Alan Wilkins (playwright)
Encyclopedia
Alan Wilkins is a Edinburgh
based Scots
playwright
. His first professionally produced play was The Nest, which opened at the Traverse Theatre
in April 2004 and then toured the Highlands and islands of Scotland
. The play was set in a Highland bothy and features five hill walkers sheltering from a storm. He received the Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland
Best New Play Award in 2008 for Carthage Must Be Destroyed, and has since had two other plays produced.
in Glasgow. The Traverse commissioned him to write The Nest, which became his first produced play.
At the time of his debut, Wilkins was working as a drama teacher at Inverkeithing High School, Edinburgh. His next play Carthage Must Be Destroyed, set in a 2nd century Roman bathhouse, opened at the Traverse in May 2007 and explored the themes of "power, politics, and decadence, set against the improbable background of the Third Punic War, in 149BC." and won the Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland
(CATS) Best New Play award for 2007-2008. The citation said "'A mature, meaty, engrossing drama about power, politics and decadence, Alan Wilkins Carthage Must Be Destroyed was a gripping indictment of the corruptions of Empire." It was also produced by the Theatre Royal
in Bath.
In 2008, Wilkins scripted Can We Live With You? for Lung Ha's theatre company, which works with people with learning disabilities. The play was performed at the Traverse in April 2008. Offshore, produced by Birds of Paradise, was a play set against the background of the decline of the Scottish fishing industry and its effect on small communities. Wilkins used his own background, working as a barman in Wester Ross
, as background material. It played in Edinburgh and on tour in the autumn of 2008. Wilkins has also taught on the Masters of Literature programme at the University of Glasgow
and is a doctoral student at that institution. In 2008, he led a play-writing course for inmates at Polmont young offenders' institution, the results of which were performed at the Traverse in December 2008. Wilkins has also worked with Dundee Repertory Theatre
, the Aldeburgh Festival
and was funded by the Scottish Arts Council
to represent his country as a tutor / playwright at the 2006 Interplay Festival
in Leichenstein.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
based Scots
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
. His first professionally produced play was The Nest, which opened at the Traverse Theatre
Traverse Theatre
The Traverse Theatre is a theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was founded in 1963.The Traverse Theatre commissions and develops new plays or adaptations from contemporary playwrights. It also presents a large number of productions from visiting companies from across the UK. These include new plays,...
in April 2004 and then toured the Highlands and islands of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The play was set in a Highland bothy and features five hill walkers sheltering from a storm. He received the Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland
Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland
The Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland were inaugurated in May 2003, and are adjudicated by a panel of all the regular Scottish theatre critics.The 2009 ceremony took place at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre on June 14...
Best New Play Award in 2008 for Carthage Must Be Destroyed, and has since had two other plays produced.
Life
Wilkins was brought up in Edinburgh. Before his professional debut as a playwright, he worked as an actor and taught English as a Foreign Language in Poland and Spain. Whilst in Spain, he wrote his first play, Childish Things. He sent it to the Traverse and it received a public reading. Encouraged, he wrote his second play, Cafeteria/Restaurant, which received a reading at the Tron TheatreTron Theatre
The Tron Theatre is located at the corner of Trongate and Chisholm Street, in the Merchant City area of Glasgow, Scotland.From its early years as a theatre club, the Tron has grown into a thriving multi-faceted venue...
in Glasgow. The Traverse commissioned him to write The Nest, which became his first produced play.
At the time of his debut, Wilkins was working as a drama teacher at Inverkeithing High School, Edinburgh. His next play Carthage Must Be Destroyed, set in a 2nd century Roman bathhouse, opened at the Traverse in May 2007 and explored the themes of "power, politics, and decadence, set against the improbable background of the Third Punic War, in 149BC." and won the Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland
Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland
The Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland were inaugurated in May 2003, and are adjudicated by a panel of all the regular Scottish theatre critics.The 2009 ceremony took place at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre on June 14...
(CATS) Best New Play award for 2007-2008. The citation said "'A mature, meaty, engrossing drama about power, politics and decadence, Alan Wilkins Carthage Must Be Destroyed was a gripping indictment of the corruptions of Empire." It was also produced by the Theatre Royal
Theatre Royal, Bath
The Theatre Royal in Bath, England, is over 200 years old. It is one of the more important theatres in the United Kingdom outside London, with capacity for an audience of around 900....
in Bath.
In 2008, Wilkins scripted Can We Live With You? for Lung Ha's theatre company, which works with people with learning disabilities. The play was performed at the Traverse in April 2008. Offshore, produced by Birds of Paradise, was a play set against the background of the decline of the Scottish fishing industry and its effect on small communities. Wilkins used his own background, working as a barman in Wester Ross
Wester Ross
is a western area of Ross and Cromarty in Scotland, notably containing the villages on the west coast such as:* Lochcarron* Applecross* Shieldaig* Torridon* Kinlochewe * * * Aultbea* Laide* Ullapool* Achiltibuie...
, as background material. It played in Edinburgh and on tour in the autumn of 2008. Wilkins has also taught on the Masters of Literature programme at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
and is a doctoral student at that institution. In 2008, he led a play-writing course for inmates at Polmont young offenders' institution, the results of which were performed at the Traverse in December 2008. Wilkins has also worked with Dundee Repertory Theatre
Dundee Repertory Theatre
Dundee Repertory Theatre or Dundee Rep is a theatre and arts company in the city of Dundee, Scotland. It operates as both a producing house - staging at least six of its own productions each year, and a receiving house - hosting work from visiting companies throughout Scotland and the United...
, the Aldeburgh Festival
Aldeburgh Festival
The Aldeburgh Festival is an English arts festival devoted mainly to classical music. It takes place each June in the Aldeburgh area of Suffolk, centred on the main concert hall at Snape Maltings...
and was funded by the Scottish Arts Council
Scottish Arts Council
The Scottish Arts Council is a Scottish public body that distributes funding from the Scottish Government, and is the leading national organisation for the funding, development and promotion of the arts in Scotland...
to represent his country as a tutor / playwright at the 2006 Interplay Festival
Interplay Europe
Interplay Europe is one of most important festival for young playwrights in Europe.It is organized by Interplay; international, not-for-profit arts organisation for the furtherance of young playwrights aged 18 to 26. It was founded in Sydney in 1985...
in Leichenstein.
Works
Wilkins has had four plays produced.| Title | First Produced | Year | First Publisher | Year | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Nest | Traverse Theatre Traverse Theatre The Traverse Theatre is a theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was founded in 1963.The Traverse Theatre commissions and develops new plays or adaptations from contemporary playwrights. It also presents a large number of productions from visiting companies from across the UK. These include new plays,... |
2004 | Nick Hern Books Nick Hern Books Nick Hern Books is a London-based independent specialist publisher of plays, theatre books and screenplays. The company was founded by the former Methuen drama editor Nick Hern in 1988.-History:... |
2004 | ISBN 978-1-85459-817-2 |
| Carthage Must Be Destroyed | Traverse Theatre Traverse Theatre The Traverse Theatre is a theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was founded in 1963.The Traverse Theatre commissions and develops new plays or adaptations from contemporary playwrights. It also presents a large number of productions from visiting companies from across the UK. These include new plays,... |
2007 | Nick Hern Books Nick Hern Books Nick Hern Books is a London-based independent specialist publisher of plays, theatre books and screenplays. The company was founded by the former Methuen drama editor Nick Hern in 1988.-History:... |
2007 | ISBN 978-1-85459-985-8 |
| Can We Live With You? | Traverse Theatre Traverse Theatre The Traverse Theatre is a theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was founded in 1963.The Traverse Theatre commissions and develops new plays or adaptations from contemporary playwrights. It also presents a large number of productions from visiting companies from across the UK. These include new plays,... |
2008 | - | - | - |
| Offshore | Glasgow Citizens Theatre | 2008 | - | - | - |