WRITING THE BIODRAMA

O’Neill explores the ins and outs of writing biographical drama in this writing manual.

Biopics and their theatrical equivalent, biodramas, have always been a popular art form. Audiences love movies and stage shows that portray the lives of famous athletes, politicians, musicians, and others who’ve experienced remarkable events in their lives. Writing these plays and screenplays can be a bit more complex than creating purely fictional fare, however, as the biodramatist walks a fine line between fidelity to the facts and a commitment to telling a compelling, narratively satisfying story. As O’Neill explains in her introduction, the biodramatist must “transform the facts into dramatic visual scenes for the audience and reader to experience.” This book, which is aimed at novice and seasoned writers alike, is intended to provide a map for those embarking on a biographical project. It covers everything from essential writing and researching tips to strategies for selecting a fruitful subject to the ethics and legalities of portraying real people. The author offers a list of questions every would-be biodramatist should ask themselves, such as how timely a person’s story is and what new perspective a writer might bring to it. O’Neill also discusses biodrama as a genre—she uses the term to refer to both film and theatrical productions—examining its enduring popularity and examining some prominent examples, such as the award-winning films Amadeusand Bohemian Rhapsody. In addition, O’Neill includes a number of writing exercises in order to get her readers into the biodramatic mindset.

Over the course of this guide, O’Neill’s prose is straightforward and workmanlike. She’s often quite frank with her advice, as when she explains what sort of person is a suitable subject for a biodrama, and details why an unnamedfriend of hers simply doesn’t fit the bill: “No addictions, no steamy affairs with famous stars, no nasty divorces, no criminal activity, no theft of his great ideas, no exciting obstacles to overcome. He had a stable social life, which fed his success.” She uses her own play Barassi, about the celebrated Australian rules football player Ron Barassi, as a model for the adaptation process, which is useful in how it shows how a biodramatist may negotiate specific problems. She also helpfully includes advice gleaned from other successful practitioners of the art form, including José Rivera (who adapted the life story of Che Guevara for the screen as The Motorcycle Diaries), Kenneth Lin (who worked on a staged story about Russian billionaire Mikhail Khordokovsky), Robert Reid (who wrote a play about comedian Bill Hicks), and Polly Teale (who wrote a play about the Brontë sisters). Perhaps the most valuable information that O’Neill offers, however, is her thoughts on research—some of which aren’t always obvious, such as the value of learning more about the lives of your subject’s contemporaries. Much of her advice will be relevant for would-be novelists, as well, as she outlines considerations that are important for all writers to consider.

A comprehensive resource for writing dramatic narratives about real people.