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University of Bedfordshire
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
UK, LU1 3JU
"I am now a free-lance writer and director."
David Balfe has had his fingers in many pies over the years and his most recent has been as the Director of the University of Luton’s version of The Blue Room.
David, 45 is originally from Merseyside where he started his career as a musician. David set up music Label ‘Zoo Music’ where he launched Echo and the Bunnymen and Teardrop Explodes. Later, David became a member of Teardrop Explodes and toured the world with the group, who had a major hit single with ‘Reward’ in 1985.
David also started another music label named ‘Food’ which he later sold to EMI. His more recent involvement with the music industry has consisted of working independently to direct two of Blur’s earlier music videos – She’s so high and There’s no other way. The indie band, which was at its peak during the mid-1990s, has gone on to become one of Britpop’s best known groups. David was also the man who the hit song Country House was written about, following his move from Luton in 1995.
David decided to change his career when he realised that work was becoming exactly that, rather than something he felt passionate about any more. “I’ve always been interested in writing and directing so I decided to go back to studying and develop this interest.”
Founder of the Drama Society, David, graduated from BA (Hons) Creative Writing in 2003 with a first class honours degree. He explained: “I was keen to get involved with drama during my time at the University but there wasn’t anything concrete in place so I decided to take matters into my own hands and set up the Drama Society.
“This was six months before I was due to graduate and the administration of it all took quite a while, hence my involvement after I graduated! We chose this particular play because of contemporary and modern story line, which attracted students to get involved as well as come and see the final production.”
The play, which was shown to the public last week, caused a sensation when it opened at the Donmar Warehouse Theatre in 1998, where it starred Nicole Kidman. The Blue Room follows a chain of sexual encounters between a diverse selection of characters – a prostitute and a cab driver, a politician and a model, an actress and an aristocrat – and the journey that they take, individually and collectively, in their relationships, whether relationships of love or lust.
The production, written by David Hare, then moved to Broadway later that year. The version performed at the University was the first production of the newly formed Drama Society.
The Blue Room is David’s first actual directing role, and he worked alongside University of Luton student Charles Croft. Charles, who is studying a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing, produced the show. He said of the show: “Local theatre is too often seen as something boring for old people. We wanted a play that would be entertaining, sexy and about us and today’s society. This play is certainly all those things and a great play besides. We were not scared by its sexual content but found it exciting and dramatic. The cast, largely first-timers, were courageous in the way that they were prepared to take on such challenging roles.”
David said: “I'm currently writing a screenplay about a bunch of mixed race local college or university students. It's working title is 'East of the Equator' and looks at how young men, and all of us come to that, project our fantasies onto those thing of which we are ignorant, whether across cultures, or sexes."
Interview took place in 2004.
Apply» Faculties & Departments» Bedfordshire Institute for Media, Arts & Performance» Student Profiles» David Balfe: BA Hons Creative Writing
