Richard Anthony Bean (born 11 June 1956) is an English playwright.

Early years

Born in East Hull, Bean was educated at Hull Grammar School, and then studied

social psychology Social psychology is the methodical study of how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. Although studying many of the same substantive topics as its counterpart in the field ...

Loughborough University Loughborough University (abbreviated as ''Lough'' or ''Lboro'' for Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a public university, public research university in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, England. It has been a university sinc ...

, graduating with a 2:1 BSc Hons. He then worked as an occupational psychologist, having previously worked in a bread plant for a year and a half after leaving school.

Career

Between 1989 and 1994, Bean also worked as a comedian and went on to be one of the writers and performers of the sketch show ''Control Group Six'' (

BBC Radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927. The service provides national radio stations cove ...

) which was nominated for a

Writers Guild Award The Writers Guild of America Awards is an award for film, television, and radio writing including both fiction and non-fiction categories given by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America West since 1949. Eligibility The ...

. In 1995 he wrote the

libretto A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to th ...

for Stephen McNeff's opera ''Paradise of Fools'', which premiered at the Unicorn Theatre. His first full-length play, ''Of Rats and Men'', set in a psychology lab, was staged at the Canal Cafe Theatre in 1988 and went on to the

Edinburgh Festival __NOTOC__ This is a list of Arts festival, arts and cultural festivals regularly taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland. The city has become known for its festivals since the establishment in 1947 of the Edinburgh International Festival and the ...

. He adapted it for

, starring Anton Lesser, and it was nominated for a Sony Award. Bean wrote the films ''Harvest'' (2009) and '' The Duke'' (2020).

Plays

*''Of Rats and Men'' (1988) - premiered at the Canal Cafe Theatre *'' Toast'' (1999) - premiered at the

Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a West End theatre#London's non-commercial theatres, non-commercial theatre in Sloane Square, London, England, opene ...

, directed by Richard Wilson *''Mr England'' (2000) - premiered at the Crucible Theatre Sheffield, directed by Paul Miller *'' The Mentalists'' (2002) - premiered at the National Theatre, directed by Sean Holmes *''The God Botherers'' (2003) - premiered at the Bush Theatre, directed by Will Kerley *''Smack Family Robinson'' (2003) - premiered at the Live Theatre,

Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne, or simply Newcastle ( , Received Pronunciation, RP: ), is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is England's northernmost metropolitan borough, located o ...

, directed by Jeremy Herrin *''Under the Whaleback'' (2003) - premiered at the

, directed by Richard Wilson *''Honeymoon Suite'' (2004) - premiered at the

, directed by Paul Miller *''Harvest'' (2005) - premiered at the

, directed by Wilson Milam *'' The Hypochondriac'' (2005) - a new version of

Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, ; ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the great writers in the French language and world liter ...

's play, premiered at the

Almeida Theatre The Almeida Theatre is a 325-seat producing house located on Almeida Street off Upper Street in the London Borough of Islington. The theatre opened in 1980, and produces a diverse range of drama. Successful plays are often transferred to West E ...

, directed by Lindsay Posner *''Up on Roof'' (2006) - premiered at the Hull Truck Theatre, directed by Gareth Tudor Price *''In the Club'' (2007) - premiered at the

Hampstead Theatre Hampstead Theatre is a theatre in South Hampstead, in the London Borough of Camden. It specialises in commissioning and producing new writing, supporting and developing the work of new writers. History The original ''Hampstead Theatre Clu ...

, directed by David Grindley *''The English Game'' (2008) - premiered at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre,

Guildford Guildford () is a town in west Surrey, England, around south-west of central London. As of the 2011 census, the town has a population of about 77,000 and is the seat of the wider Borough of Guildford, which had around inhabitants in . The nam ...

, directed by Sean Holmes *''Pub Quiz Is Life'' (2009) - premiered at the Hull Truck Theatre, directed by Gareth Tudor Price *'' England People Very Nice'' (2009) - premiered at the National Theatre, directed by Nicholas Hytner *''House of Games'' (2010) - an adaptation of the film by

David Mamet David Alan Mamet (; born November 30, 1947) is an American playwright, author, and filmmaker. He won a Pulitzer Prize and received Tony Award, Tony nominations for his plays ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' (1984) and ''Speed-the-Plow'' (1988). He first ...

, premiered at the

, directed by Lindsay Posner *'' The Big Fellah'' (2010) - premiered at the

Lyric Hammersmith The Lyric Theatre, also known as the Lyric Hammersmith, is a nonprofit theatre on Lyric Square, off King Street, Hammersmith, London."About the Lyric" > "History" ''Lyric'' official website. Retrieved January 2024. Background The Lyric Theatre ...

, directed by Max Stafford-Clark *'' The Heretic'' (2011) - premiered at the

, directed by Jeremy Herrin *'' One Man, Two Guvnors'' (2011) - premiered at the National Theatre, directed by Nicholas Hytner *''

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

'' (2014) - premiered at the

Royal National Theatre The National Theatre (NT), officially the Royal National Theatre and sometimes referred to in international contexts as the National Theatre of Great Britain, is a performing arts venue and associated theatre company located in London, England, ...

, directed by Nicholas Hytner *'' Pitcairn'' (2014) - premiered at the

Chichester Festival Theatre Chichester Festival Theatre is a theatre and Grade II* listed building situated in Oaklands Park in the city of Chichester, West Sussex, England. Designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, it was opened by its founder Leslie Evershed-Mart ...

, directed by Max Stafford-Clark *''

Made in Dagenham ''Made in Dagenham'' is a 2010 British comedy-drama film directed by Nigel Cole, written by William Ivory, and starring Sally Hawkins, Bob Hoskins, Miranda Richardson, Geraldine James, Rosamund Pike, Andrea Riseborough, Jaime Winstone, ...

'' (2014) - premiered at the Adelphi Theatre, directed by Rupert Goold *''The Nap'' (2016) - premiered at the Crucible Theatre - directed by Richard Wilson *''Kiss Me'' (2016) - premiered at the

, directed by Anna Ledwich *''The Hypocrite'' (2017) - premiered at Hull Truck Theatre and

Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and opens around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, Stratf ...

, directed by Phillip Breen *''

Young Marx The correct place of Karl Marx's early writings within his system as a whole has been a matter of great controversy. Some believe there is a ''break'' in Marx's development that divides his thought into two periods: the "Young Marx" is said to be ...

'' (2017) - with Clive Coleman, premiered at the Bridge Theatre, directed by Nicholas Hytner *'' Jack Absolute Flies Again'' (2020) - with Oliver Chris, premiered at the National Theatre, directed by Emily Burns *'' 71 Coltman Street'' (2022) - premiered at the Hull Truck Theatre, directed by Mark Babych *''To Have and to Hold'' (2023) - premiered at the

, directed by Richard Wilson and Terry JohnsonBrian Logan
"To Have and to Hold review – fond family comedy from the writer of One Man, Two Guvnors"
''The Guardian'', 7 November 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.

Awards

* Pearson Award 2002: Best New Play: ''Honeymoon Suite'' * George Devine Award 2002: Best New Play: ''Under the Whaleback'' *

Olivier Awards The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in West End theatre, professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of We ...

2005: Best New Play nomination for ''Harvest'' * Evening Standard Awards 2005: Best New Play nomination for ''Harvest'' * Critics' Circle Theatre Awards 2005: Best New Play: ''Harvest'' * TMA Awards 2006: Best New Play nomination for ''Up on Roof'' * Evening Standard Awards 2011: Best New Play '' The Heretic'' and '' One Man, Two Guvnors'' (both plays joint winners) * Critics' Circle Theatre Awards 2011: Best New Play ''One Man, Two Guvnors''

References

External links

* * Theatre Record and its annual indexes *British Theatre Guide for reviews and background information
"Richard Bean: Hot new playwright"
British Theatre Guide interview 2001
"Richard Bean: Blurred Boundaries"
(The English Game), ''The Daily Telegraph'', 10 May 2008. {{DEFAULTSORT:Bean, Richard 21st-century English dramatists and playwrights 1956 births Living people Writers from Kingston upon Hull Alumni of Loughborough University English male screenwriters English male dramatists and playwrights