The MA and MPhil(B) course, set up by Birmingham-born David Edgar, dramatist and prolific author of more than sixty plays, has seen many students go on to successful careers in the theatre, radio, television and film.
Steve Waters, the course leader from the University of Birmingham’s Department of English, said ‘The course has made its mark in the field of playwriting and dramatic writing within the theatre and beyond, producing some of the key writers within the profession, with many of our graduates now established playwrights in the industry. Students come from all over the world to study the course and are taught by some of the most eminent writers of our times.’
David Edgar, founder of the course, says, ‘When playwriting studies began at Birmingham people said playwriting couldn't be taught. Now courses have mushroomed throughout the country, and have made a substantial contribution to the great expansion of new writing in theatre over the last decade. I'm particularly proud of graduates who've made a career out of writing - often by combining working in different theatre forms and different media. I think we helped provide the tools for them to do that.’
Amy Rosenthal, daughter of actress Maureen Lipman and former student whose play ‘On the Rocks’ about DH Lawrence and his wife received critical acclaim in 2008, says, ‘The Birmingham MA was invaluable to me. It made me write. I constantly refer back to what I learned that year and I'm not sure I would be writing plays without it.’
Works by graduates from the course are regularly featured in theatre. Anthony Weigh, currently writer in residence at the National Theatre, will open his new play ‘2000 Feet Away’ at London’s Bush Theatre; Ben Brown, whose new play ‘The Promise’ is playing at the Orange Theatre, Richmond, received a 4 star review from The Guardian; Nancy Harris received rave reviews for her adaptation of ‘The Kreuzer Sonata’ at London’s Gate Theatre; Helen Blakeman was a BAFTA winner this year for her script for television drama ‘Dustbin Baby’; and Clare Bayley and Andrea Earl were among a number of graduates to have radio plays broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in recent months.
The anniversary celebration will take place at the University’s George Cadbury Hall, with two days of short plays written by ex-students who are now playwrights. These will be performed by Birmingham undergraduate students in Drama and Theatre Arts and will showcase the talent of Birmingham’s alumni from the Playwriting course. Also a panel of speakers will include some of the most active and influential playwrights, academics and critics working in Britain, Europe and the USA today.
Ends
Notes to Editors
David Edgar was born in Birmingham in 1948. He has authored more than 60 plays which have been published and performed on stage, radio and television around the world. He was resident playwright at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in 1974-5. His work for the Royal Shakespeare Company includes Destiny, Pentecost and a multi-award winning adaptation of Dickens’ Nicholas Nickleby. His adaptation of Julian Barnes’s novel Arthur & George opens at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre on 19 March. His book ‘How Plays Work’ is increasingly seen as the standard text on playwriting.
For further information
Kate Chapple, Press Officer, University of Birmingham, tel 0121 414 2772 or 07789 921164
