"Every choice we make takes us on a different journey…": Helen Cooper in Conversation
Helen Cooper
Helen Cooper was born in Holland of Welsh/Dutch parentage. After studying History of Art at Leiden University and at the Victoria and Albert Museum she went to the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Film
Helen wrote the highly acclaimed screenplay for Mike Figgis' film Miss Julie, which was based on her original translation of August Strindberg's play. Helen wrote and produced the short film, Station, directed by Jackie Oudney, which won the Cinerail de Bronze in Paris, the Best British Short Film Award at the Kino Festival in Manchester, the Best Short Film Award at the Croydon Film Festival and was nominated as Best Short Film for BAFTA Scotland's New Talent Award 2000.
Theatre
Her most recent highly acclaimed play Three Women and a Piano Tuner premiered in June 2004 at the Chichester Festival Theatre, directed by Sam West, and was runner-up for the Susan Smith Blackburn Award. It transferred to the Hampstead Theatre in June 2005.
Helen's other plays include, Mrs Gaugin, produced at the Almeida Theatre and later in Amsterdam, Hamburg and Ghent, Mrs Vershinin, produced at the Riverside Studios, London, The Tramway Theatre in Glasgow and the Theatre der Welt, Hamburg. Both plays were directed by Mike Bradwell and were nominated for the Susan Smith Blackburn Award. The House of Ruby Moon was developed by the Royal National Theatre Studio and was premiered at the London New Play Festival.
Helen translated Strindberg's Miss Julie for Tom Cairns' production at Greenwich Theatre, Ibsen's Hedder Gabler for Chichester Festival, the libretto of Don Giovanni for Scottish Opera and was the dramaturge for Tom Cairns' production of La Boheme at Stuttgart Opera House.
Radio
Helen's play, Mrs Vershinin, was broadcast on BBC Radio 3; her translation of Hedder Gabler on BBC Radio 4. Her original radio play Mothers at at the Gate was highly acclaimed and is now being developed for theatre.
Helen's work in progress includes 1934 commissioned by Skreba Films, a new commission from the Royal Shakespeare Company, and her play Mothers at the Gate, which is being developed by the Royal National Theatre Studio.