Mary O'Malley (playwright)
Encyclopedia
Mary Josephine O'Malley (born 19 March 1941) is an English playwright of Irish-Lithuanian descent.
and Playmaking' with Dorothea Alexander. In the mid 1970s, while working in fringe theatre
, she joined The Writers' Workshop run by Howard Brenton
at the Royal Court Theatre
. Early experimental work for theatre in the early seventies included A 'Nevolent Society, a lunchtime production at the Open Space Theatre
, Tottenham Court Road, Superscum and Oh if Ever a Man Suffered, lunchtime productions at the Soho Theatre
, the latter play transferring to Hampstead Theatre
for a short run as a late night production. Plays for television
in the early to mid seventies included two short plays by writers new to television, Percy and Kenneth and Shall I See You Now for the BBC
in Birmingham
, produced by Tara Prem.
. The play, directed by Mike Ockrent
, opened at the Royal Court in 1977 and after a successful run transferred to Wyndham's Theatre
where it ran for over two years. In 1977 the play won awards from The Evening Standard and Plays & Players and in 1978 Mary O'Malley was the first winner of the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize
for women playwrights.
Once a Catholic has been a success, critically and commercially, for many regional theatres in Britain, at the Lyric Theatre (Belfast) and on tour several times for Bill Kenwright
Productions. In 1979 a production directed by Mike Ockrent was taken on a short tour of theatres in the USA before opening at the Helen Hayes Theatre
in New York
, where it closed very quickly after only six performances. In 1987 the play was produced in Los Angeles
at The Celtic Arts Centre (An Claidheamh Soluis) of Southern California
, North Hollywood from which the author received the Hollywood Dramalogue Critics Award for outstanding achievement in theatre". Internationally there have also been productions in Australia
, New Zealand
, Ireland
, Germany
, Antwerp and Belgium
, and in Opole
in Poland
at the Jan Kochanowski Theatre (1991).
In 1977 Mary O'Malley wrote Oy Vay Maria for BBC television, directed by Richard Loncraine
. It won a Pye Television Award, was televised in Israel
and produced as a stage play in 1981 at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue, St John's Wood
.
In 1978 Mary O'Malley wrote Look Out...Here Comes Trouble for the Royal Shakespeare Company
at the Donmar Warehouse
, directed by John Caird
. Set in a psychiatric hospital
, it is an ensemble piece for fourteen actors, one of whom was Maxine Audley
who received a London Critics Award for her performance as Olive, a clairvoyant.
Other work includes: On the Shelf for television (1984) produced by Margaret Matheson; Talk of the Devil, Watford Playhouse (1986) directed by Bill Alexander
; Oy Vay Maria, Oldham Coliseum (1996).
Early years
In the 1960s Mary O'Malley studied drama at the City Literary Institute, and 'ImprovisationImprovisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
and Playmaking' with Dorothea Alexander. In the mid 1970s, while working in fringe theatre
Fringe theatre
Fringe theatre is theatre that is not of the mainstream. The term comes from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which name comes from Robert Kemp, who described the unofficial companies performing at the same time as the second Edinburgh International Festival as a ‘fringe’, writing: ‘Round the fringe...
, she joined The Writers' Workshop run by Howard Brenton
Howard Brenton
-Early years:Brenton was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, son of Methodist minister Donald Henry Brenton and his wife Rose Lilian . He was educated at Chichester High School For Boys and read English Literature at St Catharine's College, Cambridge. In 1964 he was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal...
at 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...
. Early experimental work for theatre in the early seventies included A 'Nevolent Society, a lunchtime production at the Open Space Theatre
Open Space Theatre
The Open Space Theatre was created by Charles Marowitz and Thelma Holt in 1968.It began in a basement on Tottenham Court Road in London, then transferred to an art deco post office on the Euston Road in 1976. Thelma attracted a team of volunteer architects and workers to build the theatre...
, Tottenham Court Road, Superscum and Oh if Ever a Man Suffered, lunchtime productions at the Soho Theatre
Soho Theatre
Soho Theatre is a theatre in the eponymous Soho district of the City of Westminster. It presents new works of theatre, together with comedy and cabaret....
, the latter play transferring to Hampstead Theatre
Hampstead Theatre
Hampstead Theatre is a theatre in the vicinity of Swiss Cottage and Belsize Park, in the London Borough of Camden. It specialises in commissioning and producing new writing, supporting and developing the work of new writers. In 2009 it celebrates its 50 year anniversary.The original theatre was...
for a short run as a late night production. Plays for television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
in the early to mid seventies included two short plays by writers new to television, Percy and Kenneth and Shall I See You Now for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, produced by Tara Prem.
Prime years
In 1975 The Royal Court commissioned Mary O'Malley to write a play which turned out to be Once a CatholicOnce a Catholic
Once a Catholic is a play by Mary O'Malley.Once a Catholic was a comedy first performed at The Royal Court Theatre in 1977, directed by Mike Ockrent....
. The play, directed by Mike Ockrent
Mike Ockrent
Mike Ockrent was a British stage director, well-known both for his Broadway musicals and smaller niche plays. He was educated at Highgate School. Through directing Educating Rita and Follies, he became an established figure in London theatre...
, opened at the Royal Court in 1977 and after a successful run transferred to Wyndham's Theatre
Wyndham's Theatre
Wyndham's Theatre is a West End theatre, one of two opened by the actor/manager Charles Wyndham . Located on Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster, it was designed by W.G.R. Sprague about 1898, the architect of six other London theatres between then and 1916...
where it ran for over two years. In 1977 the play won awards from The Evening Standard and Plays & Players and in 1978 Mary O'Malley was the first winner of the 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...
for women playwrights.
Once a Catholic has been a success, critically and commercially, for many regional theatres in Britain, at the Lyric Theatre (Belfast) and on tour several times for Bill Kenwright
Bill Kenwright
Bill Kenwright CBE is a leading West End theatre producer and film producer.He is also the Chairman of Everton Football Club, an English professional football club from the city of Liverpool....
Productions. In 1979 a production directed by Mike Ockrent was taken on a short tour of theatres in the USA before opening at the Helen Hayes Theatre
Helen Hayes Theatre
Helen Hayes Theatre with 597 seats is the smallest Broadway theatre and is located at 240 West 44th Street in midtown-Manhattan....
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where it closed very quickly after only six performances. In 1987 the play was produced in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
at The Celtic Arts Centre (An Claidheamh Soluis) of Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
, North Hollywood from which the author received the Hollywood Dramalogue Critics Award for outstanding achievement in theatre". Internationally there have also been productions in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Antwerp and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, and in Opole
Opole
Opole is a city in southern Poland on the Oder River . It has a population of 125,992 and is the capital of the Upper Silesia, Opole Voivodeship and, also the seat of Opole County...
in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
at the Jan Kochanowski Theatre (1991).
In 1977 Mary O'Malley wrote Oy Vay Maria for BBC television, directed by Richard Loncraine
Richard Loncraine
Richard Loncraine is a British film and television director.Loncraine received early training in the features department of the BBC, including a season directing items for Tomorrow's World...
. It won a Pye Television Award, was televised in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and produced as a stage play in 1981 at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue, St John's Wood
St John's Wood
St John's Wood is a district of north-west London, England, in the City of Westminster, and at the north-west end of Regent's Park. It is approximately 2.5 miles north-west of Charing Cross. Once part of the Great Middlesex Forest, it was later owned by the Knights of St John of Jerusalem...
.
In 1978 Mary O'Malley wrote Look Out...Here Comes Trouble for the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
at the Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse is a small not-for-profit theatre in the Covent Garden area of London, with a capacity of 251.-About:Under the artistic leadership of Michael Grandage, the theatre has presented some of London’s most memorable award-winning theatrical experiences, as well as garnered critical...
, directed by John Caird
John Caird (director)
John Newport Caird is a British stage director and writer of plays, musicals and operas. He is an Honorary Associate Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, a regular director with the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain and the Principal Guest Director of the Royal Dramatic Theatre,...
. Set in a psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
, it is an ensemble piece for fourteen actors, one of whom was Maxine Audley
Maxine Audley
Maxine Audley was an English theatre and film actress. She made her professional stage debut in July 1940 at the Open Air Theatre. Throughout her career, Audley performed with both the Old Vic company and the Royal Shakespeare Company multiple times...
who received a London Critics Award for her performance as Olive, a clairvoyant.
Other work includes: On the Shelf for television (1984) produced by Margaret Matheson; Talk of the Devil, Watford Playhouse (1986) directed by Bill Alexander
Bill Alexander (director)
William "Bill" Alexander Paterson is an award-winning British theatre director.Bill Alexander is an awarding winning British theatre director who has worked extensively with The Royal Shakespeare Company. He was artistic director of Birmingham Repertory Theatre between 1992 and 2002...
; Oy Vay Maria, Oldham Coliseum (1996).
Identity
Mary O'Malley retired from the business of writing for several years but is now writing again and in future would prefer to be known as Marie Josephine, or Marie J, in order to avoid confusion with other Mary O'Malleys.Stage Plays
- Superscum, Soho PolySoho TheatreSoho Theatre is a theatre in the eponymous Soho district of the City of Westminster. It presents new works of theatre, together with comedy and cabaret....
, London, 1972 - A 'Nevolent Society, Open Space, LondonOpen Space TheatreThe Open Space Theatre was created by Charles Marowitz and Thelma Holt in 1968.It began in a basement on Tottenham Court Road in London, then transferred to an art deco post office on the Euston Road in 1976. Thelma attracted a team of volunteer architects and workers to build the theatre...
, 1974 - Oh If Ever a Man Suffered, Soho Poly, London, 1975
- Once a CatholicOnce a CatholicOnce a Catholic is a play by Mary O'Malley.Once a Catholic was a comedy first performed at The Royal Court Theatre in 1977, directed by Mike Ockrent....
, Royal Court Theatre, London, 1977 - Look Out... Here Comes Trouble, Royal Shakespeare CompanyRoyal Shakespeare CompanyThe Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
at the Donmar WarehouseDonmar WarehouseDonmar Warehouse is a small not-for-profit theatre in the Covent Garden area of London, with a capacity of 251.-About:Under the artistic leadership of Michael Grandage, the theatre has presented some of London’s most memorable award-winning theatrical experiences, as well as garnered critical...
, London, 1978 - Talk of the Devil, Watford Playhouse, HertfordshireHertfordshireHertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, 1986 - Oy Vay Maria, Oldham Coliseum, 1996
Television Plays
- Percy and Kenneth, BBC BirminghamBBC BirminghamBBC Birmingham is one of the oldest regional arms of the BBC, located in Birmingham, West Midlands. It was the first region outside of London to start broadcasting both the corporation's radio and television transmissions, the latter from the Sutton Coldfield television transmitter...
- Shall I See You Now, BBC Birmingham
- Oy Vay Maria (1977)
- On the Shelf (1984)
Awards
- Evening Standard Award - Most Promising Playwright 1977 for Once a Catholic.
- Plays & Players Award (1977) Once a Catholic.
- Pye Television Award (1977) Oy Vay Maria.
- Susan Smith Blackburn PrizeSusan Smith Blackburn PrizeThe 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...
- Mary O'Malley 1978 winner for Once a Catholic. - Susan Smith Blackburn Prize - Mary O'Malley 1986 runner up for Talk of the Devil.
- Hollywood Dramalogue Critics Award - for outstanding achievement in theatre (1987) for Once a Catholic.