Shaun McCarthy is a professional playwright, community artist and author of over twenty education books. He is currently developing new plays with a number of companies. Recent productions include COLLIDER (Ustinov Studio, Bath Theatre Royal, and Katie Read Company, Oxford, BEANFIELD (Bike Shed Theatre, nominated for the 2010 Peter Brook Empty Space Award), and CIRCUS BRITANNICA (Bike Shed Theatre, Exeter and Theatre 503, London).
Shaun’s recent plays combine highly theatrical design and language with political themes that spring from strong left-wing commitments. Plays currently being developed or written tackle themes such as immigration and the dangerous ‘attractions’ of single issue far right politics; and the social and cultural conflict between global corporations and individuals in an increasingly polluted and environmentally damaged world. He is also planning a play built around tabloid newspaper punning headlines, where the audience will be invited to guess which are real front pages and which are the product of the author’s dubious sense of humour.
Shaun has taught a number of part time courses in writing for performance at Oxford and Bristol universities.