Chris Ward (playwright)

Chris Ward is an English/Canadian Film/Theatre Director and Playwright, born in 1958. From 1979-82 attended the London International Film School. His play Demonstration of Affection was produced at the Arts Theatre in 1981, starring Richard Jobson of The Skids.

From 1982 until 1996, he produced and directed his own work for Wet Paint Theatre Company, in various fringe and pub theatre venues in London, as well as performing dramatic scenes at punk concerts. The company was distinguished by its mixing of professional trained actors with musicians (often from punk bands) and non-professional artistes. Amongst the performers who passed through the ranks of Wet Paint were, Simon Tedd (Simon Scardanelli), Honey Bane, Beki Bondage, Max Splodge, Michelle Brigandage, George Cheex from !Action Pact! Ruth Radish ( from punk band 'Hagar the Womb) and Jenny Runacre.

His play about Jean Vigo, Love's A Revolution, was the basis of the 1998 film Vigo, directed by Julien Temple.^[1] Previously, Ward had collaborated with Derek Jarman on a number of unrealised film projects, including a film of Ward's play Camberwell Beautyand a proposed television project on the life of Jean Cocteau.^[2]

Plastic Zion was revived at the White Bear Theatre in London in 2006.^[3]

In 2008 Ward wrote and directed short film What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor (based on the life of artist/model Nina Hamnett, self-styled Queen of Bohemia starring Siobhan Fahey (ex singer with Bananarama and Shakespears Sister),the actor Clive Arrindel, Donny Tourette (frontman with punk band Towers of London) and Honey Bane (former vocalist of the punk band Fatal Microbes). The same year saw a revival of Demonstration of Affection at The Foundry in London. In 2012, his filmscript, Visions in the Life of the Victorian poet Francis Thompson 'Hound' was staged at the Riverside Studios, Hammersmith. The following year, 2013, he wrote and directed a feature film based on his play 'Camberwell Beauty' with the performers Jenny Runacre, Clive Arrindell and Lindsay Armaou from the girl band B*witched taking major roles. This is due for release in 2014.

Plays

• Vermouth (Pentameters Theatre, 1980)
• Demonstration of Affection (Cockpit/Arts Theatre, 1981)
• Castles in Spain (New End Theatre, 1981)
• Plastic Zion (Wet Paint, 1982)
• Camberwell Beauty (Wet Paint, 1982)
• Love's A Revolution, the life of Jean Vigo (Wet Paint, 1983)
• Amphibious Babies (Wet Paint, 1983)
• Cat Food (Wet Paint, 1984)
• Planet Suicide (Wet Paint, 1985)
• Furious Holiday (Wet Paint, 1987)
• Gods Drumming (Wet Paint, 1994)
• Ethel Lee and Grabs (Wet Paint, 1996)

Films

• Vosper's Boys (1981)
• What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor (2008)
• Camberwell Beauty (2013)

References