Stephen Brown is best known as a playwright, but has also been a publisher and writer.

Life and career

Brown was educated at

Jesus College, Cambridge Jesus College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Jesus College was established in 1496 on the site of the twelfth-century Benedictine nunnery of St Radegund's Priory, Cambridge, St ...

, and the

University of Sussex The University of Sussex is a public university, public research university, research university located in Falmer, East Sussex, England. It lies mostly within the city boundaries of Brighton and Hove. Its large campus site is surrounded by the ...

. He was the publisher of '' Prospect'' magazine, and has reviewed theatre for Radio 4's '' Front Row'', the ''

Times Literary Supplement ''The Times Literary Supplement'' (''TLS'') is a weekly literary review published in London by News UK, a subsidiary of News Corp. History The ''TLS'' first appeared in 1902 as a supplement to ''The Times'' but became a separate publication ...

'' and others. In 2003, he wrote the script for

Filter Theatre Filter Theatre is a British theatre company known for its groundbreaking use of sound and unconventional adaptions of classic texts. Claire Alfree of the Metro once called them "one of Britain's best and boldest devising companies". The company ...

's ''Faster'', based on the

James Gleick James Gleick (; born August 1, 1954) is an American author and historian of science whose work has chronicled the cultural impact of modern technology. Recognized for his writing about complex subjects through the techniques of narrative nonficti ...

book of the same name. After running at the

Battersea Arts Centre The Battersea Arts Centre ("BAC") is a performance space specialising in Theater, theatre productions. Located near Clapham Junction railway station in Battersea, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, it was formerly Battersea Town Hall. It is a ...

and Lyric Theatre,

Hammersmith Hammersmith is a district of West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. It ...

, this production toured nationally and internationally. In 2007, his play ''Future Me'', which dramatised the prison treatment of a successful lawyer convicted of sex offences, was produced at Theatre503 in

Battersea Battersea is a large district in southwest London, part of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is centred southwest of Charing Cross and also extends along the south bank of the Thames Tideway. It includes the Battersea Park. Hist ...

. It was subsequently produced in

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and New York, and toured England with ''

Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' (colloquially referred to as ''Corrie'') is a British television soap opera created by ITV Granada, Granada Television and shown on ITV (TV network), ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres on a cobbled, terraced ...

Rupert Hill Rupert Sinclair Hill (born 15 June 1978) is an English actor. He is known for his roles in several soap operas. Career Hill started with small roles on television. He appeared in an episode of ''EastEnders'' as Robbie's half-brother Kevin Bo ...

. He was subsequently commissioned by the

Royal National Theatre The National Theatre (NT), officially the Royal National Theatre and sometimes referred to in international contexts as the National Theatre of Great Britain, is a performing arts venue and associated theatre company located in London, England, ...

to write a play about

René Descartes René Descartes ( , ; ; 31 March 1596 – 11 February 1650) was a French philosopher, scientist, and mathematician, widely considered a seminal figure in the emergence of modern philosophy and Modern science, science. Mathematics was paramou ...

, and to adapt ''Occupational Hazards'',

Rory Stewart Roderick James Nugent Stewart (born 3 January 1973) is a British academic, broadcaster, writer, and former diplomat and politician. He has taught at Harvard University and at Yale University. He currently teaches and co-directs the Brady-Jo ...

's memoir of his experiences as a senior coalition official in Iraq. This latter work was produced at the

Hampstead Theatre Hampstead Theatre is a theatre in South Hampstead, in the London Borough of Camden. It specialises in commissioning and producing new writing, supporting and developing the work of new writers. History The original ''Hampstead Theatre Clu ...

in May 2017. In summer 2020, the

Bristol Old Vic Bristol Old Vic is a British theatre company based at the Theatre Royal, Bristol. The present company was established in 1946 as an offshoot of the Old Vic in London. It is associated with the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, which became a fin ...

was scheduled to premiere his new play, ''Dr Semmelweis'', modelled on the Hungarian physician, written with and starring

Mark Rylance Sir David Mark Rylance Waters (; born 18 January 1960) is an English actor, playwright and theatre director. He is known for his roles on stage and screen, having received numerous awards including an Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, two Oliv ...

. The premiere was postponed due to

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

. It was eventually premiered in January 2022 and scheduled to run until February 5. After selling out and receiving positive reviews, its run was extended to 19 February. A West End run of Dr Semmelweis opened at the Harold Pinter Theatre in June 2023, again to critical acclaim with Mark Rylance in the title role.

Books

*''Future Me'' (Oberon, 2007) *''Occupational Hazards'' (Oberon, 2017)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Stephen Living people British dramatists and playwrights People educated at Eton College Alumni of Jesus College, Cambridge Alumni of the University of Sussex British male dramatists and playwrights Year of birth missing (living people)