Richard Bean

Infobox Writer


imagesize = 150px
name = Richard Bean
birthdate = 1956
birthplace = Hull, England
deathdate =
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occupation = playwright
nationality = English
genre = Drama
movement =
influences =
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website =

Richard Bean, born in East Hull in 1956, is an English playwright.

Early years

Bean studied Social Psychology at Loughborough University and became an occupational psychologist [Daily Telegraph interview, 6 January 2004 [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2004/01/06/btbean06.xml] ] , having previously worked in a bread plant for a year and a half after leaving school.

Between 1989 and 1994, Bean also worked as a stand-up comedian and went on to be one of the writers and performers of the sketch show "Control Group Six" (BBC Radio) which was nominated for a Writers Guild Award.

Theatre career

In 1995 he wrote the libretto for Stephen McNeff's opera "Paradise of Fools", premiered at the Unicorn Theatre.

His first full-length play "Of Rats and Men", set in a psychology lab, was mounted at the Canal Cafe Theatre in 1996 and went on to the Edinburgh Festival. He adapted it for BBC Radio, starring Anton Lesser, and it was nominated for a Sony Award.

Subsequent plays include:
*"Toast", a hit at the Royal Court Upstairs Circle in February 1999.
*"Mr England", a National Theatre Studio production at the Crucible Theatre Sheffield, October 2000
*"The Mentalists" at the National Theatre, Lyttelton Loft, July 2002
*"Under the Whaleback" at the Royal Court, Theatre Upstairs, April 2003 [http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/news/interviews/view/item71782/Richard-Bean/] [http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/whaleback-rev.htm]
*"Smack Family Robinson" at the Live Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne, May 2003 [http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/smack-rev.htm]
*"The God Botherers" at the Bush Theatre, November 2003 [http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/godbotherers-rev.htm]
*"Honeymoon Suite" (English Touring Theatre [http://www.ett.org.uk/Creative_Learning/Publications/Honeymoon_Suite.html] ) at the Royal Court, January 2004 [http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/honeymoonsuite-rev.htm]
*"Harvest" at the Royal Court Theatre, September 2005 [http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/harvest-rev.htm]
*"The Hypochondriac", a new version of Moliére's play, at the Almeida Theatre, November 2005 [http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/hypochondriac-rev.htm]
*"Up On Roof" for Hull Truck Theatre, March 2006 [http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/11851]
*"In the Club" at the Hampstead Theatre, August 2007 [http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/intheclub-rev.htm]
*"The English Game", a comedy about amateur cricketers at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, May 2008 (a production directed by Sean Holmes which also toured to the Northcott Theatre Exeter, West Yorkshire Playhouse Leeds, the Oxford Playhouse, the Rose Theatre, Kingston and The Lowry Salford Quays). [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/theatre/article3918780.ece]

Awards

* Critics' Circle Theatre Awards 2005: Best New Play for "Harvest"

References

*Theatre Record and its annual Indexes
*British Theatre Guide for reviews and background information

External links

*"Richard Bean: Hot new playwright", British Theatre Guide interview 2001 [http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/otherresources/interviews/RichardBean.htm]
*"Richard Bean: Blurred Boundaries" (The English Game), Daily Telegraph interview 10 May 2008 [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/05/10/btbean110.xml]