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Lee Hall (playwright)

January 01, 1970

Lee Hall (born 20 September 1966) is an English writer and lyricist. He is best known for writing the screenplay for the film Billy Elliot (2000) and the book and lyrics for its adaptation as a stage musical of the same name. In addition, he wrote the play The Pitmen Painters (2007), and the screenplays for the films War Horse and Rocketman (2019).

Lee Hall
Born (1966-09-20) 20 September 1966 (age 57)
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
OccupationWriter
Spouse
​
(m. 2003)​

Early life edit

Hall was born in 1966 in Newcastle upon Tyne, the son of a house painter and decorator and a housewife. He was educated at Benfield School in Walkergate. As a youth he went to Wallsend Young People's Theatre along with Deka Walmsley, Mark Scott and Trevor Fox. Walmsley later appeared in two of Hall’s works, Billy Elliot and The Pitmen Painters.

Hall attended Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, where he studied English literature and was taught by poet Paul Muldoon.[1]

After leaving Cambridge, he first worked as a youth theatre fundraiser in Newcastle and at the Gate Theatre in London. In 1997, his playwriting career was launched with the broadcast of his radio play, Spoonface Steinberg, on BBC Radio 4.[2]

Career edit

Hall's most commercially successful work is Billy Elliot, the story of a North Eastern English boy who, in the face of opposition from his family and community, aspires to be a ballet dancer. The inspiration for the screenplay was drawn, in part, from the A. J. Cronin novel The Stars Look Down, which is also set in an English coal mining community during a strike, and similarly tells the story of a miner's son who goes against the grain.[3] The character Billy was also partly inspired by the renowned baritone Sir Thomas Allen who came from a similar background, having been born in the North East's County Durham.[4] Initially a 2000 film directed by Stephen Daldry, for which Hall wrote the screenplay, and for which he received an Academy Award nomination, Billy Elliot was later turned into a stage musical, with music by Elton John and lyrics by Hall. It enjoyed a long run in the West End and opened on Broadway in 2008. It won Hall the 2009 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical.

Also successful was Spoonface Steinberg, the tale of a young autistic Jewish girl who is dying of cancer. The last in a quartet of radio plays entitled God's Country, the monologue aroused an unprecedented listener response when it was broadcast in 1997 on BBC Radio. It was subsequently voted one of the ten best radio dramas of all time by readers of the magazine Radio Times. Spoonface Steinberg was adapted as a television play and into a one woman show starring 42-year-old actress Kathryn Hunter. The play opened in 1999 and later transferred to the West End.

Hall had more limited success with his comedy Cooking with Elvis, the protagonist of which is an Elvis Presley impersonator who has been paralyzed in a car crash. It was originally a 1995 radio play but it became a stage play in 1999. Hall's fondness for moving from one medium to another can also be seen in his work I Luv You Jimmy Spud, which began as a 1995 radio play and was later adapted by Hall into a stage play and a film, Gabriel and Me, starring Billy Connolly and Iain Glen.

He has also translated plays by Carlo Goldoni, Bertolt Brecht and Herman Heijermans and co-written the screenplays for adaptations of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice and Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows.

Hall's play, The Pitmen Painters, inspired by art critic William Feaver's book on the Ashington Group, premiered at the refurbished Live Theatre in Newcastle upon Tyne in 2007. It tells of a group of miners from Ashington, Northumberland, who decide to learn about art and begin to paint. The production later transferred to the National Theatre in London and opened on Broadway in September 2010. It won the 2008 Evening Standard Award for Best Play.

In 2011, controversy arose over a children's opera that Hall had written, called Beached. The opera was commissioned by Opera North and was to have been performed by children from Bay Primary School in Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire. The story is about a gay retired painter, a single father who tries to spend a quiet day at the seaside with his son, but who is interrupted by children on a school trip, dogs, a landscape painter, an amateur dramatic society and others. After rehearsals had been going on for six months, the school threatened to pull the children out of the production if changes were not made to the libretto. Hall changed some words to accommodate their requests, but school officials, supported by Opera North, insisted on the removal of the words "I'm queer" and "I prefer a lad to a lass," and other references to the character being gay.[5] The school eventually agreed to let the children perform if Hall changed "queer" to "gay."[6]

Hall was the original writer on the screenplay for a film adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's War Horse; he shares credit on the finished film with Richard Curtis, who was brought in by Steven Spielberg.[7] His most recent TV work is an adaptation of Nigel Slater's Autobiography Toast, starring Helena Bonham Carter and Freddie Highmore and set in Wolverhampton, West Midlands. First broadcast on BBC One in December 2010, Toast received a gala at the 2011 Berlin Film Festival and was released in cinemas on 11 August 2011. He also worked on the screenplay for the yet-to-release Working Title film Hippie Hippie Shake, based on Richard Neville's memoir Hippie Hippie Shake: The Dreams, the Trips, the Trials, the Love-ins, the Screw Ups: The Sixties.

Hall's other projects include a biopic of Elton John, Rocketman,[8] released in May 2019, a stage musical adaptation of Pink Floyd's The Wall,[9] and a film adaptation of George Orwell's 1933 memoir Down and Out in Paris and London.[10]

Personal life edit

Hall married film director Beeban Kidron (Baroness Kidron) in 2003.[11] Kidron is a child rights advocate who has played a determinative role in establishing standards for online safety and privacy across the world.[12]

Works edit

Plays
Screenplays
Musicals
Operas
  • Beached (2011)
Translations

Awards and nominations edit

Awards
Nominations

References edit

  1. ^ Profile "The poet at play", The Guardian, 12 May 2001, Accessed 2013-10-16
  2. ^ Johnson, Andrew (29 November 2009). "Lee Hall: 'Cambridge taught me I was short'". The Independent on Sunday. London. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
  3. ^ . The Scotsman. Edinburgh. 2 January 2002. Archived from the original on 21 October 2007. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
  4. ^ Whitley, John (10 September 2007). "If Billy Elliot had been a painter..." The Telegraph. London. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
  5. ^ Hall, Lee (3 July 2011). "Lee Hall: 'I will fight this'". The Guardian. London.
  6. ^ "Homophobia row opera to go ahead". BBC News. 7 July 2011.
  7. ^ . Archived from the original on 11 May 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
  8. ^ "Elton John's life to get big screen treatment". BBC News. 22 September 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
  9. ^ "Roger Waters rebuilds The Wall". Herald Sun. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
  10. ^ "Billy Elliot writer Lee Hall adapts George Orwell". BBC News. 30 March 2012.
  11. ^ Barr, Gordon (15 October 2003). "Bridget's boys". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
  12. ^ Scott, Mark (15 June 2023). "How a British baroness is shaping America's tech laws for kids". Politico.com. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  13. ^ "RAZZ NEWZ - The Razzies!". razzies.com.

External links edit

January 01, 1970
hall, playwright, hall, born, september, 1966, english, writer, lyricist, best, known, writing, screenplay, film, billy, elliot, 2000, book, lyrics, adaptation, stage, musical, same, name, addition, wrote, play, pitmen, painters, 2007, screenplays, films, hors. Lee Hall born 20 September 1966 is an English writer and lyricist He is best known for writing the screenplay for the film Billy Elliot 2000 and the book and lyrics for its adaptation as a stage musical of the same name In addition he wrote the play The Pitmen Painters 2007 and the screenplays for the films War Horse and Rocketman 2019 Lee HallBorn 1966 09 20 20 September 1966 age 57 Newcastle upon Tyne EnglandOccupationWriterSpouseBeeban Kidron m 2003 wbr Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Works 5 Awards and nominations 6 References 7 External linksEarly life editHall was born in 1966 in Newcastle upon Tyne the son of a house painter and decorator and a housewife He was educated at Benfield School in Walkergate As a youth he went to Wallsend Young People s Theatre along with Deka Walmsley Mark Scott and Trevor Fox Walmsley later appeared in two of Hall s works Billy Elliot and The Pitmen Painters Hall attended Fitzwilliam College Cambridge where he studied English literature and was taught by poet Paul Muldoon 1 After leaving Cambridge he first worked as a youth theatre fundraiser in Newcastle and at the Gate Theatre in London In 1997 his playwriting career was launched with the broadcast of his radio play Spoonface Steinberg on BBC Radio 4 2 Career editHall s most commercially successful work is Billy Elliot the story of a North Eastern English boy who in the face of opposition from his family and community aspires to be a ballet dancer The inspiration for the screenplay was drawn in part from the A J Cronin novel The Stars Look Down which is also set in an English coal mining community during a strike and similarly tells the story of a miner s son who goes against the grain 3 The character Billy was also partly inspired by the renowned baritone Sir Thomas Allen who came from a similar background having been born in the North East s County Durham 4 Initially a 2000 film directed by Stephen Daldry for which Hall wrote the screenplay and for which he received an Academy Award nomination Billy Elliot was later turned into a stage musical with music by Elton John and lyrics by Hall It enjoyed a long run in the West End and opened on Broadway in 2008 It won Hall the 2009 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical Also successful was Spoonface Steinberg the tale of a young autistic Jewish girl who is dying of cancer The last in a quartet of radio plays entitled God s Country the monologue aroused an unprecedented listener response when it was broadcast in 1997 on BBC Radio It was subsequently voted one of the ten best radio dramas of all time by readers of the magazine Radio Times Spoonface Steinberg was adapted as a television play and into a one woman show starring 42 year old actress Kathryn Hunter The play opened in 1999 and later transferred to the West End Hall had more limited success with his comedy Cooking with Elvis the protagonist of which is an Elvis Presley impersonator who has been paralyzed in a car crash It was originally a 1995 radio play but it became a stage play in 1999 Hall s fondness for moving from one medium to another can also be seen in his work I Luv You Jimmy Spud which began as a 1995 radio play and was later adapted by Hall into a stage play and a film Gabriel and Me starring Billy Connolly and Iain Glen He has also translated plays by Carlo Goldoni Bertolt Brecht and Herman Heijermans and co written the screenplays for adaptations of Jane Austen s Pride amp Prejudice and Kenneth Grahame s The Wind in the Willows Hall s play The Pitmen Painters inspired by art critic William Feaver s book on the Ashington Group premiered at the refurbished Live Theatre in Newcastle upon Tyne in 2007 It tells of a group of miners from Ashington Northumberland who decide to learn about art and begin to paint The production later transferred to the National Theatre in London and opened on Broadway in September 2010 It won the 2008 Evening Standard Award for Best Play In 2011 controversy arose over a children s opera that Hall had written called Beached The opera was commissioned by Opera North and was to have been performed by children from Bay Primary School in Bridlington East Riding of Yorkshire The story is about a gay retired painter a single father who tries to spend a quiet day at the seaside with his son but who is interrupted by children on a school trip dogs a landscape painter an amateur dramatic society and others After rehearsals had been going on for six months the school threatened to pull the children out of the production if changes were not made to the libretto Hall changed some words to accommodate their requests but school officials supported by Opera North insisted on the removal of the words I m queer and I prefer a lad to a lass and other references to the character being gay 5 The school eventually agreed to let the children perform if Hall changed queer to gay 6 Hall was the original writer on the screenplay for a film adaptation of Michael Morpurgo s War Horse he shares credit on the finished film with Richard Curtis who was brought in by Steven Spielberg 7 His most recent TV work is an adaptation of Nigel Slater s Autobiography Toast starring Helena Bonham Carter and Freddie Highmore and set in Wolverhampton West Midlands First broadcast on BBC One in December 2010 Toast received a gala at the 2011 Berlin Film Festival and was released in cinemas on 11 August 2011 He also worked on the screenplay for the yet to release Working Title film Hippie Hippie Shake based on Richard Neville s memoir Hippie Hippie Shake The Dreams the Trips the Trials the Love ins the Screw Ups The Sixties Hall s other projects include a biopic of Elton John Rocketman 8 released in May 2019 a stage musical adaptation of Pink Floyd s The Wall 9 and a film adaptation of George Orwell s 1933 memoir Down and Out in Paris and London 10 Personal life editHall married film director Beeban Kidron Baroness Kidron in 2003 11 Kidron is a child rights advocate who has played a determinative role in establishing standards for online safety and privacy across the world 12 Works editPlays I Luv You Jimmy Spud 1995 The Love Letters of Ragie Patel 1997 The Sorrows of Sandra Saint 1997 Spoonface Steinberg 1997 Cooking with Elvis 1999 NE1 2000 The Chain Play 2001 Child of the Snow 2005 Two s Company 2005 The Pitmen Painters 2007 Shakespeare in Love 2014 Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour 2015 Network 2017 Screenplays Billy Elliot 2000 Gabriel and Me 2001 The Wind in the Willows 2006 Toast 2010 War Horse 2011 Victoria amp Abdul 2017 Rocketman 2019 Cats 2019 Musicals Billy Elliot the Musical 2005 Get Up Stand Up The Bob Marley Musical 2021 Operas Beached 2011 Translations Mr Puntila and His Man Matti by Bertolt Brecht 1998 A Servant to Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni 1999 Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht 2000 The Good Hope by Herman Heijermans 2001 Awards and nominations editAwards 1999 Pearson Playwrights Scheme Award 2000 British Independent Film Award Best Screenplay Billy Elliot 2006 Laurence Olivier Award Best New Musical Billy Elliot the Musical 2008 Evening Standard Award Best Play The Pitmen Painters 2009 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Book of a Musical Billy Elliot the Musical 2009 Tony Award Best Book of a Musical Billy Elliot the Musical 2009 Drama League Award Distinguished Production of a Musical Billy Elliot the Musical shared with Elton John 2009 Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding New Score Billy Elliot the Musical shared with Elton John 2017 Laurence Olivier Award Best New Comedy Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour 2020 Golden Raspberry Award Worst Screenplay Cats 13 Nominations 2001 BAFTA Award Best Original Screenplay Billy Elliot 2001 Academy Award Best Original Screenplay Billy Elliot 2009 Tony Award Best Original Score Billy Elliot the Musical shared with Elton John 2011 Satellite Award Best Adapted Screenplay War Horse shared with Richard Curtis 2018 Laurence Olivier Award Best New Play Network 2018 Satellite Award Best Adapted Screenplay Victoria amp AbdulReferences edit Profile The poet at play The Guardian 12 May 2001 Accessed 2013 10 16 Johnson Andrew 29 November 2009 Lee Hall Cambridge taught me I was short The Independent on Sunday London Retrieved 29 November 2009 Bill and Lee s excellent adventures The Scotsman Edinburgh 2 January 2002 Archived from the original on 21 October 2007 Retrieved 29 November 2009 Whitley John 10 September 2007 If Billy Elliot had been a painter The Telegraph London Retrieved 29 November 2009 Hall Lee 3 July 2011 Lee Hall I will fight this The Guardian London Homophobia row opera to go ahead BBC News 7 July 2011 War Horse Empire Archived from the original on 11 May 2012 Retrieved 13 February 2012 Elton John s life to get big screen treatment BBC News 22 September 2011 Retrieved 25 November 2011 Roger Waters rebuilds The Wall Herald Sun 30 June 2011 Retrieved 25 November 2011 Billy Elliot writer Lee Hall adapts George Orwell BBC News 30 March 2012 Barr Gordon 15 October 2003 Bridget s boys Chronicle Live Retrieved 6 October 2013 Scott Mark 15 June 2023 How a British baroness is shaping America s tech laws for kids Politico com Retrieved 4 June 2023 RAZZ NEWZ The Razzies razzies com External links editLee Hall at British Council Literature Lee Hall at IMDb Lee Hall at the Internet Broadway Database Interview with Lee Hall Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lee Hall playwright amp oldid 1213807846, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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