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Peter Barnes (playwright)
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{{short description|English playwright and screenwriter (1931–2004)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} {{Use British English|date=June 2012}} [[File:Peter_Barnes_(playwright).jpeg|thumb|right|Photo of Barnes by Denis Thorpe]] '''Peter Barnes''' (10 January 1931 – 1 July 2004)<ref name="Independent">{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/peter-barnes-6166201.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225103308/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/peter-barnes-6166201.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=25 December 2014 | title=Peter Barnes: Surprising and adventurous dramatist | work=[[The Independent]] | date=5 July 2004 | access-date=5 September 2014 | author=Strachan, Alan}}</ref> was an English [[Laurence Olivier Awards|Olivier Award]]-winning [[playwright]] and [[screenwriter]]. His best known work is the play ''[[The Ruling Class (play)|The Ruling Class]]'', which was made into [[The Ruling Class (film)|a 1972 film]] for which [[Peter O'Toole]] received an [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Oscar]] nomination.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/peter-o-toole-74-gets-eighth-oscar-nomination-for-best-actor-1.1291327|title=Peter O'Toole (74) gets eighth Oscar nomination for best actor|first=Michael|last=Dwyer|newspaper=The Irish Times}}</ref> ==Biography== ===Early career=== Barnes was educated at [[Marling School]] in [[Stroud, Gloucestershire]] and performed his [[national service]] with the [[Royal Air Force]]. He then worked briefly for [[London County Council]].<ref name=telegraph>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1466176/Peter-Barnes.html|title=Peter Barnes|date=4 July 2004|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}</ref> Bored with his job, Barnes took a [[correspondence course]] in [[theology]] and began to visit the [[British Museum Reading Room]], which he used as an office on a daily basis.<ref name=guardian>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/jul/05/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries|title=Obituary: Peter Barnes|website=[[TheGuardian.com]] |date=5 July 2004}}</ref> During this period he worked as a [[film critic]], story editor, and a screenwriter.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/dramatist-celebrated-subversive-power-of-laughter-1.1148656|title=Dramatist celebrated subversive power of laughter|newspaper=The Irish Times}}</ref> He achieved critical and box-office success with his [[baroque]] comedy ''The Ruling Class'' (1968), which debuted at the [[Nottingham Playhouse]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/about-us/50/fifty-years-at-wellington-circus-the-sixties/|title=50 Years at Wellington Circus: The Sixties|website=Nottingham Playhouse}}</ref> The play was notorious for its anti-[[naturalism (literature)|naturalistic]] approach, unusual in [[theatre]] at the time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/forgotten-authors-no29-peter-barnes-1654122.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090402011901/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/forgotten-authors-no29-peter-barnes-1654122.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 April 2009|title=Forgotten authors No.29: Peter Barnes|date=29 March 2009|website=The Independent}}</ref> Critic [[Harold Hobson]] deemed it to be one of the best first plays of its generation.<ref name=guardian/> Following a successful three-month run in the [[West End theatre|West End]], Barnes adapted the play for the 1972 [[The Ruling Class (film)|film of the same name]], which featured a highly acclaimed performance by [[Peter O'Toole]].<ref name=nytimes>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/03/theater/peter-barnes-playwright-known-for-the-ruling-class-dies-at-73.html|title=Peter Barnes, Playwright Known For 'The Ruling Class,' Dies at 73|first=Wolfgang|last=Saxon|newspaper=The New York Times |date=3 July 2004}}</ref> ===Later plays=== Following his initial success, Barnes wrote a series of plays offering apocalyptic visions of various periods in history: * ''[[Leonardo's Last Supper]]'' (1969) portrayed [[Leonardo da Vinci]] as prematurely declared dead, with his subsequent "resurrection" in a filthy charnel-house.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dramaonlinelibrary.com/plays/leonardos-last-supper-iid-125730|title=Leonardo's Last Supper – Drama Online|website=www.dramaonlinelibrary.com}}</ref> * ''The Bewitched'' (1974), which he produced with the [[Royal Shakespeare Company]], showed the Spanish state attempting to produce an heir for [[Charles II of Spain|Carlos II]], whom Barnes portrayed as being an impotent imbecile.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dramaonlinelibrary.com/playwrights/peter-barnes-iid-12381|title=Barnes, Peter – Drama Online|website=www.dramaonlinelibrary.com}}</ref> * ''[[Laughter!]]'' (1978) was his most controversial work, a double-bill that jumped from the reign of [[Ivan IV of Russia|Ivan the Terrible]] to a satire based on the tedious bureaucracy required to sustain [[Auschwitz concentration camp]].<ref name=guardian/> * ''[[Red Noses]]'' (1985) depicts a sprightly priest, originally played by [[Antony Sher]], who travelled around the [[Bubonic plague|plague]]-affected villages of 14th-century France with a band of fools, known as God's Zanies, offering holy assistance.<ref name=variety>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2004/scene/people-news/peter-barnes-1117907348/|title=Peter Barnes|first1=Matt|last1=Wolf|date=5 July 2004}}</ref> It was for this play that Barnes won his [[Laurence Olivier Award|Olivier award]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://officiallondontheatre.com/olivier-awards/winners/olivier-winners-1985/|title=Olivier Winners 1985|website=Olivier Awards}}</ref> ===Later life=== In his later years Barnes turned his attention more in the direction of films, radio, and television.<ref name=variety/> His screenplay for [[Elizabeth von Arnim]]'s ''[[The Enchanted April]]'' earned him a nomination for the [[Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay|best adapted screenplay Oscar]] in 1992.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1993|title=The 65th Academy Awards | 1993|website=Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|date=4 October 2014 }}</ref> He also wrote several hugely successful mini-series for U.S. television, including ''[[Arabian Nights (miniseries)|Arabian Nights]]'', ''[[Merlin (miniseries)|Merlin]]'' and ''[[Noah's Ark (miniseries)|Noah's Ark]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba12198d2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010124937/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba12198d2|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 October 2018|title=Peter Barnes|website=BFI}}</ref> For [[BBC Radio 3]] he wrote a series of monologues entitled ''Barnes's People'', for which he attracted a large number of well known actors: [[Laurence Olivier]], [[John Gielgud]], [[Alec Guinness]], [[Peggy Ashcroft]], [[Judi Dench]], and [[Ian McKellen]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/6423ecf725f84b5b8c7493a1163c2a89|title=Barnes' People|date=27 September 1981|issue=3020|pages=45|via=BBC Genome}}</ref> His television miniseries for ABC and NBC were the most popular of the day with record audiences.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/29/arts/tv-notes-merlin-sparks-ratings-magic.html|title=TV Notes; Merlin Sparks Ratings Magic|first=Bill|last=Carter|newspaper=The New York Times |date=29 April 1998}}</ref> Barnes continued writing historical comedies throughout the 1990s. These include ''[[Sunsets and Glories]]'' (1990), ''[[Dreaming (play)|Dreaming]]'' (1999) which transferred to London's West End, and ''[[Jubilee (play)|Jubilee]]'' (2001).<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rQINrHtwNU0C&q=peter+Barnes+continued+writing+historical+comedies+throughout+the+1990s&pg=PA74|title=The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English|first=Dominic|last=Head|date=26 January 2006|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9780521831796}}</ref><ref name=guardian/> He was the Royal Shakespeare Company's most produced living playwright at the time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.casarotto.co.uk/clients/peter-barnes|title=Peter Barnes|first=Casarotto Ramsay &|last=Associates|website=Casarotto Ramsay & Associates}}</ref> The last play that Barnes completed was ''[[Babies (play)|Babies]]'', which is based on his experiences as an elderly father.<ref name=telegraph/> His second wife gave birth to a daughter when he was 69, followed by triplets a year later.<ref name="Obituary: Peter Barnes">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/jul/05/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries|title=Obituary: Peter Barnes|newspaper=The Guardian |date=2 July 2004|via=theguardian.com |last1=Billington |first1=Michael }}</ref> [[John Irvin]] directed his ''[[The Moon and the Stars]]'' with [[Alfred Molina]] about the film business in 1930s' Rome.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-moon-and-the-stars-v392458|title=The Moon and the Stars (2007) – John Irvin | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related|website=AllMovie}}</ref> A revival of his ''[[Noonday Demons]]'' was produced by renowned theatre designer John Napier.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/jul/15/noonday-demons-review-comedy-peter-barnes|title=Noonday Demons review – rival hermits declare holy war in caustic comedy|first=Michael|last=Billington|newspaper=The Guardian |date=15 July 2015|via=www.theguardian.com}}</ref> Barnes television miniseries are shown yearly as holiday favourites. ==Personal life== Barnes, who had two sons and two daughters, married twice – in 1958 to Charlotte Beck and in 1995 to Christie Horn.<ref name="Independent"/> His second wife, Christie, gave birth to his first daughter Leela in 2000 when he was 69.<ref name=nytimes/> Leela is a writer, following in her father's footsteps. Barnes, who received much American mainstream media attention for his movies and US television miniseries in later life, quickly became a [[tabloid journalism|tabloid]] obsession in 2002 when he became a father again at the age of 71.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/active/mens-health/4712519/Im-ready-for-fatherhood-now.html|title='I'm ready for fatherhood now'|first=Maureen|last=Paton|date=20 December 2002|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}</ref> This time Christie gave birth to triplets Abigail, Nathaniel and Zachary.<ref name=guardian/> Barnes died of a stroke on 1 July 2004.<ref name="Obituary: Peter Barnes"/> ==Works== ===Theatre plays=== * ''The Time of the Barracudas'', Curran Theatre, San Francisco, 1963 * ''Sclerosis'', Aldwych Theatre, 1965 * ''[[The Ruling Class (play)|The Ruling Class]]'', Nottingham/Piccadilly Theatre, 1968 * ''Leonardo’s Last Supper'', Open Space, 1969 * ''Noonday Demons'', Open Space, 1969 * ''The Bewitched'', RSC at the Aldwych Theatre, 1974 * ''Laughter!'', Royal Court, 1978 * ''Somersaults'' (revue), Leicester, 1981 * ''[[Red Noses]]'', RSC, 1985 * ''Sunsets And Glories'', Yorkshire Playhouse, 1990 * ''Luna Park Eclipses'', National Theatre Studio, 1995 * ''Corpsing'' (revue), Tristan Bates Theatre, 1996 * ''Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie'', (first act was to have been performed in 1967, second act written in 1996) * ''Heaven’s Blessings'', Florida State University, 1997 * ''Dreaming'', Royal, Exchange & Queen’s Theatre, 1999 * ''Jubilee'', RSC, 2001 ===Original works for radio=== * ''My [[Ben Jonson]]'', 1973 * ''Barnes' People : Seven Monologues'', 1981 * ''Barnes' People II: Seven Duologues'', 1984 * ''Barnes People III: Eight Trialogues'', 1986 * ''No End to Dreaming'', 1987 * ''More Barnes' People'', 1990 ===Original screenplays=== * ''[[Violent Moment]]'' (film, Anglo Amalgamated, 1959) * ''[[Breakout (1959 film)|Breakout]]'' (film, Anglo Amalgamated, 1959) * ''[[The White Trap]]'' (film, Anglo Amalgamated, 1959) * ''[[The Professionals (1960 film)|The Professionals]]'' (film, Anglo Amalgamated, 1960) * ''[[Offbeat (film)|The Devil Inside]]'' (aka ''Off-Beat'', film, 1961) * ''[[Ring of Spies]]'' (aka, ''Ring of Treason'', film written with Frank Launder, 1964) * ''[[Not with My Wife, You Don't!]]'' (film co-writer, 1966) * ''[[The Ruling Class (film)|The Ruling Class]]'' (film, 1972) ===Original teleplays=== * ''Checkmate'' (''[[No Hiding Place]]'' TV series 1959) * ''With Suicidal Intent'' (''[[No Hiding Place]]'' TV series 1959) * ''Who Is Gustav Varnia?'' (''[[No Hiding Place]]'' TV series 1959) * ''The Man with a Feather in His Hat'' (''[[Armchair Mystery Theatre]]'' TV Series 1960) * ''Breakout'' (''[[Kraft Mystery Theater]]'' TV Series 1961) * ''Nobody Here but Us Chickens'': Nobody Here but Us Chickens, More than a Touch of Zen, Not as Bad as They Seem (Channel 4, 1989) * ''Revolutionary Witness'': The Patriot, The Preacher, The Butcher, The Amazon 1989 * ''The Spirit of Man'' ([[BBC Two]] 1990) * ''Bye Bye Columbus'' (BBC Two 1992) * ''[[Merlin (miniseries)|Merlin]]'' (Hallmark 1998): two episodes ===Adaptations for stage, screen and radio=== * ''Lulu: A Sex Tragedy'' (adaptation of Frank Wedekind's plays ''Earth Spirit'' and ''Pandora's Box''), produced at Nottingham Playhouse / Royal Court Theatre, London, 1970 * ''The Alchemist'' (adaptation of a play by [[Ben Jonson]]), produced at [[Old Vic]] Theatre, 1970 * ''The Devil Is an Ass'' (adaptation of a play by Ben Jonson), produced at Nottingham Playhouse, 1973 revised version, Edinburgh Festival, 1976 then National Theatre, London, 1977 * ''For All Those Who Get Despondent'' (cabaret; based on works by [[Bertolt Brecht]] and [[Frank Wedekind]]), produced at Theatre Upstairs, 1976 * ''The Frontiers of Farce'' (adaptation of the plays ''The Purging'' by [[Georges Feydeau]] and ''The Singer'' by Frank Wedekind), produced at Old Vic Theatre, 1976 * ''Bartholomew Fair'' (based on the play by Ben Jonson), produced at Round House Theatre, 1978 then London, 1987 * ''Antonio'' (based on John Marston's plays ''Antonio' and Mellida'' and ''Antonio's Revenge''), produced at Nottingham Playhouse, 1979 * ''Chaste Maid in Cheapside'' (radio adaptation of a play by Thomas Middleton), BBC, 1979 * ''The Two Hangmen'' (radio adaptation of Barnes's stage play ''For All Those Who Get Despondent''), 1979 * ''Eulogy on Baldness'' (radio adaptation of a work by Synesius of Cyrene), BBC, 1980 * ''The Devil Himself'' (revue; adaptation of works by Frank Wedekind), music by Carl Davis and Stephen Deutsch, produced at Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, London, 1980 * ''The Atheist'' (radio adaptation of play by Thomas Otway), BBC, 1981 * ''The Singer'' (radio adaptation of work by Frank Wedekind), 1981 * ''The Soldier's Fortune'' (radio adaptation of a play by Thomas Otway), BBC, 1981 * ''The Dutch Courtesan'' (radio adaptation of play by John Marston), BBC, 1982 * ''The Magician'', (radio adaptation of work by [[Maxim Gorky]]), 1982 * ''A Mad World, My Masters'' (radio adaptation of a play by Thomas Middleton), 1983 * ''The Primrose Path'' (radio adaptation of a play by Georges Feydeau), 1984 * ''Il Candelaio/ The Candlemaker'' (adaptation of a play by [[Giordano Bruno]]), produced at Barbican Theatre, London, 1985 * ''A Trick to Catch the Old One'' (radio adaptation of a play by Thomas Middleton), 1985 * ''Scenes from a Marriage'' (based on the play by Georges Feydeau), produced at Barbican Theatre, London, 1986 * ''The Old Law'' (radio adaptation of a play by Thomas Middleton, William Rowley and Philip Massinger), 1986 * ''Woman of Paris'' (radio adaptation of work by Henri Becque), 1986 * ''Don Juan and Faust'' (radio adaptation of by C. D. Grabbe), 1987 * ''The Magnetic Lady'' (radio adaptation of a play by Ben Jonson), 1987 * ''Tango at the End of Winter'' (based on a play by Kunio Shimizu), produced in London, 1991 * ''[[Hard Times (novel)#Adaptations|Hard Times]]'' (television adaptation of the novel by Charles Dickens), BBC, 1994 * ''[[Enchanted April (1991 film)|Enchanted April]]'' (screen adaptation of the novel by [[Elizabeth Von Arnim]]), [[Miramax]], 1992 * ''Voices'' (aka ''Voices from a Locked Room'', screen adaptation written with Nicholas Meyer of the book ''Double Jeopardy'' by Mark A. Stuart), 1995 * ''[[Noah's Ark (miniseries)|Noah's Ark]]'' (television adaptation) Hallmark, 1999 * ''[[A Christmas Carol (1999 film)|A Christmas Carol]]'' (television adaptation) Hallmark, 1999 * ''[[Alice in Wonderland (1999 film)|Alice in Wonderland]]'' (television adaptation) Hallmark, 1999 * ''[[Arabian Nights (miniseries)|Arabian Nights]]'' (television adaptation) Hallmark, 2000 ==Selected filmography== * ''[[Violent Moment]]'' (1959) ==References== {{reflist}} ==Bibliography== *Woolland, Brian (2004). ''Dark Attractions: The Theatre of Peter Barnes''. London, Methuen, {{ISBN|0-413-77442-2}}. ==External links== *{{IMDb name|id=0055726|name=Peter Barnes}} * [https://rsliterature.org/fellow/peter-barnes-5/ "Peter Barnes"], Fellows Remembered, The Royal Society of Literature {{Authority control}} {{John Whiting Award}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Barnes, Peter}} [[Category:1931 births]] [[Category:2004 deaths]] [[Category:20th-century English dramatists and playwrights]] [[Category:English male screenwriters]] [[Category:English male dramatists and playwrights]] [[Category:English satirists]] [[Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Literature]] [[Category:Laurence Olivier Award winners]] [[Category:People educated at Marling School]] [[Category:People from Bow, London]] [[Category:20th-century English screenwriters]]
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