Robin Nelson 
Stephen Poliakoff on Stage and Screen 

Over four decades, Stephen Poliakoff has proved himself to be a distinctive dramatist in the mediums of theatre, film and television. Moving from playwright to television and film director, he has been hailed as  »TV »s foremost writer » (
Independent) and as  »one of our most poetic and best TV dramatists » (
Daily Telegraph). In the USA, his TV  »films » have received industry acclaim,
The Lost Prince winning three Emmy Awards and
Gideon »s Daughter two Golden Globes.











This book is the first to offer a comprehensive overview of Poliakoff »s work for stage and screen and a framework for its critical evaluation. It will prove invaluable to students of theatre, film, and television studies. Robin Nelson locates Poliakoff »s distinctive vision and fierce independence as a writer and director in both personal and public histories and against industry contexts. He charts Poliakoff »s  »meteoric rise » as a playwright, and his  »second starburst » in television drama since
Shooting the Past (1999) which re-affirmed his reputation as a dramatist of distinction.







While the chronology of Poliakoff »s impressive output is clearly laid out, works are discussed in thematic clusters ranging across mediums to afford a fresh perspective. The book covers  »issue dramas »,  »quirky strong women » and  »histories/memories » as well as Poliakoff »s early developing dramaturgy, and it examines in detail the later feature films and television dramas which have secured his reputation as our most distinctive television dramatist.