award-winning commissioned published playwright
'beautiful poetry, fearlessly experimental, endlessly inventive and frequently inspired'
See Loki Books Ltd: www.lokibooks.com
REVIEWS/comments include:
'The Crystal Den'(2 stars = 'very good) 'The Evening Standard: 'Marion Baraitser allows each character's flawed humanity to shine through, without sacrificing the richness of the era's intellectual climate.'
'Marion Baraitser's intelligent meaty new play offers a fascinating insight into the ultimately tragic life of Karl Marx's youngest daughter, Eleanor.'(The Stage)
'The play is an outstanding success' (Camden New Jopurnal)
'Bitingly satirical...as powerful a comment on social convention as is to be found anywhere on the London stage'
('What's On')
'Beautifully atmospheric and intelligent piece of work' (Bush)
'An intelligent treatment of a fine novel'(Haymarket Theatre)
'Extremely atmospheric and affecting - a huge influence of Athol Fugard'(Royal Exchange)
'A sophisticated and subtle piece of work' (RSC)
AWARDS:
Arts Council Playwright's Bursary
Arts Council Commission and Options Award
Arts Council Supplementary Benefit Scheme
Arts Council Touring Grant.
AVAILABLE WORK
'Mafeking - A Play with Music'. Set during the siege at Mafeking during the Boer War, the action revisits the extraordinary circumstances and events that surrounded the British victory. The story is told through the eyes of the main character, Sol Plaatje, a skilful young Tswana translator and aide to Colonel Baden-Powell. Sol is witness and victim to events. He goes on to become the ANC fore-father. The action is fast-paced, and weaves the characters together through narrative, movement and a collection of songs and chants. Rehearsed reading at The Bridewell Theatre, London, 2004.
Marion Baraitser's latest play 'THE CRYSTAL DEN'(New End Theatre, Hampstead, London, 2002, supported by Camden Women in Focus and the Sue Hammerson Trust(Oberon Books (ISBN 1 84002 215 9).
The life-crisis of Karl Marx's third daughter, Eleanor, reveals the dark secrets of her family. She has friends to help her: Olive Schreiner, the maverick South Afrian-born feminist; and Israel Zangwill, 'the Jewish Dickens'
'THE STORY OF AN AFRICAN FARM'(developed at the Royal National Theatre Studio, co-produced, the Young Vic, London, 2000) - A radical dramatisation of a classic novel (Oberon Books ISBN 1 84002 167 5),and BBC Radio 4.
'LOUIS/LUI' - the famous French philosopher Louis Althusser murdered his Jewish wife in his university rooms. Our understanding of how and why, shifts through the play. (Arts Council of England Writer's Award. Published in 'Bottled Notes from Underground' ISBN 0 9529426 2 3)
'ELEPHANT IN A RHUBARB TREE' - a turbulent journey through a maze of madness in a surreal psychological thriller (commission Louder than Words, Etcetera Theatre, London).
'MAFEKING'(New PLaywright's Festival)
The siege of Mafeking through the eyes of Sol Plaatje, the African interpreter who becomes the first ANC leader.
'MR BENNET AND MISS SMITH' - the novelist Arnold Bennett and the South African writer Pauline Smith get involved with each other(Arts Council Award,Old Red Lion).
'WINNIE' - the life of Winnie Mandeka (SohoPoly, Verity Bargate shortlist).
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
'Theatre of Animation: Contemporary Adult Puppet Plays (Routledge)
'Plays by Mediterranean Women' (ed. - Aurora Metro Press)
'Post Human' (metropolitan magazine)
Various theatre articles for the 'Jewish Quarterly' and the 'Jewish Chronicle'.
ABOUT MARION BARAITSER
Marion Baraitser is an award-winning published playwright, commissioned by the Arts Council of England, and BBC Radio.
She is a published short story writer, translator and editor.
She took an MA in English Literature, and worked for several years as tutor for Birkbeck's Diploma in English Literature, and as Creative Writing tutor for Morley College and City Lit Institute.
In 1996 she founded her own press, Loki Books, specialising in new works in translation.
Loki Books was nominated for the Women in Publishing Pandora Award, 2000, for peace.
As editor of 'Plays by Mediterranean Women', she attended the 'Women Writers Talk Peace' conference on a British Council Award.
Contact details: email: all@lokibooks.vianw.co.ukOther Places to go: