Modern and contemporary plays / drama

Book Synopsis1964: Richard Burton, the firebrand Welsh actor, newly married to movie star Elizabeth Taylor, is to play the title role in an experimental new production of Hamlet under the exacting direction of John Gielgud. But as rehearsals progress, the collaboration between actor and director soon threatens to unravel. One of them is the most famous movie star in the world; the other, a patrician from an earlier age of theatre. The stage is set for two titans to collide. Jack Thorne's The Motive and the Cue is a fierce, funny play which offers a glimpse into the politics of a rehearsal room and the relationship between art and celebrity. This edition was published alongside the West End transfer in 2023, following its world premiere at the National Theatre, London, earlier that year. Originally commissioned and co-produced by Neal Street Productions, it was directed by Sam Mendes, and starred Johnny Flynn as Burton, Mark Gatiss as Gielgud and Tuppence Middleton as Taylor. It was named Best Play at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards in 2023.Trade Review'Marvellous... a quite wonderful new play... full of compassion, funny, witty and utterly compelling... This play is Thorne and Mendes's own love letter to the stage, full of both intellect and passion, clever and profoundly moving' * WhatsOnStage *'Enjoyable and hugely adroit' * Evening Standard *'Witty, deft, and touching... a palpable hit' * Telegraph *'Magical... deeply affecting... not just a heartfelt plea for the power of theatre, but a moving, often very funny, story about two generations teasing and provoking one another' * Independent *'Fascinating... a dual of egos in which not just the play, but the two men's sense of their selves is at stake' * The Stage *'A riotous peek behind the scenes... sensational' * Time Out *'Thrilling... an undeniably magnificent tour de force. Theatre should thank its lucky stars for Thorne. He has reminded us all why we went to the theatre and why we continue to go' * Broadway World *'Blazingly triumphant... a story about humanity, vulnerability, reconciliation' * TheatreCat *'Beautifully written... Jack Thorne's dramatisation of the events is powerful and entertaining in equal measure' * The Upcoming *'Stunning... Thorne's gloriously rich script subtly dissects the various relationships of the players, and it's magical to see it all unfold... a brilliant piece of theatre' * Theatre Weekly *'Part mischievous comedy and part docu-drama... a funny and affectionate love letter from theatre to itself' * Reviews Hub *'Magic... breathtaking in its simplicity and beauty' * LondonTheatre1 *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAlmost 170 years on, Charlotte Brontë's story of the trailblazing Jane is as inspiring as ever. This bold and dynamic production uncovers one woman's fight for freedom and fulfilment on her own terms.From her beginnings as a destitute orphan, Jane Eyre's spirited heroine faces life's obstacles head-on, surviving poverty, injustice and the discovery of bitter betrayal before taking the ultimate decision to follow her heart.This inventive staging of Brontë''s masterpiece was first staged by Bristol Old Vic in 2014, when the story was performed over two evenings. Director Sally Cookson now brings her celebrated production to the National Theatre, presented as a single, exhilarating performance.Trade Review‘Even in what is fast becoming a very strong opening season from Rufus Norris at the National, Sally Cookson's staging of Jane Eyre still stands out.’ * British Theatre Guide *‘The book has been filleted cleverly… Inventive, moving and at times unexpectedly funny, this is an admirable piece of devised theatre.’ * The Express *‘clever, touching, minimalist yet expansive… makes you see entire new possibilities in theatre. I recommend it with a roar’ * Daily Mail ????? *‘Cookson and her company stripped Charlotte Brontë's novel down to its bones; what was left was plot and emotion… the magic, the passion, the raw pain is allowed to remain intact.’ * Culture Whisper *‘Newcomers and Brontë-holics alike will be gripped, amused and moved by a boldly theatrical show.’ * The Times *‘Sally Cookson’s production is full of wit, resource and invention.’ * Michael Billington, Guardian *'This is a production full of intelligent detail... Original, engaging and unexpectedly funny... an adaptation that Charlotte Bronte herself might have approved.' * Telegraph *‘A continually absorbing achievement.’ * Telegraph *‘A remarkable performance of startling modernity and unaffected honesty.’ * Guardian *‘A vivid two-part adaptation that combines powerful drama and unexpected humour.’ * Financial Times *

Read more less

Book Synopsis‘I want the world to change shape.’ ‘I'm not sure theatre can do that.’ ‘Well then where am I meant to take that impulse because I'm very serious about the endeavour?’ A young writer challenges the status quo but discovers that creative gain comes at a personal cost. The Writer premiered in 2018 at the Almeida Theatre, London, in a production directed by Blanche McIntyre. The Writer was a finalist for the 2019 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. 'A playwright who grabs the zeitgeist' IndependentTrade Review'Wow. Here's a drama that channels all the righteous anger of the moment, the pent-up fury that women have found themselves at last allowed to express... [Ella Hickson] hits the jackpot once more with this coruscating examination of power structures both artistic and personal and how received ideas shaped by an inescapably patriarchal society infuse the two realms' * Evening Standard *'An eloquent, intellectually agile, vividly written and frequently furious play... a compelling theatrical experience' * The Stage *'Electrifying... very punk rock, a thrillingly uninhibited rally against the establishment' * Time Out *'Hickson strikes a nerve with her story of toxic masculinity and egocentrism... this momentous new play is a voice that needs to be heard' * Broadway World *'Funny, raw, unflaggingly inventive... a sophisticated play for the MeToo generation' * Telegraph *'It's sharp, savage stuff... it never for a second is anything less than engrossing and serious, raising issues that need to be raised... Hickson's writing can take the breath away' * WhatsOnStage *'A bold and vivid explosion of anger' * Radio Times *'This poetically messy, brilliantly clever piece of work has an epic beauty… fractures, stumbles over and twists literary and societal structures like a modern-day Orlando… Hickson's a genius' * Exeunt Magazine *'Riveting... Playful and impassioned... Above all, the play is asking a big question: do we need new theatrical forms to reflect a society in the midst of a sexual revolution? Hickson's approach is witty, clever and keeps the ground shifting under one's feet' * Guardian *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'I can change colours of objects by looking at them, hear the symphonies of household simplicities, taste the emotions in a room like sweet or bitter wine, and feel life's every heartbeat breaking through my ribcage in glorious technicolour. Just don't ask me to make eye contact.' An imaginative child's glorious fantasies – of dolphins and dragonflies, gingerbread houses and chocolate rivers – offer him an escape from hostile reality. When reality dictates he has to conform to the 'real world', he has to make a choice. Should he live authentically and risk stigma, or can he continue to hide? Based on real events from the perspective of the writer and the autistic community, JJ Green's A-Typical Rainbow is an uplifting play about the experience of growing up neurodivergent and queer in early 2000s Britain. It premiered at London's Turbine Theatre in June 2022, produced by Aria Entertainment, directed by Bronagh Lagan, and starring playwright JJ Green, who is a passionate advocate for autistic artists like himself. This edition includes the full text of the play along with contributions from the largely – and proudly – neurodivergent cast and creative team.Trade Review'Plenty of theatrical wonders... sparky humour and magic... clear signs of a talented playwright in the making whose work bursts with imagination and whimsy' * Guardian *'A colourful testament to the power of imagination' * The Stage *'Delightful: full of colour, metaphor and lashings of humour... a rare, insightful, golden moment of theatre' * Reviews Hub *'Powerful, emotional and enchanting... everything about this show is magical... an incredibly raw and honest piece... Green's writing is something else entirely, a rare talent that needs to be treasured and exalted' * Broadway Baby *'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' * WhatsOnStage *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'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!' An 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. Outwitting 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. Dario Fo and Franca Rame's riotous satire has been widely performed around the world since its premiere in 1970. Tom Basden's acclaimed adaptation was first performed at Sheffield Theatres in 2022, directed by Daniel Raggett, and starring Daniel Rigby as the Maniac. The production transferred to the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre in 2023, before moving to the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London's West End.Trade Review'An Italian classic reborn as an unmissable police satire' * Metro *'A glorious comedy that leaps off the stage' * The Times *'A riotous satirical farce brought bang up to date... Tom Basden's full-blooded adaptation [is] a furious but funny broadside against police malpractice... supremely, dazzlingly funny' * Guardian *'A glorious romp from the super-talented Tom Basden' * Observer *'Wickedly funny... nothing less than brilliant... the audience is constantly in stitches... much cheaper than a therapy session and vastly more entertaining' * Time Out *'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' * Reviews Hub *'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' * WhatsOnStage *'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' * The Stage *'Simply brilliant... The comic lines come thick and fast, but the underlying political punch is serious and to the point... A tour de force, a great night out… A must-see' * British Theatre Guide *'Both deeply political and utterly hilarious... a biting indictment of British law enforcement... a comic work for the ages with a script packed with zingers... a masterclass in how to combine social issues and comedy' * Broadway World *'A sure-fire, fearlessly political, no holds-barred, angry hit of a show' * Everything Theatre *'Gloriously unruly... one of the most daring and original shows to arrive in the West End in recent memory' * Independent *'Uproarious... a bomb-blast comedy... an institutionally funny play' * Evening Standard *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBarber Shop Chronicles is a generously funny, heart-warming and insightful new play set in five African cities, Johannesburg, Harare, Kampala, Lagos, Accra, and in London.Inspired in part by the story of a Leeds barber, the play invites the audience into a unique environment where the banter may be barbed, but the truth always telling. The barbers of these tales are sages, role models and father figures who keep the men together and the stories alive.Inua Ellams''s celebrated play was first produced by the National Theatre, Fuel and Leeds Playhouse in 2017.Trade ReviewThis is an absolute cracker. Inua Ellams has the simple but ingenious idea of exploring black masculinity through the humble barber's shop... It's funny, fast, laced with music and dance, and performed with irresistible good humour and style... But deep down this is also a thoughtful, serious and moving piece of drama... he writes with zip and a wonderful ear, and the piece is beautifully woven. * Financial Times *It's a play crammed with questions, discussing African attitudes to parental discipline in one scene, and the role Nigerian Pidgin plays in cultural identity in the next. Idea follows idea: Christianity as a business fattening the wallets of pastors; the western media's depiction of Lagos; the way that words can be used to debase and destroy. Again and again the plays returns to the theme of black masculinity and the different shapes it can take... The tone of the play shifts fluidly from comedy to poignancy to rage... This is all handled with skill and a huge amount of warmth. Barber Shop Chronicles is a pleasure to experience. The level of joy in the room is high... Rich, exhilarating theatre that opens a window into a world of men. * The Stage *It's always bracing to watch the National open its arms, doors and repertoire to new work, new audiences, new experiences. There's certainly not been anything like this all-male, all-black piece from poet/playwright Inua Ellams, which bounces with brio as it whisks us around a series of African barber shops in six countries on two continents over the space of a single day... it becomes gradually clear that these resolutely female-free spaces are also part confessional, part psychiatrist's chair for both the staff and customers. Hefty topics ripple and re-echo over the thousands of miles that separate the establishments: how to be a father, how to be a son, how to be a man. A joke about a fly in a pint also travels effortlessly. * Evening Standard *

Read more less

Book SynopsisGeorge 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.Table of ContentsIntroduction "Shavian" 1: "GBS" 2: "Unpleasant" 3: "Pleasant" 4: "Puritan" 5: "Political" 6: "Extravagant" 7: "Farfetched"

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this radical new version of Peer Gynt, David Hare kidnaps Henrik Ibsen's most famous hero and runs away with him into the twenty-first century.Stripped of fretwork and greenery, the play is projected into a freewheeling modern world of music, dance, poetry, weddings, coronations, trolls and two-headed children as Peter steals a bride and embarks on an extraordinary lifetime's journey before returning home, finally, to Scotland.David Hare's Peter Gynt posits the same fundamental question the great Norwegian asked in 1867: does a belief in individualism help or hinder us in trying to live purposefully in the present day?The play opens at the National Theatre in July 2019 and transfers to the Festival Theatre Edinburgh, for the Edinburgh International Festival.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA genius with language, but convinced of his own ugliness, Cyrano secretly loves the radiant Roxane. While Roxane is in love with the beautiful but inarticulate Christian.Cyrano's generous offer to act as go-between sets in motion a poignant and often hilarious love-triangle, in which each character is torn between the lure of physical attraction and the seductive power of words.Martin Crimp's adaptation of Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac premiered at the Playhouse Theatre, London, in November 2019.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSpring Awakening is set in a small German town in the 1890s, where adolescent boys and girls grope their way towards knowledge and maturity against the blocks set up by parents and teachers in the name of morality. Melchior, fearless in his pursuit of the truth, manages to retain his freedom of spirit, but his friends are not so lucky or strong.Wedekind's controversial play occupies a special place in modern theatrical history as a key work of the naturalist school and the principal precursor of German Expressionism.Trade ReviewThe best and most enduring German play of its era. * Jonathan Franzen *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe third full-length collection from poet Stevie Edwards, Quiet Armor examines how capitalism and patriarchy impact romantic relationships and, more broadly, intimacy.Trade ReviewThe poems in Quiet Armor explore the shadows and nuances of one woman teetering between conventional, gendered expectations and witch/martyr/saint/goddess. These poems unfold with improvisational energy, creating an ongoing sense of a life lived, of time passing, of wisdom accrued through experience. It is difficult to write of life’s reparations, especially where love is concerned, without sentimentality—here, Edwards succeeds, and how: when we reach the end of the last poem, we feel we know the collection’s speaker intimately, and we feel—some of us, anyway—known." - Diane Suess, author of frank: sonnetsTable of Contents Parthenogenesis Window Shopping Easy as Pie Ladylike Nobody Is Lost What Is Left to Say About the Body Composed Portrait of My Mother, Age 56 Spell for Undoing a Life Sentence Essay on Guns Verity Clytemnestra, Daughter of Leda, Beholds a Swan Dream without Men Red Spell Mouthy Self-Portrait as Medusa Calling Her Names Elegy for Lavinia Five Days Before the Election Rumor Has It Drunk Bitch Dreams of a Luminous Stream Babylove Harm’s Way Drunk Bitch Wants to Fuck Like a Man After the Election I Woke Up What I Left Learning to Leave a Bad Thing Alone Drunk Bitch Tries Her Hand at Recovery Medusa with the Head of Harvey Weinstein The Astonishing A Few More Lines on Lavinia Some Things We Carried Medusa as Shield Dread Myth Some Lines in which I Want to Go On Aubade with the Longest Eyelashes On Progeny Some Threads from a Depression Ode to Chill Pills Self-Portrait as Too Much On Want All the Heavens Were a Bell Another Poem About Pain Dear Extraterrestrials Ode to Joy Entreaty Epithalamion Tapping Therapy Notes Acknowledgments Thank You

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis Element presents the work of Caryl Churchill, Naomi Iizuka, and Sarah Ruhl as exemplary of the way text-based theatre, both its scripts and productions, now creates and expects a spatialized imaginary and demonstrates the potentials of text-based theatre in an increasingly visual and spatial field of cultural production.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Setting the Scene: Plays and Playwrights; 1. Playwriting and Space; 2. Caryl Churchill: Shapeshifting and Superimposition; 3. Naomi Iizuka: Simultaneity and Permeability; 4. Sarah Ruhl: Layering and Flight; 5. Form and Tradition; References.

Read more less

Book SynopsisYou can't live your life thinking everything you text will become public knowledge.Censoring yourself is no way to live.Everyone needs Jim.His mother.His best friend.His brother.A hopeful future President.But can Jim really help anyone, when he isn't sure who he is any more, or what he actually believes? An expert in electoral strategy, he's forged a successful career by advising politicians how to communicate with voters. But following seismic shifts in the political landscape, he's disillusioned. And his marriage is in crisis. As he juggles the demands on his life through his smartphone, will the lure of success and fame prove irresistible?The Narcissist is a gripping, inventive and witty take on personal and political communication in the internet age by celebrated US playwright Christopher Shinn. This edition was published to coincide with the premiere at Chichester Festival Theatre in August 2022.

Read more less

Book Synopsis1986. Ghana's prestigious Aburi Girls Boarding School. Queen Bee Paulina and her crew excitedly await the arrival of the Miss Ghana pageant recruiter. It's clear that Paulina is in top position to take the title until her place is threatened by Ericka a beautiful and talented new transfer student. As the friendship group's status quo is upended, who will be chosen for Miss Ghana and at what cost?Bursting with hilarity and joy, this award-winning comedy explores the universal similarities (and glaring differences) facing teenage girls around the world. This edition is published to coincide with the UK premiere at the Lyric Theatre, Hampstead, in June 2023.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this deeply moving and life-affirming tale, a mother must nurture her five-year-old son through an unfathomable situation with only the power of their imagination and their boundless capacity to love.Written for the stage by Academy Award nominee Emma Donoghue, this unique theatrical adaptation featuring songs and music by Kathryn Joseph and director Cora Bissett takes audiences on a richly emotional journey told through ingenious stagecraft, powerhouse performances, and heart-stopping storytelling. Room reaffirms our belief in humanity and the astounding resilience of the human spirit.This updated and revised edition was published to coincide with the Broadway premiere in Spring 2023.Trade ReviewRoom soars! Visually arresting and emotionally rich, Emma Donoghue’s Room is boldly realised for the stage … harrowing … astonishingly moving. * Toronto Star *Emma Donoghue's adaptation of her novel works beautifully onstage, and the songs capture heightened moments with sensitivity. A story of survival and love — something we all need to hear more of at this time. * Now Magazine *The most striking thing about Emma Donoghue’s stage version of her award-winning novel, Room, is its intense imaginative quality… Kathryn Joseph’s songs, co-written with Cora Bissett, burst from the texture of the play like some heightened form of speech… The story of Room is in some ways a harrowing one, that brings many in the audience to tears. Yet it is also a tremendously beautiful, vivid and uplifting show about the power of a mother’s love * The Scotsman *Haunting and reflective music and lyrics. They emerge naturally from the narrative … Compelling viewing (even in you know the ending.) This coproduction… is a triumph * Times of London *A strangely moving work about the power of imagination and the pain of adjustment to a new reality. … I found the prospect of the play intimidating. In the end, I was deeply touched by its testament to human resourcefulness * Guardian *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSome things we do for those we are responsible for, some things for ourselves, and some things we do for the ancestors.Today, it's all three!1959. The first wave of independence is sweeping across Africa and Beneatha has left the prejudice of 1950s America for a brighter future with her Nigerian husband in Lagos. But on the day they move into their new house in the white suburbs, it doesn't take long for cracks to appear, changing the course of the rest of their lives.Present day. Now a renowned Dean whose colleagues are questioning the role of African American studies for future generations, Beneatha returns to the same house in search of answers. Inspired by Lorraine Hansberry''s ground-breaking modern classic, A Raisin in the Sun, Beneatha's Place challenges today's culture wars about colonial history and reckoning with the past. A razor-sharp satire from Young Vic Artistic Director Kwame Kwei-Armah, about the power of knowing your hi

Read more less

Book SynopsisFriendship makes us fresh.And doth beget new courage in our breasts.A new play for young people and schools, created from Shakespeare's works.In this wood of words, a band of newcomers arrive to witness banishments, storms, unhappy endings, reunions, and murder most foul... and try to make sense of it all. This unique and thoughtful adaptation for young performers of several of Shakespeare's works is co-written by director Chris White and award-winning playwright Hannah Khalil, in honour of the 400th anniversary of the First Folio this year.The Wood of Words was created as part of the Associate Schools Programme (the RSC's long term partnership programme with schools and theatre partners). This edition was published to coincide with the Playmaking Festival at the RSC, in July 2023.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNewcastle, London, America. You can go anywhere, it's still the same old shit. People just getting by, in any way they know how. But I tell you what they don't have, they don't have a 1 Thursday!17-year-old Jen and Stacey are best friends. Since forever.Stacey always dreamed of being a dancer. And she's actually got the talent for it. Only her school career advisor hasn't even been to London, let alone heard of Urdang. Jen is smart. Like Oxbridge smart. But all smart' gives her is the ability to see that there's no use trying to change the story prewritten for her, growing up in an underfunded and forgotten Bradford in the 2010s.They only have one place they can escape to Club Ocean on a Thursday night. Freedom for Jen and Stacey. A beautiful and hilarious coming-of-age story, Kat Rose-Martin''s 1 Thursdays captures and celebrates the trials and tribulations of what it means to be young, Northern and working class, when for one Vodka-blurred second, you're allowed to forg

Read more less

Book SynopsisMaimuna Memon is a Lancashire born writer, composer, musician and actor. She is Co-Founder and Resident Composer of Wildcard Theatre Company. Maimuna's one woman concept album musical Manic Street Creature was a smash hit at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, winning the 2022 Mental Health Fringe Award. Maimuna has written music and lyrics for Electrolyte (a gig theatre piece which had a sell out run at the Edinburgh Fringe 2018/19 and won the Scotsman Mental Health Award), Nine Lessons and Carols at the Almeida Theatre and Welcome To Iran for the National Theatre and Stratford East (cancelled due to the pandemic but then adapted for BBC Radio 3). Maimuna is commissioned by The Bush and Bolton Octagon Theatre for her new musical Sparrow Girl, an autobiographical four woman show about choice and heritage. She was nominated for a 2023 Olivier Award as Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her role in the National Theatre's Standing at the Sky's

Read more less

Book SynopsisYou bring such scandal to my house.In the domain of Bernarda Alba, a daughter who disobeys is no longer a daughter. Forced to live under their mother's tight grip as they mourn their father's death, can five sisters survive when young Adela dares for passion and freedom?Olivier Award-winner Harriet Walter (Succession) plays the formidable matriarch, guarding her reputation against the rising tide of her family's desires in this pitch-black drama exploring the consequences of oppressing women, in Alice Birch''s radical new version of Federico García Lorca's modern masterpiece.This edition published to coincide with the world premiere at the National Theatre, London, in November 2023.

Read more less

Book SynopsisProserpine and Midas (1820) is a collection of plays by Mary Shelley and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Combining Mary’s blank verse and Percy’s lyric poems, the Shelleys offer two groundbreaking retellings of classical myth. Together, the plays illuminate the working relationship of a husband and wife who helped define Romanticism, highlighting their individual talents in the process. While Proserpine was published in 1832 in The Winter’s Wreath, a London periodical, Mary Shelley was unable to find a publisher for Midas, which remained unprinted until the twentieth century. Ceres, the goddess of agriculture, leaves her daughter Proserpine in the care of two trusted nymphs. While the women are out picking flowers, Proserpine is kidnapped by Pluto, the dreaded lord of the underworld. Distraught, Ceres laments the loss of her beloved girl and appeals to Jove for assistance. Proserpine is a retelling of an ancient myth which remains mostly faithful to its source while emphasizing the feminist qualities of its tragic content. In Midas, the wild god Pan is defeated in a musical competition by Apollo, god of the sun. Determined to claim victory, he arranges a new contest with King Midas as judge. Although his power on earth is unmatched by any human, Midas soon learns that to play at divinity one risks reaping the greatest of sorrows. Proserpine and Midas is a masterful take on two of ancient Greece’s central myths. Using their talents for narrative and song, the Shelleys adapt these well-known stories for the nineteenth century and beyond, showcasing their sociopolitical significance in a world defined by the democratic ideals of the Greeks. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Mary Shelley and Percy Bysshe Shelley’s Proserpine and Midas is a classic of English literature reimagined for modern readers.

Read more less

Book SynopsisGeorge 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; Pygmalion, Major Barbara and Androcles and the Lion.Part 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.Pygmalion was 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 Major Barbara, idealistic Barbara is a major in the Salvation Army, at odds with her millionaire father as they war over the best route to salvation. Androcles and the Lion 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.Trade ReviewShaw's sparkling fable * New York Times on Androcles and the Lion *Major Barbara 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 Guys and Dolls. * Variety *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis poignant play, written by current and formerly incarcerated authors, uses gripping truths and soulful dialogue to reveal the human cost of America’s for-profit justice system. The story follows Omar, pulled back into the prison system after trying to lift his family out of poverty, who struggles to maintain a sense of humanity while fighting to keep his loved ones close. According to NJ.com, “From institutionalized racism to addiction to the prison-industrial complex, this is a play about a great many large, pressing social challenges, but at its core it is a play about one family and its struggles to remain united as their world steadily crumbles. Impactful, warm, and unrelenting, this play that began as an experiment turns out to be an excellent examination of the human cost of a harsh and inhospitable world.” All profits from the book will go to a prison re-entry fund run by The Second Presbyterian Church of Elizabeth, New Jersey to help the playwrights secure housing and continue their schooling upon release.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA tweet by American actor and activist Alyssa Milano, sent on October 15, 2017, opened the floodgates to an outpouring of testimony and witnessing across the Twitterverse that reverberated throughout social media. Facebook status lines quickly began to read “Me too,” and #MeToo was trending. That tweet re-launched the ‘me too’ movement, which was started in 2006 by Tarana Burke. Performing #MeToo: How Not to Look Away does not attempt to deliver a comprehensive examination of how #MeToo is performed. What it does aim at presenting is a set of perspectives on the events identified as representative of the movement through a lens or lenses that are multinational, as well as work and analysis from a variety of time periods, written in a diversity of styles. By providing this means of engaging with examples of the many interpretations of and responses to the #MeToo movement, and by identifying these responses (and those of audiences) as provocations, of examples of how not to look away, the collected chapters are intended to invite reflection, discussion and, hopefully, incite action. It gives writers from diverse cultural and environmental contexts an opportunity to speak about this cultural moment in their own voices. There is a wide geographical range and variety of forms of performance addressed in this timely new book. The international group of contributors are based in the UK, USA, Australia, South Africa, Scotland, Canada, India, Italy and South Korea. The topics addressed by writers include socially engaged practice; celebrity feminism, archive and repertoire; rape/war; misogynistic speech; stage management and intimacy facilitation; key institutions’ responses; spatial practices as well as temporal ones; academic call-outs; caste/class; political contexts; adaptation of classic texts; activist events; bouffon (a clown technique) and audience response Forms of performance practice include applied theatre, performance protest, verbatim, solo performance, institutional practice, staging of plays, street responses, academic, adaptation of classic text, play reading events and the musical. Although there is much to read in the media and alternative media on the #MeToo movement, this is the first attempt to analyse the movement from and in such diverse contexts. Bringing together twelve writers to speak about works they have either performed, witnessed or studied gives the reader a nuanced way of looking at the movement and its impact. It is also an incredible archive of this moment in time that points to its importance. Suitable for use in several graduate and undergraduate courses, including performance studies, feminist studies, sociology, psychology, anthropology, environmental or liberal studies and social history. Essential reading for theatre workers, academics, students, and anyone with an interest in feminism, contemporary theatre or human rights. For artists considering projects that include the themes of #MeToo, and for producers and directors of such projects looking for good practices around how to create environments of safety in their organizations, as well as those who wish to organize communities of artists. For anyone interested in learning more about how to support the movement, or an interest in the specific social narratives told in each individual chapter. For women, feminists and anyone with an interest in the issues.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction Judith Rudakoff “Vital Acts of Transfer”: #MeToo and the Performance of Embodied Knowledge Shana MacDonald Bite the Bullet: The Practice of Protest as a Coping Mechanism Nondumiso Lwazi Msimanga Resisting Theatre: The Political in the Performative Effie Samara Supporting Brave Spaces for Theatre-Makers Post-#MeToo: A Chicago-Based Study on Rehearsing and Performing Intimacy in Theatre Susan Fenty Studham We Get It: Calling Out Sexism and Harassment in Australia’s Live Performance Industry Sarah Thomasson Toward the Origin of Performing #MeToo: Franca Rame’s The Rape as an Example of Personal and Political Theatre/Therapy Laura Peja and Fausto Colombo The Royal Court in the Wake of #MeToo Catriona Fallow and Sarah Jane Mullan Dissident Solidarities: Power, Pedagogy, Care Swati Arora Conversations with Noura: Iraqi American Women and a Response to A Doll’s House Mary P. Caulfield #MeToo Theatre Women Share Their Stories Yvette Heyliger Les Zoubliettes: Raging through Laughter—a Feminist Disturbance Sonia Norris “I’m the person to speak about myself”: Self-Declaration, Reversal of Power, and Solidarity in The Red Book Yuh J. Hwang Appendix: A Primer on the International #MeToo Movement Elise A. LaCroix Biographies of Contributors

Read more less

Book SynopsisA collection of six Bernhard plays, all in English for the first time.Save Yourself if You Can is a collection of six plays that span the entirety of Thomas Bernhard’s career as a dramatist. The plays collected in this long-awaited addition to Bernhard’s oeuvre in English—The Ignoramus and the Madman, The Celebrities, Immanuel Kant, The Goal Attained, Simply Complicated, and Elizabeth II—traverse somber lyricism and misanthropy to biting satire and glorious slapstick. They explore themes that will be familiar to longtime readers of Bernhardt, but here they are presented in a subtly different register, attuned to the needs of the stage. Table of Contents1.The Ignoramus and the Madman2.The Celebrities3.Immanuel Kant4.The Goal Attained 5.Simply Complicated6.Elizabeth II

Read more less

Book Synopsis'It is really small. Whatever it is. But it's here. It's definitely here.' A 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. No 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. Sooner or later something's got to give... Presented in the style of a direct-address documentary, Vivienne Franzmann's The IT is a darkly comic state-of-the-nation play exploring adolescent mental health and the rage within. Written specifically for young people, the play formed part of the 2021 National Theatre Connections Festivals and was premiered by youth theatres across the UK. It was named Best Play for Young Audiences at the Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards 2023. The IT offers opportunities for a large, flexible cast of any size and mix of genders.Trade Review'The standout text [of the Connections festival] for character development, plot and vivid use of language and imagery... perfect for the age of information with an exciting, darkly enticing pace' * Red Pepper magazine *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTwo compassionately subversive plays about identity, by Young Jean Lee, a Korean American playwright whose work is groundbreaking, humorous and often thrillingly transgressive. In Straight White Men, it's Christmas Eve, and Ed has gathered his three adult sons to celebrate with matching pyjamas, trash-talking, and Chinese takeaway. But when a question they can't answer interrupts their seasonal cheer, they are forced to confront their own identities. Raucous, surprising and fearless, Straight White Men takes an outside look at the traditional father/son narrative, shedding new light on a story we think we know all too well. It had its UK premiere at Southwark Playhouse, London, in 2021, following US productions including a Broadway run that made Lee the first Asian-American woman to have a play produced on Broadway. In Untitled Feminist Show, six charismatic stars of the theatre, dance, cabaret and burlesque worlds come together in an exhilaratingly irreverent, nearly wordless celebration of a fluid and limitless sense of identity. Untitled Feminist Show isn't a show about feminism – it is a feminist show. It premiered at the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, in 2012 before transferring to the Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York City. 'Young Jean Lee is, hands down, the most adventurous downtown playwright of her generation' New York TimesTrade Review'Young Jean Lee's Untitled Feminist Show is one of the more moving and imaginative works I have ever seen on the American stage… what makes it so transcendent is its delicious ability to alternate the pain of being different with a sense of humor about lives not lived among the status quo' * New Yorker *'The twisty, turbulent, argumentative work of Young Jean Lee… will make you flinch, but it's hard to look away… Lee has always been interested in exposing how we perform our identities. But in Straight White Men, she drills into something more core. Shuck off, subvert, cleave to your gender or race all you like, but a universal horror of weakness remains – a collective orientation toward status, power, control' * New York Times *'A timely identity study that gives a powerful critique of 21st-century white male psychology' * Guardian on Straight White Men *'Funny, well-observed, often surprisingly gentle, and refreshingly nuanced' * Evening Standard on Straight White Men *'A subtly judged balancing act, an often fascinating blend of absurdism and realism' * The Stage on Straight White Men *'Hilarious and probing satire' * Arts Desk on Straight White Men *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFive ambitious and exciting plays by the multi-award-winning playwright, hailed as ‘one of the prime movers in a new golden generation of British playwrights’ (Independent), and introduced by the author. Earthquakes in London (National Theatre & Headlong, 2010) is an epic drama about climate change, population explosion, social breakdown and worldwide paranoia, travelling from 1968 to 2525 and back again. ‘The theatrical equivalent of a thrilling roller-coaster ride’ (Daily Telegraph) Love, Love, Love (Paines Plough & Drum Theatre Plymouth, UK tour, 2010; Royal Court & Paines Plough, 2012) examines the baby boomer generation, from coming-of-age in the 1960s to retirement-age more than forty years later, in a play that ‘does the clash of generational world views with a devastating precision’ (Guardian). The Enemy is a short play in which a journalist seizes an opportunity to interview the man who shot Osama bin Laden. It was staged by Headlong as part of Decade (St Katherine’s Dock, London, 2011), exploring 9/11 and its legacy. 13 (National Theatre, 2011) is a panoramic drama in which a young man returns to London, a city riven by social protest and upheaval, with a radical vision for the future. Premiered on the National’s largest stage, it confirmed Bartlett’s ability to tackle epic themes with supreme assurance: ‘His ambition is distinctive and immense’ (Evening Standard). Medea (Headlong, UK tour, 2012) is a startlingly modern version of Euripides’ tragedy, exploring a woman’s private fury at her husband’s infidelity, while imprisoned in her marital home. ‘A savage play for today, superbly well done’ (Mail on Sunday)

Read more less

Book Synopsis'To be honest with you, before I went secondary school I thought that the kids they would be like really mature and like by the time I reached Year Ten I'd be fully mature and everything. And I'd lose my like funsense and stuff... But, I don't know if it's just my class in particular but we really haven't matured at all... I don't want to be the serious adult and have serious children and have serious future in a serious house and serious everything.' Alecky Blythe's engrossing verbatim play tells the stories of a generation. Created from five years of interviews with twelve young people from across the UK, Our Generation is a captivating portrait of their teenage years as they journey into adulthood. Often too extraordinary to be fiction, this funny and moving play is for anyone who is – or has ever been – a teenager. It was co-produced by the National Theatre, London, and Chichester Festival Theatre in 2022, directed by Daniel Evans.Trade Review'Extraordinary... shines a light on a generation dealt a spectacularly bad hand... a terrific piece of work' * Evening Standard *'Magnificent... masterful... will steal your heart' * Guardian *'Dazzling... a beautiful and funny journey through twelve young people's lives... The dialogue in this extraordinary state-of-the-nation play is comic gold dust... Through a dynamic distilling of her ongoing encounters with these young people, Blythe and her team respect and explore each of them as individuals... It's a thrill to spend time inside these young people's lives; it's hard to imagine getting so close to these characters without the immersive documentary-style process that Blythe has honed over several plays... eye-opening, generous and brilliantly inventive' * Time Out *'Thrilling... a frank, fond tribute to the agony and ecstasy of generation Snapchat' * Daily Telegraph *'An extraordinary show... we grow to love these kids, fear for them, celebrate with them, laugh and cry with them' * Broadway World *'Wise, beguiling, hilarious and gut-punchingly moving: a living portrait of adolescence, in all its overwhelming intensity... supremely lovable' * iNews *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Maybe gender is like life? And like time too? In that it doesn't actually exist, and yet our world revolves around the expectations we put on it.' Starting in the quaint days of dial-up and MSN, Happy Meal is a funny, moving and nostalgic story of transition, following two initial strangers on their journeys from teen to adult; from MySpace to TikTok; from cis to trans... Tabby Lamb's joyful trans rom-com was directed by Jamie Fletcher and produced by Roots and Theatre Royal Plymouth, with ETT and Oxford Playhouse, on a UK tour in 2022, including a run at the Traverse Theatre during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it won a Fringe First Award.Trade Review'Endearing and playful... takes its place alongside iconic romcom classics at Edinburgh's Traverse, from David Greig's Midsummer to Liz Lochhead's Perfect Days... It makes your heart go hoppity-hop... a moreish and irresistible show that takes us to a very happy place indeed' * The Stage *'Generous and warm-hearted... a lovely, smart piece, written with great honesty and full of terrific dialogue... sharply funny, but also instinctively truthful' * WhatsOnStage *'Delightful... both a sweet comedy and an astute exploration of digital relationships and gender identity' * Guardian *'A simple one-hour tale of young love made complicated by society's attitudes to shifting gender... fine and touching' * Scotsman *'Captivating... the voice of a generation... leaves audiences with a Cheshire grin that doesn't leave their faces for hours after watching' * Reviews Hub *'Rapturous... wise, tender and joyous' * Fest Mag *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'In the morning they'll shut the streets, roll the tanks in and begin the arrests. Everyone who tries to leave will be taken in for days, weeks, years. If I don't board the flight tonight, I'll be here forever.' Middle-aged, middle-management Dasha is ordered to quell the anti-government protests in her factory in Belarus by firing sixty workers. Her only escape is a one-way ticket to the US, but as she prepares to flee, she cannot escape memories of her rebellious youth resisting the Soviets. As her country heads to the polls, Dasha must make a decision… The Anarchist is a gripping, timely and deeply moving play, which won the inaugural Woven Voices Prize for migrant playwrights. It was first performed during the Footprints Festival at Jermyn Street Theatre, London, in 2022, directed by Ebenezer Bamgboye. Originally from Kazakhstan, Karina Wiedman lived in Russia and Belarus before moving to the UK. The Anarchist is her first play. 'A beautifully written play for our times' Jatinder Verma, Chair of the Woven Voices Prize judging panelTrade Review'Wiedman's award-winning play is a gripping exploration of youthful politicisation and the grinding down of those beliefs over a lifetime of disillusion and betrayal... migrant voices like Wiedman's need to be heard' * Reviews Hub *'Has a diary-like intimacy, lit up by vivid details and an innocent sense of humour... Powerful and beautifully layered... an open-hearted and moving piece of writing' * Guardian *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'History always ripples on. Even if we don't realise it.' In the Downing Street Press Office an emergency meeting has been called. The Prime Minister has been ad-libbing on live TV (again) and his words are going viral. There is a flurry of accusations, and demands for an apology; but as his team debate what to do next, it's already too late. His words have found their way to dinner parties, bus journeys and newspaper columns across the nation – and not everyone is angry. Rabiah Hussain's play Word-Play explores how language seeps into public consciousness and reverberates with far-reaching consequences that will last for generations. It premiered at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, London, in July 2023, directed by Nimmo Ismail.Trade Review'A fascinating new play exploring the insidious potential of bland language... skewers a particularly British kind of bigotry... there's so much about this play that'll stick in your throat: a reminder that words can wound, however bland they might sound' * Time Out *'Playful, thoughtful, and deliciously up-to-the-minute... Often hilarious, sometimes moving, this play about how words matter has a cumulative power' * Evening Standard *'Amusing and boldly, excitingly experimental... Hussain's script shines in sudden moments of lyrical outrage' * Guardian *'Audacious, incisive and emotive' * The Upcoming *'A turbo-charged lesson in minding your language... thought-provoking and explosive' * Metro *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'The difference between death and extinction is this: death is to cease to exist. Extinction is to extinguish. I think of death as individual. Extinction is collective.' Naomi belongs to a theatre company that has made a play especially for you, who are living through extinction. The actors haven't shown up yet, but in the meantime Naomi has a plan. Part ritual, part battle cry, A Play for the Living in a Time of Extinction is an innovative one-woman show exploring what it means to be human in an era of ecological disaster. Miranda Rose Hall's darkly funny, life-affirming play received its 2023 British premiere in a Headlong and Barbican co-production, directed by Katie Mitchell. A bold experiment in eco-theatremaking, it was powered entirely by bicycles. After opening at London's Barbican, it embarked on a 'zero-travel' tour: the play journeyed to other venues around the UK, whilst the people and materials did not. The play had been first produced at Baltimore Center Stage in 2021, and was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.Trade Review'Transfixing, sobering and haunting' * Telegraph *'A new vision for touring theatre' * WhatsOnStage *'Thoughtful and provocative... a pioneering eco-production that is streets ahead of the pack' * Evening Standard *'Stripped-back theatre that is, at times, sharply funny as it takes aim at the dazzle of form over substance in the "worthiest" productions' * The Stage *'Gut-churningly powerful... searingly effective' * Time Out *'An elegy to what has gone and to what is about to go' * Reviews Hub *'Powerfully cathartic' * Broadway World *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'We're dying of manners. We're under siege from personal embarrassment. This is not sane. This is not rational. That woman is a monster!' While on holiday, Peter and Debbie befriend Elsa: a lusty, Trump-loving widow from Denver, USA. She's less than woke but kind of wonderful. They agree to stay in touch – because no one ever really does, do they? When Elsa invites herself to stay a few months later, they decide to look her up online. Too late, they learn the truth about Elsa Jean Krakowski. Deadly danger has just boarded a flight to London! But how do you protect all that you love from mortal peril without seeming, well, a bit impolite? Because guess who's coming... to murder! Steven Moffat's play The Unfriend takes a hilarious and satirical look at middle-class England's disastrous instinct always to appear nice. It was first performed at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester, in 2022, before transferring to London's West End – first to the Criterion Theatre, then to Wyndham's – in 2023. Steven Moffat is an award-winning writer whose internationally successful television shows include Doctor Who, Sherlock and Dracula – the latter two co-written with actor and writer Mark Gatiss, who made his stage directorial debut with The Unfriend.Trade Review'Steven Moffat has skilfully crafted one of the funniest plays to be seen on stage in a very long time... pure comedy gold... a comedy of manners that niftily speeds along and is full of outrageous humour... never anything except laugh-out-loud funny... a killer comedy to die for' * WhatsOnStage *'Effortlessly entertaining... The action is line-by-line funny and an apt commentary on English middle-class manners... Moffat may be the new Ayckbourn' * Telegraph *'A hilarious dark comedy of good manners... a tour de force of toilet farce, proper gut-busting stuff' * The Stage *'A cringe-tastic play of exquisite embarrassment... worthy of a place in the macabre comedy series Inside No 9' * Guardian *'Boasts a ruthlessly efficient devotion to the punchline and a relentless urgency in ratcheting up the awkward tension. Every second or third line of this farcical modern comedy of manners is a gag... The premise is brilliant in its simplicity and hugely effective in its laugh-filled execution' * Chortle *'A much-needed, riotous bit of fun... an uproarious comedy of English embarrassment... a relentlessly snowballing orgy of cringe and discomfiture... a delight' * Evening Standard *'Hits the funny bone with a welcome twang' * The Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisMary has just been released from prison. She wants to come home and forget all about it – but Briana has other ideas. Over 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. A powerful story of family and forgiveness, Deborah Bruce's play Dixon and Daughters was first performed at the National Theatre, London, in April 2023, directed by Róisín McBrinn and co-produced with Clean Break.Trade Review'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' * iNews *'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' * The Stage *'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' * Time Out *'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' * Evening Standard *'Powerful... Bruce's script is frank, funny, and sad' * Broadway World *'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' * WhatsOnStage *'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' * Guardian *'A compelling jet-black comedy with a central figure who's at once perturbing and interestingly flawed, loaded with contradiction' * Telegraph *'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' * Arts Desk *'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' * West End Best Friend *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'It was never about the Reich or the war. It was about physics.' Summer 1945. Hitler is dead, but the war in the Pacific rages on. When six of Germany's top nuclear scientists – including three Nobel Prize winners – are detained by Allied forces at a stately home in the Cambridgeshire countryside, they find themselves shut off from the outside world. Their only distractions are board games, a broken piano and a copy of Blithe Spirit. But as the months go by, their attention turns to the ongoing war and thoughts of their broken homeland. The scientists' tranquil summer is shattered by the inconceivable news that the Americans have succeeded where the Germans have failed: the United States has not only built an atomic bomb, but they have used one against Japan. Katherine Moar's captivating debut play Farm Hall dramatises the true story recorded inside the bugged walls of the actual Farm Hall between July 1945 and January 1946. It was premiered at Jermyn Street Theatre, London, in March 2023, before transferring to the Theatre Royal Bath, directed by Stephen Unwin.Trade Review'A riveting drama that unravels like an intelligent thriller whose ending we know but is nail-biting nonetheless... packed with learning but never shows off... a punchy, accomplished play' * Guardian *'A thoroughly absorbing series of vignettes' * The Times *'Riveting... a writer to watch' * Daily Mail *'Complex and fascinating' * The Stage *'A surprising black comedy with a provocative philosophical background... Moar explores [the characters'] remorse - or lack thereof - with subtle humour... beautifully written with a sophisticated use of language... an excellent debut: interesting, well-written, thought-provoking, and sheds light on a slice of history that's rarely discussed' * Broadway World *'Like a Nobel Prize-heavy version of Celebrity Big Brother' * Reviews Hub *'Gripping... With its mix of moral dilemmas and possible revelations, it feels like the real thing' * British Theatre Guide *'Excellent... a captivating dramatic thriller based on a fascinating true story' * Everything Theatre *'Subtle, thoughtful new plays are rare. This is one' * Sunday Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn May 1926, Britain grinds to a halt, as workers down tools for the General Strike. With the printing presses shut down, the only sources of news are the government's British Gazette, 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. Jack Thorne's When Winston Went To War With The Wireless 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. 'Jack Thorne never ceases to stimulate and entertain' Evening StandardTrade Review'Utterly compelling' * The Times *'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' * Evening Standard *'Gripping... a riveting, resonant play' * Financial Times *'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' * WhatsOnStage *'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?' * Broadway World *'Pacy and evocative... the stagecraft dazzles' * Guardian *'Fascinating... Jack Thorne is a one-man writing powerhouse' * iNews *'A joyful celebration of the BBC... vividly evokes the Corporation's giddy early days' * Telegraph *'Enthralling... magical... plenty of humour... a fascinating glimpse at two men who have shaped the history of this country' * Theatre Weekly *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'In today's world, errybody got a story. It's overwhelming. How! The humanity! O! Everywhere, someone appealing to yo sense of… empathy.' Tambo 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. A daring theatrical exploration of the intersection of race, capitalism and performance, Dave Harris's play Tambo & Bones laughs through our past, blows the roof off our present, and imagines an explosive future for our world and for theatre. Tambo & Bones 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.Trade Review'Blistering… sobering… lacerating stage poetry' * New York Magazine *'A racially charged metatheatrical satire and "rags-to riches hip-hop odyssey" by slam poet turned playwright Dave Harris' * Time Out New York *'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' * The Times *'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' * Telegraph *'Entertaining and unnerving... packs a potent message while toying with the conventions of theatre itself' * The Stage *'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' * Guardian *'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' * Broadway World *'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' * LondonTheatre1 *'Daring and layered... hard-hitting... such a powerful, exciting piece of theatre... a stellar work of art' * All That Dazzles *'Funny, filthy, and often gleefully ridiculous... a vivid, bone-crunchingly intimate joyride of a show... a blast' * Time Out *

Read more less

Book SynopsisJacq and Kas's boutique restaurant has gone bust, and telling their oldest friends Adaego and her rich husband Tobin that his investment is toast is only the start of the evening. Cash, class, identity and infidelity are all on the menu. As the last of the expensive wine flows, a dangerous drinking game reveals long-hidden truths and provokes an unspeakable dare. Never Have I Ever is an explosive, savagely funny play which brilliantly skewers the contradictions of contemporary society, and the shifting sands of power and sexual politics. It premiered at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester, in 2023, directed by Emma Butler and starring Alex Roach, Amit Shah, Greg Wise and Susan Wokoma. Deborah Frances-White is a comedian, screenwriter and host of the global hit podcast The Guilty Feminist. This is her first play. '[Deborah Frances-White's] mixture of wit, fallibility and inclusivity is immensely appealing' Sunday Times on The Guilty Feminist 'Hilarious, irreverent, eternally surprising, classy as hell, genius' Phoebe Waller-BridgeTrade Review'Frances-White has scored a bullseye... a rollicking new comedy that turns into a blistering interrogation of friendship, relationships, wealth and identity politics... savagely funny... The humour zings from the start... Deliciously scabrous lines abound... a West End transfer should surely beckon' * iNews *'Sharply funny... a gagfest' * Observer *'A broad comedy for our fractious times... a blessedly rare example of a play that doesn't simply regurgitate conventional wisdoms about race, gender and class. Frances-White dares to think forbidden thoughts... A drama that will send you out into the night, arguing and laughing' * The Times *'Entertaining fare with some zinging lines... eminently watchable... Frances-White's fans will lap this up' * Guardian *'A salty, volatile cross between Indecent Proposal and a satanic edition of Come Dine with Me. The cast beautifully judge those moments when the joke curdles and teeth are bared. Exhilarating fun' * Sunday Times *'Screamingly funny' * British Theatre Guide *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'We could stop here. We could stay here. It's not so bad, is it?' Kim 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? She 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? With breathless hilarity, Kimber Lee's untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play 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. Winner 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.Trade Review'Ferociously funny... dissects years of racist, imperialist and misogynistic tropes... Imagine if Caryl Churchill had written Noises Off... punky, polemical and stingingly fresh' * Guardian *'Provocative and very funny... a terrifically spiky send-up of Asian stereotypes' * Telegraph *'Non-stop funny... both hilarious and strangely moving' * Reviews Hub *'Urgent and clever... furious and funny... very clever writing' * The Stage *'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' * Manchester Evening News *'An overdue corrective... accurate and needed... This show begins to alter what we see on stage' * Observer *'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!' * WhatsOnStage *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe story Charles Dickens might have written after drinking too much gin… Follow half-orphan Pip's extraordinary exploits with sisters Pippa and Poppy and best friend Harry Biscuit, as they attempt to escape the calculating clutches of the dastardly Mr Gently Benevolent, defeat the hideous Hardthrasher siblings, and deflect disaster at every turn! Will evil be vanquished by virtue? Can love triumph over hate? Mark Evans' stage play Bleak Expectations is a hilarious, chaotic caper, featuring dastardly villains, preposterous names, pulse-quickening romances, heart-rending death scenes, and definitely, probably, hopefully a happy ending. Based on the award-winning BBC Radio 4 series, the play opened at The Watermill Theatre, Newbury, in 2022, directed by Caroline Leslie. It transferred to the Criterion Theatre in London's West End in 2023, where it featured a medley of many well-known actors and comedians. It offers rich opportunities to amateur theatre companies looking for a gloriously daft Dickensian romp which will have their audiences joyfully transported and begging for more.Trade Review'Dickens with a dash of Monty Python... nimbly combines period detail with a sense of the absurd... immaculately polished puns and in-jokes' * The Times *'A fast-paced comedy mashup that sends up Britishness with oodles of silliness... zings with intelligence, imagination and comic anarchy' * Guardian *'Cheek-achingly funny... a ceaseless stream of quick one-liners that delivers laugh after laugh of pure entertainment... a great night out' * Broadway World *'A gloriously comic mash-up... hurrah, huzzah and harrumble!' * WhatsOnStage *'Witty, hilarious... filled with so much fun and comic cleverness with tongue-in-cheek humour and many in-jokes... sparkles with inventiveness' * British Theatre Guide *'English eccentricity at its madcap best' * Telegraph *'Joyously silly... a ridiculous pantomime for grown-ups – and the barely grown-up... Mark Evans gets the Dickens parody bang on... a fun, vivacious and uncomplicated romp' * Chortle *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'I, Daniel Blake, am a citizen, nothing more, nothing less.' Dan is a carpenter. A Geordie through and through. He had a heart attack recently, but he's on the mend now. Katie has just arrived from London. She's finally got a council flat, somewhere for her and her daughter, Daisy. A fresh start. In adversity, people come together. But when the system is stacked against you, how does anyone get by? With 14.5 million people (Joseph Rowntree Foundation 2022 Poverty Report) living in poverty in the UK, this is not fiction. It is reality. I, Daniel Blake was originally a film – directed by Ken Loach, written by Paul Laverty and produced by Rebecca O'Brien for Sixteen Films – which won the 2016 Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. This touching and vital stage adaptation by Dave Johns, who played Dan in the film, toured the UK in 2023, co-produced by tiny dragon Productions, Northern Stage, Birmingham Rep and ETT, in association with Cardboard Citizens. 'A gut-wrenching tragicomic drama… Paul Laverty's brilliantly insightful script finds much that is moving (and often surprisingly funny) in the unbreakable social bonds of so-called "broken Britain".' Guardian on Ken Loach's filmTrade Review'A powerful adaptation of the Ken Loach film that feels more relevant than ever... Skilfully adapted by Dave Johns, the play requires no knowledge of the film to enjoy it, standing on its own as a powerful testament... plenty of warmth and humour... humour that distils rather than dilutes the essential fury at the play's core – an angry, defiant howl of protest' * The Stage *'Intensely focused... a tangible thread of cold anger runs through it... the play can be said to "out-Loach" Loach in its efforts to speak truth to power' * WhatsOnStage *'Refuses to let Britain's leaders off the hook... a moving plea for compassion' * Guardian *'A straightforward, quietly stirring adaptation' * The Times *'Ken Loach's I, Daniel Blake is a wonderful film. It is, if anything, an even better play... an important, prescient, beautifully told, exquisitely acted piece that speaks loudly to the state of the nation today' * Reviews Hub *'A heart-warming story of people uniting in the face of adversity... the standing ovation at the end was well deserved' * British Theatre Guide *'Immensely moving... an urgent piece of theatre that stays true to revelatory source material' * LondonTheatre1 *'A shocking indictment... brutal and honest... a fantastic example of a screen to stage adaptation that captures the spirit of the film, as well as the mood of the nation' * Theatre Weekly *'An urgent and impassioned piece of theatre. I, Daniel Blake will leave a lasting imprint on those who see it' * The Upcoming *

Read more less

Book SynopsisArriving 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. But 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. Powerful, 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. The Real & Imagined History of the Elephant Man 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.Trade Review'A challenging, moving play about spectacle, difference and identity' * Limelight Magazine *'Everyone should be moved by such poetic and accomplished theatre' * The Age *'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' * British Theatre Guide *'A powerful piece of theatre' * Reviews Hub *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'I'm thirty-six, I'm a comedian, and I'm about to kill my boyfriend.' A permanently single, professionally neurotic stand-up comedian finally meets his Mr Right – and then does everything wrong. Is Mr Right quite what he seems? And just how far will the comedian go to get a laugh? Marcelo Dos Santos's play Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen is a dark and bitingly funny one-man show about vulnerability, intimacy, ego and truth. It premiered in the Roundabout at the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, produced by Francesca Moody Productions, directed by Matthew Xia, and starring Samuel Barnett. The critically acclaimed, Fringe First-winning production transferred to the Bush Theatre, London, in November 2023.Trade Review'What a fine work this is... full of humour, lines written with the whiplash timing of a master... a sense of real feeling, an understanding of the psychological terror of constant failure and impending annihilation... urgent, fresh and utterly compelling... confirms Dos Santos as a writer of enormous talent' * WhatsOnStage *'Fast, filthy and powerful... a perfectly formed monologue... chillingly, thrillingly transgressive' * Evening Standard *'Blending dark humour, pathos and a hearty dash of millennial angst, [this] deserves to be the next Fleabag... the gag-count is ridiculously high and the writing overall has a Bennettian finesse... it's enviably accomplished' * Telegraph *'Enthralling... a compelling and troubling character study with some killer punchlines' * Guardian *'A cleverly constructed piece of writing, and often very funny' * The Stage *'Frank, funny and occasionally filthy... a nice piece of writing, following in the footsteps of Fleabag' * Independent *'Very entertaining and sharply funny' -- Lyn Gardner * Stagedoor *'Funny and pleasingly absurdist... An entertaining, sometimes outrageous hour, brought to a very skilled climax' * Time Out *'Is this the male Fleabag? Marcelo Dos Santos's fevered monologue about a romance on the verge of a nervous breakdown... holds us spellbound for an hour' * The Times *'Pristine writing... both hilarious and heart-wrenching' * Fest Mag *'Outrageously entertaining and endlessly surprising... an extraordinary piece of theatre' * The Skinny *'A rollercoaster of a play... powerfully subtle, until it's not meant to be, and then it's joyfully theatrical... comedy magic' * LondonTheatre1 *'Terrific... Marcelo Dos Santos' script is structured beautifully, blending coarse humour with dark, brittle wit and he signs it off with a delicious punchline. Underlying the laughter, this is a multi-layered piece that explores the human fear of and need for close relationships' * Reviews Hub *'Razor-sharp... a very clever play... Dos Santos' writing uncovers new ideas at every turn... has all the laughs of a comedy set while presenting a twisting narrative that keeps you guessing' * Broadway World *'A sizzling monologue about sex and fatal attraction... Dos Santos writes beautifully' * Arts Desk *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Today is going to be the same.' For Charly, every day is the same. Things used to be different, when there was Clo, but now there isn't Clo, and Charly doesn't want to dwell on that. She just wants to chug coffee, blast Beastie Boys and deal drugs. Simple. But when Charly suffers a power cut, she's forced back into the real world of knock-off Morrisseys, disapproving mothers and, ultimately, a world she has to navigate alone. Lady Dealer is a mile-a-minute, one-person poem play by Martha Watson Allpress about forgiveness, the exhaustion of trying, and mistaking self-destruction for self-preservation. It premiered in Paines Plough's Roundabout during the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.Trade Review'Pummelling, poetic and profound... one of the shows of the festival' * The Stage *'A powerful portrait of a woman struggling for survival in a society beset by a terrible loneliness... searing and heartbreaking' * Scotsman *'A cascade of energy' * Guardian *'Raw, funny and undoubtedly human' * Theatre & Tonic *'Delightfully playful... movingly poetic... holds the audience gripped' * WhatsOnStage *'A real treat... energetic and captivating' * Broadway World *

Read more less