Edward Kemp is a UK-based writer, theatre director, translator and dramaturg.






NEWS


RADA
Having taken up a new post as the first ever Artistic Director of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in September, Edward is nearing the completion of his first academic year.  To mark this he is making his RADA directing debut with his own adaptation/translation of Kleist's Penthesilea, which is 200 years old this year (and still feels in many ways as if it was written yesterday).  Further details about plans for RADA should be appearing in the media in due course.  For RADA's new website click here


Other news

Writing and Dramaturgy

Turandot
Brecht's last play, never professionally performed in the UK.  The old folktale (the basis of Puccini's opera) is layered over a freewheeling farce about the intellectual's inability to engage with the real world.  The only one of his plays that Brecht himself described as a comedy, it's at times like a panoramic compilation of Arturo Ui and The Good Person Of Sichuan with bits of The Roundheads And The Pointedheads thrown in for good measure (not to mention allusions to Aristophanes, Faust, the Bible, Mao ...)  Hampstead Theatre originally took up the challenge of commissioning this new version for the 50th anniversary of Brecht's death in 2006, though the scale of the project has delayed production until later this year.  Meanwhile Garance Marneur has won the 2008 Linbury Prize for her designs for the project.

 A Line in the Sand
A new play about the Middle East originally commissioned with money from US backers Vaux Les Ventures, continues in development, though has been rather side-lined by RADA commitments..

Athalie
Racine's last play.  This project which, as a conversation at least, preceded all Edward's other collaborations with Steven Pimlott, and which we had all hoped that Steven would be able to direct  – has inevitably been delayed by Steven's untimely death.  The translation exists in a first draft phase and the Almeida remain keen to pursue the project, which was initially begun with funds from the National Theatre Studio.  A tribute to Steven can be found here.

Discussions continue with BBC TV about a new drama series, and all being well Edward will begin work on a pilot episode over the summer. 


The Ground Beneath Her Feet
A staged concert with silent film adapted from Salman Rushdie's novel.  Music - Victoria Borisova-Ollas.  Stage and film director - Mike Figgis.  This was a great success at its premiere in the Manchester International Festival in June, where it was performed by Alan Rickman, Lore Lixenberg, James McOran-Campbell and the Halle Orchestra conducted by Mark Elder.  The Swedish premiere will take place soon in Stockholm.   Plans continue for future performances in London and the US.

A Tale of Two Cities
In addition to their collaborations for Bern Ballet (see below), where Cathy Marston is now Artistic Director, Cathy and Edward are working on a full-length ballet based on Dickens' novel with a new score by Dave Maric (who wrote the music for Ghosts.  The ballet will premiere at the West Yorkshire Playhouse (scene of many of Edward's collaborations with Toby Jones) in late August.  You can keep abreast of developments in this ballet, including excerpts from the music, here

Bern Ballet
Following a new scenario for Stravinsky's Firebird, premiered in October last year, and a revival of Ghosts in April, Edward and Cathy Marston are now making plans for a new ballet based on Wuthering Heights.

Love and Other Demons
Edward has been acting as dramaturg on this Glyndebourne commission by the Hungarian composer Peter Eötvös.  Based on a novella by Gabriel Garcia Marquez with a libretto by Kornel Hamvai, the work is a classic operatic tale of love in impossible circumstances.  The Glyndebourne premiere is being directed by Silviu Purcarete and conducted Vladimir Jurowski. 

Plans to make a musical out of The Master and Margarita with Andrew Lloyd Webber and the Really Useful Group have been put aside following Steven Pimlott's death.  





An extended interview with Dominic Cavendish dealing with Nathan The Wise and 5/11 amongst other topics is available at Theatre Voice.  Enter the archive and then put 'Edward Kemp' into the Search.