Aidan Harney
| Aidan Harney | |
|---|---|
| Born | Aidan Harney Dundalk, Co. Louth |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Occupation | Playwright |
Aidan Harney is an award-winning playwright from Dundalk, Ireland, who lives in Dublin. In 2001, he was selected to complete the Rough Magic Theatre Company SEEDS programme. Since then he has completed commissioned work for Rough Magic Theatre Company and the Dublin Fringe Festival ('A Monarch in Hollywood' 2002), Upstate Theatre Company ('Submarine Man' 2008 and a second tour in 2009) and The Focus Theatre ('Hollywood Valhalla' 2012). He won a national playwrighting award from Red Kettle Theatre Company and his piece 'The Unsuccessful Suicide of Trish O'Malley' was staged in 2007 as part of the 21st celebrations of Red Kettle.
In 2006, Harney was shortlisted in the international QPlays Series competition run by Compass Theatre, San Diego, USA, for his play 'Love, Sex, Nicotine'. Other work includes 'Titus' 2005 (Dublin Fringe Festival). He was awarded a place at the Stewart Parker Trust residency at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig, in 2008 and completed The Abbey Theatre's playwright programme in 2009/2010.
CURRENTLY Harney is also under commission for Upstate Theatre[1] for a new play which opens in MAY 2012 and he is completing work on a new piece which he began in 2009 when he was named as one of the participants in The Abbey Theatre’s[2] New Playwrights Programme, an 11-month programme built to support six playwrights.
Writing Credits:
1. Hollywood Valhalla (Aidan Harney, 2012, Dir. Joe Devlin) A commission for The Focus Theatre, co-produced with PurpleHeart Theatre Co.
"Mesmerising... sharp and self-assured... the most entertaining, dramatically satisfying two-hander I've witnessed for some time." IRISH INDEPENDENT, January 31, 2012, John McKeown
"Shines like a row of paparazzi flash-bulbs... nuanced and affecting" FOUR STARS * * * * METRO, January 2012, Lucy White
"It's quite an achievement... whimsical, courageous, dignified" SUNDAY INDEPENDENT, January 2012, Emer O'Kelly
"Both Byrnes and Roche play it beautifully" IRISH THEATRE MAGAZINE, January 2012, Harvey O'Brien
"A myth unmasked" THE IRISH TIMES, February 2012, Peter Crawley
"Truly touching." entertainment.ie, February 2012
"Absorbing" FOUR STARS * * * * THE IRISH MAIL ON SUNDAY, January 2012, Michael Moffatt
2. Submarine Man: The little-known life of John P. Holland (Aidan Harney, 2008, Dir. David Horan) A commission for Upstate Theatre Company.
(Re-staged for a second tour in 2009.)
“Beautiful and very lyrical… very much like Synge in some of the language.” THE ARTS SHOW, RTE RADIO 1, April 16th, 2009: Helen Meeney
“Genuinely gripping… there is no doubting that Harney is a real talent.” Irish Theatre Magazine: Fintan Walsh
“A tongue-in-cheek combination of knockabout comedy and Synge-style dialogue. Never a dull moment.” IRISH MAIL ON SUNDAY
“Wonderful! If you have any kind of passing interest in history and historical figures, in theatre or in comedy you will enjoy this play.” CULCH.IE, April 14th, 2009
3. Titus (Aidan Harney, 2007) for the Dublin Fringe Festival
“A writing style, textured and elegant… with great energy”
Irish Theatre Magazine, September 2007: Fintan Walsh
4. The Unsuccessful Suicide of Trish O’Malley (Aidan Harney, 2007, Dir. Zoe Seaton) A commission for Red Kettle Theatre Company to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the company.
“… manages to get you feeling, thinking and laughing all at the same time.”
IN DUBLIN, May 10th-16th, 2007
In 2006, Harney was shortlisted in the international QPlays Series competition run by Compass Theatre, San Diego, USA, for his play Love, Sex, Nicotine.
5. Being Miss Ross (Aidan Harney, 2005, Dir. Alice Coughlan of Wonderland Theatre Festival). A staged reading.
“… while it is wonderfully funny, it is much more than that. Harney has his finger on the pulse of contemporary Dublin life. For all its laughs, Being Miss Ross is a socially engaged and very serious play that tackles some very thorny issues in contemporary Ireland… it is that rare thing in theatre, a play with a lot of head and a lot of heart.”
GCN, May 9th, 2005: Denis Kehoe
6. A Monarch in Hollywood (Aidan Harney, 2002, Dir. Audrey Devereux). A commission for Rough Magic Theatre Company and Dublin Fringe Festival.
“…Aidan Harney’s writing is dextrous… his dialogue witty and well-judged…" FOUR STARS * * * *
The Irish Times, Friday, September 27, 2002: Belinda McKeon
“A Monarch in Hollywood has the atmosphere of a Douglas Sirk melodrama… reveals a playwright who crafts sharp one-liners, has a facility for creating fascinating characters and leaves Irish provincialism a long way behind.”
EVENING HERALD, September 28th, 2002: Luke Clancy
7. An Eye for an Eye (Aidan Harney, 2000, Dir. Audrey Devereux). A staged reading by Fishamble Theatre Company[3].
Acting Credits:
‘Digging for Fire’ by Declan Hughes (Dublin & Belfast) 1998. Dir: Peter Daly. ‘Scenes from the New World’ by Eric Bogosian, 1999. Dir: Eibhlin Ní Ruairc. ‘Angels in America: Part I, Millennium Approaches’ by Tony Kushner, 1999. Dir: Roisin Browne. ‘Angels in America: Part II, Perestroika’ by Tony Kushner, 1999. Dir: Peter Daly. ‘In the Bleak MidWinter’ by Kenneth Branagh, 2000. Dir: Delphine Coudray.
[edit] References
- Aidan Harney: A Complete Guide to his Work "Bibliography", www.doollee.com.
- Irish Playography "Submarine Man" Submarine Man
- The Abbey Theatre 2009 "Abbey Theatre Press Release"
- Being Miss Ross’ "Review Being Miss Ross"
- Red Kettle Theatre company "Red Kettle Theatre company"
- Blog review of Submarine man "Review"
