Nick Grosso

Nick Grosso is a British playwright, born in London in 1968 to Argentine parents of Italian and Russian extraction.[1] His style has been described as that of a "latter-day Oscar Wilde on speed" by Sheridan Morley.[2]

Career

In 1993, Grosso's monologue Mama Don't was produced by the Royal Court Young People's Theatre and put on at the Commonwealth Institute, London. It was directed by Roxanna Silbert.

A year later, his first stage play, Peaches, was produced by the Royal Court Theatre in association with the Royal National Theatre Studio and put on at the Royal Court Theatre, London. It starred Ben Chaplin.[3] According to Michael Billington, the season in which Peaches appeared (which also included Blasted by Sarah Kane) defined the historical importance of the Theatre Upstairs, a season of new writing masterminded by Stephen Daldry.[4]

In 1996, Grosso's second stage play, Sweetheart, was produced by the Royal Court Theatre and put on at the Royal Court Theatre, London, before embarking on a regional tour. It starred Kate Beckinsale.[5]

In 1998, Grosso's third stage play, Real Classy Affair, was produced by the Royal Court Theatre and put on at the Ambassadors Theatre, London. It starred Joseph Fiennes and Nick Moran.[6][7]

In 2000, Matthew Rhys played the lead role in Peaches, the film of the play written, it was also directed by Grosso.[8][9]

His fourth stage play, Kosher Harry, was produced by the Royal Court Theatre and put on at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in 2002. It was directed by Kathy Burke and starred Martin Freeman.[10][11]

Since then, the Hampstead Theatre in London has produced and put on three young people's plays by Grosso.

In 2004, Grosso directed his monologue Killing Paul McCartney at the Assembly Rooms at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It was produced by David Johnson and performed by Jake Wood.[12][13][14]

The same year, Grosso was invited to participate in the inaugural 24 Hour Plays at the Old Vic Theatre, London, hosted by artistic director Kevin Spacey.[15]

In 2005, Grosso wrote A Play in Swedish English And Italian for the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm, produced by Elverket.[16]

Grosso's plays have received further productions in theatres such as the Salisbury Playhouse, other European countries,[17] and American cities including New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.[18]

Critical response

Grosso's work and role in contemporary theatre has been analysed in books such as State of Play by David Edgar (Faber and Faber, November 1999), In-Yer-Face Theatre by Aleks Sierz,[19] and The Full Room by Dominic Dromgoole.[20]

Notes
  1. Imogen Edwards Jones (2 January 1999). "The Big Interviews". The Times. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  2. Sheridan Morley (4 November 1998). "A Very Glossy Classy Affair". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  3. Irving Wardle (20 November 1994). "Edward Albee: A Revenger's Tragedy". The Independent. Archived from the original on 20 June 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  4. Michael Billington (21 July 2009). "The Royal Court Upstairs marks 40 years of scaling new heights". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  5. Paul Taylor (6 February 1996). "Theatre Sweetheart Royal Court, London". The Independent. Archived from the original on 20 June 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  6. Paul Taylor (20 October 1998). "First Night: The proof that lads' culture can be classy". The Independent. Archived from the original on 20 June 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  7. "Reviews of Past Productions". The Times, The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 6 April 2004. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  8. Bradshaw, Peter (12 October 2001). "Peaches". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  9. "PEACHES (2000)". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  10. Nick Grosso (18 April 2002). "Kosher Harry". Methuen. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  11. Kate Bassett (28 April 2002). "Reviews". The Independent. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  12. Maddy Costa (10 August 2004). "Stand-up by proxy". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  13. Charles Spencer (16 August 2004). "Edinburgh Reports". The Telegraph. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  14. Julian Hall (30 August 2004). "Bill Hicks, Slight Return, The Pleasance". The Independent. Archived from the original on 20 June 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  15. Stephen Pile (8 June 2004). "From blank page to stage in 24 hours". The Telegraph. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  16. Matthew Beard (9 April 2005). "Sven's complicated private life is played out on Swedish stage". The Independent. Archived from the original on 20 June 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  17. "Os Pessegos". YouTube. 17 April 2008. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  18. Neil Genzlinger (22 October 2007). "Alter Egos With Different Languages". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  19. Aleks Sierz (5 March 2001). "In-Yer-Face Theatre". Faber and Faber. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  20. Dominic Dromgoole (9 May 2002). "The Full Room". Methuen. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
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