{"title":"Modern and contemporary plays \/ drama","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"under-milk-wood-a-play-for-voices-9781784878900","title":"Under Milk Wood: A Play for Voices","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e'It is spring, moonless night in the small town, starless and bible-black...'\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eUnder Milk Wood\u003c\/i\u003e tells the story of a Welsh village during one spring day. It is populated by some of the best-loved characters in British literature. Lyrical, funny, moving, it is rooted in place but with a universality that has spoken to generations of readers. A Welsh epic, a work of poetic genius, a modern classic.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A tour de force of oral poetry which oozes word pictures and onomatopoeic musicality' \u003ci\u003eGuardian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA tour de force of oral poetry which oozes word pictures and onomatopoeic musicality * Guardian *\u003cbr\u003eA dazzling combination of poetic fireworks and music-hall humor * New York Times *\u003cbr\u003eDylan Thomas...was the most musical of poets. His work is so full of rhythm and melody that one of life's great pleasures is to read him aloud, feeling those syllables roll around your mouth while the rhythms find their ebb and flow -- Cerys Matthews\u003cbr\u003eThomas stretches out his sentences into great, rolling, relentless waves, or crushes words together into compound coinages as the voices whisper and declaim: the play is bawdy, tragic, lyrical, sly, odd, familiar, broad and deep by turns * Guardian *\u003cbr\u003eI'm not sure anyone really needs my opinion on 'Under Milk Wood' as Thomas wrote it. But for what it's worth I think it's brilliant - time hasn't dimmed it, his language remains bracingly wild, elemental and weird * Time Out *","brand":"Vintage Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48066947547479,"sku":"9781784878900","price":8.54,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781784878900.jpg?v=1713212876"},{"product_id":"the-fifth-column-and-four-stories-of-the-spanish-civil-war-9780099586623","title":"The Fifth Column and Four Stories of the Spanish","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eErnest Miller Hemingway was born in Chicago in 1899, the son of a doctor and the second of six children. After a stint as an ambulance driver at the Italian front, Hemingway came home to America in 1919, only to return to the battlefield  this time as a reporter on the Greco-Turkish war  in 1922. Resigning from journalism to focus on his writing instead, he moved to Paris where he renewed his earlier friendship with fellow American expatriates such as Ezra Pound and Gertrude Stein. Through the years, Hemingway travelled widely and wrote avidly, becoming an internationally recognized literary master of his craft. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954, following the publication of \u003ci\u003eThe Old Man and the Sea\u003c\/i\u003e. He died in 1961.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is immediate, unmistakable Hemingway. -- Philip Young * The New York Times Book Review *","brand":"Cornerstone","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732316139863,"sku":"9780099586623","price":9.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780099586623.jpg?v=1719996385"},{"product_id":"george-bernard-shaw-9780198850090","title":"George Bernard Shaw","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGeorge Bernard Shaw has been called the second greatest playwright in English (after William Shakespeare) and one of the inventors of modern celebrity as the most famous public intellectual of his time. Beginning in the 1880s, as a critic and as a playwright, he transformed British drama, bringing to it intellectual substance, ethical imperatives, and modernity itself, setting the theatrical course for the subsequent century. That his legacy endures seventy years after his death is testament to the prescience of his thinking and his prolific creativity. This Very Short Introduction looks at Shaw''s life, starting with his upbringing in Ireland, and then takes a chronological approach through his works. Considering Shaw''s committed antagonism on behalf of a range of socio-political issues; his use of comedy as a mode for communicating serious ideas; and his rhetorical style that pushes conventional boundaries, Christopher Wixson provides an overview of the creative evolution of core themes throughout Shaw''s long career. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIntroduction \"Shavian\" 1: \"GBS\" 2: \"Unpleasant\" 3: \"Pleasant\" 4: \"Puritan\" 5: \"Political\" 6: \"Extravagant\" 7: \"Farfetched\"","brand":"Oxford University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732812280151,"sku":"9780198850090","price":9.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780198850090.jpg?v=1719998503"},{"product_id":"that-face-9780571244218","title":"That Face","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWritten when Polly Stenham was nineteen years old, \u003ci\u003eThat Face \u003c\/i\u003eis a savagely funny dissection of the lives of the rich, reissued in Faber Drama''s elegant new series design.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eYou're shaking. It's too much, isn't it? You only like good clean torture.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMia is at boarding school. She has access to drugs. They are Martha's. Henry is preparing for art college. He has access to alcohol. From Martha. Martha controls their lives. Martha is their mother.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThat Face \u003c\/i\u003epremiered at the Royal Court Theatre, London, 2007, winning the TMA Award for Best New Play. Polly Stenham won the Charles Wintour Award and the Critics' Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e''One of the most astonishing debuts I have seen in more than thirty years.'' DAILY TELEGRAPH\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e''Polly Stenham is a modern successor to Tennessee Williams or Edward Albee . . . an intensely moving, skilfully crafted piece.'' DAILY EXPRESS\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e''Stenham's god-given gift i\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Faber \u0026 Faber","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48735396594007,"sku":"9780571244218","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780571244218.jpg?v=1723810166"},{"product_id":"art-9780571190140","title":"Art","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e''\u003ci\u003eArt'' \u003c\/i\u003eis a profound and hilarious comedy about the value of truth and friendship.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eMy friend Serge has bought a painting.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eIt's a canvas about five foot by four: white. \u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe background is white and, if you screw up \u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eyour eyes, you can make out some fine white \u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003ediagonal lines.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eSerge is one of my oldest friends.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSerge has bought a modern work of art for a large sum of money. Marc hates the painting and cannot believe that a friend of his could feel differently. Yvan attempts to placate both sides, with hilarious consequences. The question is: Are you who you think you are, or are you who your friends think you are?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eArt' \u003c\/i\u003epremiered in this translation at Wyndham's Theatre, London, 1996. It won Olivier and \u003ci\u003eEvening Standard\u003c\/i\u003e Awards for Best Comedy, and New York Drama Critics' Circle and Tony Awards for Best Play.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eA remarkably wise, witty and intelligent comedy.\u003ci\u003e Art \u003c\/i\u003ehas\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Faber \u0026 Faber","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48735398920535,"sku":"9780571190140","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780571190140.jpg?v=1723810166"},{"product_id":"pygmalion-other-plays-9781529048001","title":"Pygmalion \u0026 Other Plays","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGeorge Bernard Shaw is one of  the most famous and celebrated Irish playwrights and this new collection brings together the very best of his witty and entertaining comedies in one volume; \u003ci\u003ePygmalion, Major Barbara \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eAndrocles and the Lion.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePart of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket-sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition has a preface by Oscar-winning actress Judi Dench.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePygmalion \u003c\/i\u003ewas first performed in 1914 and was an instant hit which then inspired the hit musical and award winning film, My Fair Lady. It tells the story of Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins, who tries to elevate a feisty flower girl out of her working-class roots and into high society. In \u003ci\u003eMajor \u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eBarbara\u003c\/i\u003e, idealistic Barbara is a major in the Salvation Army, at odds with her millionaire father as they war over the best route to salvation. \u003ci\u003eAndrocles and the Lion\u003c\/i\u003e is a clever retelling of the Bible story about a gentle Christian who pulls a thorn from a lion’s paw. All three plays are not only wonderfully amusing, they also showcase Shaw's intense concerns about poverty, class and inequality.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShaw's sparkling fable * New York Times on Androcles and the Lion *\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eMajor Barbara\u003c\/i\u003e is a rich play, but also a peculiar one, made up in equal measures of drawing room comedy, philosophical debate and a tale of salvationism that wouldn’t embarrass \u003ci\u003eGuys and Dolls.\u003c\/i\u003e * Variety *","brand":"Pan Macmillan","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48740100800855,"sku":"9781529048001","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781529048001.jpg?v=1720053880"},{"product_id":"dwy-ddrama-ha-ha-2-9781845244088","title":"Dwy Ddrama Ha-Ha! - 2","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eComedies for young actors (and the young at heart): ''Gwylltio'' by Haf Llewelyn and ''Ffyrst Rispondars'' by Gwynedd Huws Jones.","brand":"Gwasg Carreg Gwalch","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48742121079127,"sku":"9781845244088","price":4.25,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781845244088.jpg?v=1720060114"},{"product_id":"dwy-ddrama-ha-ha-5-9781845244118","title":"Dwy Ddrama Ha Ha! - 5","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTwo comedies for young actors (and the young at heart): ''Rhiwbob'' by Peter Hughes Griffiths and ''Lle bo camp bydd rhemp'' by Meinir and Gwion Lynch.","brand":"Gwasg Carreg Gwalch","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48742121341271,"sku":"9781845244118","price":4.25,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781845244118.jpg?v=1720060114"},{"product_id":"plays-the-cherry-orchard-three-sisters-the-seagull-and-uncle-vanya-9781847496683","title":"Plays: The Cherry Orchard, Three Sisters, The","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe most widely staged dramatist after Shakespeare, Chekhov left a deep mark both on the development of Russian literature and world theatre, with plays that were remarkable not just for their dialogue but their atmosphere and the tensions expressed between the lines.    Collected in this volume are Chekhov's four most celebrated plays - The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters and The Cherry Orchard - in a brand-new translation by Hugh Aplin. In these personal stories of unfulfilled love, failed ambition and existential ennui, set against a background of unsettling social and economical change, the reader can appreciate the groundbreaking qualities of Chekhov's theatrical genius.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhat writers influenced me as a young man? Chekhov! As a dramatist? Chekhov! As a story writer? Chekhov! -- Tennessee Williams","brand":"Alma Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48742207881559,"sku":"9781847496683","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781847496683.jpg?v=1720060465"},{"product_id":"the-four-little-girls-and-desire-caught-by-the-tail-9781847498021","title":"The Four Little Girls and Desire Caught by the","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the 1940s, Picasso wrote two plays in French: the first, Desire Caught by the Tail, was conceived during the German occupation of Paris and features a cast of grotesque allegorical characters such as the Onion, Silence or Fat Anxiety discussing the crucial wartime themes of hunger, cold and love; the second, The Four Little Girls, came about a few years after the end of the war on the French Riviera, and presents the stream-of-consciousness thoughts of four unnamed girls in a vegetable garden, revealing an unexpectedly evil aspect of childhood.  These surreal compositions, which were meant to be read aloud rather than formally staged, are a testament to the great artist’s imaginative powers, and have been considered as forerunners to the theatre of the absurd of the 1950s, as exemplified by Beckett, Ionesco and Adamov.","brand":"Alma Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48742211846487,"sku":"9781847498021","price":8.04,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781847498021.jpg?v=1720060483"},{"product_id":"pygmalion-9781847498595","title":"Pygmalion","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen professor of phonetics Henry Higgins wagers with Colonel Pickering that he could teach even a gutter-mouthed flower seller how to speak like a duchess, little does he expect that his social experiment will be riddled with difficulties, and that behind her cockney parlance the girl in question, Eliza Doolittle, has a mind, ideas and aspirations of her own. Things come to a crux when the creature starts to rebel against her creator – and the scene is set for a play that questions the class system, social appearances and the role of women in society.  Universally regarded as Shaw’s most successful work, Pygmalion – here presented in its definitive 1941 version, with footnotes indicating the textual variants from the first volume edition of 1916 – has spawned a great number of adaptations, among them the famous 1956 Broadway musical My Fair Lady, and shows ancient myth’s undiminished ability to find new incarnations in modern life.","brand":"Alma Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48742213845335,"sku":"9781847498595","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781847498595.jpg?v=1720060490"},{"product_id":"chatsky-miser-miser-two-plays-by-anthony-burgess-9781914228889","title":"Chatsky \u0026 Miser, Miser! Two Plays by Anthony","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnthony Burgess was an energetic writer and composer, whose work\u003cbr\u003e for the stage is widely admired. In \u003cem\u003eTwo Plays\u003c\/em\u003e, we see him tackling\u003cbr\u003e major monuments of French and Russian theatre:\u003cem\u003e The Miser\u003c\/em\u003e by\u003cbr\u003e Molière and \u003cem\u003eChatsky\u003c\/em\u003e by Alexander Griboyedov.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMiser, Miser!\u003c\/em\u003e is a bold reworking of Molière’s classic comedy of\u003cbr\u003e 1668. Harpagon the miser is hoarding a pile of gold, which he has\u003cbr\u003e buried in his garden. As he tries to sell off his daughter, catch himself\u003cbr\u003e a beautiful young bride and outwit his scheming household of clever\u003cbr\u003e servants, the comedy of errors intensifies.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eAlthough the original French play is written in prose, Burgess\u003cbr\u003e remakes it in a mixture of verse and prose, in the style of his famous\u003cbr\u003e adaptation of \u003cem\u003eCyrano de Bergerac\u003c\/em\u003e. This translation, discovered in the\u003cbr\u003e author’s archive, is the work of a writer at the height of his powers,\u003cbr\u003e reinventing Molière for modern audiences.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eChatsky\u003c\/em\u003e, subtitled ‘The Importance of Being Stupid’ is another verse\u003cbr\u003e comedy. The theme is that of the intellectual hero who rebels\u003cbr\u003e against the smug, philistine society in which he finds himself. First\u003cbr\u003e performed in 1833, Griboyedov’s play was so heavily cut by Russian\u003cbr\u003e censors that it was barely recognisable. The play is a virtuoso vehicle\u003cbr\u003e for male actors, and the source of many famous quotations. It is\u003cbr\u003e also notoriously difficult to translate. In \u003cem\u003eChatsky\u003c\/em\u003e, Burgess remakes a\u003cbr\u003e classic Russian play in the spirit of Oscar Wilde. It is a great feast of\u003cbr\u003e language and invective.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThe complete texts of both plays are published here for the first time.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eTwo Plays\u003c\/em\u003e confirms Anthony Burgess’s reputation as a gifted writer\u003cbr\u003e for the stage, and as a translator of great wit and sophistication.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e MISER, MISER! 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But his loss is not the only part of the family's past they can't put behind them.","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48864182206807,"sku":"9780141189970","price":8.54,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780141189970.jpg?v=1722270779"},{"product_id":"the-beauty-queen-of-leenane-9780413707307","title":"The Beauty Queen Of Leenane","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Beauty Queen of Leenane tells the darkly comic tale of Maureen Folan, a plain and lonely woman in her early forties, and Mag her manipulative ageing mother whose interference in Maureen's first and potentially last loving relationship sets in motion a train of events that is as gothically funny as it is horrific.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'He (McDonagh) offers all the familiar delights of farce and melodrama, while at the same time offering a powerful critique of contemporary Ireland.' Michael Billington, Guardian, 22.07.10  'Martin McDonagh's play...is not the callous thing that we often hail as;black comedy', but a richly human illustration of that tragicomic paradox. If it wasn't so funny it would be squalid' Libby Purves, The Times, 22.07.10  'The dramatic tension McDonagh creates is brilliantly sustained, while the sudden twists and turns of the plot elicit genuine gasps of surprise from the audience.' Charles Spencer, Daily Telegraph, 23.07.10  'His (McDonagh's) ear for the Irish rhythms and the absurdities of everyday speech is matchless.' Georgina Brown, Mail on Sunday, 01.08.10  'Martin McDonagh is one of the top playwrights to have emerged in the 1990's' Patrick Marmion, Daily Mail, 06.08.10","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48864562807127,"sku":"9780413707307","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780413707307.jpg?v=1722272497"},{"product_id":"the-plough-and-the-stars-9780571212323","title":"The Plough and the Stars","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis educational edition, with the full play text and an introduction to the playwright, features a  detailed analysis of the language, structure and characters of the play,  and textual notes explaining difficult words and references. It contains:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e- The full playtext\u003cbr\u003e- An introduction to the playwright, his background and his work\u003cbr\u003e- A detailed analysis of language, structure and characters in the play\u003cbr\u003e- Features of performance\u003cbr\u003e- Textual notes explaining difficult words and references\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eProfessor Murray''s notes, to be read alongside the full playtext provided here, will enable students to better understand, appreciate, enjoy and write about O''Casey''s greatest play.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Faber \u0026 Faber","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48865102954839,"sku":"9780571212323","price":8.54,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780571212323.jpg?v=1722273541"},{"product_id":"emilia-9781350200258","title":"Emilia","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA spicy work of biographical conjecture ... It''s also a rousing reminder of the countless creative women who have been written out of history or have had to fight relentlessly to make themselves heard.' \u003ci\u003eEVENING STANDARD\u003c\/i\u003eThe great virtue of Lloyd Malcolm's speculative history lies in its passion and anger: it ends with a blazing address to the audience that is virtually a call to arms. It is throughout, however, a highly theatrical piece ... In rescuing Emilia from the shades, [the play] gives her dramatic life and polemical potency.' \u003ci\u003eGUARDIAN\u003c\/i\u003eThe little we know of Emilia Bassano Lanier (1569 - 1645) is that she may have been the Dark Lady of Shakespeare''s Sonnets, mistress of Lord Chamberlain, one of the first English female poets to be published, a mother, teacher who founded a school for women, and radical feminist with North African ancestry. Living at a time when women had such limited opportunities, Emilia Lanier is therefore a fascinating subject for this speculativ\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt is incredibly heartening to hear unabashed feminist rhetoric, spoken by a diverse all-female cast, in a commercial theatre space. [Emilia Bassano] provides a clear way in for discussing the centuries-long silencing of women, the oppression they have faced – and still face today. And you’re never far from a totally topical line, the mix of past and present underlined by Lloyd Malcolm’s use of cheerfully anachronistic slangy contemporary phrases. It can be really fun; this is a gently meta-theatrical and very jolly historical romp of a show, in the mould of ‘Nell Gwyn’ or ‘Shakespeare in Love’. The winkingly modern perspective on the nonsense men spouted and women were expected to put up with is frequently amusing. * Time Out *\u003cbr\u003eIf Shakespeare's Globe had a roof, it would have been blasted off by the thunderous ovations and cheers ... greeting [this] extraordinarily rousing ... play ... In many honourable ways, this feels like a therapeutic blast in the #metoo era and it ends with an appropriately spine-tingling call to arms. “If they try to burn you, may your fire be stronger than theirs, so you can burn the whole f***ing house down”. In the weight of her anger, [Emilia] convinces you that she holds “a muscle memory of every woman who came before me\". ... [This] is a landmark moment in the history of Shakespeare Globe. * Independent *\u003cbr\u003eHistory is written by the victor, and as Malcolm's ... piece shows, the victor in the sixteenth century (and indeed, most of the time now) was male, white, privileged and uncompromising. The elder Emilia notes at one point, \"We read what is recorded and see what is missing\". That's what \u003ci\u003eEmilia\u003c\/i\u003e, the play, does so brilliantly; it fills in the gaps ... Malcolm writes eloquently, at times beautifully, showing Emilia's suffering and brilliance in equal measure. She also uses the context of the Globe masterfully – shattering the fourth wall with direct address to bring the audience into the story. There are romantic squabbles, fun capers ... the piece has a near-constant humour ... An outright feminist triumph and a brilliant call-to-arms. * Whatsonstage *\u003cbr\u003eA spicy work of biographical conjecture ... It's also a rousing reminder of the countless creative women who have been written out of history or have had to fight relentlessly to make themselves heard. * Evening Standard *\u003cbr\u003eThe great virtue of Lloyd Malcolm’s speculative history lies in its passion and anger: it ends with a blazing address to the audience that is virtually a call to arms. It is throughout, however, a highly theatrical piece ... In rescuing Emilia from the shades, [the play] gives her dramatic life and polemical potency. * Guardian *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChronology COMMENTARY CHARACTERS - Historical versus fictional \/ Emilia Lanier Bassano (1560-1645) NARRATIVE PUBLIC HISTORY - Comparative works as diverse as \u003ci\u003eUpstart Crow\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHorrible Histories\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e Downton Abbey, Hamilton\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eSix \u003c\/i\u003ein terms of dramatically subverting traditional histories FEMINISM AUDIENCE DEMOGRAPHIC DRAMATIC DEVICES - the 3 Emilias, Brecht, epic theatre, feminist theatre, Shakespeare's history plays, all-female cast SHAKESPEARE'S GLOBE  INTERVIEW WITH PLAYWRIGHT PLAY TEXT FURTHER READING","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48866595897687,"sku":"9781350200258","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781350200258.jpg?v=1722279380"},{"product_id":"iphigenia-in-splott-9781350298866","title":"Iphigenia in Splott","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat gets me through is knowing I took this pain, and saved all of you from suffering the same.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStumbling down Clifton Street at 11:30 a.m. drunk, Effie is the kind of girl you''d avoid eye contact with, silently passing judgement. We think we know her, but we don''t know the half of it. Effie''s life spirals through a mess of drink, drugs and drama every night,and a hangover worse than death the next day - till one night gives her the chance to be something more.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis powerful new adaptation of the enduring Greek myth drives home the high price people pay for society's shortcomings.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWinner of Best New Play at the UK Theatre Awards 2015\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA furious piece; a tirade against welfare cuts piling up on the poor... Because Owen's writing about the unexpected turns that take one's life, there's no guessing where his play's going. His plot swerves like a getaway car. Just when you think you're watching one kind of play, it becomes another... Crushing. * What's On Stage *\u003cbr\u003eThree key factors are responsible for making Iphigenia in Splott what I think is an extraordinary play. The first is Owen’s excellent script – razor-sharp, witty and full of emotion, it’s the work of a writer who has his pulse firmly on the mood of the world around him. * The Public Reviews *\u003cbr\u003eTense and moving... it shakes you violently and then pummels your heart. * Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003eThe most shattering, angry call for immediate revolt that you will see on stage this year... By any measure going, this is perfect theatre: intelligent, moving, and horribly, horribly relevant. Most of all, though, in those final moments, it feels like the start of a revolution. -- Andrew Haydon * The Guardian *\u003cbr\u003eStrength and power was one of the hallmarks of Gary Owen’s writing right from the start with his early play Crazy Gary’s Mobile Disco. Strength and power and great story telling are here again in his latest work...It’s no wonder that the demand for tickets to see the show has resulted in an extended run. * Theatre in Wales *","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48866598912343,"sku":"9781350298866","price":13.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781350298866.jpg?v=1722279395"},{"product_id":"morning-sun-9781350318670","title":"Morning Sun","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI have kind of become invisible. Nobody looks at me. Not like they used to. You reach an age. Like my age and people stop looking at you. They stop checking you out.   In Greenwich Village a generation or so ago, the city is alive. Joni Mitchell sings, friends and lovers come and go, and the regulars change at the White Horse Tavern.   As 50 years pass, one woman's life is revealed in all its complexity, mystery and possibility in this enthralling world premiere about mothers and daughters, beginnings and endings in New York City.   Simon Stephens's new play, commissioned by MTC, premiered off-Broadway in November 2021 starring Blair Brown, Edie Falco and Marin Ireland.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA lot of playwrights are poets, but not many are craftsmen like Simon Stephens ... His new play, \u003ci\u003eMorning Sun,\u003c\/i\u003e is a master class in theatrical precision. * TheatrerMania *","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48866599076183,"sku":"9781350318670","price":13.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781350318670.jpg?v=1722279396"},{"product_id":"blank-9781350321861","title":"BLANK","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe can't stay awake.\u003cbr\u003eShe sold drugs.\u003cbr\u003eShe's good at interrogations.\u003cbr\u003eShe drinks in the mornings.\u003cbr\u003eShe ate a rabbit.\u003cbr\u003eShe smashed up a shop.\u003cbr\u003eShe stabbed a man.\u003cbr\u003eShe used a hammer.\u003cbr\u003eShe had a baby.\u003cbr\u003eShe can't find her mother.\u003cbr\u003eShe's covered in blood and doesn't know why.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlice Birch's heartbreaking new play reaches across society to explore the impact of the criminal justice system on women and their families.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48866599272791,"sku":"9781350321861","price":17.09,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781350321861.jpg?v=1722279397"},{"product_id":"cock-9781350336698","title":"Cock","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe fact is that some of us like women and some like men and that's fine that's good in fact that's good, a good thing, but it seems to me that you've become confused.\u003c\/i\u003eJohn is happy in himself, and with his boyfriend, until one day he meets the woman of his dreams.In a world full of endless possibilities why must we still limit ourselves with labels? Mike Bartlett's razor sharp play about love and identity redefines the battle of the sexes as we know it.\u003ci\u003eCock \u003c\/i\u003epremiered at the Royal Court Theatre, London, on 13 November 2009. This new and revised edition was published to coincide with the West End production in 2022, starring Jonathan Bailey, Taron Egerton and Jade Anouka.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA smart, prickly and rewarding view of sexual and emotional confusion . . . The writing is lubricious, sometimes grubby and in places savagely unpleasant. But it has a wounding authenticity. We laugh nervously, aware of its precision. * Evening Standard *\u003cbr\u003eMike Bartlett has proved a devastatingly astute observer of adults behaving badly and this latest work is no exception . . . He is mercilessly accurate, wickedly funny and strangely touching. * Financial Times *","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48866600026455,"sku":"9781350336698","price":17.04,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781350336698.jpg?v=1722279399"},{"product_id":"arthur-miller-plays-6-9781350354425","title":"Arthur Miller Plays 6","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe final volume in Methuen Drama''s acclaimed series of work by Arthur Miller who, during his lifetime, was acknowledged as the greatest American dramatist of our age (\u003ci\u003eEvening Standard\u003c\/i\u003e). Featuring two plays from the 1990s and his final two plays (2002 and 2004), it offers the first ever publication of Miller''s final play, \u003ci\u003eFinishing the Picture\u003c\/i\u003e. Inspired by his experience during the filming of \u003ci\u003eThe Misfits\u003c\/i\u003e with his then wife Marilyn Monroe, the play was completed and produced at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago, just months before the playwright''s death in February 2005.\u003ci\u003eBroken Glass\u003c\/i\u003e (1994) is set in Brooklyn in 1938 and intertwines a woman''s obsession with the news from Germany that government thugs are smashing Jewish stores, with her strange relationship with her husband. It balances private lives with public morality. . . it is also an amazingly full-blooded piece, bursting with pain and passion. (\u003ci\u003eDaily Telegraph\u003c\/i\u003e). \u003ci\u003eMr Peters'' Connections\u003c\/i\u003e (199","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48866600812887,"sku":"9781350354425","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781350354425.jpg?v=1722279403"},{"product_id":"heaven-9781350356641","title":"Heaven","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eI am getting nearer to something. The answer to the question. Who am I? A woman who leaves her husband very suddenly for an old lover and heads to a cottage in Kerry?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eI needed someone strong. Someone who would sweep me along. Keep me here. In this world. Not allow me to wander down below, and I wanted a child. I dearly wanted a child.\u003c\/i\u003eMairead and Mal are struggling to keep their marriage together. 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He was named a finalist for the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo,[1] and he won an Obie Award for Best New American Play for his play Describe the Night.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘Joseph writes sly, funny dialogue laced with jolts of lyricism. He has a distinctive voice with mordant humor and adventurous tonal range!’ * The Hollywood Reporter *","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48866601501015,"sku":"9781350371620","price":13.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781350371620.jpg?v=1722279408"},{"product_id":"the-the-effect-9781350439702","title":"The The Effect","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLucy Prebble\u003c\/b\u003e is a writer for film, television, games and theatre. Lucy is Executive Producer and writer on the BAFTA, GOLDEN GLOBE and EMMY award-winning HBO drama SUCCESSION, for which she has also won a WGA and a PGA Award. She is the writer and co-creator of I HATE SUZIE and I HATE SUZIE TOO which was nominated for five BAFTAs including Best Drama, Best Writer and Best Actress and won her the Royal Television Society Award for Best Writer. It was a huge hit for Sky, topping many major publications' lists for best shows of 2020 in both the UK and the US where it is available on HBOMax.  She is also the creator and writer of the TV series SECRET DIARY OF A CALL GIRL(ITV\/Showtime), and made a pilot for HBO starring Sarah Silverman. 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Thirty-five years after that premiere, the play's prescience and its searing emotional power are beyond doubt. It was revived on Broadway in 2011 (winning the Tony Award for Best Revival) and adapted for television in 2014 (receiving the Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie).\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThis new edition of the play is published alongside a major revival at the National Theatre, London, in 2021, directed by Dominic Cooke. It features the definitive text of the play, extensive supplementary material including a new introduction by critic and broadcaster David Benedict, and tributes to Larry Kramer by Russell T Davies, Tony Kushner and Matthew López, all of whom have also contributed to the canon of dramatic work about HIV\/AIDS – with, respectively, \u003cem\u003eIt's A Sin\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eAngels in America\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Inheritance\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Burning, argumentative, witty and contentious play about the political and emotional consequences of the AIDS crisis'\u003c\/p\u003e * Observer *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Informative, heart-rending, witty, revelatory, poleaxing, a work of utter topicality and transcendent power'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Listener *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'An epic piece of reportage'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'[A] shattering evening of theatre'\u003c\/p\u003e * Whatsonstage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A glorious, wrenching watch... It's a talky play from an era when things weren't talked about, with a rock-solid emotional core and a leavening seam of dark humour. It's terribly, terribly moving'\u003c\/p\u003e * Evening Standard *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Other plays about the period would follow... But they stood on the shoulders of this one. It demands our consideration'\u003c\/p\u003e * Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Captures the terror, fear, shame and fury of the moment... Kramer's play is living history, written without the benefit of hindsight, and it remains undimmed by time'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Stage *","brand":"Nick Hern Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48868624597335,"sku":"9781839040351","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781839040351.jpg?v=1722288933"},{"product_id":"spring-awakening-a-musical-9781839040443","title":"Spring Awakening: A Musical","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eA time to learn. A time to rebel. A time to love. 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It was published alongside the first London revival at the Almeida Theatre in 2021, directed by Rupert Goold, which won the 2022 Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Here it is at last, the answer to one's prayers - a new musical, bursting with ambition and achievement... It's a blast'\u003c\/p\u003e * Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'An absolute must-see and by far the best new musical in London for ages'\u003c\/p\u003e * Whatsonstage.com *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'With a ravishing rock score by Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik, this brave new musical, haunting and electrifying by turns, restores the mystery, the thrill to that shattering transformation that stirs in all our souls, some time around the age of thirteen'\u003c\/p\u003e * New York Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Once in a generation, if we're lucky, an unexpected new musical comes along and changes everything. That is the thrilling achievement of \u003cem\u003eSpring Awakening\u003c\/em\u003e'\u003c\/p\u003e * New York Observer *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Filled with powerful and poetic intelligence! The awakening here is not just to sexuality but to musical storytelling'\u003c\/p\u003e * New Yorker *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A show that bristles with rawness, vitality and urgency. Sater's book and lyrics seem to capture from within the uniquely teenage feeling that every emotion is the most tempestuous, frightening, passionate or exciting one ever experienced'\u003c\/p\u003e * Variety *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Exquisite... a musical masterpiece... I was blown away by [it]... dark and sophisticated... feels raw and dangerous and honest in a way few musicals really are... pure poetry, a howl of adolescent rage that sings like an angel, a teenage riot that floors you with its beauty'\u003c\/p\u003e * Time Out *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A tidal wave of surging adolescent hormones... feels powerfully current'\u003c\/p\u003e * Evening Standard *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'An explosion of anarchic energy and pent-up frustration... throbs with passion and ingenuity... thrilling'\u003c\/p\u003e * iNews *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A triumph, a piercing beam of light into the way that the adult world simultaneously ignores and suppresses young people... the themes of the piece speak with loud contemporary clarity... devastating... punchy and lyrically expressive... a triumphant achievement'\u003c\/p\u003e * Whatsonstage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Probably the best thing I've seen this year: it moves me; it chokes me; it thrills me'\u003c\/p\u003e * British Theatre Guide *","brand":"Nick Hern Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48868624826711,"sku":"9781839040443","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"the-it-9781839040375","title":"The IT","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'It is really small. Whatever it is.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003e But it's here.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003e It's definitely here.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eA teenage girl has something growing inside her. She doesn't know what it is, but she knows it's not a baby. It expands. It has claws. Eventually it takes over the entirety of her body.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eNo one must know about it. She has to keep its presence, its possession of her, concealed. She pulls away from her friends. She refuses to speak, in case 'The IT' is heard. But she can't contain it forever. 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The story seamlessly yokes the personal to the political in sparkling dialogue'\u003c\/p\u003e * Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Powerful... delivers a persuasive final call-to-arms to its audience'\u003c\/p\u003e * Time Out *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A story of political hope... Bhattacharyya takes us on a journey that encompasses the idealism of stories, and what happens when that collides with the ugly truth of life'\u003c\/p\u003e * Reviews Hub *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Ambitious and essential... [it doesn't] shy away from moral complexity and complicity'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Stage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Pulls no punches... the play is as entertaining as it is meaningful. An important piece to watch'\u003c\/p\u003e * Broadway World *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'With its energetic arguments, moments of great charm, gritty humour, and mix of filth and idealism, this story of resistance and dignity in the face of dreadful global exploitation is both relevant and contemporary'\u003c\/p\u003e * Arts Desk *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'An exuberant, warm-hearted, socially motivated new play... 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Just don't ask me to make eye contact.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eAn imaginative child's glorious fantasies – of dolphins and dragonflies, gingerbread houses and chocolate rivers – offer him an escape from hostile reality.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eWhen reality dictates he has to conform to the 'real world', he has to make a choice. 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Green's writing is something else entirely, a rare talent that needs to be treasured and exalted'\u003c\/p\u003e * Broadway Baby *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A hugely important piece of theatre... gives unparalleled agency to its autistic protagonist, and its message light-footedly unpicks stigmas and untruths about autism... the queer romance which blossoms in the second act is not only brilliantly written but exudes euphoria'\u003c\/p\u003e * WhatsOnStage *","brand":"Nick Hern Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48868625514839,"sku":"9781839041037","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781839041037.jpg?v=1722288938"},{"product_id":"here-9781839041174","title":"Here","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'There's somethin' about this house. Somethin' here. Somethin' in the walls. Its bones. 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Wynter's voice is an exciting one, and \u003cem\u003eBLACK SUPERHERO\u003c\/em\u003e a unique exploration of blackness, queerness, and mental health'\u003c\/p\u003e * Evening Standard *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Wickedly funny and provocatively entertaining... some genuinely outrageous one-liners that bring the house down'\u003c\/p\u003e * Time Out *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Alive and edgy, with plenty of kapow... slowly reveals its emotional powers... a seductive debut'\u003c\/p\u003e * Guardian *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'An incredibly witty play packed full of popular culture references and some crowd-pleasing theatrical sideswipes'\u003c\/p\u003e * Reviews Hub *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Superb... wildly funny but also dark and deeply thought provoking... playfully and innovatively explores themes that other playwrights shy away from... a funny, sexy, and vital piece of theatre. A powerful debut from a very talented writer'\u003c\/p\u003e * Theatre Weekly *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A witty debut... a talent to watch'\u003c\/p\u003e * Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Gripping and very funny... a first play that comes from the heart'\u003c\/p\u003e * British Theatre Guide *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A funny and unflinching exploration of Black masculinity... radical and exciting... Danny Lee Wynter's ambitious play is witty and biting, with intense stand-out moments that force its audience to pay attention'\u003c\/p\u003e * Independent *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A sexy show… Danny Lee Wynter proves himself a natural-born playwright'\u003c\/p\u003e * Metro *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Sharp, witty and unflinching... A funny, sexy, and ultimately poignant portrait of fragility in love'\u003c\/p\u003e * West End Best Friend *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Sexy, brimming with talent... It bristles with ideas and emotion'\u003c\/p\u003e * Observer *","brand":"Nick Hern Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48868625875287,"sku":"9781839041433","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781839041433.jpg?v=1722288941"},{"product_id":"sea-creatures-9781839042140","title":"Sea Creatures","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Where's Robin? \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003e Where's Robin? \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003e Where's Robin?'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eIn a cottage by the sea, four women live in a house made for five. Meals are prepared, stories are shared and the waves break on the shore. When only one of their two expected guests arrives for the summer, life is about to change for all of them...\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eCordelia Lynn's \u003cem\u003eSea Creatures\u003c\/em\u003e is a haunting play about grief, loss and the power of storytelling. It opened at Hampstead Theatre, London, in March 2023, directed by James Macdonald. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Bewitching and otherworldly... a languid meditation on grief, resilience, and the primal forces of creation and destruction'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Stage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A rough jewel of a play... an audacious study of family grief and love'\u003c\/p\u003e * Guardian *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Deeply evocative'\u003c\/p\u003e * Time Out *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Raw and gripping'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Upcoming *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Wildly atmospheric and intriguing... leans into fables of the sea and eerie archetypes with powerful poetry... hypnotic, funny and thought-provoking – an exciting new play'\u003c\/p\u003e * LondonTheatre1 *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Adventurous, witty and given wings by wonderful sights and sounds... marvellous'\u003c\/p\u003e * Observer *","brand":"Nick Hern Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48868625908055,"sku":"9781839042140","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781839042140.jpg?v=1722288941"},{"product_id":"dixon-and-daughters-9781839041518","title":"Dixon and Daughters","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eMary has just been released from prison. She wants to come home and forget all about it – but Briana has other ideas.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eOver two tumultuous days, a family is forced to confront not only their past, but everything about themselves. Because the truth doesn't go away, even if you refuse to hear it.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eA powerful story of family and forgiveness, Deborah Bruce's play \u003cem\u003eDixon and Daughters\u003c\/em\u003e was first performed at the National Theatre, London, in April 2023, directed by Róisín McBrinn and co-produced with Clean Break.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A powerful piece of drama that has us leaning forward eagerly in our seats. Bruce creates a beguiling quality of understated intrigue... poised and compelling'\u003c\/p\u003e * iNews *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A challenging and insightful piece exploring the connection between domestic abuse and the criminalisation of women... Bruce's keenly observed dialogue is vivid and raw, lifted by moments of grim humour'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Stage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Potent... a different kind of haunted house drama, one that builds from slow beginnings to something disturbing and memorable... Bruce's writing deftly scratches out the outlines of these abrasive, damaged, strange women... Each one has a real arc and journey... impressive and powerful'\u003c\/p\u003e * Time Out *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Fiery and intriguing... Bruce has a great ear for dialogue... [the characters] all get great, laugh-out-loud lines and grandstanding emotional moments... lots to admire and enjoy'\u003c\/p\u003e * Evening Standard *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Powerful... Bruce's script is frank, funny, and sad'\u003c\/p\u003e * Broadway World *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'An involving examination of exactly why women continue to suffer in silence, in homes where they should feel safe... an authenticity that cannot be questioned... it has the tang of truth as well as the tension of drama'\u003c\/p\u003e * WhatsOnStage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A comic domestic noir with both humour and horror... beneath its apparent simplicity runs a complex dynamic between family members and cyclically repeated abuse or trauma that feels as genuine as it is tragic'\u003c\/p\u003e * Guardian *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A compelling jet-black comedy with a central figure who's at once perturbing and interestingly flawed, loaded with contradiction'\u003c\/p\u003e * Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Raises important issues about family life... extremely moving... gradually creates a sense of compassionate engagement with the victims of harassment and abuse... truthful and authentic'\u003c\/p\u003e * Arts Desk *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Powerful... an important and timely play. Harrowing, but full of love as much as it is full of fear, a rousing study in female resilience'\u003c\/p\u003e * West End Best Friend *","brand":"Nick Hern Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48868625940823,"sku":"9781839041518","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"lemons-lemons-lemons-lemons-lemons-9781839041457","title":"Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Let's just talk until it goes.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThe average person will speak 123,205,750 words in a lifetime. But what if there were a limit? Oliver and Bernadette are about to find out.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons\u003c\/em\u003e is a tender and funny rom-com about what we say, how we say it, and what happens when we can't say anything any more.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThis special edition of Sam Steiner's hilarious and provocative play – featuring a revised text, plus an introduction by the author – was published alongside a major revival in 2023 performed at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London's West End, as well as at Manchester Opera House and Theatre Royal Brighton. It was directed by Josie Rourke and starred Jenna Coleman and Aidan Turner.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThe play was first performed at Warwick Arts Centre in 2015, and won three Judges' Awards at the National Student Drama Festival before appearing at Latitude Festival, Camden People's Theatre in London, and several runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it was a hit with both audiences and critics. 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But on the running track she feels free. As her body speeds up, the world slows down. And the tangled, mixed-up words in her head start to make sense...\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eIt's time to start a revolution: for her mother, for her sister, for herself. Run, Amber. Run.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eManjeet Mann's multi-award-winning verse novel, \u003cem\u003eRun, Rebel\u003c\/em\u003e, about a young woman beginning to take control of her life, was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal 2021 and won the CILIP Carnegie Shadowers Choice Award, a UKLA Book Award, a Diverse Book Award and the Sheffield Children's Book Award.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThis fast-paced, mesmerising stage version, adapted by the author, was first produced in 2023 by Pilot Theatre, with Mercury Theatre, Colchester, Belgrade Theatre Coventry, Derby Theatre and York Theatre Royal. This edition also contains a range of teaching materials and resources designed to help educators bring the play to life for their students.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Mann's brilliant, coruscating verse novel lays out the anatomy of Amber's revolution, and the tentative first flowerings of hope and change'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eGuardian\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'An empowering show for teenagers with a touch of \u003cem\u003eBend It Like Beckham\u003c\/em\u003e... vividly captures the restlessness of being a teenager'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Stage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Strong storytelling... thought-provoking, involving and exciting'\u003c\/p\u003e * BritishTheatre.com *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A superb adaptation... joyful, vibrant and full of life, with a genuine feel-good ending'\u003c\/p\u003e * Reviews Hub *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A compelling, fast-paced play... there are a lot of opportunities for a cast of young performers to use their creativity in interpreting the text and deciding how it could be performed... a fresh, challenging and original text that is inspiring to read'\u003c\/p\u003e * Drama \u0026amp; Theatre Magazine *","brand":"Nick Hern Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48868626039127,"sku":"9781839042218","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781839042218.jpg?v=1722288940"},{"product_id":"when-winston-went-to-war-with-the-wireless-9781839042225","title":"When Winston Went to War with the Wireless","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn May 1926, Britain grinds to a halt, as workers down tools for the General Strike.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eWith the printing presses shut down, the only sources of news are the government's \u003cem\u003eBritish Gazette\u003c\/em\u003e, edited by Chancellor of the Exchequer Winston Churchill, and the independent, fledgling British Broadcasting Company, led by John Reith. The stage is set for a fierce battle over control of the news and who gets to define the truth.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eJack Thorne's \u003cem\u003eWhen Winston Went To War With The Wireless\u003c\/em\u003e is a gripping play about the birth of a great British institution and its efforts to stay impartial. It premiered at the Donmar Warehouse, London, in June 2023, directed by Katy Rudd, with Stephen Campbell Moore as Reith, Adrian Scarborough as Churchill, and Haydn Gwynne as Stanley Baldwin.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Jack Thorne never ceases to stimulate and entertain'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eEvening Standard\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Utterly compelling'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Wily and fascinating... the script teems with detail... glows with affection for the idea and the ideals of early radio... Alongside acute sideswipes at police violence, the restriction of the right to strike or protest, and Tory infighting, Thorne has tremendous, debunking fun with his main characters... a fascinating reminder of how history repeats itself, usually as comedy'\u003c\/p\u003e * Evening Standard *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Gripping... a riveting, resonant play'\u003c\/p\u003e * Financial Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A fascinating segment of history... the play creates a shimmering sense of the past... Thorne triumphantly uses real history to create a compelling drama that is both amusing, touching and revealing'\u003c\/p\u003e * WhatsOnStage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A steel-coated document of the icy political waltz between the BBC and Winston Churchill... what is it to control truth and speak truth to power?'\u003c\/p\u003e * Broadway World *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Pacy and evocative... the stagecraft dazzles'\u003c\/p\u003e * Guardian *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Fascinating... Jack Thorne is a one-man writing powerhouse'\u003c\/p\u003e * iNews *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A joyful celebration of the BBC... vividly evokes the Corporation's giddy early days'\u003c\/p\u003e * Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Enthralling... magical... plenty of humour... a fascinating glimpse at two men who have shaped the history of this country'\u003c\/p\u003e * Theatre Weekly *","brand":"Nick Hern Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48868626104663,"sku":"9781839042225","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781839042225.jpg?v=1722288940"},{"product_id":"tambo-bones-9781839042331","title":"Tambo \u0026 Bones","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'In today's world, errybody got a story.\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eIt's overwhelming. How! The humanity! O! Everywhere, someone appealing to yo sense of… empathy.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eTambo and Bones are stuck in a minstrel show. It's hard to know what's real when you're stuck in a minstrel show. Their escape plan: get out, get rich, get even.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eA daring theatrical exploration of the intersection of race, capitalism and performance, Dave Harris's play \u003cem\u003eTambo \u0026amp; Bones\u003c\/em\u003e laughs through our past, blows the roof off our present, and imagines an explosive future for our world and for theatre.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTambo \u0026amp; Bones\u003c\/em\u003e was commended in the 2019 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, and was first performed in a co-production between Playwrights Horizons, New York City, and Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles, in 2022. It was first produced in the UK in 2023 by Theatre Royal Stratford East, London, and Actors Touring Company, directed by Matthew Xia.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Blistering… sobering… lacerating stage poetry'\u003c\/p\u003e * New York Magazine *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A racially charged metatheatrical satire and \"rags-to riches hip-hop odyssey\" by slam poet turned playwright Dave Harris'\u003c\/p\u003e * Time Out New York *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Not your typical play about race... Harris has created a hallucinogenic collage in which ideas about protest and history, art and moneymaking tumble over each other'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Provocative and like nothing you've ever seen... an unapologetic vision of America's racial history – combining elements of minstrelsy, hip hop and afrofuturism... darkly funny and downright disturbing'\u003c\/p\u003e * Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Entertaining and unnerving... packs a potent message while toying with the conventions of theatre itself'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Stage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A loud, provocative confrontation of the US's muddy racial history... form-shifting and endlessly surprising... the final scene is one of the most affecting I have seen on stage. Unique, challenging and oh-so necessary, it is a moment that will stay with you long after the play's close'\u003c\/p\u003e * Guardian *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Unpredictably bonkers... a cluster bomb of a play... Harris' lyrical but deadly sharp writing is totally disarming, it uses and abuses theatrical form with iconoclastic brutality'\u003c\/p\u003e * Broadway World *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'I guarantee that you will never have seen a play like this!!... a marvellous piece of theatre... superbly written: VERY funny, then suddenly very shocking... by far the best new American play I have seen for years: it really has to be experienced'\u003c\/p\u003e * LondonTheatre1 *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Daring and layered... hard-hitting... such a powerful, exciting piece of theatre... a stellar work of art'\u003c\/p\u003e * All That Dazzles *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Funny, filthy, and often gleefully ridiculous... a vivid, bone-crunchingly intimate joyride of a show... a blast'\u003c\/p\u003e * Time Out *","brand":"Nick Hern Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48868626137431,"sku":"9781839042331","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781839042331.jpg?v=1722288940"},{"product_id":"prima-facie-special-edition-9781839042317","title":"Prima Facie: Special Edition","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis special edition of the international hit play \u003cem\u003ePrima Facie\u003c\/em\u003e features the definitive version of the award-winning script, together with colour photos and exclusive additional content, giving you a fascinating behind-the-scenes insight into the making of the production and the issues it explores.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eIn the play, Tessa is a young, brilliant barrister who has worked her way up from working-class origins to the top of her game: defending, cross-examining and winning. But when an unexpected event forces her to confront the patriarchal power of the law – where the burden of proof and morality diverge – she finds herself in a world where emotion and integrity are in conflict with the rules of the game.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eAfter acclaimed productions in Australia and winning the Australian Writers' Guild Award for Drama, \u003cem\u003ePrima Facie\u003c\/em\u003e received its European premiere in a sold-out run at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London's West End in 2022 starring Jodie Comer in her West End debut. It was named Best New Play at both the 2023 Olivier and WhatsOnStage Awards. A filmed version, released in 2022, went on to become the highest-grossing event cinema release ever in the UK.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThis edition, published alongside \u003cem\u003ePrima Facie\u003c\/em\u003e's Broadway transfer in 2023, includes contributions from writer Suzie Miller, actor Jodie Comer, director Justin Martin, producer James Bierman and other key members of the creative team, letting you go deeper into the world of the play. There are also essays on the legal context and how the play has become a vehicle for change in attitudes towards the treatment of female victims of sexual assault.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A play that roars... urgent and powerful'\u003c\/p\u003e * Guardian *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A searing, intense indictment of the ways the legal system perpetuates the patriarchal order that has created it in the first place… The relevance of this unsettling drama for our present moment of #MeToo is obvious… joins the ranks of such works as Michaela Coel's \u003cem\u003eI May Destroy You\u003c\/em\u003e and Nina Raine's \u003cem\u003eConsent\u003c\/em\u003e… What we come to know is certainly disturbing, but, as in all great theatre, it strikes one as a true privilege to have made the journey'\u003c\/p\u003e * Arts Desk *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'An unforgettable moment of theatre'\u003c\/p\u003e * WhatsOnStage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'An outstanding piece of theatre that has a phenomenal impact'\u003c\/p\u003e * Reviews Hub *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A damning portrait of justice denied women… teems with rich nuance, testing sympathies… like a punch to the guts'\u003c\/p\u003e * Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Suzie Miller's script is shrewd and economical in its analysis of how the system treats assault survivors... timely and timeless'\u003c\/p\u003e * Evening Standard *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A striking drama... Suzie Miller's text is pacy and punchy'\u003c\/p\u003e * Independent *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'An impassioned play about an important subject... blazing'\u003c\/p\u003e * Time Out (London) *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A polemical monologue which makes its point in style… the cumulative effect is quite something'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Hugely succesful and hard-hitting... What makes this play especially astonishing is how lived-in its writing feels. Miller's background as a lawyer shines in every line of dialogue... an urgent and compelling work'\u003c\/p\u003e * Time Out (Sydney) *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A relevant and deeply disturbing indictment of how our legal system routinely fails sexual assault victims... A seriously important work'\u003c\/p\u003e * Arts Hub (Australia) *","brand":"Nick Hern Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48868626170199,"sku":"9781839042317","price":11.69,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781839042317.jpg?v=1722288941"},{"product_id":"a-strange-loop-9781839042355","title":"A Strange Loop","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eUsher is a Black, queer writer, working a day job he hates while writing his original musical: a piece about a Black, queer writer, working a day job he hates while writing his original musical...\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eMichael R. Jackson's blistering original musical follows a young artist at war with a host of demons – not least of which are the punishing thoughts in his own head – in an attempt to understand his own strange loop.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Strange Loop\u003c\/em\u003e received its world premiere at Playwrights Horizons in New York in 2019. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, as well as Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical at the 2022 Tony Awards – and every other 'Best Musical' award on Broadway.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eIt received its British premiere at the Barbican Theatre, London, in 2023, with Michael R. 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The musical we've been waiting for'\u003c\/p\u003e * Time Out *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'To watch this show is to enter, by some urgent, bawdy magic, an ecstatic and infinitely more colorful version of the famous surreal lithograph by M. C. Escher: the hand that lifts from the page, becoming almost real, then draws another hand, which returns the favor. Which came first? \u003cem\u003eA Strange Loop\u003c\/em\u003e is complex, teasing, thrilling'\u003c\/p\u003e * New Yorker *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Brilliant… Harrowing… one-of-a-kind… Hyper-observant and hyper-verbal, Jackson lets his remorselessly satirical eye wander, to hilarious and devastating effect… What makes \u003cem\u003eA Strange Loop\u003c\/em\u003e so powerful, is not an attempt to find \"our common humanity\" but an insistence on speaking its own idiosyncratic truth'\u003c\/p\u003e * Vogue *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'An exhilarating cocktail of hilarious lyrical complexity… Michael R. Jackson is a musical talent with deep wells of invention'\u003c\/p\u003e * Time Out New York *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Phenomenal... both a raw and unflinching interrogation of identity and the most furiously entertaining show on Broadway'\u003c\/p\u003e * Variety *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Dazzling... spectacularly bold... a challenging, uncompromising show... irreverent and funny... Jackson's songs are slick, tuneful and accessible... An enormous number of musicals have opened in the West End in the last couple of months, but none of them have a tenth of the audacity and imagination of \u003cem\u003eA Strange Loop\u003c\/em\u003e'\u003c\/p\u003e * Time Out *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Triumphant, emotionally lacerating... I sat with my mouth agape, astonished and grateful that something so brutally honest and rigorously constructed had finally broken through to a Broadway stage'\u003c\/p\u003e * LA Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A blast and a revelation... an astonishing tour-de-force'\u003c\/p\u003e * WhatsOnStage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Magnificent... a strikingly original, highly entertaining tour of identity politics and the struggles of selfhood'\u003c\/p\u003e * Guardian *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A thrillingly strange, playful and hilarious new musical, stuffed with catchy tunes... extraordinary... I'd watch it again in an instant'\u003c\/p\u003e * Evening Standard *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A cleverly complex piece of drama, that's also incredibly uplifting and joyful... musical theatre heaven'\u003c\/p\u003e * Theatre Weekly *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'An experience you won't forget'\u003c\/p\u003e * Independent *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Magnificent... dazzling... joyous, clever and alive. Don't miss it'\u003c\/p\u003e * iNews *","brand":"Nick Hern Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48868626202967,"sku":"9781839042355","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781839042355.jpg?v=1722288941"},{"product_id":"a-little-life-9781839042300","title":"A Little Life","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'I promise you more patience, more gratitude. I promise you less vanity, less selfishness, less complaining, less fear. I promise you. You just have to survive.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Little Life\u003c\/em\u003e follows the complex relationships of four college friends in New York City: Willem, an actor; Malcolm, an architect; JB, an artist; and, at the centre of their group, Jude, a lawyer.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eOver the decades, their relationships deepen and darken, changed by ambition, addiction and pride. Yet their greatest challenge is Jude himself, whose secrets – and shame – define not just his own life, but that of his friends as well.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eA bruising and beautiful story of love, the limits of human endurance, and the tyranny of memory, Hanya Yanagihara's novel \u003cem\u003eA Little Life\u003c\/em\u003e has sold over a million copies and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and the Women's Prize for Fiction.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThe stage adaptation – conceived by Ivo van Hove, and adapted by Koen Tachelet, van Hove and Yanagihara herself – was first performed in a Dutch-language production at Internationaal Theater Amsterdam in the Netherlands in 2018, before transferring to New York in 2022. This English-language version opened in London's West End in 2023, directed by Ivo van Hove and with a cast led by James Norton as Jude.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A masterpiece of modern theatre... a triumph of emotional richness and devastation'\u003c\/p\u003e * Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Utterly compelling'\u003c\/p\u003e * Daily Express *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A superb piece of theatre, staged with consummate skill'\u003c\/p\u003e * Evening Standard *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Close to Greek tragedy… a production of cool temperature, handling atrocity with clinical precision, and moments of grace with an economical elegance… leaves its mark like a livid, tender bruise on the imagination'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Stage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Unrelenting but magnificent… in the interstices of horror and abuse, there are transcendental moments of love and affection'\u003c\/p\u003e * iNews *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Keeps a grip so tight that it is impossible to turn away'\u003c\/p\u003e * WhatsOnStage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Compelling viewing… such an emotional and affecting piece of theatre'\u003c\/p\u003e * Gay Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Sophisticated and searing... an almost anthropological study of pain, staged with the utmost intelligence'\u003c\/p\u003e * Guardian *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A deftly crafted adaptation, beautifully staged'\u003c\/p\u003e * Time Out *","brand":"Nick Hern Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48868626235735,"sku":"9781839042300","price":11.69,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781839042300.jpg?v=1722288941"},{"product_id":"the-secret-garden-9781839042461","title":"The Secret Garden","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen orphaned Mary Lennox comes to live at her uncle's great house on the Yorkshire Moors, she finds it full of secrets. Left to make her own entertainment, Mary stumbles upon a garden, overgrown and locked for years. A forbidden garden.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eFinding her way inside, with the help of a friendly robin, Mary begins to feel a connection to the house and its inhabitants. Then, one night, in one of the house's many rooms, she hears the sound of crying...\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eFrances Hodgson Burnett's delightful and enduring tale celebrates the power of transformation and healing through nature. Elizabeth Newman's magical adaptation was premiered at Pitlochry Festival Theatre's open-air amphitheatre in 2023, where Newman is Artistic Director.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThis version will appeal to other professional and amateur companies looking for a much-loved classic that can be easily staged in theatres, outdoor venues – and gardens.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'An enriching, affirmative show, steeped in gentle wonder'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Stage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A near-perfect summer theatre experience for children... \u003cem\u003eThe Secret Garden\u003c\/em\u003e is fast emerging as a key children's story for our time: a profound legend about how human beings need the natural world and its energy to survive and thrive... Newman's adaptation glows from its opening moments with love for, and understanding of, the basic dynamics of Hodgson Burnett's bold narrative... a beautiful show'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Scotsman *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Enrapturing... a tremendous fervour of pace... simply gorgeous... a thing of beauty'\u003c\/p\u003e * Reviews Hub *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Retains all the essentials of the original novel but brings in the whole thing at around 90 minutes, including an interval. It's appealingly crisp, which is helpful for the younger members of the audience, and it doesn't shun the novel's all-important use of Yorkshire dialect... a play that retains its own distinctive sense of charm'\u003c\/p\u003e * WhatsOnStage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'The perfect show for all the family... delights at every turn... a salve to the soul for grown ups in these troubled times and even better, the children in the audience clearly loved it'\u003c\/p\u003e * Broadway Baby *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A wonderful adaptation with a sense of magic throughout... A very inviting project for any drama or theatre department or company. \"Flexible\" really is the key word with this adaptation as it is a play that could work with a range of age groups... It could make for a wonderful open air summer production or one where the outdoors could be brought in. A great addition to any collection'\u003c\/p\u003e * Drama \u0026amp; Theatre Magazine *","brand":"Nick Hern Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48868626268503,"sku":"9781839042461","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}]},{"product_id":"the-real-imagined-history-of-the-elephant-man-9781839042508","title":"The Real \u0026 Imagined History of the Elephant Man","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eArriving from his East Midlands beginnings into a London thick with the grime of industrialisation, Joseph Merrick is an anomaly. In a city of factories that churn out uniformity, there is no place for someone like him.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eBut Merrick and the city are evolving into something new. We follow him through the workhouse, the freak show and the hospital, as he searches for acceptance in a society that just wants to stare at him.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003ePowerful, angry and surprising, Tom Wright's acclaimed play imagines an alternative history of the person who came to be known as 'the Elephant Man'. It restores Joseph Merrick to the centre of his own story: a man fighting for his right to be and to belong.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Real \u0026amp; Imagined History of the Elephant Man\u003c\/em\u003e was first performed at Melbourne's Malthouse Theatre, before receiving its European premiere at Nottingham Playhouse in 2023, directed by Stephen Bailey, and supported by a grant from The Royal Theatrical Support Trust.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A challenging, moving play about spectacle, difference and identity'\u003c\/p\u003e * Limelight Magazine *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Everyone should be moved by such poetic and accomplished theatre'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Age *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Astonishing... it's doubtful whether there has ever been a better example of theatre's ability to be inclusive at the same time as being able to shock'\u003c\/p\u003e * British Theatre Guide *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A powerful piece of theatre'\u003c\/p\u003e * Reviews Hub *","brand":"Nick Hern Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48868626301271,"sku":"9781839042508","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781839042508.jpg?v=1722288941"},{"product_id":"accidental-death-of-an-anarchist-9781839042546","title":"Accidental Death of an Anarchist","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'We know all too well that we're up to our necks in the shit, and it is for this very reason that we walk with our heads held high!'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eAn irrepressible fraudster known only as the Maniac is brought into Police Headquarters just as the officers are preparing for a judicial review of the recent 'accidental' death of a suspect in custody.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eOutwitting his captors, the Maniac dupes them into performing a farcical recreation of the incident, exposing the absurd corruption and terrifying idiocy at the heart of the system.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eDario Fo and Franca Rame's riotous satire has been widely performed around the world since its premiere in 1970. 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Tom Basden's full-blooded adaptation [is] a furious but funny broadside against police malpractice... supremely, dazzlingly funny'\u003c\/p\u003e * Guardian *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A glorious romp from the super-talented Tom Basden'\u003c\/p\u003e * Observer *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Wickedly funny... nothing less than brilliant... the audience is constantly in stitches... much cheaper than a therapy session and vastly more entertaining'\u003c\/p\u003e * Time Out *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Fabulous... an unforgettable theatrical experience. Brilliantly adapted by Tom Basden, it is a biting, bang-up-to-the-minute satire... Each minute is packed with jokes, word play and punchy references... The laughs aren't just one-a-minute – there seems to be one every second. A fantastic show'\u003c\/p\u003e * Reviews Hub *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Brilliant... a whirlwind high-speed farce... Tom Basden's bang up-to-date English version would undoubtedly have met with Signor Fo's whole-hearted approval... wildly inventive... glorious chaos'\u003c\/p\u003e * WhatsOnStage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Pretty special... Basden's script is packed with contemporary references, but among the comic zingers are weightier concerns about undercover police work and corruption.... It's brilliantly executed... unforgettable'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Stage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Simply brilliant... The comic lines come thick and fast, but the underlying political punch is serious and to the point... 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Doors at 7.30 p.m., followed by the exchange of vows. And at the signal, the entertainment will begin.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003e(This performance is being staged without a licence from the Ministry. We recognise the risk that each and every one of you is taking by attending and we salute your courage.)'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Mirror\u003c\/em\u003e is an elusive, explosive play by Sam Holcroft, interrogating censorship, authorship and free speech. 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The joy of Holcroft's play is that it's subversive on so many levels... incendiary and mordantly funny... a triumph'\u003c\/p\u003e * Time Out *\u003cbr\u003e'Undeniably genius: the kind of rare, vigorous writing that sets your head spinning' * The Stage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A darkly comic, Orwellian affair... as punchy as it is political... a timely production packed with intrigue and passion'\u003c\/p\u003e * Broadway World *","brand":"Nick Hern Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48868626366807,"sku":"9781839042669","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781839042669.jpg?v=1722288941"},{"product_id":"untitled-f-ck-m-ss-s-gon-play-9781839042416","title":"untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'We could stop here. We could stay here. It's not so bad, is it?'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eKim is having one of those days. A terrible, very bad, no-good kind of day, and the worst part is… it all feels so familiar. Caught up in a never-ending cycle of events, she looks for the exit but the harder she tries, the worse it gets and she begins to wonder: who's writing this story?\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eShe makes a break for it, smashing through a hundred years of bloody narratives that all end the same way. Can she find a way out before it's too late?\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eWith breathless hilarity, Kimber Lee's \u003cem\u003euntitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play\u003c\/em\u003e jumps through time, wriggling inside of and then exploding lifetimes of repeating Asian stereotypes, wrestling with history for the right to control your own narrative in a world that thinks it can tell you who you are.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eWinner of the International Award for the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting in 2019, the play was co-produced in 2023 by the Royal Exchange, Factory International for Manchester International Festival, the Young Vic Theatre and Headlong, and directed by Roy Alexander Weise. It was first performed at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, as part of Manchester International Festival, before transferring to the Young Vic Theatre, London.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Ferociously funny... dissects years of racist, imperialist and misogynistic tropes... Imagine if Caryl Churchill had written \u003cem\u003eNoises Off\u003c\/em\u003e... punky, polemical and stingingly fresh'\u003c\/p\u003e * Guardian *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Provocative and very funny... a terrifically spiky send-up of Asian stereotypes'\u003c\/p\u003e * Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Non-stop funny... both hilarious and strangely moving'\u003c\/p\u003e * Reviews Hub *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Urgent and clever... furious and funny... very clever writing'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Stage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Sharp, intelligent and confrontational... Switching seamlessly between laugh-out-loud humour and poignant, harrowing tragedy... despite its confrontational name, it's a remarkably accessible play'\u003c\/p\u003e * Manchester Evening News *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'An overdue corrective... accurate and needed... This show begins to alter what we see on stage'\u003c\/p\u003e * Observer *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'This punchy, acerbic and acutely observed piece of theatre kicks ass as it highlights the dangers of cultural appropriation and takes an unflinching look at intergenerational trauma... a wickedly funny satire... groundbreaking work that both entertains and informs... f**king great!'\u003c\/p\u003e * WhatsOnStage *","brand":"Nick Hern Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48868626399575,"sku":"9781839042416","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781839042416.jpg?v=1722288942"},{"product_id":"backstairs-billy-9781839042799","title":"Backstairs Billy","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'One can't help where one is born. Or one's station, of course. The trick to happiness is to be content where one is. Or so I am told.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e1979. Clarence House, London. The Queen Mother's receptions are in full swing and the champagne is flowing. Guiding the proceedings is William 'Billy' Tallon, page of the backstairs, keeper of the keys, holder of the royal corgis – and the royal secrets.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eOutside the palace walls, unemployment, inflation and industrial action are bringing Britain to its knees, and the country is on the verge of changing seismically under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. These two worlds are about to collide, with dizzying consequences for everyone...\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBackstairs Billy\u003c\/em\u003e examines the fifty-year relationship between the Queen Mother and her most loyal, most outrageous servant, who joined her household at the age of fifteen. Marcelo Dos Santos's irreverent comedy was first produced by the Michael Grandage Company at the Duke of York's Theatre, London, in 2023, directed by Grandage and starring Penelope Wilton and Luke Evans.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'The best royal drama in a decade... Abounding with witty entertainment and curiosity value, it confirms the promise shown by Marcelo Dos Santos'\u003c\/p\u003e * Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Nothing has made me laugh more... it's the funniest play Ive seen this year'\u003c\/p\u003e * Sunday Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Gleefully subversive and unexpectedly hard-hitting, with some great one-liners'\u003c\/p\u003e * Time Out *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Smart and shrewd... the most unusual depiction of an unlikely duo since Judi Dench crossed wits with Billy Connolly in \u003cem\u003eMrs Brown\u003c\/em\u003e... by turns devastating and delicious'\u003c\/p\u003e * Arts Desk *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Plays like a cross between \u003cem\u003eThe Crown\u003c\/em\u003e and X-rated PG Wodehouse'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'An early festive delight... makes \u003cem\u003eThe Crown\u003c\/em\u003e look too careful'\u003c\/p\u003e * Independent *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Bubblingly witty, with many great one-liners'\u003c\/p\u003e * Financial Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A comedy of manners with a sprinkling of farce, conducted in cut-glass bon mots and bitchy sideswipes'\u003c\/p\u003e * The Stage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Full of zinging one-liners and laugh-out-loud moments... Every joke lands with the precision of a targeted missile, always suggesting the sharpness behind the smile... has all the trappings of a West End hit... Dos Santos is undoubtedly a talented writer, with a distinctive voice and a welcome wit'\u003c\/p\u003e * WhatsOnStage *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Deliciously frothy... consistently funny and entertaining'\u003c\/p\u003e * Evening Standard *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Fascinating... the writing has sophistication... the Queen Mother would have loved it'\u003c\/p\u003e * Guardian *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A frisky frolic that is more than just a caper... Marcelo Dos Santos's play glances at a country on the cusp of Thatcherite change... full of ricocheting puns... the conversation pings electrically'\u003c\/p\u003e * Observer *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A rip-roaring comedy... uproariously funny... a fascinating insight to the inner workings of that famous family'\u003c\/p\u003e * Theatre Weekly *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Very funny... nicely balances palace gossip with broader ideas about class, power, and way that tradition can both comfort and stifle'\u003c\/p\u003e * London Theatre *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A sympathetic, subtle portrayal of a uniquely fascinating relationship, full of deliciously arch banter... a right royal laugh that will delight'\u003c\/p\u003e * Chortle *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Simply delightful... wonderful... an unexpectedly touching tale of genuine connection... pure entertainment at its finest. 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