Munchkin play is causing global stir
By Rebecca Wright
Dean Cavanagh
A Bradford playwright's latest project has caused a global stir, Dean Cavanagh, 40, co-wrote Babylon Heights with Irvine Welsh - famous for the smash-hit, Trainspotting.
The book-based play, which had its world premiere in San Francisco and its European debut at the end of last week in Dublin, tackles the treatment of the actors who played the Munchkins in the Hollywood film the Wizard of Oz.
It unveils a life of debauched partying, social exclusion and the fact many of the Munchkin cast were paid less than Toto the dog.
But Bradford-born Dean, who now lives in Cottingley, said the story does not poke fun at the actors, but was written to highlight the harsh reality behind the well-loved film.
continued...
"If you are going to put people together, they are going to get up to mischief. It's a 1930s version of Big Brother," said Dean.
"We have had some amazing reviews and some that have absolutely panned it, but it's all the same to us," he said.
The pair met in the 1990s when music journalist Dean set up an underground magazine called The Herb Garden, of which Irvine was an avid reader.
Their first project together came about when Dean adapted Irvine's book, Filth, for the big screen.
Since then the writers have worked on a number of projects together, including a BAFTA nominated drama called Dose and a film called Wedding Belles, which has not yet been released.
Despite what seems to be sudden success, Dean said he has spent his entire career working towards this point.
"Its been a long hard slog. We have had lots of rejection, it's only now that things are coming up.
"It's fantastic, it's a great time, and hopefully we can keep it up," he said.
Dean, who grew up in Allerton and went to Rhodesway School, said his friendship with Irvine had produced some dynamic stories over the years.
"We have a great partnership, it's a joy to work with him," he said.
The married dad-of-four also said his own writing style, and direction, was developing.
"It's only in the last four to five years that I have found subjects I have really wanted to write about," he said.
Dean, who said he was not an academic at school, added he hoped young writers would not give up at the first hurdle if they were faced with rejection or needed to develop their style.
"Now I'm in my 40s and my apprenticeship is only just finished. It takes years to find your voice," he said.
He said young people in Bradford needed more encouragement to help them develop their talents.
"I just find it really, really sad that in Bradford if you have a talent at an early age they are going to take it off to London, New York, wherever.
"We have got an absolutely beautiful city and there is so much talent around, but nobody seems to be doing anything about it," he said.
"I love its honesty - you are never going to get too far up a pedestal here in Bradford. It's a difficult city, but I love it, it's fantastic."
e-mail: rebecca.wright@bradford.newsquest.co.uk
http://www.thisisbradford.co.uk/display.var.877908.0.munchkin_play_is_causing_a_stir.php
Dean Cavanagh
A Bradford playwright's latest project has caused a global stir, Dean Cavanagh, 40, co-wrote Babylon Heights with Irvine Welsh - famous for the smash-hit, Trainspotting.
The book-based play, which had its world premiere in San Francisco and its European debut at the end of last week in Dublin, tackles the treatment of the actors who played the Munchkins in the Hollywood film the Wizard of Oz.
It unveils a life of debauched partying, social exclusion and the fact many of the Munchkin cast were paid less than Toto the dog.
But Bradford-born Dean, who now lives in Cottingley, said the story does not poke fun at the actors, but was written to highlight the harsh reality behind the well-loved film.
continued...
"If you are going to put people together, they are going to get up to mischief. It's a 1930s version of Big Brother," said Dean.
"We have had some amazing reviews and some that have absolutely panned it, but it's all the same to us," he said.
The pair met in the 1990s when music journalist Dean set up an underground magazine called The Herb Garden, of which Irvine was an avid reader.
Their first project together came about when Dean adapted Irvine's book, Filth, for the big screen.
Since then the writers have worked on a number of projects together, including a BAFTA nominated drama called Dose and a film called Wedding Belles, which has not yet been released.
Despite what seems to be sudden success, Dean said he has spent his entire career working towards this point.
"Its been a long hard slog. We have had lots of rejection, it's only now that things are coming up.
"It's fantastic, it's a great time, and hopefully we can keep it up," he said.
Dean, who grew up in Allerton and went to Rhodesway School, said his friendship with Irvine had produced some dynamic stories over the years.
"We have a great partnership, it's a joy to work with him," he said.
The married dad-of-four also said his own writing style, and direction, was developing.
"It's only in the last four to five years that I have found subjects I have really wanted to write about," he said.
Dean, who said he was not an academic at school, added he hoped young writers would not give up at the first hurdle if they were faced with rejection or needed to develop their style.
"Now I'm in my 40s and my apprenticeship is only just finished. It takes years to find your voice," he said.
He said young people in Bradford needed more encouragement to help them develop their talents.
"I just find it really, really sad that in Bradford if you have a talent at an early age they are going to take it off to London, New York, wherever.
"We have got an absolutely beautiful city and there is so much talent around, but nobody seems to be doing anything about it," he said.
"I love its honesty - you are never going to get too far up a pedestal here in Bradford. It's a difficult city, but I love it, it's fantastic."
e-mail: rebecca.wright@bradford.newsquest.co.uk
http://www.thisisbradford.co.uk/display.var.877908.0.munchkin_play_is_causing_a_stir.php
