Frank McGuinness

Frank McGuinness[1] (born 29 July 1953 in County Donegal, Ireland) is an Irish playwright, translator and poet.

Biography

Frank McGuinness was born in Buncrana in the Inisowen Peninsula, County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. He was educated locally and at University College Dublin. He first came to prominence with his play The Factory Girls, but established his reputation with his play about World War 1, Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme, which was staged initially in Dublin's Abbey Theatre and then internationally. It won numerous awards including the London Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright for McGuinness.

McGuinness has also written new translations of classic dramas, including works by Anton Chekov, Bertolt Brecht and Henrik Ibsen. In addition, he wrote the screenplay for the film Dancing at Lughnasa, adapting the stage play by fellow Irishman Brian Friel.

McGuinness's first poetry anthology, Booterstown, was published in 1994. McGuinness previously lectured in the University of Ulster and the National University of Ireland, Maynooth.

He is now a writer-in-residence lecturing at University College Dublin.

Works

Plays

• The Factory Girls (Abbey Theatre, Dublin, 1982)
• Baglady (Abbey, 1985)
• Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme (Abbey, 1985; Hampstead Theatre, London, 1986)
• Innocence (Gate Theatre, Dublin, 1986)
• Cathaginians (Abbey, 1988; Hampstead, 1989)
• Mary and Lizzie (RSC, 1989)
• The Bread Man (Gate, 1991)
• Someone Who'll Watch Over Me (Hampstead, West End and Broadway, 1992)
• The Bird Sanctuary (Abbey, 1984)
• Mutabilitie (RNT, 1997)
• Gates of Gold (Gate Theatre, Dublin, 2002. UK premiere Finborough Theatre, 2004).

Translations

• Rosmersholm by Henrik Ibsen (RNT, 1987)
• Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen (Gate, 1988; RSC and world tour, 1994)
• Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen (Roundabout Theatre, Broadway, 1994)
• A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen (Playhouse Theatre, Broadway, 1997)
• Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov (Gate and Royal Court, 1990)
• Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov (Field Day Production, 1995)
• Yerma by Federico García Lorca (Abbey, 1987)
• The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht (Gate, 1987)
• The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht (RNT, 1997)
• Electra by Sophocles (Donmar and Broadway)
• The Storm by Alexander Ostrovsky (Almeida)

Screenplays

• Dancing at Lughnasa (adaptation of play by Brian Friel)

External links

• Complete Information on all of Frank McGuinness's plays
• McGuinness's credits on Broadway
• Publications about, by or mentioning Frank McGuinness
• Frank McGuiness Resource

Additional reading

• Helen Lojek (ed.) The Theatre of Frank McGuinness (Carysfort Press) ISBN 1904505015
• Hiroko Mikami, Frank McGuinness and his Theatre of Paradox (Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe, 2002)