Stephen Sinclair
Stephen has been writing and directing for the stage and screen for over 30 years.
His hit stage comedy Ladies Night, co-written with Anthony McCarten, continues to be performed throughout Europe and South America. In 2001 the French version won the prestigious Moliere Award for stage comedy of the year. Other plays include the one man play Blowing It, co-scripted and performed by Stephen Papps, which received 5 star reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2003, and went on to tour Australasia and Europe.
His historical drama The Bellbird, which was produced as a main bill for the Auckland Theatre Company in 2002, and was published by Reed in 2004. Reviewing it in the NZ Herald, Peter Calder called it “a play of heart and soul and a valuable addition to our literature.” And in 2004 ATC premiered The Bach, a success they repeated in 2005. The Bach continued to prove its appeal to New Zealand audiences with productions in the other main centres.
Stephen has written and directed several short films, including Ride, which has screened at numerous international festivals. His feature debut Russian Snark, also starring Stephen Papps alongside Elena Stejko, premiered at the 2010 NZ Film Festival in Auckland. It went on to be nominated for 6 NZ Film Awards, including Best Director, and won the Award for Best Supporting Actress. In 2011 it won Best International Film at the Garden State Film Festival, and the Grand Jury Prize at the Brussels Independent Film Festival.
Stephen has had a long screenwriting partnership with Academy Award winners Peter Jackson and Frances Walsh, notably on The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Earlier collaborations with Peter and Fran include the feature film Meet the Feebles, and in 1991, Braindead, which won Best Screenplay at the 1993 New Zealand Film and Television Awards. Recently he was commissioned by Peter and Fran to write a screenplay adaptation of his children’s story Bartholomew’s Birthday.
Stephen has written the novels Thief of Colours, published in 1995, and Dread in July 2000. His collection of poetry, The Dwarf and the Stripper, appeared in 2003. Poems from the collection have been selected for two anthologies: ‘Spirit Abroad: a Second Selection of Spiritual New Zealand Verse’ and ‘121 New Zealand Poems’, selected by Bill Manhire.
