Howard Brenton

Howard John Brenton (born December 13, 1942) is an English playwright.

He gained notoriety for his play The Romans in Britain, first staged at the National Theatre in 1980. This featured a scene of attempted buggery which resulted in Mary Whitehouse mounting a private prosecution against the play's director, Michael Bogdanov. Whitehouse's prosecution was withdrawn by her own legal team when it became obvious that it would not succeed.

suTCo (Sheffield University Theatre Company) are currently showing a production of Magnificence at their University Drama Studio. From Wednesday 23rd April until Saturday 26th April. 7.30pm. £4/£5. This play is directed by the acclaimed Chris Birks.

Plays

• Christie in Love
• Revenge
• Magnificence
• Brassneck (with David Hare)
• The Churchill Play
• Epsom Downs (Joint Stock Theatre Company, 1977)
• Sore Throats
• The Romans in Britain (1980)
• Thirteenth Night (1981)
• Weapons of Happiness
• Bloody Poetry (1984)
• Pravda (1985, with David Hare)
• Greenland (1988)
• Berlin Bertie
• H.I.D. (Hess is Dead)
• Ugly Rumours
• Snogging Ken
• Paul
• Gum and Goo
• Scott of the Antarctic
• Wesley
• In Extremis (2006)
• Never So Good (2008, at the Royal National Theatre)

Screenplays

• The Saliva Milkshake
• Dead Head (1986)
• Spooks (2002-2004)

epsom downs

Awards

• Evening Standard Award for best play of 1985, for Pravda

Background

He was born in Portsmouth, England and educated at St Catharine's College, Cambridge.

External links

• Brenton, the Literary Encyclopedia
• The Observer Profile: Howard Brenton (10/2005)
• Guardian interview (05/2007)