Glenn Chandler Explained

Glenn Chandler
Birth Date:1949 3, df=y
Birth Place:Edinburgh, Scotland
Occupation:Playwright, screenwriter, novelist
Nationality:Scottish
Period:Modern
Genre:Crime fiction
Subject:Murder
Notableworks:Taggart
Awards:

Glenn Chandler (born 12 March 1949) is a Scottish playwright, novelist, producer and theatre director. He has written plays for theatre and radio, original screenplays for television and films, television series, and also novels.[1] His best known work is the Scottish television detective series Taggart, which was commissioned by Scottish Television for the ITV Network from 2 July 1985 until 7 November 2010, and which continues to be broadcast around the world. Since the completion of Taggart in 2010, Glenn Chandler has focused on writing for the theatre, with a consistent run of productions in both London and Edinburgh.[2]

Biography

Early life and Taggart

Glenn Chandler was born in Edinburgh in 1949, and educated at the Royal High School in the city. He moved from Scotland to London and began writing for the Soho Poly, where his early plays were produced.[3] He went on to write for BBC Television and Radio, and for Granada Television (including its series Crown Court) before creating and writing his own series Taggart for STV Productions (ITV Network).

Chandler created Taggart for STV's Controller of Drama, Robert Love, who wanted to set a police series in Glasgow. Chandler was inspired by true crime and real life, and even lifted the names of characters for the series from gravestones in Maryhill Cemetery in Glasgow.[4] The series continued even after the death of the actor Mark McManus, who played the lead role of Jim Taggart, and became the longest-running police drama on British television.[4]

Theatre career

Return to theatre

Glenn Chandler has continued to write for his first love, theatre, and has also written a series of books featuring a Brighton detective, DI Madden.[1] In 2008, Chandler took two plays to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as a producer. These were Boys of the Empire, a satirical play written by Chandler himself, and What's Wrong With Angry?, a drama set in 1992, when the age of consent for homosexuals was 21.[5] Both shows were directed by Patrick Wilde, with whom Chandler shares a literary agency, MBA.[1]

Since then, Chandler has worked almost exclusively in theatre. After transferring Boys of the Empire to the Kings Head Theatre in Islington, he wrote and produced Scouts in Bondage for the same theatre in 2009. His next production was the successful Cleveland Street: The Musical in 2010, which he wrote and produced for the Above The Stag Theatre, which was at its original location in Victoria. He made his directing debut with the award-winning The Custard Boys which he adapted from the novel by John Rae, and this was produced at the Tabard Theatre in 2011. He followed that up at the same theatre with The Lamplighters in 2012, a murder thriller with a supernatural edge, which he wrote, produced and directed. In 2013, he took two productions to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Sandel and Killers. Sandel, which he directed, was his controversial adaptation of Angus Stewart's novel of the same name, about a love affair between a student and a choirboy. Killers was a study of the correspondence of serial killers Dennis Nilsen, Peter Sutcliffe and Ian Brady, and was directed by Liam Rudden. In 2014, he transferred Sandel to the Above The Stag Theatre at its new premises in Vauxhall with a largely new cast.

Success on the fringe

In 2017, Chandler adapted the 1967 novel Lord Dismiss Us into a play for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, in order to mark the 50th Anniversary of the partial legalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales.[6] The play received positive reviews,[7] [8] [9] [10] and subsequently transferred to the Above The Stag Theatre in London later that year.[11] The play was once again reviewed positively,[12] [13] [14] and received four Off West End Award nominations, including 'Best Production' and 'Best New Play'.[15]

2018 saw Chandler write and produce Kids Play for that year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[16] As was the case with Lord Dismiss Us, Chandler's latest production was well received by critics,[17] [18] and was also the recipient of the Broadway Baby Bobby Award for the "Best show of the Fringe".[19] After its run in Edinburgh, Kids Play transferred to London's Above The Stag Theatre with a new cast.[20] [21] Following the conclusion of the run of Kids Play in London, Glenn Chandler wrote another new play called The Boy Under the Christmas Tree for the 2018 Christmas season at the King's Head Theatre in Islington,[22] with Chandler again choosing to direct his own piece.[23] This play did not receive the same level of critical success as Lord Dismiss Us and Kids Play, and reviews were more mixed.[24] Stephen Vowles, writing for the Boyz magazine, described the play as an "intriguing piece of modern theatre",[25] whilst Greg Stewart of Theatre Weekly stated that "it's utter silliness, but remarkably funny".[26] These comments were contrasted, however, by other press reports, some of which criticised the humour of the piece.[27]

Latest work

2019 began with the revival of Glenn Chandler's musical Fanny and Stella, a production which initially premiered at the Above The Stag Theatre in 2015.[28] As was the case with the original, the 2019 production was directed by Steven Dexter.[29] Telling the real-life story of two Victorian cross-dressers called Boulton and Park, it was met with widespread positive reviews.[30] [31]

Later that year, Chandler took a new play, The Good Scout, to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[32] Having come across the true story of exchange visits between Hitler Youth and British Boy Scouts in the 1930s, he also took inspiration from the Brexit crisis of the time, comparing the "good intentions" of the exchange visits to the "devastation of Europe".[33] Following previews in London, The Good Scout premiered at Surgeons' Hall in Edinburgh, and was met with largely positive reviews.[34] [35] [36] The play was also the recipient of the ScotsGay Magazine Award for Best New Writing.[37]

Following its successful run in Edinburgh, The Good Scout transferred to the Above the Stag Theatre in London later that year.[38] The London version of the play, which used mostly the same cast, was met with further positive reviews from critics.[39] [40] [41]

Work

Television

Film

Theatre

Radio

Schools Radio

Radio Drama

Books

DI Madden series

Horror fiction

Non fiction

Awards

Notes and References

  1. Web site: MBA official bibliography and full list of writing credits for Glenn Chandler. 9 June 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20111122193521/http://www.mbalit.co.uk/author/331. 22 November 2011. dead.
  2. https://www.theupcoming.co.uk/2013/03/25/glenn-chandler-discusses-his-love-of-theatre-and-his-new-play-the-lamplighters/ "Glenn Chandler discusses his love of theatre and his new play The Lamplighters"
  3. Web site: Soho Poly info about writers. 9 June 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080525114357/http://www.sohotheatre.com/p8.html. 25 May 2008. dead.
  4. Web site: SMG productions official history of Taggart. 9 June 2008. 1 May 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090501225004/http://www.smgproductions.tv/content/default.asp?page=s2_2_15. dead.
  5. Web site: "There's been a murder, Well, quite a few.." Edinburgh Evening News. 26 June 2008. 29 June 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080629001850/http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/features/Theres-been-a-murder-.4212191.jp. live.
  6. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity-interviews/taggart-writer-glenn-chandler-opens-10947511 "Taggart writer Glenn Chandler opens up about his new play marking 50 years since homosexuality was legalised"
  7. http://broadwaybaby.com/shows/lord-dismiss-us/719675/ "Lord Dismiss Us Five Star Review, BroadwayBaby"
  8. https://www.ayoungertheatre.com/review-lord-dismiss-us-thespace-at-surgeons-hall/ "Review: Lord Dismiss Us, theSpace at Surgeon’s Hall"
  9. https://theatreweekly.com/edinburgh-review-lord-dismiss-us/ "Edinburgh Review: Lord Dismiss Us at The Space @ Surgeons Hall"
  10. http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/lord-dismiss-us-the-space-at-su-14741 "Michael Campbell’s 1967 novel Lord Dismiss Us has been skilfully adapted by award-winning playwright Glenn Chandler."
  11. https://www.qxmagazine.com/2017/10/lord-dismiss-us-stag/ "Lord Dismiss Us – The darkly funny new play at the UK’s only LGBT theatre."
  12. http://britishtheatre.com/review-lord-dismiss-us-above-the-stag/ "REVIEW: Lord Dismiss Us, Above The Stag ✭✭✭✭"
  13. http://everything-theatre.co.uk/2017/11/lord-dismiss-us-above-the-stag-theatre-review.html "Lord Dismiss Us, Above The Stag Theatre – Review"
  14. https://www.londontheatre1.com/news/186632/review-lord-dismiss-us-above-the-stag-theatre/ "Review of Lord Dismiss Us at Above The Stag Theatre"
  15. http://www.offwestend.com/index.php/pages/the_offies "The Offies (The Off West End Theatre Awards)"
  16. https://www.thespaceuk.com/shows/2018/kids-play/ "Boys of the Empire Productions - Kids Play"
  17. https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2018/kids-play-review-at-the-space-edinburgh-festival-fringe/ "Kids Play review at the Space, Edinburgh – ‘Expertly crafted comedy-drama’"
  18. https://edinburghfestival.list.co.uk/article/103328-kids-play/ "Two men, a bag of sex-toys and some moral danger in a thriller from Glenn Chandler"
  19. https://broadwaybaby.com/features/kids-play-wins-the-bobby-award-for-the-best-show-of-the-fringe/2089 "Kids Play wins The Bobby Award for the best show of the Fringe"
  20. https://britishtheatre.com/kids-play-transfers-above-stag/ "Kids Play Transfers To Above The Stag"
  21. https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/kids-play-above-the-stage-16549 "Kids Play review, Above The Stag"
  22. https://mytheatremates.com/theboyunder_news/ "NEWS: Glenn Chandler follows Kids Play with The Boy Under the Christmas Tree premiere"
  23. https://broadwaybaby.com/features/mystery-mirth-and-mayhem-surround-the-boy-under-the-christmas-tree/2114 "Mystery, Mirth and Mayhem Surround The Boy Under The Christmas Tree"
  24. https://www.londontheatre1.com/reviews/the-boy-under-the-christmas-tree-at-the-kings-head-theatre/ "The Boy Under The Christmas Tree at the King’s Head Theatre"
  25. http://boyz.co.uk/the-boy-under-the-christmas-tree-at-the-kings-head-theatre-press-night-review-by-stephen-vowles/ "The Boy Under The Christmas Tree at the King’s Head Theatre: Press Night Review by Stephen Vowles"
  26. https://theatreweekly.com/review-the-boy-under-the-christmas-tree-at-kings-head-theatre/ "Review: The Boy Under The Christmas Tree at King’s Head Theatre"
  27. http://partially-obstructed-view.blogspot.com/2018/12/theatre-review-boy-under-christmas-tree.html "Theatre review: The Boy Under the Christmas Tree"
  28. https://britishtheatre.com/review-fanny-and-stella-above-the-stag-4stars/ "REVIEW: Fanny and Stella, Above The Stag "
  29. https://thespyinthestalls.com/2019/05/fanny-and-stella-the-shocking-true-story/ "Fanny and Stella: The Shocking True Story"
  30. https://britishtheatre.com/review-fanny-and-stella-above-the-stag-theatre/ "REVIEW: Fanny and Stella, Above The Stag, 2019 production"
  31. https://www.london-unattached.com/fanny-stella-above-stag-review/ "Fanny and Stella – At Above The Stag – Review"
  32. https://mytheatremates.com/goodscout-edfringe-news-featured/ "NEWS: Glenn Chandler’s The Good Scout is first-ever play about the true Hitler Youth & Boy Scouts exchange"
  33. https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/whats-on/things-to-do/brexit-drives-taggart-creator-glenn-chandler-to-write-and-premiere-new-play-in-edinburgh-1-4965882 "Brexit drives Taggart creator Glenn Chandler to write and premiere new play in Edinburgh"
  34. https://theatreweekly.com/edinburgh-review-the-good-scout-thespace/ "Edinburgh Review: The Good Scout @ theSpace"
  35. https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/the-good-scout-space-surgeons-17925 "The Good Scout"
  36. http://sgfringe.com/?p=3389 "Review: The Good Scout"
  37. https://mytheatremates.com/good-scout-above-the-stag-theatre-review-roundup-featured/ "FEATURED SHOW: More ★★★★ reviews & an Offies nomination for The Good Scout in London"
  38. https://mytheatremates.com/goodscout-transfernews-featured/ "NEWS: The Good Scout transfers direct from Edinburgh for four-week London run"
  39. http://boyz.co.uk/the-good-scout-press-night-review-by-stephen-vowles/ "The Good Scout at Above The Stag: Press night review by Stephen Vowles "
  40. http://www.londonlivinglarge.com/2019/10/the-good-scout-above-stag-theatre-until.html/ "The Good Scout, Above The Stag Theatre - ★★★★★ - Until November 2, 2019"
  41. https://www.londontheatre1.com/reviews/play/the-good-scout-by-glenn-chandler-at-above-the-stag-review/ "The Good Scout by Glenn Chandler at Above the Stag | Review"
  42. Web site: IMDB Award page for Glenn Chandler. 9 June 2008. 7 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160307001656/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0151373/awards. live.

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