Anthony McCarten is the author
of “The English
Harem”, “Death
of a Superhero”, and “Endurance”,
however he is most famous as a playwright in his native New Zealand. He was
born in New Plymouth in 1961. Anthony McCarten worked as a reporter for a
couple of years on “The Taranaki Herald”, before studying for an Arts degree at
Massey and Victoria Universities. He attended Bill Manhire’s famous creative
writing course. After leaving university, Anthony McCarten played in a
production of “King Lear”. This was followed by a period of unemployment, when
he worked on 2 novels before abandoning them, and also wrote poetry. His 1st
play “Invitation to a Second Class Carriage” (1984), was followed by “Yellow
Canary Mazurka” (1986). Then Anthony McCarten met fellow playwright Stephen
Sinclair at the New Zealand Playwrights’ Workshop. Together, in 6 days, they
wrote the most successful play in New Zealand history: “Ladies Night” (1987).
It was also the most successful touring production in the UK 1990-1994. They
followed this by “Ladies Night 2” in 1993 and “Legless” in 1994. They sued the
makers of “The Full Monty” for copyright infringement in 1998, but lost, as the
judge dismissed the case, saying that it should have been tried in the UK. Some
of Anthony McCarten’s other plays have been “Pigeon English” (1988), “Weed”
(1990), “Hang on a Minute Mate” (1992), “Let’s Spend the Night Together”
(1994), “FILTH (Failed in London, Let’s Try Hong Kong)” (1995), and “Four
Cities” (1996). His play “Via Satellite” (1991) won The Listener’s Best Play
Award and the Wellington Theatre Best Production Award, and was made into a
movie in 1991. Anthony McCarten has also directed 2 short films: “Nocturne in a
Room” (1992) and “Fluff” (1995). He has also had a short story collection
published: “A Modest Apocalypse” (1991). Anthony McCarten’s 1st
novel was “Spinners”
in 1999. He has also worked as TV scriptwriter on series such as “Worzel
Gummidge Down Under” and “Pumpernickle” (1989) He has had the following poems
published in the New Zealand magazine “The Listener”: “Child Fever” (1987),
“The Sahara Desert Motor Inn” (1987), “Catastrophes as only the thin know them”
(1988), “The Undertaker’s Quarter’s” (1989), “Maternity” (1989), “House”
(1990), “Martinborough” (1991), and “The Redecorators” and “The Causes of
Things” appeared in “Landfall” in 1986. His short story, “The Trouble with
Elliot”, was published in “Vital Writing 2” in 1991.
His screenplay “Theory of Everything” (about the wife of
Stephen Hawking) is currently under development in Hollywood, and he is also
co-writing a screenplay for the UK Film Council (“Miss Emerald Isle”), and he’s
planning to direct his 2nd feature film.
Anthony McCarten divides his
time between Wellington, London, and LA.
Interview
with Anthony McCarten – primarily discusses “The English Harem”
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