David Wood Biography (1944-)

Born February 21, 1944, in Sutton, Surrey, England; son of Richard Edwin andAudrey Adele (maiden name, Fincham) Wood; married Sheila Ruskin, 1966 (marriage ended, 1970); married Jacqueline Stanbury (an actress), January 17, 1975;children: (second marriage) Katherine, Rebecca. Avocational interests:Conjuring, collecting old books. Career: Actor, composer, producer, director, and writer. Appeared in repertory at Worchester, Watford, Edinburgh,Windsor, and Salisbury, 1966-69; W.S.G. Productions Ltd., director, 1966-; Whirligig Theatre (touring children's theatre company), co-founder and director, 1979-; director of one play annually at Sadler's Wells Theatre, 1979-; Verronmead Limited (television production company), founder and director, 1983-;performer of David Wood Magic and Music Show in theatres in United Kingdom,1983-; Westwood Theatre Productions, founder and director, 1986-95; W2 Productions Ltd., 1995-; member of drama advisory panel of Arts Council of Great Britain, 1978-80. Member: British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, andAuthors, British Actors Equity Association, Society of Authors, Green Room Club. Awards, Honors: Nottinghamshire Children's Book of the Year Award, 1990, for Sidney the Monster. Addresses: Contact: Casarotto Ramsay, Ltd., National House, 60 Wardour Street, London W1V 3HP, England.

David Wood's popular, successful plays focus on the often overlooked audienceof children. An actor, director, and writer, Wood is the co-founder of the Whirligig Theatre, a touring company devoted entirely to bringing his plays, as well as the works of others, to children throughout England. Among these plays are those that give a new spin to old tales, including The GingerbreadMan and The Owl and the Pussycat Went to See. ., and those that bring original, new stories to audiences, such as Flibberty and the Penguin and The See-Saw Tree. Wood's "musical plays appeal to children'slove of action, movement, colour, and spectacle," asserts Colin Mills in Twentieth-Century Children's Writers. And a Plays and Players contributor adds: "It might be said, now that he has cornered the market, that Wood is our first, and only children's dramatist."

Nationality: English
Gender: Male
Occupation: Actor, composer, producer, director, writer
Birth Details: February 21, 1944; Sutton, Surrey, England

Famous Works

CREDITS
Stage Appearances
(London debut) Hang Down Your Head and Die, ETC production, 1964
Geoff Manham, A Spring Song, Mermaid Theatre, London, England, 1964
Wagner, Dr. Faustus, OUDS, 1966
Four Degrees over, Edinburgh Festival, Scotland, then Fortune Theatre, London, England, 1966
Roger, After Haggerty, Royal Shakespeare Company, Aldwych Theatre,London, England, 1970, then Criterion Theatre, London, 1971
The Son, A Voyage 'Round My Father, Greenwich Theatre, London, 1970, then Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1972
Frank, Mrs. Warren's Profession, Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead, England, 1972
Just the Ticket, Thorndike Theatre, 1973
Constant, The Provok'd Wife, Greenwich Theatre, London, England, 1973
Bingo Little, Jeeves, Her Majesty's Theatre, London, England, 1975
Think of a Number, Peterborough, 1975
Cotton, The Flight of the Bumble Bee, Haymarket Theatre, Leicester, England, 1976
Chichestnuts, Chichester 900 Festival, England, 1976
Terra Nova, Chichester, 1980
Major Tours
James, Me Times Me, British cities, 1971
Stage Director
Four Degrees Over, WSG Productions, 1966-67
Three to One On, WSG Productions, 1966-67
The Owl and the Pussycat Went to See. ., WSG Productions, 1966-67
John Gould's One Man Show, WSG Productions, 1966-67
Betjemania, WSG Productions, 1966-67
Flibberty and the Penguin, WSG Productions, 1966-67
The Owl and the Pussycat Went to See. ., London, England, 1969-71
Larry the Lamb in Toytown, 1973
The Owl and the Pussycat Went to See. ., Guildford, England, 1976
The Owl and the Pussycat Went to See. ., Chichester, 1976
Also directed The Knack, A Present from the Corporation, and Flibberty and the Penguin, all Worchester, England.
Major Tours
Director
Four Degrees over, WSG Productions, 1966-67
Three to One On, WSG Productions, 1966-67
The Owl and the Pussycat Went to See. ., WSG Productions, 1966-67
John Gould's One Man Show, WSG Productions, 1966-67
Betjemania, WSG Productions, 1966-67
Flibberty and the Penguin, WSG Productions, 1966-67
Film Appearances
Johnny, If. ., Paramount, 1968
Tutor, "Mr. Tiger," Tales that Witness Madness, Paramount, 1973
Thompson, Aces High, Cine Artists, 1975
Herring, Ffolkes (also known as Assault Force and NorthSea Hijack), Universal, 1979
Vicar, Sweet William, World Northal, 1980
Barry, Brainstorm, United Artists, 1983
Television Appearances
Trouble with Gregory, 1980
When the Boat Comes in, 1981
Jackanory, 1989
Also appeared in Mad Jack, Fathers and Sons, Cheri, The Vamp, Sporting Scenes, Disraeli, The Avengers(episodic), Van der Valk, Danger UXB, Huntingtower, Enemy at the Door, Jim'll Fix It, The Brack Report, Tricky Business, and Watch.
Radio Appearances
Semi-Circles, 1982
WRITINGS
Stage Plays
(With David Wright) Hang Down Your Head and Die (two-act), produced in Oxford, England, at Oxford Playhouse, in London at Comedy Theatre, and in New York City at Mayfair Theatre, 1964
(With John Gould) Four Degrees Over (two-act), produced in Edinburgh, Scotland, and in London at Mermaid Theatre, 1966
(With Mick Sadler and Gould) And Was Jerusalem, produced in Oxford, 1966, produced asA Present from the Corporation in Worcester, England, at Swan Theatre, and in London, 1967

(With David Wright) A Life in Bedrooms (two-act), produced in Edinburgh at Traverse Theatre, 1967, produced as The Stiffkey Scandals of 1932 in London at Queen's Theatre, 1968
(With Gould) Three to One On (two-act), produced in Edinburgh at Edinburgh Festival, 1968
(With Gould) Postscripts (two-act), produced in London at Hampstead Theatre Club, 1969
(With Gould) Down Upper Street (two-act), produced in London at King's Head Theatre Club, 1971
(With Gould) Just the Ticket (two-act), produced in Leatherhead, Surrey, England, at Thorndike Theatre, 1973
Rock Nativity (two-act musical; music by Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent; produced in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, at University Theatre, 1974; produced as A New Tomorrow in Wimbledon, England, at Wimbledon Theatre,1976), Weinberger, 1977
(With Iwan Williams) Maudie (two-act), produced in Leatherhead, Surrey, at Thorndike Theatre, 1974
(With Bernard Price and Julian Sluggett) Chi-Chestnuts (two-act),produced in Chichester, England, at Assembly Rooms, 1975
(With Gould) Think of a Number (two-act), produced in Peterborough, England, at Key Theatre, 1975
(With others) More Chi-Chestnuts (two-act), produced in Chichesterat Assembly Rooms, 1976
(With Gould) Bars of Gould (two-act revue), produced in Exeter, England, at Northcott Theatre, 1977
(With Gould) The Luck of the Bodkins (two-act; adaptation of a work by P.G. Wodehouse), produced in Windsor at Theatre Royal, 1978
Abbacadabra, music by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, lyrics byDon Black, Mike Batt, and Ulvaeus, produced in London, 1983
Children's Plays
The Tinder Box (two-act; adaptation of a story by Hans Christian Andersen), produced in Worcester, England, at Swan Theatre, 1967
Lyrics for Cinderella, book by Sid Collin, music by John Gould, produced in Glasgow, Scotland, 1968
(With Sheila Ruskin) The Owl and the Pussycat Went to See.. (two-act musical; adaptation of works by Edward Lear; produced in Worcester at SwanTheatre, 1968, and in London at Jeannetta Cochrane Theatre, 1969), Samuel French (London, England), 1970
(With Ruskin) Larry the Lamb in Toytown (two-act musical; adaptation of stories by S. G. Hulme Beaman; produced in Worcester at Swan Theatre, 1969, and in London at Shaw Theatre, 1971), French, 1972
The Plotters of Cabbage Patch Corner (two-act musical; produced inWorcester at Swan Theatre, 1970, and in Londonn at Shaw Theatre, 1971), French, 1972
Flibberty and the Penguin (two-act musical; produced in Worcesterat Swan Theatre, 1971, and in London at Beck Theatre, 1977), French, 1974
Tickle (produced on tour in England, 1972, and in London at Arts Theatre, 1977), French, 1978
The Papertown Paperchase (two-act musical; produced in Worcester at Swan Theatre, 1972, and in London at Greenwich Theatre, 1973), French, 1976
Hijack over Hygenia (two-act musical; produced in Worcester at Swan Theatre, 1973), French, 1974
Old Mother Hubbard (two-act musical; produced in Hornchurch, Essex, England, at Queen's Theatre, 1975), French, 1976
Old Father Time (two-act musical; produced in Hornchurch, Essex, at Queen's Theatre, 1976), French, 1977
The Gingerbread Man (two-act musical; produced in Basildon, Essex,England, at Towngate Theatre, 1976, and in London at Old Vic, 1977), French,1977
Mother Goose's Golden Christmas (two-act; produced in Hornchurch,Essex, at Queen's Theatre, 1977), French, 1978
Nutcracker Sweet (two-act; produced in Farnham, Surrey, England, at Redgrave Theatre, 1977, and in London, 1980), French, 1981
Babes in the Magic Wood (two-act; produced in Hornchurch, Essex, at Queen's Theatre, 1978), French, 1979
There Was an Old Woman. . (two-act; produced in Leicester, England, at Haymarket Theatre, 1979), French, 1980
Cinderella (produced in Hornchurch, Essex, at Queen's Theatre, 1979), French, 1980
The Ideal Gnome Expedition (produced as Chish and Fips, Liverpool, England, 1980; produced as The Ideal Gnome Expedition, on tourand in London at Sadler's Wells Theatre, 1981), French, 1982
Aladdin (produced in Hornchurch, Essex, 1980), French, 1981
(With Dave and Toni Arthur) Robin Hood (produced in Nottingham, England, 1981, and in London at the Young Vic, 1982), French, 1985
Meg and Mog Show (adaptation of stories by Helen Nicoll and Jan Pienkowski; produced in London at the Arts Theatre, 1981), French, 1984
Dick Whittington and Wondercat (produced in Hornchurch, Essex, 1981), French, 1982
Jack and the Giant (produced in Hornchurch, Essex, 1982), French,1987
Magic and Music Show, a one-man show produced in London, 1983
The Selfish Shellfish (produced in Farnham, Surrey, England, and in London at Sadler's Wells Theatre, 1983), Amber Lane Press (Charlbury, England), 1983, French, 1986
(With Dave and Toni Arthur) Jack the Lad, produced in Manchester,England, 1984
The Old Man of Lochnagar (adaptation of the story by Prince Charles; produced in Aberdeen and London at Sadler's Wells Theatre and the Albery Theatre, 1986), Amber Lane Press, 1986
Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish (music by Peter Pontzen; adaptationof the story by Michael Foreman; produced in Denbigh, Wales, 1986, and in London at Sadler's Wells Theatre, 1988), Amber Lane Press, 1986, French, 1990
The See-Saw Tree (produced in Farnham, Surrey, 1986, and in Londonat Sadler's Wells Theatre, 1987), Amber Lane Press, 1987, French, 1987
(With Dave and Toni Arthur) The Pied Piper (based on the tale by Robert Browning; produced at Yeovil, England and on tour, 1988), French, 1991
Save the Human (adapted from the story by Toni Husband and David Wood; produced in Cambridge and London at Sadler's Wells Theatre, 1990) French, 1990
(Adaptor) The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) (adapted for the stage fromthe book by Roald Dahl; produced at Wimbledon Theatre and in London at the Aldwych Theatre, 1991), French, 1991
(Adaptor) The Witches (adapted for the stage from the book by Dahl; produced at Sheffield, England, and in London at the Duke of York's Theatre, 1992), French, 1994
Noddy (adapted from stories by Enid Blyton; produced at WimbledonTheatre and in London at the Lyric Theatre, 1993), French, 1995
Rupert and the Green Dragon (adaptation of the Rupert Bearstories; produced in Leatherhead at the Thorndike Theatre and on tour, 1993)French, 1996
More Adventures of Noddy (adapted from stories by Enid Blyton; produced at Wimbledon Theatre and on tour, 1995-96
Contributor of plays to books, including Robin Hood and Friar Tuckand Marian and the Witches' Charm, in Playstages, edited by John Alcock, Methuen (London, England), 1987.
Teleplays
Play Away (series), BBC-2, 1971-84
Emu's Christmas Adventure, 1977
Chish 'n' Fips, 1984
Chips' Comic, 1984
Seeing and Doing, 1986
Also wrote The Gingerbread Man.
Screenplays
Swallows and Amazons, Anglo EMI Ltd., 1974
Back Home, 1989
Tide Race, 1989
Children's Fiction
The Operats of Rodent Garden, illustrated by Geoffrey Beitz, Methuen, 1984
The Gingerbread Man (from Wood's own play), illustrated by Sally Anne Lambert, Pavilion (London, England), 1985
The Discorats, illustrated by Beitz, Methuen, 1985
(With Don Seed) Chish 'n' Fips, Boxtree (London, England), 1987
Play Theatre (includes Nativity Play and Jack and the Beanstalk), two volumes, illustrated by Richard Fowler, Pavilion, 1987
Sidney the Monster, illustrated by Clive Scruton, Walker (London,England), 1988
Happy Birthday, Mouse! A First Counting Book, illustrated by Richard Fowler, Hodder & Stoughton (London, England), 1990
Save the Human! (from Wood's own play), illustrated by Toni Husband, Hamish Hamilton (London, England), 1991
Baby Bear's Buggy Ride (To the Shops/To the Park), illustrated byFowler, Hazar, 1993
The BFG: Plays for Children, illustrated by Jane Walmsley, Puffin(New York City), 1993
Kingfisher Pop-up Theatre: Cinderella, illustrated by Fowler, Kingfisher (London, England), 1994
Meg and Mog: Four Plays for Children (adaption of stories by HelenNicoll and Jan Pienkowski), Puffin, 1994
Bedtime Story: A Slip-in-the-Slot Book, illustrated by Fowler, Doubleday (New York City), 1995
The Magic Show, illustrated by Fowler, Hazar, 1995
(With Richard Fowler) Silly Spider!, Harcourt, 1998
Contributed articles to Drama and London Drama.
Nonfiction
Theatre for Children: A Guide to Writing, Adapting, Directing, and Acting, Ivan R. Dee (Chicago), 1999
Wood first began to write seriously while a student at Oxford University;his first play was produced at the Comedy Theatre in 1964 while he was stilla student. From that point on, he has written, directed, and acted in several plays, both for children and adults. In addition, Wood writes for television and for films, and has also broken into the children's book market. It is his children's plays, however, for which he is best known. Mills writes that among the reasons for the success of these plays is that "they all have an actor's instinct for their impact, as well as a gifted storyteller's feel for character, plot, and theme."
The plays that are based on well-known stories, such as Robin Hoodand Old Mother Hubbard, are familiar to children, offering a level ofcomfort. At the same time, though, they "have imaginative and convoluted funwith their sources-and celebrate minor characters," points out Mills. Wood'soriginal plays utilize traditional stock characters like those found in hisadaptations-friendly dragons, well-intentioned but bumbling characters, and evil villains-and place them in action-filled adventures that incorporate audience participation. "The original plays are vital and unflagging," maintainsMills, adding that Wood "is a superb creator of names that capitalise upon children's love of word play: Blotch and Carbon, Kernel Walnut, Herr Von Cuckoo. In his dialogue and songs, he exploits the fun to be had from the topsy-turvy and the illogical."
Wood's imaginative children's plays and his work with Whirligig make theatre much more accessible to his young patrons. "The dream was to form a company to tour the shows, one that was not four actors and a hamper, that would sit upon the set that happened to be there," he explains in his Plays and Players interview. "We give a fully staged show, with 60 or 70 lighting cues. My belief is that we've short-changed children over the years-we've onlygiven them theatre where it has been convenient. The mere phrase 'children'stheatre', in this country, has always had a second division tag on it. But these are tomorrow's theatregoers: they deserve more."

Further Reference

Adaptations:

Wood's stage adaptation of Enid Blyton's books was adapted into the videoproduction Noddy, BBC Video, 1994.

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

Mills, Colin, "David Wood," Twentieth-Century Children's Writers,fourth edition, edited by Laura Standley Berger, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1995.

Periodicals:

Books for Keeps, March 1988, p. 17.
British Book News, December 1987, p. 27.
Junior Bookshelf, February 1986, p. 30.
Plays and Players, December 1987, pp. 8-9; December, 1992, pp. 84-85.
School Librarian, February 1992, p. 22; May, 1994, p. 69.*

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