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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Klaus Badelt to Christophe Beck
Howard Barker Biography (1946-)
Born June 28, 1946, in London, England; son of Sydney Charles (a bookbinder)and Georgina Irene (Carter) Barker; married Sandra Mary Law (an educator), July 24, 1972; children: Thomas, Joseph. Addresses: Agent--Judy Daish Associates, 2 St. Charles' Place, London W10 6EY, England.
- Nationality
- American
- Gender
- Male
- Birth Details
- June 28, 1946
- London, England
Famous Works
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Credits; Stage Work
- Director, Hated Nightfall, Royal Court Theatre, London, 1994.
- Director, Judith: A Parting from the Body, Leicester Haymarket, Leicester, U.K., 1995.
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Writings;Plays
- No One Was Saved, Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, 1970.
- Cheek, Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, London, 1970, included in New ShortPlays 3, Methuen, 1972.
- Edward: The Final Days, Open Space Theatre, London, 1971.
- Alpha Alpha, Open Space Theatre, 1972.
- Skipper [and] My Sister (one-acts; double-bill), Bush Theatre, London, 1973.
- Rule Britannia (one-act), King's Head Theatre, London, 1973.
- Claw, Open Space Theatre, 1975, published with Stripwell, J. Calder (London), 1977.
- Stripwell, Royal Court Theatre, 1975, published with Claw, J.
- Calder, 1977.
- Wax (one-act), Traverse Theatre, then Bush Theatre, both 1976.
- Fair Slaughter, Royal Court Theatre, 1977, published by J. Calder, 1978.
- That Good between Us, Warehouse Theatre, London, 1977, published with Credentials of a Sympathiser, J. Calder, 1980.
- The Love of a Good Man, Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, England, 1978, published with All Bleeding, J. Calder, 1980.
- The Hang of the Gaol, Warehouse Theatre, 1978, published with Heaven, 1981.
- The Loud Boy's Life, Warehouse Theatre, 1980, published in Two Plays forthe Right, J. Calder, 1982.
- No End of Blame: Scenes of Overcoming, Royal Court Theatre, 1981, published by J. Calder, 1981.
- Victory: Choices in Reaction, Royal Court Theatre, 1983, published in 1984.
- A Passion in Six Days, Crucible Theatre, 1983, published with Downchild:A Fantasy, J. Calder, 1985.
- The Castle, Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), The Pit, London, 1985, published with Scenes from an Execution, 1984.
- Scenes from an Execution, Almeida Theatre, 1990, then Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 1993, published with The Castle, 1984.
- Downchild: A Fantasy, RSC, The Pit, 1985, published with A Passion in SixDays, J. Calder, 1985.
- The Power of the Dog: Moments in History and Anti-History, Hampstead Theatre, London, 1985, published in 1985.
- Author of adaptation, Women Beware Women, Royal Court Theatre, 1986, published by J. Calder, 1986, then published with Pity in History, J. Calder, 1989.
- The Last Supper: A New Testament, Royal Court Theatre, 1988, published byJ. Calder, 1988.
- The Bite of the Night: An Education, RSC, The Pit, 1988, published by J.Calder, 1988.
- The Possibilities, Almeida Theatre, London, 1988, published by J.
- Calder, 1988.
- Golgo: Sermons on Pain and Privilege, Royal Court Theatre, 1990, published with Seven Lears: The Pursuit of the Good, J. Calder, 1990.
- The Europeans: Struggle to Love, du Maurier Theatre Centre, Toronto, Ontario, 1990, published with Judith: A Parting from the Body, J. Calder, 1990.
- A Hard Heart, Almeida Theatre, 1992, published with The Early Hours of aReviled Man, J. Calder, 1992.
- (With Nigel Osborne) Terrible Mouth (opera), English National Opera, Almeida Theatre, 1992.
- Hated Nightfall, Royal Court Theatre, 1994, published with Wounds to theFace, J. Calder, 1994.
- Author of the plays Credentials of a Sympathiser, published with That Good Between Us, J. Calder, 1980; All Bleeding, published with The Love of a Good Man, J. Calder, 1980; Heaven, published with Hang of the Gaol, 1981; Birthon a Hard Shoulder, published in Two Plays for the Right, J. Calder, 1982; Crimes in Hot Countries, published with Fair Slaughter, 1985; Lullabies for theImpatient, published by J. Calder, 1988; Seven Lears: The Pursuit of the Good, published with Golgo: Sermons on Pain and Privilege, J. Calder, 1990; Judith: A Parting from the Body, published with The Europeans: Struggle to Love,J. Calder, 1990; All He Fears: A Play for Marionettes, published by J. Calder, 1993; and Wounds to the Face, published with Hated Nightfall, J. Calder, 1994.
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Writings; Screenplays
- Made (based on his play No One Was Saved), EMI, 1972.
- Aces High (based on the play Journey's End, by R. C. Sherriff), EMI, 1975.
- Other screenplays include Tamar, 1973, and The Castle.
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Writings; Television Plays
- Cows, BBC, 1972.
- The Chauffeur and the Lady, BBC, 1972.
- Mutinies, BBC, 1974.
- Pity in History, BBC 2, 1985, published with Women Beware Women, J.
- Calder, 1989.
- Author of the television play Prowling Offensive.
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Writings; Radio Plays
- One Afternoon on the North Face of the 63rd Level of the Pyramid of Cheops the Great, BBC, 1970.
- Henry V in Two Parts, BBC, 1971.
- Herman, with Millie and Mick, BBC, 1972.
- Scenes from an Execution, Radio 3, 1984.
- A Hard Heart, Radio 3, 1992.
- The Early Hours of a Reviled Man, Radio 3, 1992, published withA Hard Heart, J. Calder, 1992.
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Writings; Other
- Gary the Thief/Gary Upright (poems), J. Calder, 1987.
- Arguments for a Theatre (essays), J. Calder, 1989, 2nd edition, Manchester University Press (Manchester, England), 1993.
- Collected Plays, J. Calder, Volume I (includes Claw, No End of Blame, Victory, The Castle, and Scenes from an Execution), 1990; Volume II (includes The Love of a Good Man and The Possibilities), 1993; Volume III (includes The Power of the Dog: Moments in History and Anti-History, The Europeans: Struggleto Love, Judith:A Parting from the Body, and Women Beware Women), 1995.
- The Ascent of Monte Grappa (poems), J. Calder, 1991.
- Arguments for a Theatre (criticism), Manchester University Press, 1994.
- The Tortmann Diaries (poems), J. Calder, 1995.
- Author of the poetry collections Don't Exaggerate (also known as Desire and Abuse), published in 1985, and Breath of the Crowd, 1986.
Further Reference
Books:
- Contemporary Authors, Volume 102, Gale (Detroit, MI), 1981.
- Rabey, David Ian, Howard Barker, Politics and Desire: An Expository Study of His Drama and Poetry, 1969-87, St. Martin's (New York), 1989.
Periodicals:
- Listener, September 17, 1970.
- New York Times, March 18, 1979; December 7, 1979.
- Observer Review, September 13, 1970.
- Plays and Players, November, 1970; January, 1971.
- Stage, December 14, 1972; June 7, 1973.
- Variety, July 21, 1971; September 13, 1972.
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