Shaun McCarthy is a professional playwright and dramaturge for stage and radio, a university and community arts creative writing tutor and author of over twenty educational resources titles. He is currently Royal Literary Fund Fellow in Residence at Cardiff University and teaches short courses in writing for performance at Oxford and Bristol universities.
Recent new plays for stage include BEANFIELD and CIRCUS BRITANNICA (2010, 2011, both for Bike Shed Theatre, playing in Exeter, Bristol and London), COLLIDER (2009, Ustinov Studio, Theatre Royal Bath and Katie Read’s Saturday Matinee Company, Oxford), NO BLIND FAITH (2009, Ustinov Studio) and SAFE (2008, Hen and Chickens Theatre, London, winner of Grit Productions New Writing Award). Commissioned adaptations and new writing for stage include A CHRISTMAS CAROL, SMOKE AND MIRRORS, also for Bike Shed Theatre, their 2011 Christmas show, and VENICE ISN’T LONDON, for Mutiny Theatre. (This show toured London by boat to raise awareness of the threat of flooding from rising sea levels. Unfortunately, the ‘consultants’ hired to advise London are Venetian commedia dell’arte characters who think a flooded city desirable and highly romantic.)
Most of these plays have combined highly theatrical design and language with themes that spring from strong left wing and internationalist commitments. He is, however, currently under commission to write a comedy!
Shaun designs and delivers a wide range of writing for performance courses, one day master classes for writing groups, festivals, schools and colleges etc, and is always ready to discuss opportunities with potential clients.
Shaun’s writing for stage has been financially supported by The Royal Literary Fund, Arts Council England and The Peggy Ramsay Foundation