Paul Mercier (playwright)

Paul Mercier (born 1958 in Dublin) is an Irish playwright[1] screenwriter, film and theatre director.[2] Born in Dublin and living in An Cheathrú Rua[3] he was the founder member and Artistic Director of the Passion Machine Theatre Company, and is a Director with Anne Gately of the film production company An Pointe Productions.[4] His work is known for its gritty poetic realism and examination of ordinary, contemporary Irish life.[5][6]

Career

Paul Mercier's work is known for what Irish journalist Fintan O'Toole calls its "inclusive dramatic vision".[7] His plays have received numerous awards such as the Harvey's Irish Theatre Award for Best New Irish Work, The Sunday Independent Arts Award, The Sunday Tribune Arts Award, The Rooney Prize for Irish Literature, and an Edinburgh Fringe First Award. His 1998 Dublin Trilogy received the Evening Herald/ Dublin Theatre Festival Award for Best Irish Production and The Irish Times/ ESB Irish Theatre Award for Best Production. He has written and directed two award-winning short films for Brother Films, 'Before I Sleep' and 'Lipservice', inspired by his time as an Irish teacher at Greendale Community School in Kilbarrack.[8] He directed and co-created the hit Irish-language teenage series 'Aifric' for TG4. He wrote and directed 'Sétanta',[9] a co-production by the Abbey Theatre and Fibín Theatre Company[10] which received the BBC Irish language award at the 2012 Stewart Parker Trust Awards.[11][12]

Playography

Paul Mercier has written and directed the following plays for the Passion Machine Theatre Company,[11] founded in 1984.[13] The company is a project-based operation, staging only original Irish work, and committed to a wholly indigenous theatre that depicted, challenged and celebrated the contemporary Irish experience.[5][14]

Wasters, 1985
  • Drowning (1984),[13]
  • Wasters (1985),[15]
  • Studs (1986),[16]
  • Spacers (1986),[17]
  • Home (1988),[18]
  • Pilgrims (1993),
  • Buddleia (1995),
  • Kitchensink (1996),[19]
  • Native City (1998),
  • We Ourselves (2000),
  • Diarmuid and Gráinne (2001),
  • P (2006).[4]

His work for The Abbey Theatre includes:

  • Down the Line (2000) [Directed by Lynn Parker],
  • Homeland (2006) [Writer/Director],[20]
  • The Passing (2011) [Writer/Director],[21]
  • The East Pier (2011) [Writer/Director].[4]

He has written and directed two plays in the Irish language for Irish language theatre company Fíbín[22]

Filmography

Paul Mercier has written and directed three award-winning short films:

  • Before I Sleep (1996),[26]
  • Lipservice (1998),[27]
  • Tubberware (2001)[4]

He has directed and adapted for the screen his much loved play[28] for Fiach Mac Conghail and Cuan Mac Conghail's Brother Films[29]

For his own film production company An Pointe Productions:

He was the director and co-creator of the celebrated TG4 TV series, Aifric (2006, 2007, 2008).[36] Aifric won best Children's/Youth programme at the 2007, 2008, 2009 Irish Film and Television Awards, and was nominated for Best Irish Language show in 2009.

References
  1. Murray, Christopher (1 January 2000). Twentieth-Century Irish Drama: Mirror Up to Nation. Syracuse University Press. ISBN 9780815606437.
  2. "Paul Mercier". IMDb. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  3. "Carraroe.ie Latest News | Ealaíontóirí". www.ancheathrurua.ie. Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  4. "PlayographyIreland - Paul Mercier". irishplayography.com.
  5. Watt, Stephen; Morgan, Eileen M.; Mustafa, Shakir M. (1 January 2000). A Century of Irish Drama: Widening the Stage. Indiana University Press. ISBN 025321419X.
  6. "Cow pats but no bull: a cultural meeting place for myth and reality". The Irish Times. 24 November 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  7. O'Toole, Fintan; Furay, Julia; O'Hanlon, Redmond (1 January 2003). Critical Moments: Fintan O'Toole on Modern Irish Theatre. Peter Lang. ISBN 9781904505037.
  8. "RTÉ Television - Léargas". www.rte.ie. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  9. "Irish Theatre Magazine | Reviews | Current | Sétanta". itmarchive.ie. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  10. Ó Conchubhair, Brian (10 July 2014). "Fíbín: Back to the Future?". Breac: A Digital Journal of Irish Studies. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  11. "PlayographyIreland - Paul Mercier". www.irishplayography.com. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  12. Theatre, Abbey. "Abbey Theatre - Amharclann na Mainistreach". www.abbeytheatre.ie. Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  13. "Irish Rock Discography: Passion Machine". www.irishrock.org. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  14. "Passion Machine - Companies - Irish Theatre Online". Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  15. "The Passion Machine Wasters - EUscreen". oldportal.euscreen.eu. Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  16. "Bad sports: what's up with Irish art?". The Irish Times. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  17. "PlayographyIreland - Spacers". www.irishplayography.com. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  18. Mercier, Paul (1 January 1989). Home. Dublin: Passion Machine Ltd. ISBN 9781872313054.
  19. "PlayographyIreland - Kitchensink". www.irishplayography.com. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  20. "Cow pats but no bull: a cultural meeting place for myth and reality". The Irish Times. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  21. "The Passing | Paul Mercier Interview". entertainment.ie. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  22. "Theatre as Gaeilge / Irish language & educational theatre for Young People – An Triail & Saol Faoi Shráid". fibin.com. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  23. "Irish Theatre Magazine - Reviews - Current - Sétanta". irishtheatremagazine.ie.
  24. "Dublin Theatre Festival - Réiltín by Paul Mercier - Abbey Theatre - Amharclann na Mainistreach". abbeytheatre.ie. Archived from the original on 30 May 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  25. "A fresh spotlight on Irish language theatre". The Irish Times. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  26. "Cork cruises to a triumphant close". The Irish Times. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  27. Linehan, Hugh. "'General' wins best film award". The Irish Times. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  28. "A little audience participation". The Irish Times. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  29. "FIACH & CUAN MAC CONGHAIL THE CV - Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  30. "Mercier's 'Studs' kicks off film festival". The Irish Times. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  31. "Interview with 'Pursuit' writer/director Paul Mercier – 'Pursuit' in cinemas on September 18 - The Irish Film & Television Network". iftn.ie.
  32. "Presidental [sic] seal of approval for Irish thriller". RTÉ.ie. 10 September 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
  33. "Pursuit review: Firing up the Fenian Cycle". The Irish Times.
  34. "Pursuit | 28th Galway Film Fleadh". Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  35. Clarke, Donald. "The best films from the 30th Galway Film Fleadh". The Irish Times. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  36. "Director Paul Mercier on 'Aifric' - The Irish Film & Television Network". iftn.ie.
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