A left-leaning playwright who was one of the most vocal critics of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, David Hare has also made sporadic excursions into film direction that have yielded interesting, and increasingly polished results. While his work tends to be cerebral, it provides meaty, challenging roles, particularly for women. Much of his best work revolves around females and their roles in society and politics. Hare first rose to prominence in England in the 1970s with his plays "Slag" (1970), "Knuckle" (1974) and "Teeth 'n' Smiles" (1975). Hare's better known stage plays include