Over four decades, Stephen Poliakoff has proved himself to be a distinctive dramatist in the mediums of theatre, film and television. Moving from playwright to television and film director, he has been hailed as 'TV's foremost writer' (Independent) and as 'one of our most poetic and best TV dramatists' (Daily Telegraph). In the USA, his TV 'films' have received industry acclaim, The Lost Prince winning three Emmy Awards and Gideon's Daughter two Golden Globes. This book is the first to offer a comprehensive overview of Poliakoff's work for stage and screen and a framework for its critical evaluation. It will prove invaluable to students of theatre, film, and television studies. Robin Nelson locates Poliakoff's distinctive vision and fierce independence as a writer and director in both personal and public histories and against industry contexts. He charts Poliakoff's 'meteoric rise' as a playwright, and his 'second starburst' in television drama since Shooting the Past (1999) which re-affirmed his reputation as a dramatist of distinction.While the chronology of Poliakoff's impressive output is clearly laid out, works are discussed in thematic clusters ranging across mediums to afford a fresh perspective. The book covers 'issue dramas', 'quirky strong women' and 'histories/memories' as well as Poliakoff's early developing dramaturgy, and it examines in detail the later feature films and television dramas which have secured his reputation as our most distinctive television dramatist.
During a career that has spanned four decades Stephen Poliakoff has established himself as a unique talent, a fine stage dramatist and auteur. His work as writer and director has seen him hailed as 'our most poetic and best TV dramatist' while in the US his television dramas have received critical acclaim, The Lost Prince winning three Emmy Awards and Gideon's Daughter two Golden Globes.
This comprehensive study of Poliakoff's work for stage and screen - the first of its kind - will prove an invaluable companion to students of film, media and theatre studies.
Professor Nelson locates Poliakoff's vision and independence as a writer director in his meteoric rise to success in the theatre - which saw him become writer in residence at the National Theatre at the age of 24, in his family background and in the intersection between personal and public histories.
Poliakoff's work for stage and screen is examined in broadly chronological and thematic clusters beginning with his documenting of urban youth culture in early stage plays and in his later TV drama The Tribe. It moves on to consider his women character plays, his issue plays, history plays, feature films and lastly his television dramas which have brought his work to a much larger audience and secured his reputation as the most distinctive television dramatist since Dennis Potter.
