Biographical note

Lope de Vega (1562-1635), acknowledged as Spain's most lyrical and energetic dramatist, was a prolific and complusive writer. He treated an enormous range of subjects, often mingling comedy with tragedy, to the horror of the classicists, and defended his methods in his 'Arte nuevo de hacer comedias en este tiempe', published in 1609. David Johnston is Professor of Hispanic Studies at Queen's University Belfast. His principal research interests lie in theatre, and the theory and practice of literary translation. He is co-director of the Queen's-based research forum Betwixt and Between: Translation and Cultural Encounter. He is a multi-award winning translator for the stage, and has written versions of over thirty plays from Spain, Latin America, Portugal and France for professional performance around the world. He was one of the pioneers of the ground-breaking Spanish Golden Age season at London's Gate Theatre in the early 1990s, where he won The Observer Special Award for Achievement in Theatre and London Weekend Television's New Plays on Stage Award. He was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company to write a translation of Lope de Vega's El perro del hortelano, the third time he has been commissioned by the RSC; he has worked closely with the Royal Court's International Department, and he has had work performed on both television and radio.