Dic Edwards
Encyclopedia
Dic Edwards is a British playwright and poet with more than 20 productions to his name. Born in Cardiff Edwards has often found himself at odds with his Welsh background. This was never more in evidence than in 2002 when Welsh Nationalists
took to the stage and conducted walk outs during the run of his play Franco’s Bastard at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff.
Edwards first play At The End Of The Bay, produced at the Sherman Theatre
in Cardiff 1982, appeared at a time when new theatre in the English language in Wales was almost non-existent. At this time Edwards met the great English playwright Edward Bond
who immediately became a mentor for Edwards.
Edwards calls his theatre the Theatre of The Evicted and plays like Looking For The World (Sherman Main Stage, Cardiff, 1986); Long To Rain Over Us (The Haymarket, Leicester 1987); Low People (The Haymarket, Leicester 1989) and the fourth world (Theatr Clwyd, 1990) are early expressions of his theories.
Through Bond, Edwards was introduced to the Royal Court Theatre
which awarded Edwards a small grant from the Neville Blond Fund to research a play about the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein
. The result of this research was the play Wittgenstein’s Daughter produced at The Citizen’s Theatre, Glasgow in 1993. In the previous year, The Citizens Theatre had produced Edwards' Casanova Undone. On both occasions, Edwards worked with the Goethe Award winning director Robert David MacDonald. It was also at this time that Edwards’ work began to be published by Oberon Books Ltd. London.
In 1992, Edwards began a collaboration with Mark Dornford May and Broomhill Opera in Kent and produced the libretto for The Juniper Tree with composer Andrew Toovey and the book for the reworked Beggar’s Opera, The Beggars’ New Clothes with the Eos Ensemble and conductor Charles Hazlewood.
Throughout the nineties, while producing the plays Utah Blue, a drama about the life and death of convicted murderer Gary Gilmore
(The Point, Cardiff 1995 and NIDA, Sydney Australia 2005) and Lola Brecht (UK Tour), Edwards worked extensively with Community/TIE company Spectacle Theatre producing plays for the community – Over Milk Wood (published by Oberon and by Aerola Editors, Tarragon as Sobre El Bosc Lacti) and Kid (Wales and Northern Ireland Tour published by Argraff) as well as those plays collected in the publication The Shakespeare Factory and other plays (Seren).
In 2003, Edwards wrote the libretto for the opera Manifest Destiny
co-written with composer Keith Burstein
. The first act of Manifest Destiny
was first produced as a benefit for the Cuantanamo Human Rights Commission at The Tricycle Theatre, London. The first fully staged production of the opera took place at the 2005 Edinburgh Festival
, at which time Edwards' new play Astrakhan (Winter) was being performed by Cambridge ADC.
In 2006, Edwards' play about Baudelaire, The Pimp, was produced at The White Bear Theatre Club in London.
Edwards' poetry is published by Oberon Books and Poetry Wales as well as appearing in anthologies.His most recent work will be appearing in two volumes in autumn 2007 "Two Immorality Plays" and a collection of poems "Walt Whitman and other poems" both published by Oberon
Edwards teaches Creative Writing at The University of Wales, Lampeter
.
Welsh nationalism
Welsh nationalism emphasises the distinctiveness of Welsh language, culture, and history, and calls for more self-determination for Wales, which may include more Devolved powers for the Welsh Assembly or full independence from the United Kingdom.-Conquest:...
took to the stage and conducted walk outs during the run of his play Franco’s Bastard at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff.
Edwards first play At The End Of The Bay, produced at the Sherman Theatre
Sherman Theatre
Sherman Cymru, also known by its previous name Sherman Theatre, is a performing arts venue in the Cathays district of Cardiff. It was built as a twin-auditorium venue in 1973 with financial support from University College, Cardiff....
in Cardiff 1982, appeared at a time when new theatre in the English language in Wales was almost non-existent. At this time Edwards met the great English playwright Edward Bond
Edward Bond
Edward Bond is an English playwright, theatre director, poet, theorist and screenwriter. He is the author of some fifty plays, among them Saved , the production of which was instrumental in the abolition of theatre censorship in the UK...
who immediately became a mentor for Edwards.
Edwards calls his theatre the Theatre of The Evicted and plays like Looking For The World (Sherman Main Stage, Cardiff, 1986); Long To Rain Over Us (The Haymarket, Leicester 1987); Low People (The Haymarket, Leicester 1989) and the fourth world (Theatr Clwyd, 1990) are early expressions of his theories.
Through Bond, Edwards was introduced to the Royal Court Theatre
Royal Court Theatre
The Royal Court Theatre is a non-commercial theatre on Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is noted for its contributions to modern theatre...
which awarded Edwards a small grant from the Neville Blond Fund to research a play about the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein
Ludwig Wittgenstein
Ludwig Josef Johann Wittgenstein was an Austrian philosopher who worked primarily in logic, the philosophy of mathematics, the philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of language. He was professor in philosophy at the University of Cambridge from 1939 until 1947...
. The result of this research was the play Wittgenstein’s Daughter produced at The Citizen’s Theatre, Glasgow in 1993. In the previous year, The Citizens Theatre had produced Edwards' Casanova Undone. On both occasions, Edwards worked with the Goethe Award winning director Robert David MacDonald. It was also at this time that Edwards’ work began to be published by Oberon Books Ltd. London.
In 1992, Edwards began a collaboration with Mark Dornford May and Broomhill Opera in Kent and produced the libretto for The Juniper Tree with composer Andrew Toovey and the book for the reworked Beggar’s Opera, The Beggars’ New Clothes with the Eos Ensemble and conductor Charles Hazlewood.
Throughout the nineties, while producing the plays Utah Blue, a drama about the life and death of convicted murderer Gary Gilmore
Gary Gilmore
Gary Mark Gilmore was an American criminal, and murderer, who gained international notoriety for demanding that his own death sentence be fulfilled following two murders he committed in Utah. He became the first person executed in the United States after the U.S...
(The Point, Cardiff 1995 and NIDA, Sydney Australia 2005) and Lola Brecht (UK Tour), Edwards worked extensively with Community/TIE company Spectacle Theatre producing plays for the community – Over Milk Wood (published by Oberon and by Aerola Editors, Tarragon as Sobre El Bosc Lacti) and Kid (Wales and Northern Ireland Tour published by Argraff) as well as those plays collected in the publication The Shakespeare Factory and other plays (Seren).
In 2003, Edwards wrote the libretto for the opera Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny (opera)
Manifest Destiny is a British opera composed by Keith Burstein with a libretto by Dic Edwards. The opera is notable for dealing with the subject of Islamic suicide bombers, and with the ramifications of both the Middle Eastern conflict and the War on Terror....
co-written with composer Keith Burstein
Keith Burstein
Keith Burstein is an English composer, conductor and music theorist. He is noted for his championing of tonal music as a valid contemporary composing style and for the humanitarian dimension of his compositions....
. The first act of Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny (opera)
Manifest Destiny is a British opera composed by Keith Burstein with a libretto by Dic Edwards. The opera is notable for dealing with the subject of Islamic suicide bombers, and with the ramifications of both the Middle Eastern conflict and the War on Terror....
was first produced as a benefit for the Cuantanamo Human Rights Commission at The Tricycle Theatre, London. The first fully staged production of the opera took place at the 2005 Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
, at which time Edwards' new play Astrakhan (Winter) was being performed by Cambridge ADC.
In 2006, Edwards' play about Baudelaire, The Pimp, was produced at The White Bear Theatre Club in London.
Edwards' poetry is published by Oberon Books and Poetry Wales as well as appearing in anthologies.His most recent work will be appearing in two volumes in autumn 2007 "Two Immorality Plays" and a collection of poems "Walt Whitman and other poems" both published by Oberon
Edwards teaches Creative Writing at The University of Wales, Lampeter
University of Wales, Lampeter
University of Wales, Lampeter is a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822 by royal charter, it is the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales and may be the third oldest in England and Wales after Oxford and Cambridge...
.