John Arden

John Arden

John Arden (born 26 October 1930) is an award-winning English playwright from Barnsley (which at the time was in the West Riding of Yorkshire). His works tend to expose social issues of personal concern. He is a member of the Royal Society of Literature.

He was educated at Sedbergh School, King's College, Cambridge and Edinburgh College of Art, where he studied architecture. He first gained critical attention for the radio play, "The Life of Man" in 1956 shortly after finishing his studies.

His 1959 play, "Serjeant Musgrave's Dance", dealing with the protestors of war and its realities, is considered Arden's best work. Arden is reputed to be one of the greatest playwrights of the post-"Look Back in Anger" era. His work bears the heavy influence of Bertolt Brecht and the Epic Theatre. Other plays include "Live Like Pigs", "The Workhouse Donkey" and "Armstrong's Last Goodnight", the last of which was performed at the National Theatre, staring Albert Finney.

He has also written a number of novels, including "Silence Among the Weapons", which was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, and "Books of Bale", about the protestant apologist John Bale.

He is notable for a number of highly public fallings-out with the theatre establishment - with his wife and co-writer Margaretta D'Arcy, he picketed the RSC premier of his Arthurian play "The Island of the Mighty"; and they have written several plays highly critical of British presence in Ireland, where he now lives, and the Military-Industrial Complex.

He has a long history of being associated with radical leftwing politics in the U.K. and Ireland. In 1961 he was a founder member of the anti-nuclear Committee of 100 and he also chaired the pacifist weekly, "Peace News". In Ireland, he was for a while a member of Sinn Féin. He is also a well-known supporter of civil liberties and is critical of government anti-terror legislation, as was demonstrated in his 2007 radio play "The Scam".

Awards

*Evening Standard Award, 1960
*John Whiting Award, 1973
*V. S. Pritchett Award, 2003
*Booker Prize shortlist, 1982

External links

* [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,11710,1115212,00.html Britain's Brecht - Guardian Article]
* [http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsA/ArdenJohn.htm List of plays]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • John Arden — (* 26. Oktober 1930 in Barnsley, West Riding of Yorkshire) ist ein britischer Schriftsteller, der vor allem als Dramatiker und Hörspielautor bekannt wurde. Viele seiner Sujets betreffen die irisch britische Geschichte des 20. Jahrhunderts.[1]… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • John Arden — Activités dramaturge, Naissance 1930 Barnsley, Yorkshire, Angleterre Langue d écriture Anglais Œuvres principales John Arden né en 1930 à …   Wikipédia en Français

  • John Arden — (26 de octubre de 1930, Barnsley, South Yorkshire ) es un dramaturgo británico. Estudió arquitectura en la Universidad de Cambridge y en el Colegio de Arte de Edimburgo; ejerció este oficio hasta que su pieza La vida del hombre (1956) ganó un… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Arden — can refer to:LocationsAustralia*Arden Anglican SchoolCanada*Ardenode, Alberta *Ardenville, Alberta *Arden Park, British Columbia *Arden, Manitoba *Arden, Ontario *Ardendale, OntarioDenmark*The former Arden municipality **The town of ArdenEurope*… …   Wikipedia

  • Arden (danemark) — Arden Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Arden est un mot anglo saxon pouvant désigner : Toponyme En Australie : Arden Anglican School Au Danemark : Arden (Danemark) Au… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • ARDEN (J.) — ARDEN JOHN (1930 ) Des auteurs dramatiques du «nouveau théâtre anglais» des années cinquante et soixante, John Arden est sans doute le plus brechtien. Comme Brecht, il croit nécessaire un détour par la fable, ou par l’histoire, pour rendre compte …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Arden (Familienname) — Arden ist ein Familienname. Bekannte Namensträger Alice Arden (1515–1561), englische Mörderin Charles Noble Arden Clarke (1898–1962), britischer Kolonialpolitiker und Gouverneur Daphne Arden (* 1941), britische Leichtathletin Don Arden… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • John Bale — (* 21. November 1495 in Cove bei Dunwich, Suffolk; † im November 1563 in Canterbury, Kent) war ein englischer Geistlicher und Dramatiker. Er gilt als einer der ersten Verfasser des Historiendramas. Mit 12 Jahren kam er in das …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • John Gerard (Jesuit) — John Gerard, S.J. (1564 1637) was an English Jesuit priest, operating covertly during a period in which the Catholic Church was subject to persecution in England. He was the son of Sir Thomas Gerard of Bryn, who was imprisoned in 1569 for… …   Wikipedia

  • Arden — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom.  Pour l’article homophone, voir Ardennes. Arden est un mot anglo saxon pouvant désigner : Toponyme En Australie : Arden Anglican School Au… …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”