Enda Walsh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Enda Walsh
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Walsh at the 2024 Berlinale
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| Born | 7 February 1967 Dublin, Ireland |
| Occupation | Playwright, screenwriter |
| Spouse | Jo Ellison |
Enda Walsh (born in 1967) is a famous Irish playwright and screenwriter. This means he writes plays for the stage and scripts for movies.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Enda Walsh was born in Kilbarrack, a part of North Dublin, on February 7, 1967. He grew up in a large family as the second youngest of six children. His father owned a furniture shop, and his mother had been an actress. Walsh has said that his family life gave him many ideas for his plays.
For school, Enda went to Greendale Community School. Two of his teachers there were Roddy Doyle and Paul Mercier, who are also well-known writers. After high school, Walsh studied communications and acted with the Dublin Youth Theatre.
He traveled around Europe and worked as a film editor. When he returned to Ireland, he moved to the city of Cork. There, he joined a theater group called Corcadorca. In 1996, his play Disco Pigs was performed for the first time. This play was a huge success and launched his career around the world.
In 2005, Walsh moved to London with his wife, Jo Ellison. They live in an area called Kilburn with their daughter, Ada.
A Career in Writing
Enda Walsh is known for creating many different kinds of entertainment. He doesn't just write traditional plays. His work includes musicals, an opera, radio plays, and even art installations, which are special rooms designed to make you think and feel.
His plays have been very popular. Many of them, like Disco Pigs, Bedbound, and The Walworth Farce, have been translated into more than 20 languages. They have been performed in countries all over the world, including Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
Famous Plays and Musicals
Walsh has worked with many famous actors and artists. His 2014 play Ballyturk starred actors Cillian Murphy and Stephen Rea. In 2015, he worked with the legendary musician David Bowie to create the musical Lazarus. It was a big hit in New York and London.
He also adapted the famous children's book The Twits by Roald Dahl into a play. Another one of his popular works is the musical Once, which is based on a film. It won many awards, including the Tony Award for Best Musical.
More recently, he wrote the book for the musical Sing Street, which is also based on a popular film.
Writing for Movies
Besides his work in theater, Walsh is also a talented screenwriter. He wrote the screenplay for the movie version of his own play, Disco Pigs.
He also co-wrote the script for the film Hunger. This movie, starring Michael Fassbender, won several awards at major film festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival. He also wrote the screenplay for the 2022 animated film The House for Netflix.
Themes in His Work
Walsh has said that his plays are often about love and the need for peace. He is interested in characters who are on the edge and see the world differently. He once said, "I don't like seeing everyday life on stage: it's boring."
His characters often create strict rules and routines to get through the day. They live in worlds that are a bit strange and abstract. As an audience member, you have to learn the rules of their world to understand them. This makes his plays exciting and thought-provoking.
Selected Works
Here is a list of some of Enda Walsh's most well-known works for theater and film.
Theatre
- Disco Pigs (1996)
- Misterman (1999)
- Bedbound (2000)
- Chatroom (2005)
- The New Electric Ballroom (2005)
- The Walworth Farce (2006)
- Penelope (2010)
- Once (2011) - A musical based on the film.
- Ballyturk (2014)
- Lazarus (2015) - A musical written with David Bowie.
- The Twits (2015) - An adaptation of Roald Dahl's book.
- Arlington (2016)
- Medicine (2021)
Film
- Disco Pigs (2001)
- Hunger (2008)
- Chatroom (2010)
- The House (2022)
- Small Things Like These (2024)
Awards and Recognition
Enda Walsh has won many awards for his work.
- Tony Award: He won a Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical for Once.
- Olivier Award: Once also won two Laurence Olivier Awards in London.
- Film Awards: His film Hunger won the Caméra d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival.
- Theatre Awards: Many of his plays, like Disco Pigs, Bedbound, and The New Electric Ballroom, have won awards at the famous Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
In 2013, the National University of Ireland, Galway, gave Walsh an honorary doctorate to recognize his amazing contributions to theater and film.
