An accomplished playwright and director, Sean Mathias made an assured feature directorial debut with "Bent" (1997), adapted from Martin Sherman's 1979 play about the plight of homosexuals interred in concentration camps. Mathias imposed a highly theatrical and stylized look that cut to the heart of Sherman's work. He also elicited fine performances from leading actors Clive Owen and Lothaire Bluteau and effective cameos from veterans Mick Jagger and Ian McKellen and rising stars like Jude Law and Rupert Graves.
The Welsh-born Mathias began his showbiz career as an actor in the late 1970s in fringe productions. He made his film debut in a small role in Richard Attenborough's overblown WWII would-be epic "A Bridge Too Far" (1977) and went on to appear in small roles in "Priest of Love" (1981), the TV-movie "The Scarlet Pimpernel" (CBS, 1982) and "White Mischief" (1988).
By the early 80s, Mathias had also begun to make inroads as playwright. His first drama, "Cowardice", premiered in the West End starring Janet Suzman and Ian McKellen. Several of his other efforts, notably "Infidelities" and "A Prayer for Wings", premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival before moving to commercial runs. He also adapted David Levitt's novel "The Lost Language of Cranes" (1992) for British television. Mathias added director to his list of credits beginning with "Exceptions" (1988). He staged an acclaimed revival of "Bent" in 1989 as a benefit, co-starring McKellen, Richard E Grant, Ian Charleson and Ralph Fiennes. Based on the critical and audience reaction, the play was revived the following year again with McKellen who was joined by Paul Rhys and Christopher Eccleston, among others. Mathias has since directed highly-praised productions of "Uncle Vanya" (1991), "Design for Living" (1994), "Les Parents Terribles" (also 1994 and on Broadway in 1996 under the title "Indiscretions") and "A Little Night Music" (1995).
- Also Credited As:
Sean Gerard Mathias
- Born:
March 14, 1956 in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom
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Job Titles:
Director, Playwright, Actor, Screenwriter, Author
Family
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Father: John Frederick Mathias. Welsh; deceased
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Mother: Anne Josephine Mathias. Irish
Significant Others
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Companion: Ian McKellen. together from c. 1981 until c. 1990
Milestones
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1977 Film acting debut, small role in A Bridge Too Far
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1978 Began career as an actor, appearing in fringe productions in Edinburgh
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1982 Acted in the CBS TV-movie The Scarlet Pimpernel
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1982 Produced Ian McKellen in Acting Shakespeare which toured the world and was filmed and aired in the USA on PBS
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1983 Wrote the play Cowardice ; produced in the West End starring Janet Suzman and Ian McKellen
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1985 His play Infidelities was first produced at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and then transfered to the Donmar Wharehouse
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1987 Joan Plowright directed Mathias play A Prayer for Wings ; first produced at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival before transferring to a London theater
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1988 Appeared in the film White Mischief
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1990 Staged acclaimed revival of Martin Sherman s play Bent
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1991 Directed well-received stage production of Uncle Vanya
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1992 Wrote the teleplay for the BBC production The Lost Language of Cranes (shown in USA on PBS)
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1994 Directed West End productions of Les Parents Terribles and Design for Living
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1995 Staged an acclaimed revival of the Stephen Sondheim-Hugh Wheeler musical A Little Night Music , co-starring Sian Phillips and Judi Dench
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1996 Broadway debut as director, Indiscretions , the retitled version of Les Parents Terribles ; earned Tony nomination as Best Director
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1997 Directed the stage play Marlene , starring Sian Phillips as Marlene Dietrich
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1997 Film directing debut, Bent
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1998 Directed Alan Rickman and Helen Mirren in Shakespeare s Antony and Cleopatra
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1999 Staged the Broadway production of Marlene , starring Sian Phillips
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2001 Directed the Off-Broadway play Servicemen
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2001 Helmed the revival of Strindberg s Dance of Death , starring Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren
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2002 Was director of the Broadway revival of The Elephant Man , starring Billy Crudup