Beresford was born in London in 1972 and raised in Dartmouth. He began acting with a local children’s drama group when he was nine years old, and later attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
After several years of professional work, Beresford found acting not fulfilling enough, and began writing scripts, with several sold to Channel 4 – though none were produced.
His plays include: The Southbury Child (Chichester Festival Theatre & Bridge Theatre, London, 2022); Three Kings (Old Vic, London, 2020); Fanny & Alexander (Old Vic, London, 2018), a stage adaptation of the film by Ingmar Bergman; and The Last of the Haussmans (National Theatre, London, 2012).
Inspired by his upbringing in Dartmouth, he wrote The Last of the Haussmans and submitted it to the National Theatre. In her review, Kate Kellaway of The Observer wrote: “It is with disbelief that one discovers that The Last of the Haussmans is actor Stephen Beresford’s first play. It is a knockout – entertaining, sad and outrageous. If he has more of this quality to write, he is going to be a major name.”
Beresford has also continued to work on screenplays, remarking in 2015 that he always looks for projects with an “element of subversion” in them, so that he can find ways to smuggle in messages and meaning.
With The Last of the Haussmans, Beresford offers us an overload of subversive messages and meaning, wrapped up in a healthy dose of biting wit and humour.
We look forward to bringing this play to The Rep stage in April 2023.
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