Bernard Farrell (born 1941) is an Irish

dramatist A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

, whose contemporary comedies – both light and dark – have been described as "well-wrought, cleverly shaped with a keen sense of absurdity" and as "dark and dangerous comedy in which characters are poised on the knife-edge between hilarious absurdity and hysterical breakdown". For the

Abbey Theatre The Abbey Theatre ( ga, Amharclann na Mainistreach), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland ( ga, Amharclann Náisiúnta na hÉireann), in Dublin, Ireland, is one of the country's leading cultural institutions. First opening to the pu ...

, he has served as a writer-In-association, as an advisory council member, and as a board director. He lives in

Greystones Greystones () is a coastal town and seaside resort in County Wicklow, Ireland. It lies on Ireland's east coast, south of Bray, County Wicklow, Bray and south of Dublin city centre and has a population of 18,140 (2016). The town is bordered ...

, County Wicklow.

Playwright

Born in

Sandycove Sandycove () is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is southeast of Dún Laoghaire and Glasthule, and northwest of Dalkey. It is a popular seaside resort and is well known for its bathing place, the Forty Foot, which in the past was reserved for me ...

County Dublin "Action to match our speech" , image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Dublin.svg , map_alt = map showing County Dublin as a small area of darker green on the east coast within the lighter green background of ...

. Both his parents were passionate about the theatre and his childhood was filled with attending plays. Following school at

CBC Monkstown Christian Brothers College, Monkstown Park (or CBC Monkstown Park) is a private fee-paying Catholic Church, Catholic school and Independent Junior school, founded in 1856 in Monkstown, County Dublin, Monkstown, Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin, Ire ...

and further education at People's College

Ballsbridge Ballsbridge () (from historic Ball's Bridge) is an affluent neighbourhood of the city of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. The area is largely north and west of a three-arch stone bridge across the River Dodder, on the south side of the city. Th ...

he worked for Sealink until 1980, when he resigned to write full-time for the theatre. Most of his 21-stage plays have been premiered at either the

or the

Gate Theatre The Gate Theatre is a Theater (structure), theatre on Cavendish Row in Dublin, Ireland. It was founded in 1928. History Beginnings The Gate Theatre was founded in 1928 by Hilton Edwards and Micheál MacLiammóir with Daisy Bannard Cogley and Ge ...

in Dublin or at Red Kettle Theatre in Waterford. These include ''I Do Not Like Thee, Doctor Fell'' (1979), ''Canaries'' (1980), ''All in Favour Said No!'' (1981), ''All The Way Back'' (1985), ''Say Cheese'' (1987), ''Forty-Four Sycamore'' (1992), ''The Last Apache Reunion'' (1993), ''Happy Birthday Dear Alice'' (1994), ''Stella By Starlight'' (1997), ''Kevin's Bed'' (1998), ''The Spirit of Annie Ross'' (1999), ''Lovers at Versailles'' (2002), ''Many Happy Returns'' (2005) ''The Verdi Girls'' (2007), ''Wallace, Balfe And Mr. Bunn'' (2009) and ''Bookworms'' which premiered at the Abbey Theatre in 2010 and was revived there in 2012. Many of his stage plays are in translation and have been performed extensively in North America, Europe and Australia

''I Do Not Like Thee, Doctor Fell''

''I Do Not Like Thee, Doctor Fell'' was Farrell's first stage play and is considered to be among his best. It was first performed in the

in 1979, starring a young

Liam Neeson William John Neeson (born 7 June 1952) is an actor from Northern Ireland. He has received several accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Tony Awards. In 2020, he was placed 7th on ''The I ...

as Roger in one of his first roles. The play is one of the most popular plays in Ireland, where it is often reproduced. It also enjoyed success abroad. In 1982 it received its American premiere when it was toured extensively by Gemini Productions and, in 1988, it had its off-Broadway premiere at the Irish Repertory Theatre New York.

''Theatre Career''

Following the success of ''I Do Not Like Thee, Doctor Fell'', the

commissioned a new play from Farrell. The result was ''Canaries'' which premiered at the Abbey for the 1980s

Dublin Theatre Festival The Dublin Theatre Festival is Europe's oldest specialised theatre festival. It was founded by theatre impresario Brendan Smith in 1957 and has, with the exception of two years, produced a season of international and Irish theatre each autumn. ...

, was an immediate success and won Farrell ''The Rooney Prize for Irish Literature''. This continued success allowed him to resign his clerical job at Sealink Shipping Company to devote himself to the theatre. ''Canaries'' has remained popular in Ireland and, in 1992, enjoyed a major revival at Dublin's Gaiety Theatre. ''All in Favour Said No!'' – a satire on Industrial Relations – followed in the

Abbey An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christian monks and nuns. The conce ...

in 1981. Praised for its high level of comedy –

The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...

saying that is "as inventive an Irish comedy as has been seen in years" – it was revived by popular demand at the

in 1981 and, in 1982, received its American Premiere at The South Coast Repertory Theatre, California. It enjoyed a further revival in 1990 at Dublin's Tivoli Theatre. From 1982 to 1985, Farrell had two adaptations produced at the

(''Petty Sessions'' from Boucicault's ''Forbidden Fruit'' and an Irish version of Molière's ''Don Juan'') and also three plays-for-children produced and toured by

TEAM Theatre-in-Education Company A team is a group of individuals (human or non-human) working together to achieve their goal. As defined by Professor Leigh Thompson of the Kellogg School of Management, " team is a group of people who are interdependent with respect to infor ...

(''Then Moses Met Marconi'', ''One-Two-Three O'Leary'' and ''Because Just Because''). In March 1985, ''All The Way Back'' opened at the

and was revived there in July 1985. In 1987 his social farce ''Say Cheese'' enjoyed an extended run at the

, playing to full houses and described by the Irish Press as "a barrel of fun which gets the audience rolling in the aisles". For the next five years, Farrell moved to television commissions and to writing his early radio plays. (See Television and radio drama section). When he returned to theatre in 1992, he entered a ten-year period in which his most critical and popular successes were produced. These began with ''44 Sycamore'', written for Red Kettle Theatre Company in 1992 which attracted glowing notices in its native Waterford – "a comic gem" from The Sunday Tribune and "a roaring success" from The Irish Press – before continuing its success at Andrews Lane Theatre in Dublin and then onto a National Tour. At year's end, it was awarded The Sunday Tribune's ''Best New Comedy of 1992''. In 1994, it had its American Premiere at The Asolo Theatre, Florida. This was followed, in May 1993, by Farrell's return to the

with what many reviewers and commentators then regarded to be one of his best plays: ''The Last Apache Reunion''. Telling the story of a group of school friends who, in adulthood, return to their old, derelict school to celebrate a reunion,

saw it as "a highly intelligent, tellingly perceptive, utterly devastating play, uncomfortably comic in its every turn". The Sunday Tribune said that "school reunions have never been so funny, frightening and enjoyable" and The Guardian called it "Farrell's most accomplished". The play enjoyed a very successful run at the

, was revived there in November 1993 and then transferred to The Tivoli Theatre in 1994. Farrell followed this in 1994 with ''Happy Birthday Dear Alice'', premiered by

Red Kettle Theatre's Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondary ...

production at

Theatre Royal Waterford The Theatre Royal Waterford is a theatre located in Waterford, Ireland. History The Theatre Royal was founded as a patent theatre in 1785, with playhouse and Assembly Rooms designed by local architect John Roberts; ''As You Like It'' was the f ...

. This play, starring

Anna Manahan Anna Maria Manahan (18 October 1924 – 8 March 2009) was an Irish stage, film and television actress. Manahan received two Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play nominations for her performances in the 1968 production of '' Lovers'' an ...

, opened to great critical and popular acclaim with

declaring that "this is the play I have been waiting for" and

The Sunday Tribune The ''Sunday Tribune'' was an Irish Sunday broadsheet newspaper published by Tribune Newspapers plc. It was edited in its final years by Nóirín Hegarty, who changed both the tone and the physical format of the newspaper from broadsheet to tab ...

calling it "Farrell's finest, most complete and fully realised play". After its extended run in Waterford, it transferred to Andrews Lane Theatre in Dublin prior to a National Tour. Its UK Premiere was at

Orange Tree Theatre The Orange Tree Theatre is a 180-seat theatre at 1 Clarence Street, Richmond in south-west London, which was built specifically as a theatre in the round. It is housed within a disused 1867 primary school, built in Victorian Gothic style. Th ...

in Richmond and later at the

Stephen Joseph Theatre The Stephen Joseph Theatre is a theatre in the round in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England that was founded by Stephen Joseph and was the first theatre in the round in Britain. In 1955, Joseph established a tiny theatre in the round on the f ...

in Scarborough. In 1996, ''Stella By Starlight'', Farrell's first play for Dublin's

, starring

Gemma Craven Rita Gemma Craven (''née'' Gabriel; born 1 June 1950) is an Irish actress. She is best known for her role as Joan Parker, the frigid wife of Arthur (Bob Hoskins), in the BBC TV drama '' Pennies From Heaven'' (1978). Biography Craven's family ...

, opened to enthusiastic reviews – The Sunday Independent saying that "this is stagecraft of no mean kind: polished, accomplished, mature, wicked, self-confident and very funny". It was revived at the Gate in 1998, premiered at the Laguna Playhouse California in 2002, at Noordteater Antwerp in 2004 and had its Australian premiere at Ensemble Theatre Sydney in 2007. Farrell returned to the

in 1998 with ''Kevin's Bed'' – a memory play that The Irish Times called "an absorbing and richly structured comedy" and The Sunday Independent said that "Bernard Farrell becomes more assured with every play: his view on Irish society becomes more jaundiced, his serious turns more accomplished, his comedy more socially biting". It was revived at the

in November 1998 and then toured nationally by the

. Its USA premiere was at the Laguna Playhouse California in 2000. In 1999, Farrell's ''The Spirit of Annie Ross'' – of which The Irish Times said: "Don't miss this hilariously haunting play" was premiered at the

– and for Christmas 2004, ''Many Happy Returns'' ("This one is a winner" said Plays International) also opened at the

Gate A gate or gateway is a point of entry to or from a space enclosed by walls. The word derived from old Norse "gat" meaning road or path; But other terms include ''yett and port''. The concept originally referred to the gap or hole in the wall ...

. In 2002, his much-praised ''Lovers at Versailles'' opened at the

. The ''

Irish Independent The ''Irish Independent'' is an Irish daily newspaper and online publication which is owned by Independent News & Media (INM), a subsidiary of Mediahuis. The newspaper version often includes glossy magazines. Traditionally a broadsheet new ...

'' said: "with total dramatic precision, brilliant dialogue and flawless structure, the author delivers exactly what the audience hopes for and fears" while the

Irish Examiner The ''Irish Examiner'', formerly ''The Cork Examiner'' and then ''The Examiner'', is an Irish national daily newspaper which primarily circulates in the Munster region surrounding its base in Cork, though it is available throughout the country. ...

saw it as "the playwright's darkest and hardest-hitting drama thus far". The play had its USA premiere at the Laguna Playhouse California in 2003, the German premiere at Ohnsorg Theatre Hamburg in 2007 and its Australian premiere by

Ensemble Theatre Company Ensemble may refer to: Art * Architectural ensemble * ''Ensemble'' (album), Kendji Girac 2015 album * Ensemble (band), a project of Olivier Alary * Ensemble cast (drama, comedy) * Ensemble (musical theatre), also known as the chorus * ''E ...

at the

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...

in 2004. ''The Verdi Girls'' was a specially commissioned play by the Laguna Playhouse California which opened there in May 2007 and ''Wallace, Balfe and Mr Bunn'' was a musical play for orchestra and chorus, commissioned by The Theatre Royal Waterford to celebrate the re-opening of the theatre in 2009. In 2010, Farrell returned to the

with ''Bookworms'', a satirical play set on the evening of a bookclub meeting. The play premiered in June 2010 where it played to full houses, the Sunday Independent having predicted in its review that "Bernard Farrell has done it again and probably better than ever – the Abbey has a sure-fire summer winner that deserves to become a perennial favourite".''Bookworms'' was subsequently revived at the

in February 2012. In 2014 he was awarded the ''John B Keane Lifetime Achievement Award'' for his services to Theatre and the Arts.

Television and radio drama

He has also written television drama for both

RTÉ (RTÉ) (; Irish language, Irish for "Radio & Television of Ireland") is the Public broadcaster, national broadcaster of Republic of Ireland, Ireland headquartered in Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on RTÉ Television, telev ...

and

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

and his radio plays have been widely broadcast and have represented Ireland at the

Prix Italia The Prix Italia is an international Television, Radio-broadcasting and Web award. It was established in 1948 by RAI – Radiotelevisione Italiana (in 1948, RAI had the denomination RAI – Radio Audizioni Italiane) in Capri and is honoured with the ...

. His television drama includes ''Lotty Coyle Loves Buddy Holly'' (RTÉ, 1984); with Graham Reid, ''Foreign Bodies'' (BBC, 1985–1988); ''

Glenroe ''Glenroe'' was a television drama series broadcast on RTÉ One in Ireland between September 1983, when the first episode was aired, and May 2001. A spin-off from ''Bracken'' — a short-lived RTÉ drama itself spun off from ''The Riordans'' � ...

'' drama series, RTÉ); ''Radio Waves'' (RTÉ/BBC 1995). His radio drama includes ''Gliding With Mrs Gleeson'' (BBC and RTÉ); ''The Scholarship Trio'' (RTÉ); ''The Final Whistle'' (RTÉ); ''When Mr Kelly Met Mozart'' (RTÉ); ''The Day Grandad Disappeared'' (RTÉ); ''The Year of Jimmy Somers'' (RTÉ entry for 1987 Prix Italia); ''The Final Whistle'' (RTÉ entry for 1992 Prix Italia); ''Jumping For Joy'' (RTE); ''Meeting Michael'' (RTE) ; ''The Pied Piper'' with music by

Donovan Donovan Phillips Leitch (born 10 May 1946), known mononymously as Donovan, is a Scottish musician, songwriter, and record producer. He developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelic rock and world mus ...

starring

Spike Milligan Terence Alan "Spike" Milligan (16 April 1918 – 27 February 2002) was an Irish actor, comedian, writer, musician, poet, and playwright. The son of an English mother and Irish father, he was born in British Raj, British Colonial India, where h ...

(RTE) and ''Greta at the Gresham'' (Zebbie Award 2016. RTE).

Awards and honours

He is a recipient of the

Rooney Prize for Irish Literature The Rooney Prize for Irish Literature was created in 1976 by the Irish American businessman Dan Rooney, owner and chairman of the NFL Pittsburgh Steelers franchise and former US Ambassador to Ireland. The prize is awarded to Irish writers aged ...

, the ''

Sunday Tribune The ''Sunday Tribune'' was an Irish Sunday broadsheet newspaper published by Tribune Newspapers plc. It was edited in its final years by Nóirín Hegarty, who changed both the tone and the physical format of the newspaper from broadsheet to tab ...

'' Comedy of the Year Award, the

award for Best Irish Production, his ''Kevin's Bed'' was nominated for Best Play of 1998 in the ''Irish Times''/ESB Theatre Awards and his radio play ''Greta at the Gresham'' won The Writers' Guild of Ireland Zebbie Award for Best Script of 2015. In 1994 he was elected to

Aosdána Aosdána ( , ; from , 'people of the arts') is an Irish association of artists. It was created in 1981 on the initiative of a group of writers with support from the country's Arts Council. Membership, which is by invitation from current member ...

and, in 2014, he received The

John B. Keane John Brendan Keane (21 July 1928 – 30 May 2002) was an Irish playwright, novelist and essayist from Listowel, County Kerry. Biography A son of a national school teacher, William B. Keane, and his wife Hannah (née Purtill), Keane was ...

Lifetime Achievement Award.

Works

Plays *''I Do Not Like Thee, Doctor Fell'' (1979) *''Canaries'' (1980) *''All in Favour Said No!'' (1981) *''Petty Sessions'' (1982) *''Don Juan'' (1983) *''When Moses Met Marconi'' (1983) *''All The Way Back'' (1985) *''1-2-3 O'Leary'' (1985) *''Because Just Because'' (1986) *''Say Cheese'' (1987) *''Forty-Four Sycamore'' (1992) *''The Last Apache Reunion'' (1993) *''Happy Birthday Dear Alice'' (1994) *''Stella By Starlight'' (1997) *''Kevin’s Bed'' (1998) *''The Spirit of Annie Ross'' (1999) *''Lovers at Versailles'' (2002) *''Many Happy Returns'' (2005) *''The Verdi Girls'' (2007) *''Wallace, Balfe and Mr. Bunn'' (2009) *''Bookworms'' (2010) Television and Radio *''Lotty Coyle Loves Buddy Holly'' (RTÉ, 1984) *''Foreign Bodies'' (BBC, 1985–1988) *''

'' (drama series, RTÉ) *''Radio Waves'' (RTÉ/BBC 1995) *''Gliding With Mr Gleeson'' (BBC and RTÉ) *''The Scholarship Trio'' (RTÉ) *''When Mr Kelly Met Mozart'' (RTÉ) *''The Day Grandad Disappeared'' (RTÉ) *''The Year of Jimmy Somers'' (RTÉ entry for 1987 Prix Italia) *''The Final Whistle'' (RTÉ entry for 1992 Prix Italia) *''Jumping For Joy'' (RTE) *''Meeting Michael'' (RTE) *''The Pied Piper'' (RTE) *''Malachy's Money'' (RTE) *''Flying To Cincinnati'' (RTE) *''Greta at the Gresham'' (RTE. Zebbie Award for Best Script 2015) *''The Wedding Anniversary'' (RTE)

References

External links

*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Farrell, Bernard 1941 births Living people Irish dramatists and playwrights Irish male dramatists and playwrights Aosdána members Abbey Theatre People from Sandycove