Olwen Wymark

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Olwen Wymark
Born Olwen Margaret Buck
(1932-02-14)February 14, 1932
Oakland, California, U.S.
Died June 14, 2013(2013-06-14) (aged 81)
London, England
Occupation Writer
Nationality American
Period 1966–1992
Spouse(s) Patrick Wymark (1953–1970)
(his death)
Children 4 (including Jane Wymark)

Olwen Wymark (February 14, 1932 – June 14, 2013) was an American writer and playwright.[1]

Biography

Olwen Margaret Buck was born on February 14, 1932 in Oakland, California, the daughter of Philip W. (a professor of political science) and Barbara (Jacobs) Buck, and the granddaughter of W. W. Jacobs. She attended Pomona College from 1949–51 and University College, London from 1951–52.

Her most successful play was Find Me (1977),[2] about mental illness, which is still used as a set text for drama qualifications in UK schools.[3] Others included Gymnasium (1972), Loved (1980), Best Friends (1984), Strike Up The Banns(1990), and Mirror Mirror (1992).[4] She also wrote dozens of BBC radio play adaptations,[5] including her 2001 version of Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain, one of her last works it starred Paul Scofield in one of his greatest radio roles.[1]

Personal life

Her husband was British actor Patrick Wymark, with whom she had four children: Jane Wymark, Rowan, Dominic, and Tristram. Wymark resided most of her life in London.

Bibliography

Plays

  • Lunchtime Concert (one-act), first produced in Glasgow, Scotland, at Citizens Theatre, (1966)
  • Triple Image (three one-act plays) (1967)
    • Coda
    • Lunchtime Concert
    • The Inhabitants (1967)
  • The Gymnasium (one-act) (1967)
  • "The Techniciaheheheheehns" (one-act) (1969)
  • Stay Where You Are (one-act) (1969)
  • Neither Here Nor There (one-act) (1971)
  • Speak Now (two-act) (1971)
  • The Committee (one-act) (1971)
  • Jack the Giant Killer (one-act) (1972)
  • Tales From Whitechapel (one-act) (1972)
  • Watch the Woman (two-act), (1973) with Brian Phelan
  • The Twenty-Second Day (one-act) (1975)
  • We Three (one-act) (1977)
  • After Nature, Art (one-act) (1977)
  • Find Me (two-act) (1977)
  • Loved (two-act) (1979)
  • Please Shim Down on Me (1980)
  • Best Friends (1981)
  • One Woman Plays (adapted from three plays by Dario Fo and Franca Rame) (1981)
  • Lessons and Lovers: D.H. Lawrence in New Mexico: a Play (1986)

Quotes

In an interview with Contemporary Authors: "From the fifties until my husband died in 1970 I wrote plays because I wanted to; now I write them for a living. Although I have never written 'a commercial' play, I have to sell my work. Consequently I think my plays have become less obscure (and pretentious), and I find myself more drawn to comedy. The theatre is my first passion, but I love to write for radio and would like to write more for TV and would really like to write a film."

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Michael Coveney (23 June 2013). "Olwen Wymark obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved December 18, 2013. 
  2. ↑ Richard Anthony Baker. "Olwen Wymark". The Stage. Retrieved December 18, 2013. 
  3. ↑ David James (21 June 2013). "A tribute to Olwen Wymark". Writers Guild of Great Britain. Retrieved December 18, 2013. 
  4. ↑ Olwen Wymark - complete guide to the Playwright and Plays
  5. ↑ Imogen Blake (August 3, 2013). "Obituary: Midsomer Murders star pays tribute to her playwright mum Olwen Wymark". Ham & High. Retrieved December 18, 2013. 

External links

See also

Authority control
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