Mark O'Rowe

Mark O'Rowe is a playwright and film writer whose second play, Howie the Rookie, won the George Devine Award when it premiered at the Bush Theatre in 1999. In 2007 he wrote Terminus, a series of interlocking monologues, which received rave reviews when it opened at Dublin's Abbey Theatre and won a Fringe First when it transferred to the Edinburgh Festival in 2008. 

In 2003, Mark wrote his first feature film, Intermission, which starred Colin Farrell and Cillian Murphy and was a popular hit. He went on in 2008 to adapt Jonathan Trigell's novel, Boy A,for Cuba Pictures and Channel 4. Originally written for television, thefilm was picked up for theatrical release by the Weinstein Companyafter it won numerous awards, including a Broadcast Award forBest Single Drama, a Broadcasting Guild Award for Best SingleDrama and four jury awards at Dinard British Film Festival, includingthe Golden Hitchcock (Dinard's top jury prize), which was awarded by aunanimous vote by the festival judges.

Mark's adaptation of Daniel Clay's 2008 novel Broken was directed by Rufus Norris (London Road) and stars Cillian Murphy and Tim Roth.  The film went on to open Cannes Critics' Week and won Best Independent Feature at the BIFAs in 2012.

In 2013 Mark directed a critically acclaimed new production of Howie the Rookie re-imagined for one actor, starring Tom Vaughn-Lawlor and produced by Landmark Productions. Mark's new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's classic play, Hedda Gabler, opened at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin in April 2015.

In 2014, Mark wrote and directed Our Few and Evil Days at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin. The play won both Best Actress and Best New Play at the Irish Times Theatre Awards.

In 2015, Mark adapted four of Shakespeare's History Plays (Richard II, Henry IV Part 1, Henry IV part 2, and Henry V) for Druid Theatre Company, resulting in the epic (and hugely successful) Druid Shakespeare and, the following year he directed Sean O'Casey's Juno and the Paycock at the Gate Theatre, Dublin.

In 2016, Mark wrote and directed the feature film, The Delinquent Season, which will be released this year.