Joe Scott Penhall(born 1967) is an English-Australian playwright and screenwriter, best known for his award-winning stage playBlue/Orange,the award-winning West End musicalSunny Afternoonand creating theNetflixoriginal seriesMindhunter.
Joe Penhall | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1967 (age 56–57) London,England |
| Occupation | Playwright, screenwriter |
| Nationality | British, Australian |
| Notable works | Blue/Orange |
| Spouse | Emily McLaughlin |
| Children | 2 |
Early life
editPenhall was born in London, and raised inAdelaide, Australia.[1]
Career
editPenhall's first major play,Some Voices,premiered at theRoyal Court Theatre's upstairs playing space in London in 1994. It was very well-received, winning theJohn Whiting Award,and has since been played off-Broadway twice. In 2000 Penhall adapted the play fora film with the same namedirected bySimon Cellan Jones,starringDaniel CraigandKelly Macdonald,which premiered at the CannesDirectors' Fortnight.Penhall returned to theRoyal Court Theatrewith his second full-length playPale Horse,which also played in the Theatre Upstairs and featuredRay Winstone,who had starred inSome Voices.A dark play,Pale Horsetells the story of a bar keeper coming to terms with the sudden death of his wife.[2]
Penhall adaptedIan McEwan's novelEnduring Lovein 2004 tofilmstarringRhys IfansandDaniel Craig.That same year he also wrote the screenplay for BBC2'sBAFTA-nominated dramatisation ofJake Arnott's novelThe Long Firm(1999),[3]starringMark Strong.
In 2000 Penhall's playBlue/Orangebegan its run at theNational Theatre,directed byRoger Michelland starringBill Nighy,Andrew LincolnandChiwetel Ejiofor.The play centres on two NHS doctors trying to deal with a sectioned young black schizophrenic patient; it was a huge success, winning Best New Play at theEvening StandardTheatre Awards,Laurence Olivier Awards,and at theCritics' Circle.It transferred to the West End at theDuchess Theatrethe following year. Penhalladapted this playin 2005 for TV with a new cast. That same year he wrote and directedThe Undertaker,his first short film, starringRhys Ifansand premiering at the London Film Festival.
Penhall's follow-up playDumb Showwas staged at theRoyal Court Theatrein 2004, focusing on tabloid journalism. It was directed byTerry Johnson.Penhall has called this a "small light play" as opposed to the "huge dark play"Blue/Orange.
Landscape With Weapon,about the invention of a weapon of mass destruction, was first performed at theNational Theatrein 2007, directed again byRoger Michelland starringTom HollanderandJulian Rhind-Tutt.
Penhall spent six years working onThe Last King of Scotland,even flying toUgandaand meetingIdi Amin's henchmen; however, he requested his name be removed from the film after other writers were brought on board.[4]Penhall adaptedCormac McCarthy's bookThe Roadin 2009 fora filmstarringViggo Mortensen;for this he received wide praise, scoring a 74% rating onRotten Tomatoes,[5]and was named by Variety Magazine as one of their Top Ten Screenwriters to watch.[6]
In 2009 Penhall's detective dramaMoses Jones,where he also served as executive producer, was shown on theBBC,winning a BAFTA for make-up design and Best Screenplay at the Roma Film Festival in 2009.[7]
In 2011 Penhall returned to the theatre with two plays:Haunted Child,staged at theRoyal Court TheatrewithSophie Okonedo,andBirthday,starringStephen Manganand directed by long-term collaboratorRoger Michell.
Penhall's first stage musical,Sunny Afternoon,with music and lyrics byRay Davies,premiered at theHampstead Theatrein May 2014, before transferring toLondon'sWest End.The musical won four Laurence Olivier Awards in 2015, including forBest New Musical.
In 2017, Penhall created theNetflixseriesMindhunter,directed byDavid Fincher.
In 2018, Penhall's playMood Musicpremiered atThe Old Vic,directed byRoger Michelland starringBen Chaplin.
In 2023, Penhall was revealed to have been attached to write thethirdSherlock Holmesfilmwith starRobert Downey Jr.and directorDexter Fletcherbefore itsdevelopment helldue to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[8]
In 2024, Penhall's playThe Constituentpremiered atThe Old Vic,directed byMatthew Warchusand starringJames CordenandAnna Maxwell Martin.
Personal life
editPenhall is married and lives in London.[9]
Plays
edit- Wild Turkey(1993), premiered at theOld Red Lion Theatre,Islington[10]
- Some Voices(1994), premiered at theRoyal Court Theatre,directed byIan Rickson[11]
- Pale Horse(1995), premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by Ian Rickson[12]
- Love and Understanding(1997), premiered at theBush Theatre,directed byMike Bradwell[13]
- The Bullet(1998), premiered at theDonmar Warehouse,directed byDominic Cooke[14]
- Blue/Orange(2000), premiered at theNational Theatre,directed byRoger Michell[15]
- Dumb Show(2004), premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, directedTerry Johnson[16]
- Landscape With Weapon(2007), premiered at the National Theatre, directed Roger Michell[17]
- Haunted Child(2011), premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, directed byJeremy Herrin[18]
- Birthday(2012), premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by Roger Michell[19]
- Sunny Afternoon(2014), premiered at theHampstead Theatre,directed byEdward Hall
- Mood Music(2018), premiered atThe Old Vic,directed by Roger Michell
- The Constituent(2024), premiered atThe Old Vic,directed byMatthew Warchus
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Go Back Out | — | Writer |
| 2000 | Some Voices | — | Writer |
| 2004 | The Long Firm | Gangster | Uncredited; also writer, 4 episodes |
| Enduring Love | — | Writer | |
| 2005 | Blue/Orange | — | Writer |
| The Undertaker | — | Director and writer; short film | |
| 2009 | Moses Jones | — | Writer and executive producer, 3 episodes |
| The Road | — | Writer | |
| 2015 | Birthday | — | Writer |
| 2017–2019 | Mindhunter | — | Creator, 19 episodes; writer, 2 episodes; executive producer, 10 episodes |
| 2018 | King of Thieves | — | Writer |
Awards
edit- 1994:John Whiting AwardforSome Voices
- 1995: Pearson Thames Television Award forPale Horse
- 2000:Laurence Olivier AwardBest New Play forBlue/Orange
- 2000:Evening Standard Theatre AwardBest New Play forBlue/Orange
- 2000:Critics' Circle Theatre AwardsBest New Play forBlue/Orange
- 2005:BAFTAnominee Best Drama Serial forThe Long Firm
- 2009: Roma Film Festival Best Screenplay forMoses Jones
- 2015: Laurence Olivier Award Best New Musical forSunny Afternoon
References
edit- ^Jones, Alice (28 June 2012),"Guess who's having a baby: Joe Penhall's new play, Birthday, tackles childbirth – with a twist",The Independent,London
- ^Boles, William (2011),The Argumentative Theatre of Joe Penhall,McFarland Press
- ^"The Long Firm",BBC,2004
- ^Dawtrey, Adam (18 June 2008),"Screenwriters To Watch",Variety
- ^"The Road",Rotten Tomates,United States, 2009
- ^"Joe Penhall",Variety,United States, 2008
- ^"Penhall on Moses Jones",The Times,London, 2011
- ^O'Connell, Sean (20 April 2023)."Sherlock Holmes 3 Director Explains Why The Robert Downey Jr. Sequel Hasn't Happened Yet Despite A 'Brilliant' Script".CinemaBlend.Retrieved22 April2023.
- ^Jones, Alice (28 June 2012)."Guess who's having a baby: Joe Penhall's new play, Birthday, tackles childbirth – with a twist".The Independent.London.
- ^Klein, Hildegard (2007), "Joe Penhall",Springer: British Theatre of the 1990s,pp. 77–90,doi:10.1057/9780230210738_7,ISBN978-1-349-28189-3
- ^"Some Voices",Royal Court,1995
- ^"Pale Horse",Royal Court,1995
- ^"Love and Understanding",Bush Theatre,1997, archived fromthe originalon 5 April 2012
- ^"The Bullet",Donmar Warehouse,1998
- ^"Blue/Orange",National Theatre,2000, archived fromthe originalon 25 August 2011
- ^"Dumb Show",Royal Court Theatre,2004
- ^"Landscape With Weapon",National Theatre,2007, archived fromthe originalon 17 September 2009
- ^"Haunted Child",Royal Court Theatre,2011
- ^"Birthday",Royal Court Theatre,2012
External links
edit