Lance Nielsen is an outspoken and controversial English screenwriter and playwright whose work focuses predominantly on topics set in social and political arenas. He frequently explores themes of grief, loss, love and friendship. Nielsen admits his work has been heavily influenced by the passing of three friends of his who died under the age of 21 and his cousin Mickel Nielsen who died of AIDS in 1991 on Nielsen's birthday at the age of 26. He has also directed much of his own work.

Biography

Nielsen was brought up near Kingston upon Thames

Kingston upon Thames

Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the...

 in South London, though he is adopted. His birth father is Lionel Morton

Lionel Morton

Lionel Morton is a former musician and television presenter.In the early 1960s Morton was the lead vocalist / rhythm guitarist of the band, The Four Pennies. They are best known for their biggest hit single, "Juliet" which reached number one on the UK Singles Chart in May 1964...

, former presenter of Playschool, Playaway and former member of the Four Pennies, a 1960s pop group whom scored a number one hit "Juliet" in 1964. Nielsen's birth mother is South African, though he is half South African and half Danish. Nielsen's interest in the media began with acting in school and college theatre productions. Nielsen worked in the USA teaching disadvantaged children drama and video. While attending Epsom School of Art and Design in Surrey he also worked almost full time at his local cinema in Kingston upon Thames . He won an industrial tribunal against his former employers which enabled him to produce his first film. He has two nephews called Thomas and William.

Early work

Nielsen's early work began in Nottingham where he and fellow film director Shane Meadows began directing their low budget film projects in almost the same week. Nielsen was an early supporter of Meadow's short film festival events in 1996 that were held in the city even though the two at first did not get along. Nielsen's first film, Death Comes From The Touch Of The Funnyman was loosely based upon the death of his friend James Ollet, who died of an asthma attack on the 6th of June days before Nielsen and Ollet were due to take an exam together. Filming took place over 18 months and used all the real locations where events had actually occurred. The film was shot on a video format, making it unsuitable for broadcasting. He also directed a number of shorts and workshops while in Nottingham with Best Shot Films and assisted with casting and directing a number of other shorts.

Move back to London and Los Angeles

Nielsen moved back to North London in September 1997 and his work began to focus on theatre. He quickly became the writer in residence at the North London Arts Venue, the Jackson's Lane Theatre, writing and directing two plays a year for the next six years under The Gutted Film and Theatre Company. These included several award winning productions which included 11 Years Down the River – The Marchioness Inquiry, Those Who Trespass Against Us – The Victoria Climbie Inquiry,and Sticks and Stones, which was a drama set against the conflict of Northern Ireland. The comedy short play Making Time went on to win a Peter Brook award and was praised by the Evening Standard Much of this work was rumored to have been influenced by the death of Rebecca Holland, the leading actress from his first film. He also shot a second feature film 30 but was not happy with the result and after limited screenings he withdrew it from release. During this time Nielsen also ghost wrote for a number of biographies and did re-writes on a number of other scripts for films and episodes of television. Nielsen spent a considerable amount of time living and working in Los Angeles. In a number of interviews he has expressed his dislike for the city, stating that visits there are "...a necessary evil that I really could do without but that's where the work is and where some of my friends are now based."

Illness

In an interview given to the Irish Post, Nielsen announced he intended to take a break from heavy drama, he wrote some comedies and then he turned his hand to musicals writing and directing The East End of Chicago, a musical comedy drama set in the 1920s. The music for the show was written by Richard Erickson. During the production Nielsen was experiencing severe headaches and vomiting. Shortly after the production Nielsen collapsed with a stroke and fit which hospitalised him for three months. It was discovered he had a blood clot in his brain which left him with minor brain damage. His doctor told him to avoid stress and he did not direct again for two years.

Recent work

In the last couple of years the focus of his work seems to have been on writing, both his own work and freelance for other people. He directed two plays with Tom Hardy's Shotgun Theatre Company in 2006 and early 2007 respectively. Currently Nielsen is completed work on Pressure, the documentary drama about the life of Colin Stagg. This is loosely based on a script he wrote six years earlier for the theatre, which even back then advanced the proposition that Stagg was entirely innocent of the offences he was still thought by many to be guilty of. This script is being produced by British actor Jason Flemyng. Nielsen is also involved in another production with actors Dan Styles and Gideon Turner called Jericho's Walls Are Falling, which he also wrote and directed. Dan Styles is also the Producer. It is understood he intends to produce Sticks and Stones again, his play about Northern Ireland, also with Gideon Turner. Nielsen has also written scripts for Gene Hackman and Judi Dench both of whom he often quotes as his two most favorite actors. Nielsen is currently producing (1/2010) the play The Band Plays again

Dedications

Nielsen is known for dedicating his work to friends or actors whom he admires. Many of his dedications have been for people who have passed on. He has made dedications to actors Danny Webb and Jason Flemyng. Two of his plays have been dedicated to Rebecca Holland. His play Making Time was dedicated to the actress Charlotte Coleman, star of the movie Four Weddings and a Funeral. He dedicated The Marchioness Inquiry to Michael Williams, along with his own established acting career Williams is known for being the husband of Dame Judi Dench. Nielsen also wrote a script for Dench that is copyrighted to her alone. His latest film, Jericho's Walls Are Falling is dedicated to Sarah. She is rumored to have been a young girl who died of HIV, upon who a character in the film is based. Nielsen was also good friends with actress Angela Thomas. Thomas, who had asked Nielsen to co-write both a book and a play based on her life died on 24 July 2009 of a brain aneurism. Nielsen was one of the few friends present during her time in hospital where she fought for but ultimately lost her life over a three day period. Nielsen intends to produce their play, Tough Love in 2010 – Jericho's Walls Are Falling is now also co- dedicated to Thomas.