Fred Lawless
Fred Lawless is a British playwright from Liverpool who writes mainly for the stage, but who has also written for television and radio.
Biography
Fred Lawless was born in Dingle Liverpool. He attended St Patrick's School in Toxteth before his family moved to Halewood. He later attended the Wade Deacon Grammar School in Widnes (now the Wade Deacon High School).
After grammar school Lawless attended Liverpool Catering College and trained as a hotel manager, eventually working in several Liverpool city centre hotels. Several years later Lawless gave up hotel management and ran a stall at the famous Paddy's Market in Liverpool. While working there Lawless met Jonte Wilkins, and the two of them started the UK's first kissogram company,[1] Champagne-a-gram from an office in Aigburth. Shortly after Wilkins left for the US and eventually became the drummer for the British band A Flock of Seagulls. Lawless continued to run the kissogram business for several years, eventually employing 30 staff. One of the kissogram staff Lawless employed was Mal Young who worked for him as a Tarzan-a-gram. After leaving Champagne-a-gram Young entered the TV industry and eventually became producer of Liverpool based soap opera Brookside. Many years later Young interviewed Lawless with a view to him joining the writing team at Brookside, but Lawless instead chose to write for the London based TV series EastEnders.
In addition to his TV work, Lawless has also written for BBC Radio. Nowadays he works primarily in theatre.
He is a lifelong Everton F.C. supporter and season ticket holder [2]
Previous work
Theatre
- BEST! - a fictional comedy musical about The Beatles and their first drummer Pete Best at the Liverpool Everyman Theatre and the Dublin Theatre Festival.[3][4]
- Sleeping Cities, Distant Dreams - at the Royal Exchange Theatre module in Manchester.
- Educating Peter - at the Liverpool Playhouse Studio.
- Beyond Benidorm - at the Liverpool Playhouse Studio.
- Slappers and Slapheads - a comedy (co-written with Len Pentin) first performed in 2003 at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool.[5] The play was staged again in 2004 at the Liverpool Empire Theatre and the Manchester Opera House, before returning again to the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool in February 2009.[6] Following the 2009 production the play won the Liverpool Daily Post Readers Award for Best Production and Best Comedy[7]
- Merry Ding Dong - a comedy musical staged at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool from 11 December 2009 to 23 January 2010.[8][9]
- A Fistful Of Collars - a comedy staged at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool from 16 April 2010 to 15 May 2010.[10][11]
- Scouse Pacific - a comedy musical staged at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool from 26 November 2010 to 8 January 2011. The show was extended until 15 January and then extended again until 22 January.[12][13][14][15]
- Little Scouse On The Prairie - a comedy musical staged at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool from 25 November 2011 to 7 January 2012. The show was extended until 21 January.[16][17][18][19]
- A Nightmare On Lime Street - a comedy musical staged at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool from 23 November 2012 to 12 January 2013. The show was extended until 26 January.[20][21][22][23]
- The Hitchhiker's Guide To Fazakerley - a comedy musical staged at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool from 22 November 2013 to 11 January 2014.
Television
- EastEnders - BBC One
- Family Affairs - Channel 4
- Crossroads (2001) - Carlton Television
Radio
- Close Enough To Touch - a dramatisation of the 1939 HMS Thetis submarine disaster in Liverpool Bay for BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio Merseyside and the BBC World Service.[24]
- Paradise People - a 24 part comedy series for BBC Radio Merseyside (co-written with Len Pentin)
Current work
Fred Lawless has written the 2013 Christmas show for the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool. 'The Hitchhiker's Guide To Fazakerley'. [25]
Notes
- ↑ The Liverpool Quiz Book - K. Hignett, 1986, Gallery Press (South Wirral)
- ↑ Famous Everton Fans - Fred Lawless.
- ↑ Review - BEST! - 'It could have all been a bit intense, instead it was largely hilarious.' 'Brilliant... for Pete's sake, go!' Liverpool Echo
- ↑ Review - BEST! - 'Very entertaining …good jokes abound. 'The Sacking of Pete Best' By Spencer Leigh ISBN 978-1-900711-04-3
- ↑ Review - Slappers and Slapheads - July 2003 'One of the best nights of home-grown comedy theatre to be enjoyed in a long time.'
- ↑ Review - Slappers and Slapheads - February 2009 'Some great lines, great actors and great tunes'
- ↑ Slappers and Slapheads wins Liverpool Daily Post Best Production and Best Comedy awards
- ↑ Review - Merry Ding Dong in the Stage newspaper - December 2009 'possibly the Christmas show to see on Merseyside'
- ↑ Review - Merry Ding Dong in the Guardian newspaper - January 2010 'Lawless's writing is designed to inspire the laughter of recognition'
- ↑ Review - A Fistful Of Collars in the Liverpool Daily Post - April 2010 'has the audience roaring.'
- ↑ Review - A Fistful Of Collars on www.clickliverpool.com - April 2010 'two hours of hilarity and mayhem'
- ↑ Review - Scouse Pacific in The Stage - December 2010 'cleverly written, brilliantly acted and totally crazy... Lawless has the ability to make even the most ridiculous plot work'
- ↑ Review - Scouse Pacific on www.liverpoolconfidential.com - December 2010 'it all works rather brilliantly... go and see it. Now!'
- ↑ Review - Scouse Pacific in The Liverpool Echo - December 2010 'great fun... a Christmas cracker.'
- ↑ Review - Scouse Pacific - The Liverpool Daily Post - December 2010 'I was blown away... superb... a wildly enthusiastic audience..'
- ↑ Review - Little Scouse On The Prairie on www.whatsonstage.com - December 2011 'Lawless has another hit on his hands!'
- ↑ Review - Little Scouse On The Prairie on www.thepublicreviews.com - December 2011 'One of the most original comic plays seen in recent times!'
- ↑ Review - Little Scouse On The Prairie in The Liverpool Echo - December 2011 'A huge amount of fun 8/10'
- ↑ Review - Little Scouse On The Prairie on www.clickliverpool.com December 2011 'A writer of clear comic talent.'
- ↑ Review - A Nightmare On Lime Street' on www.liverpoolsoundandvision.co.uk - December 2012 '...brilliant', 'Fred Lawless’ script delivers yet again' '5 stars'
- ↑ Review - A Nightmare On Lime Street' on www.whatsonstage.com - December 2012 'Lawless’ show deserves a 5 star rating as an unmissable production this Christmas' '5 stars'
- ↑ Review - A Nightmare On Lime Street' on www.thepublicreviews.com - December 2012 'writer Fred Lawless once again brings the humour to the stage in bucket loads' '4 stars'
- ↑ Review - A Nightmare On Lime Street' on www.clickliverpool.com December 2012 'Acclaimed writer Fred Lawless continues his run of fine form with another fantastic festive production' 'hilarious and original' '9/10'
- ↑ Review - Close Enough To Touch 'I can say that this represents the very best of radio, engaging the imagination and emotions'
- ↑ Royal Court Theatre Liverpool Current & Future Shows
External links
Fred Lawless at the Internet Movie Database
- www.radiolistings.co.uk Details of radio plays written by Fred Lawless
- Doollee - The Playwrights Database Details of stage plays written by Fred Lawless
- Royal Court Liverpool website
- Writers' Guild Article about Fred Lawless
- Liverpool Daily Post Newspaper Article about Fred Lawless
- Wikipedia page for HMS Thetis