​BRENDAN MURRAY

Brendan is a playwright, theatre director and teacher with nearly forty years' professional experience. During his career he has directed for a wide range of audiences and taught at several leading Drama Schools. He also sometimes works as a dramaturg, runs workshops and speaks at conferences. Originally from Manchester, he has lived in Brighton since 1988.
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UP DOWN MAN
WRITER
DIRECTOR
THEATRE                   
  • Barney Carey Gets His Wings Barnstorm Theatre 2018
  • A Christmas Carol Woolwich Tramshed 2016
  • Up Down Man Salisbury Playhouse 2016 / Tobacco Factory 2017
  • Beauty & the Beast Woolwich Tramshed 2015
  • Seeing The Lights Theatre by the Lake, Keswick 2014 / New Victoria Theatre Stoke 2015
  • Robin Hood Woolwich Tramshed 2014
  • Monday’s Child tutti frutti 2014 / Barnstorm 2015/16
  • Entertaining Angels New Perspectives 2013
  • Missing in Action Proteus Theatre 2012
  • Hare & Tortoise Crucible Studio 2011 / Linz Children’s Theatre 2013-15 / Landestheater Neuss 2014-15 / Nottingham Playhouse 2016 / Pied Piper National Tour 2017
  • Molly Moonshine Theatre Centre 2011 / Linz Children’s Theatre 2012-15
  • Round The Twist Eastern Angles 2011
  • Mansfield Park & Ride Eastern Angles 2029
  • Scarlet Ribbons / Princess Rubyslippers / The Falling Sky / Housewives’ Choice / Noah’s Ark / My Foolish Heart Oxfordshire Theatre Company 2004-8
  • After You Red Ladder 2002 / Theater an der Effingerstrasse Bern 2014
  • The Big Magic Polka Children's Theatre 2002
  • Eliza’s House Manchester Royal Exchange 2001
  • Adventures In Wonderland Blackpool Grand 2001
  • Big Baby Manchester Royal Exchange 1999 / Oxfordshire Theatre Company 2004 / Visible Fictions 2005 - Finalist ACE John Whiting Award 2000
  • Something Beginning With Sherman Theatre Cardiff 1998 / Unicorn Theatre for Children 1999 / Orange Tree 2000
  • Under The Bed Sherman Theatre Cardiff 1996 / The Lyric Hammersmith 1997 / Theatre Centre 1998 & 2009
  • A Leap in the Dark Hijinx 1996
  • How High Is Up? Theatre Centre 1995 & over thirty productions worldwide
  • Vision Of Loveliness (unproduced) 1994
  • The Collywobbles GLYPT 1993
  • My Beautiful Laundrette Sherman Theatre Cardiff 1991 / Tristan Bates 2013
  • The Angelic Aspiration Solent Peoples Theatre 1991
  • The Practical Significance of g Crucible Theatre 1990
  • Little Maggie Dancing (unproduced) 1990
  • On The Beach / Lifeboat Rose Bruford College 1987-89
  • What? No Bananas! / After Columbus (co-writer) Belgrade Theatre 1983/4
  • Diary of A Madman (unproduced) 1981​             
OPERA                       
  • The Magic Flute Version for children, Brighton Festival, national tour & Glyndebourne Festival Opera, 2009 - 2011​ 
RADIO                        
  • The Ghost of Thomas Kempe Abridgement of Penelope Lively's novel: Radio 5, 1992 and Radio 4, 1994     
PRODUCTIONS
  • LIVING TOGETHER Sheringham Little Theatre 2018
  • UP DOWN MAN Tobacco Factory 2017 & Salisbury Playhouse 2016
  • NOEL & GERTIE Sheringham Little Theatre 2017
  • THE WAY OF THE WORLD LAMDA 2017
  • ANTIGONE / BRONTE / CIDER WITH ROSIE / ANGELIC ASPIRATION / DANCING AT LUGHNASA / UNDER MILK WOOD / HABEAS CORPUS New Diorama Theatre / Drama Studio London (DSL) 1995 – 2015
  • JOHNNY BOY / THE MAGIC FLUTE Brighton Festival / Glyndebourne 2009 & 2011
  • AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ / THE DELICIOUS REVENGE OF PRINCESS RUBYSLIPPERS / UNDER MILK WOOD / THE FIREBIRD / BIG BABY / BIG SISTER, LITTLE BROTHER / THE NUTCRACKER & THE MOUSE KING Oxfordshire (Touring) Theatre Company 2003-08 / National tours
  • AFTER COLUMBUS The Hen & Chickens 2005
  • TIME AND THE CONWAYS Theatre 503 2000, 
  • MIRAD, A BOY FROM BOSNIA Minerva Theatre (CFT) 1999, 
  • THE CHERRY ORCHARD Drayton Court Theatre 1998, 
  • IT TOOK MORE THAN ONE MAN Albany Empire 1997, 
  • SERFDOM RIGHT / THE PRACTICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF "g" Crucible Theatre / Vancouver Children's Festival 1990, 
  • ON THE BEACH Crucible Studio / Rose Bruford College 1989, 
  • LIVES WORTH LIVING Dr Foster's Travelling Players / 1988
  • HOT DORIS THE MUSICAL The Oval House / 1988
  • JUST DESERTS Interchange Studios / Rose Bruford 1988, 
  • THE YELLOW WALLPAPER Man In The Moon, London, 1987
  • LIFEBOAT Crucible Studio / Rose Bruford College 1987, 
  • GETTING ON / DEADLINES / MALICE / THE SHADOW OF OTHER PEOPLE The Belgrade Studio Coventry 1982-85

APPOINTMENTS         
  • Co-Artistic Director Drama Studio London (DSL) 2015-16
  • Director of Studies (Two Year Programme) DSL 2012-13
  • Artistic Director Oxfordshire Theatre Company 2003–08
  • Visiting Gulbenkian Fellow, Kings College Hospital 2001-03
  • Head of TIE The Belgrade Theatre Coventry 1982-85   

REVIEWS
AWARDS
WGGB Award: Best Play for young people 2009 & 2012
ACE Children's Award: Best Children's Play 2001
Manchester Evening News: Best Play Shortlist 2001
The John Whiting Award: Runner-up 2000
RESIDENCES      
 ACGB Writer-in-Residence: Crucible Theatre 1989-90