Lucy Caldwell
Encyclopedia
Lucy Caldwell is a Northern Irish
playwright
and novelist.
Born in Belfast
in 1981 in what she later described as into
She studied at Strathearn School
and later at Queens' College, Cambridge
, graduating with a First Class Degree, and Goldsmiths College
, London. Caldwell left the city she had always considered 'boring, introverted' in 1999 but later declared 'yes, it's true: I do love this city, and I do love these streets, and I am proud to be from here.'
In June 2004, Caldwell's first short play, The River was performed at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
, and subsequently the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The play won her the PMA Most Promising Playwright Award. Caldwell spent time as writer-on-attachment to the National Theatre
in 2005. Her first full-length play, Leaves, won the 2006 George Devine Award, the 2007 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize
and the BBC Stewart Parker Award. In 2007 it was produced by the Druid Theatre Company
, and directed by Garry Hynes. The play premiered in Galway
before transferring to the Royal Court Theatre
- Her second full-length play, Guardians, premiered at the 2009 HighTide Festival in Halesworth. Reviewing the production, critic Michael Billington
wrote, "[Caldwell] writes with real power about lost love. I was much moved." Notes to Future Self was produced by Birmingham Rep Theatre in March 2011, directed by Rachel Kavanaugh. It was described in The Stage
as "Brave, beautiful, and quite extraordinary"
Caldwell's first novel, Where They Were Missed, set in Belfast and Gweebarra Bay (County Donegal
) was published in March 2006 and short-listed for the 2006 Dylan Thomas Prize
and the Waverton Good Read Award
.
It was described by Vogue as "a debut reminiscent of Ian McEwan's The Cement Garden and Trezza Azzopardi's The Hiding Place and David Pierce wrote in Irish Studies Around the World that "I can think of very few novels written by an author in her early twenties which are as accomplished as this one. Like MacNeice, Caldwell has a keen eye for hauntings, for what’s been lost, for false strings, only now the loss is wrapped in the continuing trauma of sectarianism and the Troubles."
Her second novel, The Meeting Point, centred around a young Irish missionary couple who journey to Bahrain, was published in February 2011 by Faber. It was described by the Sunday Times as "Compelling, passionate and deeply resonant" and by the Guardian
as "haunting... compulsively readable"
Caldwell's first radio play, Girl From Mars, was broadcast by BBC Radio 4 in June 2008. It won the Irish Playwrights' and Screenwriters' Guild Award ("ZeBBie") for Best Radio Play and the BBC's Richard Imison Award
for best script by a writer new to radio. In their verdict, the judges said:
Her second radio play, Avenues of Eternal Peace, broadcast in June 2009, was chosen as Pick of the Week on BBC Radio 4.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
and novelist.
Born in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
in 1981 in what she later described as into
one of the darkest and most turbulent years of the Troubles: the year the hunger strikes began, when within a few months Bobby Sands and nine others died; when things seemed to be spiralling irrevocably out of control.
She studied at Strathearn School
Strathearn School
Strathearn is a voluntary, all-girls grammar school in Belfast, Northern Ireland.It is situated in the east of the city and attended by about 750 girls aged 11–18. The grounds include sports facilities and pitches for hockey and athletics as well as many mature trees, which surround the front lawn...
and later at Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
, graduating with a First Class Degree, and Goldsmiths College
Goldsmiths College
Goldsmiths, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom which specialises in the arts, humanities and social sciences, and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It was founded in 1891 as Goldsmiths' Technical and Recreative Institute...
, London. Caldwell left the city she had always considered 'boring, introverted' in 1999 but later declared 'yes, it's true: I do love this city, and I do love these streets, and I am proud to be from here.'
In June 2004, Caldwell's first short play, The River was performed at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama is a conservatoire within the University of Glamorgan Group located in Cardiff, Wales....
, and subsequently the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The play won her the PMA Most Promising Playwright Award. Caldwell spent time as writer-on-attachment to the National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
in 2005. Her first full-length play, Leaves, won the 2006 George Devine Award, the 2007 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize
Susan Smith Blackburn Prize
The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize established in 1978, is for English-language women playwrights. Named for Susan Smith, alumna of Smith College, who died of breast cancer.-Winners:* 1978-79 Mary O'Malley* 1979-80 Barbara Schneider...
and the BBC Stewart Parker Award. In 2007 it was produced by the Druid Theatre Company
Druid Theatre Company
The Druid Theatre Company, founded in Galway in 1975, was the first Irish professional theatre company to be established outside Dublin. The theatre company was founded by Garry Hynes, Marie Mullen and Mick Lally after the three had met and put on productions together while members of the...
, and directed by Garry Hynes. The play premiered in Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
before transferring 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...
- Her second full-length play, Guardians, premiered at the 2009 HighTide Festival in Halesworth. Reviewing the production, critic Michael Billington
Michael Billington (critic)
Michael Keith Billington is a British author and arts critic. Drama critic of The Guardian since October 1971, he is "Britain's longest-serving theatre critic" and the author of biographical and critical studies relating to British theatre and the arts; most notably, he is the authorised...
wrote, "[Caldwell] writes with real power about lost love. I was much moved." Notes to Future Self was produced by Birmingham Rep Theatre in March 2011, directed by Rachel Kavanaugh. It was described in The Stage
The Stage
The Stage is a weekly British newspaper founded in 1880, available nationally and published on Thursdays. Covering all areas of the entertainment industry but focused primarily on theatre, it contains news, reviews, opinion, features and other items of interest, mainly to those who work within the...
as "Brave, beautiful, and quite extraordinary"
Caldwell's first novel, Where They Were Missed, set in Belfast and Gweebarra Bay (County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
) was published in March 2006 and short-listed for the 2006 Dylan Thomas Prize
Dylan Thomas Prize
The Dylan Thomas Prize is the world’s top cash prize for young writers. The annual prize, named in honor of the Welsh writer and poet Dylan Thomas, brings international prestige and a cash award of £30,000 . It is open to published writers in the English language under the age of thirty. The prize...
and the Waverton Good Read Award
Waverton Good Read Award
The Waverton Good Read Award was founded in 2003 by villagers in Waverton, Cheshire, England, and is based on Le Prix de la Cadière d'Azur, a literary prize awarded by a Provençal village. Adult debut novels written by UK residents and published in the previous twelve months are eligible for...
.
It was described by Vogue as "a debut reminiscent of Ian McEwan's The Cement Garden and Trezza Azzopardi's The Hiding Place and David Pierce wrote in Irish Studies Around the World that "I can think of very few novels written by an author in her early twenties which are as accomplished as this one. Like MacNeice, Caldwell has a keen eye for hauntings, for what’s been lost, for false strings, only now the loss is wrapped in the continuing trauma of sectarianism and the Troubles."
Her second novel, The Meeting Point, centred around a young Irish missionary couple who journey to Bahrain, was published in February 2011 by Faber. It was described by the Sunday Times as "Compelling, passionate and deeply resonant" and by the Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
as "haunting... compulsively readable"
Caldwell's first radio play, Girl From Mars, was broadcast by BBC Radio 4 in June 2008. It won the Irish Playwrights' and Screenwriters' Guild Award ("ZeBBie") for Best Radio Play and the BBC's Richard Imison Award
Richard Imison Award
The Richard Imison Award, established in 1994, commemorates the life and work of Richard Imison.Richard Imison was Script Editor for BBC Radio Drama from 1963 to 1991. In the thirty years that Imison worked for BBC Radio Drama it was the largest patron of original creative dramatic writing in Britain...
for best script by a writer new to radio. In their verdict, the judges said:
This is a gripping and powerful depiction of the effect on a family when one sibling goes missing. The beautifully-told story begins when a body is found and the remaining daughter returns to be with her family while they await identification. Girl From Mars is moving and emotionally taut. It veers away from sentimentality and felt personal and believable. The structure is complex - combining three different timescales - and uses radio to its full potential, using many techniques including voice-overs, dialogue, text messages, and voice mail. The story has a shades-of-grey resolution about the way a person's life can tragically stop short - and this is echoed in the subtle way the writer ends her own play too.
Her second radio play, Avenues of Eternal Peace, broadcast in June 2009, was chosen as Pick of the Week on BBC Radio 4.