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| ==Biography== | ==Biography== | ||
| Ken Hill was born in ], ] on ], ], and was educated at ], after which he joined an amateur theatrical company, ], sweeping the floor, making props, writing and directing. His first play, '']'', was put on at the ], Birmingham, in ]. For a time he worked as an ] for ] and it was there that he caused |
Ken Hill was born in ], ] on ], ], and was educated at ], after which he joined an amateur theatrical company, ], sweeping the floor, making props, writing and directing. His first play, '']'', was put on at the ], Birmingham, in ]. For a time he worked as an ] for ] and it was there that he caused lots of farting...yes. | ||
| In ] ]'s ] returned to its old home, the dilapidated ]. A satire on local authorities was discussed as a good subject for a new production, and Hill's name was put forward as a possible ]. The result of the collaboration Hill's '']'' (]) was condemned by some of the press for its juvenile humour but Joan Littlewood liked it and Hill stayed on. | |||
| He was roped in as an actor in numerous productions but writing, not acting, remained his first love. He was made ] and ] at ] from ] to ] and from ] to ] he took over as ], Joan Littlewood by this time having left for projects in ]. | |||
| Hill's productions there included '']'' (]), a collaboration with hit songwriter ], '']'' (]), '']'' (]) and '']'' (]). He then became ] of the ], directing for the ]: '']'' at the ] (for ]), '']'', and '']''. Other ] credits include ] productions of '']'' and '']''. | |||
| Shortly after, he was commissioned by the ] for a version of '']''. He then wrote and directed for television: '']'' - over the course of his life, Ken managed to write over 100 scripts for various television programmes! His other commissions for various theatres include: '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'', and a new translation of '']''. Ken was also commissioned for productions of '']'', and a '']'' Trilogy. He also adapted and directed two books by ] and completed a third for the ]. | |||
| He cut a conspicuous ] figure, joking with customers at the bar, and patrolling the stage with little solo dances until the audience was settled. In ] he would leap about the stage to demonstrate ideas to his actors, a sight made even more alarming by his height and shock of red hair. He could be stinting with praise for his actors and had little small talk; but he always got the best out of his cast. | |||
| He left ] in ] and worked for some years as the ] at the ]. That same year, he first staged his version of '']'' at the ] in ] (and also on ]). In ], an updated version of '']'' was revived and produced in a joint-production with the Newcastle Playhouse and the ]. ] saw and liked it, and for a while there was talk about his bringing it into the West End. Nothing came of this, however, and Lloyd Webber's own version duly opened in the West End in ]. Hill's ''Phantom'' went abroad to ] in the ] in ] and also had another major production in ] in ]. The musical then embarked on a two-year long national tour of the US from ] - ]. The show also transferred to the West End in ] but, despite excellent notices, did badly at the box office and was forced to close earlier than expected. Since then, ''The Phantom of the Opera'' has arguably become one of his most famous works, and has toured the world - the most recent production was in ], ] in ]. | |||
| '']'', with illusions by the magician, ], fared much better in the West End, transferring from ] to the old ] in ]. This show was a particular favourite of Hill's, combining his love of stage trickery and childish optical jokes in scenes in which, for instance, the unbandaged 'invisible' head of ] smokes a cigar. Hill made everyone working in the theatre, from the cleaning staff upwards, sign a document forbidding them to reveal how this was done to the press. | |||
| Despite having ] intermittently for 12 years, Hill still continued to deluge ] with ideas for new productions right up until his death from his ] on ], ] aged 57, and only five days before his 58th birthday. He died just two weeks before the opening of what was his final production, ''] The Musical!'', which he directed. '']'' opened on ], ], to rave reviews and immense box office success. | |||
| Hill was survived by his wife, the actress ] (who appeared in many of his shows), and two sons from a previous marriage. | |||
| ==Other information== | |||
| '''The Ken Hill Memorial Trust''' was set up after Hill died in 1995, to aid the ] in supporting new talent in ]. It now offers a biennial ] annually to help nurture new talent in theatrical ]. The award in ] was a total of £5,000 for the winner - £1000 in cash, with the balance going towards the production costs of a week's showcase at the ], where many of Ken Hill's works were premiered. In addition, royalties were paid to the writer for the showcase. The trustees also offered small cash prizes to five runners up. There is now news as to whether this trust or award still exists today or not. | |||
| There are also "Ken Hill awards" for new talented playwrights and for the Best New Musical. | |||
| Some of Ken's plays, '']'', '']'', '']'' and his version of '']'', are available to purchase from ] in ]. The rights to produce these shows can also be obtained by theatre groups, professional and amateur, who wish to perform them. | |||
| ==Related links== | |||
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| * in London control the performance rights for Ken Hill's '']'', '']'', '']'' and '']'' | |||
| * includes links to purchase Ken Hill's published works. | |||
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Revision as of 02:28, 29 April 2007
- For other use, see: Ken Hill (MLB pitcher).
Ken Hill (January 28, 1937 - January 23, 1995) was a critically acclaimed English playwright, and theatre director.
He was a protege of Joan Littlewood at Theatre Workshop. He was happiest directing chaotic musicals on the tiny stage of the old Theatre Royal Stratford East, Theatre Workshop's home in Stratford, London, for many years but he also had hits in the West End and abroad, among them The Invisible Man and the original stage version of The Phantom of the Opera, which inspired Andrew Lloyd Webber to create his famed musical blockbuster of the same title.
His stock-in-trade was musical adventure stories. Like Joan Littlewood, his aim was to make things look fresh and improvised, to which end he might spend hours working on one tiny scene with his cast. He set his lyrics to out-of-copyright popular tunes, so that the audience felt familiar with his songs without ever quite being able to place them, and, more importantly, so that music could be adapted without paying royalties the budgets at Theatre Workshop being famously small. He had an encyclopaedic musical knowledge. For example, in his final show, Zorro The Musical!, his lyrics were accompanied by melodies from 19th century Spanish operetta.
Biography
Ken Hill was born in Birmingham, England on January 28, 1937, and was educated at King Edward's School, after which he joined an amateur theatrical company, Crescent Theatre, sweeping the floor, making props, writing and directing. His first play, Night Season, was put on at the Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, in 1963. For a time he worked as an investigative journalist for ATV and it was there that he caused lots of farting...yes.