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David Ireland (playwright)

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For other people with the same name, see David Ireland.

David Ireland (born 1976) is a Northern Irish-born playwright and actor, known for his award-winning plays Cyprus Avenue and Ulster American.

Early life and education

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Ireland was born in Sandy Row, Belfast, but grew up in Ballybeen, Dundonald, County Down. His father was a heavy drinker.[1]

Ireland attended Brooklands Primary School. He then attended the Royal Belfast Academical Institution,[2] before receiving training at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.[3]

Career

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In 2009, Ireland's What The Animals Say was produced by Òran Mór in Glasgow.[4] In 2010, Everything Between Us, first produced by Solas Nua and Tinderbox Theatre Company, was performed in Belfast, Scotland and Washington, D.C. It won the Stewart Parker Trust BBC Radio Drama Award,[5] and the Meyer-Whitworth Award for Best New Play.[6]

In 2016, Ireland's Cyprus Avenue premiered at the Royal Court Theatre.[7] It was awarded the 2017 Irish Times Theatre Award for Best New Play, and the 2017 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Drama. The play then transferred to The Public Theater, New York City,[8] the Abbey Theatre, Dublin,[9] and the Metropolitan Arts Centre, Belfast. It returned to the Royal Court in February 2019 for a four-week run,[10] and had its Australian debut in May 2019 at Sydney's Old Fitzroy Theatre.[11] The Abbey Theatre performance with Stephen Rea was ranked by The Guardian writers as the 27th best theatre show since 2000.[12]

In 2018, Ireland's satirical dark comedy Ulster American was performed by Traverse Theatre as part of their Edinburgh Festival Fringe season.[13] It was awarded the Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award for that year.[14] In 2019, it was nominated for Best Female Performance, Best New Play, Best Production, and Best Male Performance at the Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland,[15] winning the first three.[16] It had its London debut at Riverside Studios in 2023 in a production starring Woody Harrelson, Andy Serkis and Louisa Harland.[17]

Ireland had played the role of the character Claire’s father in 2018's Derry Girls.[18] He wrote the upcoming 2023 Sky Atlantic series The Lovers.[19]

Personal life

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Ireland met his wife Jennifer while he was acting in Glasgow, where they now live with their children Ada and Elijah.[2]

Selected works

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Selected awards

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Selected filmography

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References

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  1. ^ Lloyd, Will (30 August 2024). "Playwright David Ireland: 'The violence and rage in me comes out when I write'". www.thetimes.com.
  2. ^ a b McAdam, Noel (11 April 2019). "Belfast playwright David Ireland on courting controversy with Ulster American". The Irish News. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  3. ^ McCormack, Chris (7 April 2016). "David Ireland: 'I feel compelled to write about the Troubles'". The Stage. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  4. ^ "Theatre review: What The Animals Say". The Scotsman. 20 May 2009. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  5. ^ "Stewart Parker Trust Awards". Arts Council of Northern Ireland. 25 March 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  6. ^ "Everything Between Us – 2017 – Finborough Theatre". finboroughtheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  7. ^ "Cyprus Avenue – Royal Court 2016". Royal Court. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  8. ^ Brantley, Ben (25 June 2018). "Review: Stephen Rea Is One Really Mad Man in 'Cyprus Avenue'". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  9. ^ Crawley, Peter (17 February 2016). "Cyprus Avenue review: Stephen Rea delivers a masterful performance". The Irish Times. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  10. ^ "Cyprus Avenue – Royal Court 2019". Royal Court. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  11. ^ Kale, Neha (14 May 2019). "'In my family there were a lot of angry men': The political is personal for David Ireland". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  12. ^ Billington, Michael; Soloski, Alexis; Love, Catherine; Fisher, Mark; Wiegand, Chris (17 September 2019). "The 50 best theatre shows of the 21st century". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  13. ^ Cooper, Neil (19 July 2018). "'You never hear an Irish American saying they're Protestant,' says playwright David Ireland". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  14. ^ McElroy, Steven (24 August 2018). "'Ulster American' Wins Edinburgh Theater Prize". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  15. ^ "2019 Shortlist – Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland (CATS)". Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  16. ^ "2019 CATS winners announced – Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland (CATS)". Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  17. ^ Akbar, Arifa (14 December 2023). "Ulster American review – Woody Harrelson and Andy Serkis perfectly awful in anarchic comedy". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  18. ^ Lawson, Mark (18 February 2019). "David Ireland: 'I find it hard to end my plays without violence'". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  19. ^ "Sky Puts Darkly Comic Series 'The Lovers' From 'Doctor Foster' Producer Drama Republic Into Production". Deadline. 28 June 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
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