User:Robhaywood10/Sean O'Connor (playwright)

Sean O'Connor
Sean O'Connor is a British writer, producer and director (born Wirral, 1968).

Currently, O'Connor is producing the feature film version of Terence Rattigan's The Deep Blue Sea directed by Terence Davies and starring Rachel Weisz, Tom Hiddleston and Simon Russell Beale. The film is to be released in 2011. The film is based on Rattigan's play of 1952 which has previously been filmed in 1955, starring Viviene Leigh and Kenneth More.

O'Connor worked as a Producer at the long-running BBC radio soap serial The Archers both storylining and directing the programme. He then became the Story Producer at the BBC soap, Eastenders. He went on to both produce and direct the show. Subsequently, he was appointed as Series Producer of Hollyoaks (C4) and Family Affairs(FIVE). He also produced Series III of Footballers' Wives for Shed Productions as well as the re-booted version of Minder starring Shane Richie and Lex Shrapnel.

Directing
As a graduate of the Regional Theatre Young Directors' Scheme (RTYDS), O'Connor has worked all over the UK as a theatre director. His work includes the UK premiere of Dorothy Parker's The Ladies of the Corridor and the first London revival of Christa Winsloe's Children In Uniform (Battersea Arts Centre). He is also a graduate of the BBC Drama Directors' Course.

Writing
In 1997 O'Connor wrote Straight Acting; Popular Gay Drama from Wilde to Rattigan about the strategies by gay male playwrights who dominated the West End in the 20th Century.

The same year, he adapted and directed Vertigo based on the novel by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac which was the basis for Hitchcock's film of 1958. The play first appeared at Chester Gateway Theatre, but was subsequently produced by Bill Kenwright at the Theatre Royal Windsor and the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Guildford starring Martin Shaw, Anthony Andrews and Jenny Seagrove.

In 2001, O'Connor adapted Winston Graham's Marnie for the stage which appeared at Chester Gateway Theatre and The Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke.

In 2010, O'Connor adapted Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet as Juliet and Her Romeo which played at Bristol Old Vic Theatre, directed by Tom Morris and starring Sian Phillips, Michael Byrne and Dudley Sutton.

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