Radio 4 (1x30’ pilot & 3 4x30’ series)
  • The Slow Kapow (2017) - BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Drama
  • Your Perfect Summer, On Sale Here! (2016) - BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Drama
  • The Castle (2015) - BBC Radio 4 Saturday Play (2x60’)
  • Pixie Juice (2014) - BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Drama
  • The Interplanetary Notes Of Ambassador B (2014) - BBC Radio 4 15-Minute Drama (5x15’)
  • Take Me To The North Laine (2013) - BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Drama
  • Billions (2013) - BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Drama
  • The Resistance Of Mrs Brown (2012) - BBC Radio 4 15-Minute Drama (5x15’)
  • The Wall (2011) - BBC Radio 3 The Wire
  • Troll (2010) - BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Drama
  • The Moment You Feel It (2009) - BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Drama
  • Aromatherapy (2009) - BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Drama
  • Porshia (2007) - BBC Radio 4 Friday Play
  • Bespoken Word (2006) - BBC Radio 4
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References
  1. "Berlin Associates » Ed Harris". www.berlinassociates.com.
  2. "Never Ever After, Nightingale Theatre, Brighton, Sun, Apr 1". The Argus.
  3. "Doug Bolden, Porshia(Radio Play): BBC Radio 4. Robert Webb, Laura Rogers. Directed by Graham Frost. Written by Ed Harris". www.wyrmis.com.
  4. "Ed Harris - Menagerie Theatre Company". www.menagerie.uk.com.
  5. "Mongrel Island, Soho Theatre, London".
  6. Secteria De Cultura, "Perro Sin Raza" 23 October 2015. Retrieved on Wednesday 23 May 2018
  7. "The Cow Play". 6 August 2013.
  8. "What the Thunder Said". The Guardian. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  9. "Writers' Guild Awards 2011 - Writers' Guild of Great Britain".
  10. "BBC Audio Drama Awards - 2014 Winners - BBC Radio 4". BBC.
  11. "BBC Radio 4 - Drama, The Castle, Episode 1". BBC.
  12. Ed Harris, The Slow Kapow. BBC, 2017.
  13. "Dot - S1 - Episode 1: The Astonishing Adventures of Agent Whiff-Whaff". Radio Times.
  14. Colman, Geoffrey (30 June 2016). "New Monologues for Men". Bloomsbury Publishing – via Google Books.
  15. "Students stage opera about terrorism threat".
  16. ""YAM Award winners"".
  17. "Writers "Guild Award winners".
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