Sir David Hare
Hare, Sir David,
1947–, British playwright. Hare is a prominent member of the British theatrical left. A founder of the Portable Theatre and the Joint Stock, he became resident dramatist and literary manager of the Royal Court Theatre, London (1967–71), and at the Nottingham Playhouse (1973). His plays are personal dramas, often presented in a historical context. Among the best of his early works is Teeth 'n' Smiles (1975), a satirical commentary on the state of modern British society. He achieved wide critical and popular acclaim with Plenty (1978), a dramatic tour-de-force for its female star, which deals with disillusionment in post–World War II Britain. Pravda (1985), a satire on journalism, was written with his sometime collaborator Howard Brenton. The 1998–99 Broadway season marked a peak in Hare's success, featuring productions of The Judas Kiss, The Blue Room, and Amy's View, as well as a one-man play, Via Dolorosa, performed by Hare. The Breath of Life (2002) is a caustic study of two late-middle-aged women, the abandoned wife and lover of the same man, roles originated in London by Dames Judi DenchDench, Dame Judi, 1934–, British actress, b. York, England, as Judith Olivia Dench. She studied at the Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art, London, made her debut (1957) as Ophelia in the Old Vic's production of Hamlet,
..... Click the link for more information. and Maggie SmithSmith, Dame Maggie
(Dame Margaret Natalie Cross), 1934–, English actress. Smith first appeared on stage in Twelfth Night (1952). With her precise, sometimes rapid-fire, articulation and her meticulous stagecraft, she is adept at both comedic and serious roles.
..... Click the link for more information. . Stuff Happens (2004) is a bitingly topical examination of the Iraq war, repeatedly updated, with actors playing George W. Bush, Tony Blair, Colin Powell, and other real-life characters. The Iraq war is also central to The Vertical Hour (2006), the first of Hare's plays to debut on Broadway. He has also written and directed films and television dramas. He was knighted in 1998.
Bibliography
See his Acting Up (1999) and his memoir, The Blue Touch Paper (2015).