Barrie Keeffe

Born in London, Keeffe grew up in Forest Gate, in the east of the city, the son of Edward Keeffe, a telecommunications engineer, and his wife, Constance (née Marsh). His ancestors, the O'Keeffes, had arrived from Cork in the mid-19th century. He had a sister, Sue. Keeffe was educated at East Ham Grammar School.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/barrie-keeffe-death-cause-age-writer-film-tv-theatre-gangster-long-good-friday-east-london-a9250396.html|title=Barrie Keeffe: East End writer who hit big with The Long Good Friday|first=Garth|last=Cartwright|newspaper=The Independent|date=30 December 2019}} During the holidays he acted with the National Youth Theatre.

From 1964 to 1975, he worked as a journalist with The Stratford Express (which closed in 2011).{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2016/oct/12/memories-of-a-local-weekly-renowned-for-its-training-of-journalists|title = Memories of a local weekly renowned for its training of journalists|first=Roy|last=Greenslade|author-link=Roy Greenslade|newspaper=The Guardian|date = 12 October 2016}} Some of his writing work, including The Long Good Friday, was inspired by stories he encountered as a journalist, and while drinking at the Two Puddings pub on Stratford Broadway.

He published his debut novel, The Gadabout, in 1969.Ned Chaillet, "Barrie (Colin) Keeffe", in K. A. Berney, ed., Contemporary British Dramatists, Gale, 1994, pp. 387–91. His first television play, The Substitute, was produced in 1972, and his first theatre play, Only a Game, the following year. He became a full-time dramatic author in 1975.

He was writer-in-residence at the Shaw Theatre in 1977, resident playwright with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1978, and associate writer at the Theatre Royal Stratford East from 1986 to 1991. During that period, Keeffe delivered "fifteen years of solid achievement at the top of his game". In 2007, he took the helm at the Collaldra Writers School and Retreat, Venice. In 2011, he became writer in residence at London's Kingston University.

Keeffe's plays have been produced in 26 countries, and his screenwriting credits include The Long Good Friday (1981) and Sus (2010), an adaptation of his 1979 play of the same name.

He was represented by The Agency, London.

Keeffe's writing explores social and political issues, including unemployment, institutionalised racism in the police (Sus), and class (Gimme Shelter). Better Times focuses on the 1921 Poplar Rates Rebellion.Chambers, Colin (ed.), The Continuum Companion to Twentieth Century Theatre, A&C Black, 2006, p. 415. In Barbarians, Keeffe strove to "capture the energy of punk".{{cite web|url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/BARBARIANS-By-Barrie-Keeffe-To-Be-Staged-In-Birthplace-of-Punk-20150907 |title=BARBARIANS by Barrie Keeffe To Be Staged In Birthplace of Punk|first=Carrie|last= Dunn|website=Broadway World|date= 7 September 2015}}

Sus was revived at the Young Vic in 2009, and toured the UK in 2010. The Barbarians trilogy was revived in London in 2012 and 2015 by Tooting Arts Club, and at the Young Vic, also in 2015.[http://www.mllx.co.uk/barbarians "Barbarians"], Matt Leventhall website.Greenslade, Roy (7 October 2015), [https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2015/oct/07/barrie-keeffe-a-loss-to-journalism-but-what-a-gift-to-playwriting "Barrie Keeffe, a loss to journalism but what a gift to playwriting"], The Guardian.Battersby, Matilda (18 April 2012), [https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/features/keeffes-barbarians-tip-up-in-tooting-bringing-astonishing-relevance-7657784.html "Keeffe's Barbarians tip up in Tooting bringing 'astonishing relevance{{'"}}], The Independent.Clapp, Susannah (18 October 2015), [https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/oct/18/barbarians-trilogy-barrie-keeffe-review-soho-theatre "Barbarians review – still angry after all these years"], The Observer

Keeffe taught dramatic writing at City University, London (2002–06), was Judith J. Wilson Fellow at Christ's College, Cambridge (2003–04), and a visiting lecturer and patron of Writing for Performance at Ruskin College, Oxford (2003–04). In 1995, the United Nations' fiftieth anniversary, he served as a United Nations Ambassador.

In 1978, Keeffe received the Paris Critics Prix Revelations, and the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe Award in 1982. In 2010, he was made an Honorary Doctor of Letters at Warwick University.

Keefe was married four times. His first marriage was to Dee Truman, a social worker, from 1969 until their divorce 10 years later. His second marriage was to the novelist and theatre director Verity Bargate, who died in 1981. After her death, Keeffe was guardian to her two sons, whom he brought up. His third marriage was to Julia Lindsay, a pop music agent, from 1983 until their divorce in 1993. In 2012, he married the film and television producer Jacky Stoller.

Keeffe died on 10 December 2019, following a brief undisclosed illness. He was 74.{{cite web |last1=Clarke |first1=Stewart |title=Barrie Keeffe, Writer of Classic British Gangster Movie 'The Long Good Friday,' Dies at 74 |url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/barrie-keeffe-dead-dies-screenwriter-the-long-good-friday-1203431141/ |website=Variety |accessdate=10 December 2019 |date=10 December 2019}}

• Only a Game (1973)
• A Sight of Glory (1975)
• Scribes (1975)
• Here Comes the Sun (1976)
• Gimme Shelter (1977)
• A Mad World My Masters (1977, 1984)
• Barbarians, a trilogy consisting of Killing Time, Abide with Me and In the City (1977)
• Frozen Assets (1978)
• Sus (1979)
• Bastard Angel (1980)
• She's So Modern (1980)
• Black Lear (1980)
• Chorus Girls (1981)
• Better Times (1985)
• King of England (1988)
• My Girl (1989)
• Not Fade Away (1990)
• Wild Justice (1990)
• I Only Want to Be With You (1995)
• The Long Good Friday (1997)
• Shadows on the Sun (2001)
• Still Killing Time (2006)

• Substitute (1972)
• Not Quite Cricket (1977)
• Gotcha (1977)
• Nipper (1977)
• Champions (1978)
• Hanging Around (1978)
• Waterloo Sunset (1979)
• King (1984)

• No Excuses (1983)

• Uncle Jack (1975)
• Pigeon Skyline (1976)
• Only a GameBBC Genome, [https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/762aa5dec33f470787da0dbae784a176 Only a Game by Barrie Keeffe], BBC Radio 4, 29 September 1976. (1976)
• Heaven ScentBBC Genome, [https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/414e63a920754038a6afc98ffc8e8c5e Heaven Scent by Barrie Keeffe], Just Before Midnight, BBC Radio 4, 1979. (1979) (Won a Giles Cooper Award for 1979)
• Anything Known (1980)
• Frozen AssetsBBC Genome, [https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/95dabfd7499946e5a2c3e705c33981a5 Frozen Assets], BBC Radio 3, 30 January 1987. (1987)
• ParadiseBBC Genome, [https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f3fe6e3026b5446a84893db56347e006 Paradise by Barrie Keeffe], BBC Radio 3, 19 December 1989. (1989)
• My GirlBBC Genome, [https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/e142bab4445c4897bb723e3c6d7d5857 My Girl by Barrie Keeffe], BBC Radio 4, 12 October 1992. (19992
• On the Eve of the Millennium[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f66d59527a284d7094fe5990953e0e9f On the Eve of the Millennium], BBC Radio 4, The Friday Play, 29 October 1999. (1999)
• Feng Shui and Me (2001)
• The Five of Us[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/bbb96eb3c2434e86aaa4672cf4dc09d9 The Five of Us], BBC Radio 4, 20 December 2002. (2002)

• The Long Good Friday (1981)
• Sus (2010)

• Gadabout (1969)
• No Excuses (1983)

• A Certain Vincent (1975)
• A Gentle Spirit (1981)

{{reflist|30em}}

• Who's Who

• {{IMDb name|id=0444423|name=Barrie Keeffe}}
• Sheila Johnston, [http://www.theartsdesk.com/film/interview-barrie-keeffe-sus-long-good-friday-and-londons-changing-east-end "Interview: Barrie Keeffe on Sus, The Long Good Friday and London's Changing East End"], theartsdesk.com, 21 April 2010.

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{{Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Motion Picture Screenplay}}

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Category:1945 births

Category:2019 deaths

Category:Academics of City, University of London

Category:English dramatists and playwrights

Category:English male dramatists and playwrights

Category:English male journalists

Category:English male screenwriters

Category:English people of Irish descent

Category:English screenwriters

Category:National Youth Theatre members

Category:People from East Ham

Category:People from Forest Gate