Trueman and the Arsonists

About Max Frisch

Max Frisch (1911-1991) was a playwright and novelist who together with his Swiss compatriot Dürrenmatt is considered one of the most important postwar playwrights writing in German. Simon Stephens began his theatrical career in the literary department of the Royal Court Theatre where he ran its Young Writers' Programme. His plays for theatre include Bluebird (Royal Court Theatre) Herons (Royal Court Theatre 2001); Port (Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester 2002); One Minute (Crucible Theatre Sheffield 2003 and Bush Theatre London 2004); Christmas (Bush Theatre 2004); Country Music (Royal Court Theatre Upstairs 2004); On the Shore of the Wide World (Royal Exchange Theatre and National Theatre London 2005); Motortown (Royal Court Theatre Downstairs 2006); Pornography (Tricycle Theatre London 2009); Harper Regan (National Theatre 2008); Sea Wall (Bush Theatre 2009); Heaven (Traverse Theatre 2009); Punk Rock (Lyric Hammersmith London 2009); The Trial of Ubu (Essen Schauspielhaus/Toneelgroep Amsterdam 2010); A Thousand Stars Explode in the Sky (co-written with David Eldridge and Robert Holman; Lyric Hammersmith London 2010); Wastwater (Royal Court Theatre Downstairs 2011); Morning (Lyric Hammersmith 2012); an adaptation of A Doll's House (Young Vic 2012); an adaptation of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (National Theatre 2012); Blindsided (Royal Exchange 2014); and Birdland (Royal Court 2014). His radio plays include Five Letters Home to Elizabeth (BBC Radio 4 2001) and Digging (BBC Radio 4 2003). Awards include the Pearson Award for Best New Play 2001 for Port; Olivier Award for Best New Play for On the Shore of the Wide World 2005; and for Motortown German critics in Theater Heute's annual poll voted him Best Foreign Playwright 2007. His adaptation of Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time won the 2015 Tony Award for Best Play.