The Playwrights Database
RICHARD NORTON-TAYLOR
(1944 - )Nationality: British
email: n/a Website: n/a
Literary Agent: n/a
Richard Norton-Taylor was born on 6 June 1944. He was educated at King's School, Canterbury, Hertford College,Oxford, and the College of Europe, Bruges. In 1975 he joined the Guardian. Since then, he has investigated official secrecy, behind-the-scenes decision-making in Government, and the activities of the security and intelligence services. His books include 'Whose Land Is It Anyway?', 'the Ponting Affair', 'Blacklist, the Inside Story of Political Vetting', 'In Defence of the Realm? the case for Accountable Security and Intelligence Services', 'truth is A Difficult Concept: Inside the Scott Inquiry', and 'Aitken, the Liar'. His works for stage include 'Half the Picture' (an adaptation of the Scott 'arms to Iraq' enquiry), 'Nuremburg', 'srebrenica' and 'the Colour of Justice'.
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below is a list of Richard Norton-Taylor's plays - click on a Play Title for more information
Bloody Sunday: Scenes From the Saville Inquiry Called To Account: the Indictment Of Anthony Charles Lynton Blair For the Crime Of Aggression Against Iraq - A Hearing Chilcot Colour Of Justice, The : the Lawrence Inquiry Half the Picture Justifying War - Scenes From the Hutton Enquiry La Boheme Nuremberg: the War Crimes Trial Tactical Questioning: Scenes from the Baha MoUSA InquiryBloody Sunday: Scenes From the Saville Inquiry
Sunday 30th January 1972: 13 civil rights marchers were shot dead, and another 13 wounded when British soldiers opened fire during an anti-internment civil rights march in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. the 1972 inquiry by Lord Chief Justice, Lord Widgery - branded the Widgery Whitewash by many - suggested that the soldiers had been fired on first, and that there was a strong suspicion that some of the victims had fired weapons. After a sustained campaign by the families of the victims, and in the light of new material collected by the Irish government, a second inquiry was set up in 1998 as part of the Northern Ireland Peace process. Since March 2000 the Saville Inquiry has heard evidence from over one thousand witnesses, including civilians, military, paramilitary, media, experts and forensic scientists, politicians and civil servants, priests and members of the RUC. This play is a Dramatic overview of some of that evidence.
Notes:
Additional testimony from Bloody Sunday family members edited by Eamonn McCann
1st Produced:
Tricycle Theatre, London >>>
07 Apr 2005
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Oberon Books (Apr 2005) >>> 978-1840025682
Music:
-
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Genre:
Verbatim Drama Documentary
Parts:
Male: 12 Female: 5 Other: doubling & extras
Further Reference:
Top of PageCalled To Account: the Indictment Of Anthony Charles Lynton Blair For the Crime Of Aggression Against Iraq - A Hearing
Phillip Sands QC (prosecution) and Julian Knowles (defence) are currently testing the grounds for an indictment of the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, for the crime of aggression against iraq. Following the outcome of this process Richard Norton-Taylor (security affairs editor at the Gaurdian) will gather the evidence and testimonies of the investigation and edit it into a play - thus giving the audience a chance to decide for themselves whether an indictment is proven.
Notes:
edited by Richard Norton-Kent, devised by Nicolas Kent
1st Produced:
Tricycle Theatre, London >>>
16 Apr 2007
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Oberon Books (Apr 2007) >>> 978-1840027457
Music:
-
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Genre:
Documentary
Parts:
Male: 11 Female: 3 Other: -
Further Reference:
Top of PageChilcot
Tasked with investigating Britain's role in the Iraq War, the evidence presented to the Chilcot Inquiry was devastating and stark. Drawing together testimonies from leading political players with the forgotten voices of Iraqi refugees, veterans and military families against war - this pertinent and bold piece of documentary theatre explores the accountability of those who have power over us.
Notes:
written by Richard Norton-Taylor and Matt Woodhead. It was developed and supported by The National Theatre Studio.
1st Produced:
London: The Lowry Studio
26 May 2016
Organisations:
commissioned by The Lowry & Battersea Arts Centre.
1st Published:
Oberon Books (2016) >>> 978-1783197736
Music:
-
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Genre:
Dramatic reconstruction
Parts:
Male: 5 Female: 1 Other: doubling
Further Reference:
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Top of PageColour Of Justice, The : the Lawrence Inquiry
in 1993 black teenager, Stephen Lawrence was stabbed to death in a racist attack by a gang of white youths. the police investigation failed to provide sufficient evidence to convict. Based on the harrowing transcripts of the public inquiry, this is a Dramatic reconstruction of the hearings which reflected the national outcry at the police's mishandling of the case. First seen at the Tricycle theatre, London, this remarkable production received instant acclaim and subsequently transferred to the West End
Notes:
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1st Produced:
Tricycle Theatre, London >>>
06 Jan 1999
Organisations:
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1st Published:
Oberon Books (Mar 1999) >>> 978-1840021073
Music:
-
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If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
Dramatic reconstruction
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: 30 characters
Further Reference:
Top of PageHalf the Picture
a documentary play based on the Scott inquiry
Notes:
written by John McGrath And Richard Norton Taylor
1st Produced:
Tricycle Theatre, London >>>
14 Jun 1994
Organisations:
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1st Published:
Music:
-
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If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
documentary play
Parts:
Male: 5 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageJustifying War - Scenes From the Hutton Enquiry
"It usually begins as a play put on at a theatre in North London, and then transfers to I think the BBC, maybe in this case to ITV, I do not know. But the participants and witnesses are played by actors; and there is nothing one can do to stop this. Indeed, it shows, perhaps, the appetite, legitimate appetite of the public, for information beyond the press, beyond the bare written words of what happened." (the Hutton Inquiry, 1/8/03, from Geoffrey Robertson QC's application for the proceedings to be televised).Although primarily focusing on Dr Kelly's death, the Hutton Inquiry has revealed much of the inner workings of Downing Street, the MoD and the BBC. Witnesses have been challenged and questioned on the compilation of the dossier on weapons of mass destruction, the releasing of Dr Kelly's name into the public domain, and the Government's case for war in Iraq.
Notes:
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1st Produced:
Tricycle Theatre, London >>>
30 Oct 2003
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Oberon Books (Nov 2003) >>> 978-1840024173
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
Verbatim Drama Documentary
Parts:
Male: 13 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
Theatre Record Vol XXIII (2003) Page 1480 - [Theatre: Tricycle]
Theatre Record Vol XXIII (2003) Page 1480 - [Theatre: Tricycle]
Theatre Record Vol XXIII (2003) Page 1480 - [Theatre: Tricycle]
Top of PageLa Boheme
A new set of bohemians take over Soho theatre and bar in this electric new English translation of La Boheme, a tale of love and tragedy, indulgence and excess. Having wowed audiences at Kilburn's Cock Tavern in a record-breaking, sell-out six-month run, Soho theatre takes on opera for the very first time as Puccini's La Boheme is retold for contemporary Soho with a talented, classically trained young cast.
Notes:
Adapted from Pucini
1st Produced:
Soho Theatre
01 Jul 2010
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Oberon Books, London >>> 978-1849430838
Music:
-
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If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
-
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: 3 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageNuremberg: the War Crimes Trial
A gripping verbatim Drama created by Guardian journalist Richard Norton-Taylor using only the actual words spoken in court during the 1946 Nuremberg War Crimes Trial. One by one the surviving members of the Nazi High Command troupe into the dock: Hitler's Deputy, Hermann Goering; Chief of Staff, Wilhelm Keitel; Rudolf Hoess, the Commandant of Auschwitz; Alfred Rosenberg, the chief Nazi theorist; and Hitler's architect and Armaments Minister, Albert Speer. One by one they protest their innocence. One by one they are sentenced for crimes against humanity.
Notes:
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1st Produced:
Tricycle Theatre, London >>>
09 May 1996
Organisations:
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1st Published:
Nick Hern Books, London (1997) >>> 978-1854593320
Music:
-
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If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: 16 Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
Top of PageTactical Questioning: Scenes from the Baha MoUSA Inquiry
On 14 September 2003, at the Haitham Hotel in Basra, Iraq, Baha MoUSA and nine others were arrested by the British Army as suspected insurgents. Two days later Baha MoUSA was dead. A post-mortem examination revealed that he had suffered from asphyxiation, and had received at least 93 injuries to his body whilst in the Army's custody. In 2008 the Secretary of State for Defence announced a PublicInquiry into Baha MoUSA's death and the treatment of those detained with him. Tactical Questioning brings together scenes from the Public Inquiry which examined the shocking events that took placeover those two days of detention, and the British Army's policies towards the treatment of detainees.This production coincides with the publishing of the Inquiry's findings in Summer 2011.
Notes:
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1st Produced:
Organisations:
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1st Published:
Oberon Books ('Jun 2011) >>> 978-1849430319
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
Booksellers:
Genre:
documentary Drama
Parts:
Male: 11 Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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