Graham Roos
Encyclopedia
Graham Roos is a producer, writer and performer. His work has appeared in print, on stage, television and radio. Since 2011 he has been appointed the first Creative Artist in Residence at Buckingham University.
and subsequently attended the Great Eastern Stage School before taking his first degree at Buckingham University where he wrote and directed his first play.
After a brief period working for the British Museum
and lecturing in media, Roos devoted himself full time to writing and performing poetry, joining British poet Victoria Moseley's group - Paradigm Poets in 1997. During this period he worked alongside budding rock star Pete Doherty
who recorded his time with Roos and Paradigm Poets in his work The Books of Albion: The Collected Writings of Peter Doherty, (p48),. Later Roos would appear in Max Carlish’s Rockumentary Stalking Pete Doherty
for Channel 4 recalling this time. From the late 90s onwards Roos has performed at venues around London including the Southwark Playhouse
, Riverside Studios
, The Chelsea Arts Club
, The Groucho Club
, the ICA
, The Café de Paris
- where he appeared with Boy George
in a celebration of the life of Marc Bolan
- and St John's, Smith Square.
In Summer 2008 he joined Dominic Muldowney
as project poet in the Royal Opera House
project Opera Genesis. This later combined with the London Sinfonietta
’s project the Art of News which Roos curated with Muldowney at King’s Place in January 2009. For this Roos wrote the libretto to Songs of the Zeitgeist sung by Daniel Evans. This project aimed to take newspaper headlines and transpose them into songs whilst keeping a journalistic feel without turning these headlines directly into poetry. The event attracted mixed reviews notably from Richard Morrison
at The Times
. This three night event also saw the premiere at King's Place of Roos's verse play - Apocalypse Calypso - with Fenella Fielding
, Janet Suzman
, Roos and Benedict Hopper. Suzman has said of Roos '"Graham Roos has a way with words; his poetry is vivid, catchy and thought-provoking. He leads the generation of young troubadours responding with verve to the world we have dumped on them."
In 2009 Roos presented a semi-staged reading of a new play - "Son of Many Fathers" with Sir Derek Jacobi in the lead directed by Di Trevis
at the European School of Young Performers and in 2010 showcased a performance of his most recent play "Her Holiness the Pope" at LAMDA. Sir Derek has written of his work "Graham Roos writes with a directness and urgency embracing both intellectual and emotional clarity. His characters are authentic and speak with individuality. He has an acute ear for pithy dialogue which is catchy, true, eminently ‘sayable’ with a fine mix of laughter and tears."
published his first book Rave. This book, inspired by the nightclubs, raves and drug scene of the 1990s, is verse for the ecstasy generation.
In 2002 Roos co-founded and financed Large Magazine (UK) an eclectic blend of satire and fashion bringing in contemporary London talent such as Sebastian Horsley
. Under Roos's aegis the magazine won Best Front Cover of the year award at the Magazine Design Awards in 2003. However due to artistic differences the magazine only ran for three issues before folding.
In 2003 Roos produced his first CD of spoken word Quest featuring the voices of Fenella Fielding
, Peter Wyngarde
, Sam Fox
, James Dreyfus
and Martin Hancock
. This was an experimental limited edition of verse and music under the FLF Seedpod label. exploring the boundaries between poetry, lyrics and music.
His first Cine-Poem - Remembrance Day - was premiered at The Portobello Film Festival
in 2008. This was followed by The Minotaur starring Ryan Sampson
also premiered at the Portobello Film Festival in 2009 and Desire, a modern take on the Orpheus
myth.
In the last two years Roos wrote, produced and directed his first feature length musical film Darkness – a contemporary exploration of the Byron myth featuring Luc Floreani, Sir Donald Sinden, Janet Suzman
and Fenella Fielding
. Due to contractual problems with two of the young leads this film was abandoned in 2011. From this material Roos is currently creating a short film for the festivals.
Career
Roos was awarded the Art Exhibition to Rugby SchoolRugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
and subsequently attended the Great Eastern Stage School before taking his first degree at Buckingham University where he wrote and directed his first play.
After a brief period working for the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
and lecturing in media, Roos devoted himself full time to writing and performing poetry, joining British poet Victoria Moseley's group - Paradigm Poets in 1997. During this period he worked alongside budding rock star Pete Doherty
Pete Doherty
Peter Doherty is an English musician, writer, actor, poet and artist. He is best known musically for being co-frontman of The Libertines, which he reformed with Carl Barât in 2010. His other musical project is indie band Babyshambles...
who recorded his time with Roos and Paradigm Poets in his work The Books of Albion: The Collected Writings of Peter Doherty, (p48),. Later Roos would appear in Max Carlish’s Rockumentary Stalking Pete Doherty
Stalking Pete Doherty
Stalking Pete Doherty is a rockumentary assembled from footage shot by Max Carlish, a BAFTA Award–winning film director. As the title suggests, it is about both attempts by Carlish to interview Pete Doherty....
for Channel 4 recalling this time. From the late 90s onwards Roos has performed at venues around London including the Southwark Playhouse
Southwark Playhouse
-History:Southwark Playhouse Theatre Company was founded in 1993 by Juliet Alderdice, Tom Wilson & Mehmet Ergen. They identified the need for a high quality accessible theatre which would also act as a major resource for the community...
, Riverside Studios
Riverside Studios
Riverside Studios is a production studio, theatre and independent cinema on the banks of the River Thames in Hammersmith, London, England. It plays host to contemporary and international dramatic and dance performance, film, visual art exhibitions and television production.-History:In 1933, the...
, The Chelsea Arts Club
Chelsea Arts Club
The Chelsea Arts Club is a private members club located in London with a membership of over 2,400, including artists, poets, architects, writers, dancers, actors, musicians, photographers, and filmmakers...
, The Groucho Club
Groucho Club
The Groucho Club is a well-known private social club located at Dean Street in Soho, London. Its members are mostly drawn from the media, entertainment, arts and fashion industries....
, the ICA
Institute of Contemporary Arts
The Institute of Contemporary Arts is an artistic and cultural centre on The Mall in London, just off Trafalgar Square. It is located within Nash House, part of Carlton House Terrace, near the Duke of York Steps and Admiralty Arch...
, The Café de Paris
Café de Paris (London)
Café de Paris is a London nightclub, located in the West End, beside Leicester Square on Coventry Street, Piccadilly.It opened in 1924 and subsequently featured such performers as Dorothy Dandridge, Marlene Dietrich, Harry Gold, Harry Roy, Ken Snakehips Johnson and Maxine Cooper Gomberg...
- where he appeared with Boy George
Boy George
Boy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
in a celebration of the life of Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist...
- and St John's, Smith Square.
In Summer 2008 he joined Dominic Muldowney
Dominic Muldowney
Dominic Muldowney is a British composer.-Biography:He studied at the universities of Southampton and York , and took private lessons with Harrison Birtwistle. From 1974 to 1976 he was composer-in-residence to the Southern Arts Association...
as project poet in the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
project Opera Genesis. This later combined with the London Sinfonietta
London Sinfonietta
The London Sinfonietta is an English chamber orchestra founded in 1968 and based in London. The ensemble specialises in contemporary music and works across a wide range of genres, performing modern classics alongside world premieres, and includes music by electronica artists as well as folk and...
’s project the Art of News which Roos curated with Muldowney at King’s Place in January 2009. For this Roos wrote the libretto to Songs of the Zeitgeist sung by Daniel Evans. This project aimed to take newspaper headlines and transpose them into songs whilst keeping a journalistic feel without turning these headlines directly into poetry. The event attracted mixed reviews notably from Richard Morrison
Richard Morrison
Richard Morrison is the name of:* Richard Morrison , Edward VI's ambassador to Charles V* Richard Morrison , columnist for The Times newspaper...
at The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
. This three night event also saw the premiere at King's Place of Roos's verse play - Apocalypse Calypso - with Fenella Fielding
Fenella Fielding
Fenella Fielding — "England's first lady of the double entendre" — is an English actress, popular in the 1950s and 1960s. She is known for her seductive image and distinctively husky voice.-Family:...
, Janet Suzman
Janet Suzman
Dame Janet Suzman, DBE is a South African-born-British actress and director.-Early life:Janet Suzman was born in Johannesburg to a Jewish family, the daughter of Betty and Saul Suzman, a wealthy importer of tobacco....
, Roos and Benedict Hopper. Suzman has said of Roos '"Graham Roos has a way with words; his poetry is vivid, catchy and thought-provoking. He leads the generation of young troubadours responding with verve to the world we have dumped on them."
In 2009 Roos presented a semi-staged reading of a new play - "Son of Many Fathers" with Sir Derek Jacobi in the lead directed by Di Trevis
Di Trevis
Diane Trevis is an English theatre director. She was born in Birmingham and educated at Sussex University. After eight years as an actress, she began directing in 1981....
at the European School of Young Performers and in 2010 showcased a performance of his most recent play "Her Holiness the Pope" at LAMDA. Sir Derek has written of his work "Graham Roos writes with a directness and urgency embracing both intellectual and emotional clarity. His characters are authentic and speak with individuality. He has an acute ear for pithy dialogue which is catchy, true, eminently ‘sayable’ with a fine mix of laughter and tears."
Publications
In 1997 Oberon BooksOberon Books
Oberon Books is an independent publisher which specialises in drama and the performing arts. Whilst the majority of Oberon's catalogue is made up of play texts, in recent years it has begun to publish theatrical biographies as well as books on ballet, opera, illustration, photography and...
published his first book Rave. This book, inspired by the nightclubs, raves and drug scene of the 1990s, is verse for the ecstasy generation.
In 2002 Roos co-founded and financed Large Magazine (UK) an eclectic blend of satire and fashion bringing in contemporary London talent such as Sebastian Horsley
Sebastian Horsley
Sebastian Horsley was a London artist best known for having undergone a voluntary crucifixion. Horsley's writing often revolved around his dysfunctional family, his drug addictions, sex, and his reliance on prostitutes.-Background:Horsley was born in Holderness in the East Riding of Yorkshire...
. Under Roos's aegis the magazine won Best Front Cover of the year award at the Magazine Design Awards in 2003. However due to artistic differences the magazine only ran for three issues before folding.
In 2003 Roos produced his first CD of spoken word Quest featuring the voices of Fenella Fielding
Fenella Fielding
Fenella Fielding — "England's first lady of the double entendre" — is an English actress, popular in the 1950s and 1960s. She is known for her seductive image and distinctively husky voice.-Family:...
, Peter Wyngarde
Peter Wyngarde
Peter Paul Wyngarde is an Anglo-French actor best known for playing the character Jason King, a bestselling novelist turned sleuth, in two British television series in the late 1960s and early 1970s: Department S and Jason King .-Biography:He was born Cyril Goldbert in Marseilles, France, the...
, Sam Fox
Sam Fox
Sam Fox is an American businessman in St. Louis. He was the United States Ambassador to Belgium from April 11, 2007 until January 2, 2009. President George W...
, James Dreyfus
James Dreyfus
- Early life and career :Born in London, Dreyfus was educated at Harrow School and then trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. His parents divorced when he was very young. He is openly gay....
and Martin Hancock
Martin Hancock
Martin Hancock is an English actor well known for his role as Emily Bishop's nephew Geoffrey "Spider" Nugent in the British soap Coronation Street and Reg Lund in Holby City....
. This was an experimental limited edition of verse and music under the FLF Seedpod label. exploring the boundaries between poetry, lyrics and music.
Cine-Poems
After taking an MA in Directing and Screenwriting at the Northern Media School Roos began experimenting with film as a poetic form.His first Cine-Poem - Remembrance Day - was premiered at The Portobello Film Festival
Portobello Film Festival
The Portobello Film Festival is an independent international film festival based in London, which annually premiers over 700 new films, including features, shorts, documentaries, music films and animation. Additionally, workshops and talks with top film directors are also featured. Admission to...
in 2008. This was followed by The Minotaur starring Ryan Sampson
Ryan Sampson
Ryan Oliver Sampson is an English actor best known for playing Alex Venables in the British sitcom After You've Gone, where he played the son of Jimmy Venables, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst....
also premiered at the Portobello Film Festival in 2009 and Desire, a modern take on the Orpheus
Orpheus
Orpheus was a legendary musician, poet, and prophet in ancient Greek religion and myth. The major stories about him are centered on his ability to charm all living things and even stones with his music; his attempt to retrieve his wife from the underworld; and his death at the hands of those who...
myth.
In the last two years Roos wrote, produced and directed his first feature length musical film Darkness – a contemporary exploration of the Byron myth featuring Luc Floreani, Sir Donald Sinden, Janet Suzman
Janet Suzman
Dame Janet Suzman, DBE is a South African-born-British actress and director.-Early life:Janet Suzman was born in Johannesburg to a Jewish family, the daughter of Betty and Saul Suzman, a wealthy importer of tobacco....
and Fenella Fielding
Fenella Fielding
Fenella Fielding — "England's first lady of the double entendre" — is an English actress, popular in the 1950s and 1960s. She is known for her seductive image and distinctively husky voice.-Family:...
. Due to contractual problems with two of the young leads this film was abandoned in 2011. From this material Roos is currently creating a short film for the festivals.
External links
- flfmusic
- borntoboogie
- londonsinfonietta
- musicalcriticism
- the new york optimist
- http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/live_reviews/article5592246.ece